Today, I got slapped in the face twice. Twice. Of course I mean figuratively.. but shesh.
The first time was around lunch time when I was doing the Jesus Calling devotional for April 24.
It said: I am always with you, so you have no reason to be afraid. Your fear often manifests itself in excessive planning. Your mind is so accustomed to this pattern of thinking that you are only now becoming aware of how pervasive it is and how much it hinders your intimacy with Me. Repent of this tendency and resist it, whenever you realize you are wandering down this well-worn path. return to My Presence, which always awaits you in the present moment. I accept you back with no condemnation.
Boom. Face. Slapped.
Im a planner. && l haven't realized how it negatively affects me.
Second slap: like I just said, I am a planner, therefore I am always on the go. Im multitasking always. I've even caught myself talking on the phone, brushing my teeth, printing lecture slides off and packing my lunch at the same time. Chaos.
Today, I heard a guest speaker talk about mindfulness. She defined mindfulness being present in the moment, fully accepting & nonjudgmental. Oh my word. I loved that. I think I am the only person in the room that pulled out her notebook to take notes... and started writing like a mad woman. Some major points that I personally took away was:
- Anxiety can be an internal anchor we like to hold on due to familiarity.. when you realize you have this thought, focus on external things (not your internal anxiety).
-Figure out your autopilot. Your autopilot is the thing that narrows your focus & doesn't allow you to see the whole picture.
-Recognize that every thought you have isn't true. (Basic example "I can't dance")
-Be open and receptive to stressful moments in order to see the whole picture. Be open to them creates the greater possibility of conquering that task or moment.
-Pain within a moment can turn into great suffering.. when you recognize pain, turn your thoughts towards the positives of the moment, not the future.
I know it sounds so yoga-like. But I ate that mess up. I was encouraged to slow my life down. To be present when some calls && not just stick the phone up to my ear so I can do my own thing. To not hide from pain, but realize it can be conquered. To recognize the things that hinder me from seeing the big picture. To full accepting to whatever the moment brings. To stay away from judgement and be open to all things that come.
I wasn't going to post today.. I have homework, a paper & two test before I can officially call it spring break! However, I was taking my "break" on facebook and found this:
Since it is iTunes Tuesday, do yourself a favor && listen.
It is gorgeous -- I just love Bon Iver! :)
In the mean time my room currently looks like this...
&& like this:
because like I said I have so much to do before I can call it spring break! Oh, && when I say spring break, I mean on a cruise to the Bahamas! Between the papers and packing my stress level is out the roof. Oh, but the happy days to come in black bathing suits and sweet cotton dresses on steady boats with friends and an endless food supply.
I have been frying my brain over the past several hours & now that that test is behind us.. I can relax. Rita, my friend & bible study leader, met this morning for coffee. We talked about everything and nothing -- Jesus, boyfriends, camping, fall break, family, & stress levels. Rita knows me pretty well & knows how much I stress. My mom (bless her heart) stresses out because I am so stressed out when it comes to test days & interviews. I do the whole let's go for a run thing, watch some television, bake, nap... but my mind still stirs with this I need to be doing. But today, I went into Barnes & Nobles to buy a new journal & a gift for a friend. While I was in there, I felt so relaxed. The most relaxed I have felt in a long time. I went to the Starbucks counter, hit up yet another Pumpkin Spice Latte (imagine that)... and just walked around for a good hour. I was planning on getting in, getting out. But I just moozied around, sipping on warm splashes of my latte, touching detailed edges, stopping to read the back of books, feeling the pages of every journal I picked up. It was simple & it was quiet.
It was lovely.
So maybe there it is.. my stress reliever -- walking around in book stores.
I guess time will tell.
Maybe you can help me out..
how do YOU relieve stress?
& I realize it is not iTunes Tuesday.. but this song was playing at B&N.. and it is on my playlist for this blog. I love it & and the sound is so soothing. Grab a latte & enjoy!
I've been MIA.. sorry. But Fall Break is this week & I will be updating you on my life.. including a baby shower from a couple weeks ago, my fall display for the Raleigh house, some pictures I took of this sweet, sweet little boy, a heart-felt 5K with my sister, & another lovely weekend at home! :) I would post one of them now, but first off... my camera is dead & I left my charger at home so I can't upload pictures. Second, I allowed myself a hour to enjoy my lovely coffee at Global while listening to a new love of mine: Norah Jones' Pandora Station -- sorry Michael Buble.. I won't cheat on you too awfully long.
These past two weeks I've been:
1. Doing multiple fist pumps a day because of the gorgeous weather.
2. Making more excuses to get outside.
3. Trying to get the fall inspired wardrobe in my closet.
4. Praying for this girl & her (thankfully) growing belly.
5. Weaning myself off creamer in my coffee. Im sugarless now and can do straight black on days - depending on the brew.
6. Seeing that getting up early is getting easier & easier.
7. Craving the country:
8. Seeing my sister is a strong woman, who is capable to do anything she sets her mind to!
9. Drinking wayyyy too many Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
10. Thinking about travel. Mission trips, study abroad, weekend trips. Also, I am desperately wanting to go on a trip with this boy (Boone, maybe?)..
In social dance, we hear a lot of music.. music that you wouldn't think you dance certain dances to. For example, my teacher & I danced the cha-cha to Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much". At first I was a little skeptical, but my teacher is amazing & he made it so much fun! Now it's crazy not to cha-cha to upbeat country tunes!
So this week we are learning the foxtrot, which is so much slower than the cha-cha, but I still love it. On behalf of new moves & music, I thought I would leave you with a few of my favorite songs to dance to...
If not.. get to know them. They are absolutely incredible with lyrics that speak a lot of truth. They are constantly playing in my car & I definitely regret not going to their concert this past summer.
But anyways...
I was Facebook creepin' earlier & my friend, Taylor, had this link on his wall:
This weekend rocked.. && deserves a warm, long post. So after Thursday (my last final) I will dedicate a nice, motherly post about the weekend at home.
In the meantime, Anatomy & Cognitive Psychology are controlling my brain.
But it's iTunes Tuesday..
I am obsessed with the Adele Pandora Station. It is seriously blowing my mind right now. So as I hear songs come on, I update my playlist to the side -->
So.. go to the bottom of the playlist to hear some updated songs. :)
They will not disappoint.. promise.
Happy Tuesday..
&& good luck to all college kids pushing through this last week!
Enjoy this random picture of some ducks my parents bought for their pond! heheee
Freshman year, every single night I would stay up until at least 2 am. Maybe it was my new independence, or not getting up at 6 am every morning, or me feeling "rebellious" as a fresh college kid. I don't know what I was thinking. Now-a-days, rooms & I are rarely up past 1. We like the joy of getting an ample amount of sleep and getting up earlier to enjoy more of the day. I personally enjoy a nice nap, I usually find time for one at least every other day. I much rather get up early and enjoy the morning, then find time for a nap later on in the day than sleeping in and going hard all day long.
I love mornings. I feel like since I am starting to feel this way towards morning, I am continuing my metamorphosis into an adult. I love waking up to the sun peering through the blinds, and then stepping outside to check the weather to see the sun over the downtown Raleigh Skyline. I love watching the Today Show. I love devotions in the morning, especially when they are outside. I love good morning music. I love hot coffee while getting ready. I love the slight chill of mornings no matter the season.
I simply love everything about mornings.
What about you? Would you rather sleep in or get on up?
&& since it's iTunes Tuesday, enjoy my good morning music!
So I am going to blog it to ya short & sweet this morning.
Because it's iTunes Tuesday!
I filled in an application last week and one of the questions was "what's your theme song? I have never thought about this... and was really caught off guard. I didn't know what to put because I feel like it changes a bunch. Especially when I hear a new song. Im like oh yeah, I totally live by the meaning of this song. Or this is my jam.
Well I heard this song on a movie a couple months ago, and came to tears when I heard it. Maybe I was just having a tough day or maybe it really did speak to me.
It's called "Have A Little Faith In Me" by John Hiatt.
It's a love song. But I think of it as a song about someone going through life.
Simply the title (which is pretty much half the song) is enough for me --
have a little faith in me.
Im singing it to Jesus.
Im singing it to my parents.
Im singing it to Sam.
Im singing it to my friends, peers, mentors.
Im singing it strangers.
don't forget to pause the music below.
It's simply a gorgeous song and totally worth an iTunes dollar.
I love it. & right now, this is my theme song.
Happy Tuesday Yall.
Have a little faith in today, that it's going to be a great day!
How can you wake up to this & not have an amazing morning?
Well, it's easier than you thought. This morning wasn't my best.
I forgot my giant IKEA bag in my car (from the weekend) that had my makeup, straightener, jeans, gray vans.. pretty much everything I needed to be presentable this day. I set my alarm 15 minutes early this morning to go down & get it. First off, I woke up 5 minutes late. Making me ultimately 20 minutes behind what I originally set out to be. So I throw my little 2 second fit for oversleeping and then metamorphosis to an adult in order to actually start my day.
So I get my bag, head back towards the dorm.. and realized I completely forgot my keys to the building! Ughh. Flustered, I went to the 24-hour desk and asked if they could just let me in the building - I could get my roommate to let me in the suite. But no, I had to fill out a request for temporary keys... which took 5-10 minutes. & of course you know how I do, I look a hot mess in my snowflake pajamas & high school basketball sweatshirt.
Finally, I get up to my room. I get myself ready. Overcook my bowl of oatmeal & forget to change the K-cup in my Keruig coffee maker. So I have super dry oatmeal & hot day-old coffee to turn my day around.. great!
Well. Before I leave my room, I sent a little prayer out. Not to make the day better, but to not take this morning at face value. If I did, my day would be completely miserable. Tuesdays are my really tough days, I go hard from 8am-10pm. I prayed for strength to be optimistic about all that comes on this long day.
&&&& a song came onto my iPod on my way to class.
&&&& since it's itunes tuesday, you know I'm gonna share it with ya.
This song is beautiful, and help me become more optimistic about today, and tomorrow and the next hundred days! And John Mayer is just simply wonderful for the eyes & ears. :)
don't forget to pause music below.
Now to return to the world of Chemistry & Physics! Yahooo!
I really like the blogs that have a specific topic or blog post every week... like "Wordless Wednesdays" and just show a picture of their kids, or dogs or whatever. So I thought I would engage in my own little weekly post. However, mine not wordless.. instead it's full of lyrics!! I here by pronounce the creation of iTunes Tuesday! I know, I know it's Thursday.. but I do not have my pictures uploaded? downloaded? I don't know... which ever direction.. but frankly, they are not on my laptop just yet for whatever reason. So I am starting it today. & will continue on Tuesdays.
The song could be one my favorite, one of my least favorite, an interesting one, one I just heard, a great workout song, sleep song, annoying, etc. You get the point. Maybe this will help increase the songs in your iTunes! :)
Today's tune came from inspiration after my work out class (called Spring Break-a-Sweat :) ). Every time I leave the gym, I listen to beach music. It's relaxing && so much fun! I don't know how to shag yet, but I will get there one day. :) But anyways.. one of my favorite beach music songs is Marc Broussard's cover of Marvin Gay's "If I Could Build My World Around You". I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song.
I always joke with Sam saying this is going to be our "first dance" song, so he has to take the shagging lessons WITH me! Ahh, Im such a hopeless romantic. Good thing I have a thing for blonde hair, blue eyed boys.
So here is a terrible, video of the song. (Sorry, it's all I could find).
If you wanna hear some goodness.. GOOGLE THIS SONG!
