Photo courtesy of Viktor Hanacek on Picjumbo

If you know me, you may know that I kind of detest Winter. I'm not a fan of the cold at all. Or the ice. Or the snow if I have to be in it. But I live in Ohio, so I have to find ways to make the most of it, and I actually have. Honestly, I don't think I'd actually mind Winter as much if the temperature stayed above 20ºF, and there wasn't slippery ice. I'm not Elsa, so the cold really bothers me. I'm also not coordinated on ice, by any stretch. But Winter is practically here, and it'll be here for quite a few months. So I have to try to make the most of it.

That being said, I don't think this Winterlicious Questions Tag could have come at a better time! So thank you to my wonderful friend Mari for tagging me to do this; you can check out Mari's responses to these questions here.

Photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska on KaboomPics

Holiday traditions can sometimes vary a little bit, or even a lot a bit, from family to family. They can also change a little bit over the years as well, as new traditions get added and some fall to the wayside. In my family, things also tend to change a little bit from year to year as well, primarily just the timing of certain things, particularly when we get the tree up and start wrapping gifts. I honestly don't think we've ever had a specific date when we'd get the Christmas tree up and start wrapping presents. Not gonna lie, I'd love to make a tradition of setting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving so that we can enjoy it for longer. There's actually a lot of holiday traditions I'd like to start. Maybe I should start some of them on my own, even if no one else will join in. Maybe? I already have my own traditions for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day that I tend to do solely on my own. So why not?

That being said, even though plans may vary from year to year, there are still a few traditions in my family that are pretty constant. And I always look forward to them. Even the ones that don't seem like fun. I actually find a little joy in some of the "boring" or chaotic ones, some of them are actually enjoyable to me for some odd reason. And even if they aren't enjoyable, they still mean that the holiday season is upon us, and Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. Although it's in a very tight race with New Year's Day. Honestly, I think New Year's Day is my favorite holiday, but Christmas and New Year are so close that it doesn't really matter.

Anyway, I always enjoy hearing about the holiday traditions that others have, whether they're quite similar or very different from mine. I've always found it interesting how others choose to celebrate the holidays, whether they celebrate Christmas or something else. So I decided, why not share some of my holiday traditions?

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Although I wouldn't quite call myself a foodie, I do love food. I look forward to any holiday where there is food involved. Especially holidays with foods that I wouldn't typically have any other day, such as Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Although, in my household, we sometimes have a big dinner on New Year's Day rather than on Christmas. Either way, I still look forward to that special holiday dinner whenever it happens. The only thing is, it's extremely easy to overeat at holiday dinners. I've been known to get so excited at dinner time that I'll pile so much onto my plate that I'm lucky if I can finish what I put onto my plate. So much so that I actually won't have room for dessert! 

No, seriously, I'll actually have to pass on dessert because I'm so full my stomach can't take anymore. Even though it always makes me sad to pass on dessert, I have to listen to my body telling me to stop at that point. Unless I want to make the discomfort in my belly even worse, or even get sick. I'm not passing on dessert to cut back on calories, or anything like that. I do like to indulge a little bit during the holidays. If I can, I will often have my dessert the next day if I'm too full after dinner. But I'd prefer to have room for dessert after dinner when everyone else is having dessert. I'd also strongly prefer to avoid digestive discomfort and the feeling of being so full that it feels like I can't move. So it's better if I  avoid overeating in any way that I can, while still enjoying the holidays. 

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Although I'm not a beauty blogger, nor am I the best at makeup, I still have a love for it. Ever since I knew makeup was a thing, I had a little bit of an interest in it and wanted to wear it. Although I'm personally way more into fashion than makeup, I feel like they kind of go hand in hand. Both are an art form to me, and a great way to express myself. I absolutely love doing my makeup before changing into my outfit for the day when I go out. And provided I give myself plenty of time to do my makeup, and I don't have to rush, doing my makeup can even be super relaxing. I love getting creative, so as long as I wake up early enough and don't procrastinate on getting ready, I love really taking the time to create a fun look.

Anyway, that being said, when my friend Mari tagged me to do this makeup questionnaire, I just had to do it!

Photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska on Kaboompics

I personally love keeping in touch with my inner child, regardless of how old I may be. I still shamelessly enjoy my favorite books, movies, and TV shows from when I was a young child, as well as some of my favorite childhood treats. I also still like to partake in some of my favorite childhood activities. Just because I'm in my mid-20s doesn't mean that I have to give up everything from when I was a kid! Honestly, I don't even mind being a little bit on the childish side, and I actually hope I always feel this way. Why should I ever fully let go of my childhood? I'm fully aware that I can't actually fly off to Neverland with Peter Pan, so I do have to be at least somewhat of an adult. But who says I have to fully grow up and leave behind everything I loved as a child?

One of my favorite things about Christmas is that it really helps to bring out my inner child. I often still feel the same way on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning as I did when I was a child. Honestly, I still feel pretty much the same as I did as a child all throughout December. Although, now I have more appreciation for all the work that goes into getting ready for Christmas. There is so much work that goes into decorating, wrapping, and everything else that you don't really think about when you're a child, and your main job is to fill out your wishlist to Santa. Although I did get to help a little bit with putting the tree up when I was younger, and even a little tiny bit with wrapping presents. I always offered to help wrap my own presents, but my mom wouldn't let me wrap my own, LMAO!

Anyway, aside from helping out a little tiny bit with decorating and wrapping, my main duty in December was to write out my wishlist to Santa and put it into my stocking. However, as I've gotten older, I've stopped doing that. Honestly, I rarely even put much thought into what I might want for Christmas anymore. In a typical holiday season, I may be able to think of one or two items at the very most that I'd love to find under the tree, but that's about it. But when I saw my best friend Mari's wishlist to Santa, I felt inspired to revisit my days of making a wishlist to Santa. Just to have a little bit of fun!

Photo courtesy of Viktor Hanacek on Picjumbo

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Winter is NOT my favorite season. Winter doesn't even make the top five for me, and there are only four seasons. As soon as the temperature starts to drop and the leaves start changing colors in Autumn, I start dreading Winter. I absolutely despise Winter with every fiber of my being. And in Ohio, Winter loves to come early, and overstay its welcome. Seriously, you might as well forget about counting down to Spring, because it doesn't matter what the calendar says here. It really does not matter. You really can't trust that Winter is gone until at least mid-April, but even that is questionable.

Many people still look forward to the first snow of the season, though. Even if they do end up getting sick of it rather quickly. Yet I start complaining at the very first mention of snow. All I can think about when I hear that there's even a chance of snow is trying to shovel it, as my fingers are going numb from the cold through my two pairs of gloves. Let's also not forget about the ice, and having to use extra caution just to walk, let alone drive. Or, if you wear glasses, you know all about how your lenses fog up the second you step back inside on a cold day. All of that, combined with the lack of daylight, makes Winter absolutely dreadful. At least where I currently live. Honestly, I could go on a full-on rant about everything that makes me despise Winter, and that rant would be a mile long.

But the thing is, complaining about Winter is not going to make it go away. I also don't currently have the means to relocate to someplace warmer, so I'm out of luck there. Which means I'm going to have to just deal with it. So I might as well try to make the most of it unless I want to be in a grumpy mood for the entire season.

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It is the week of Thanksgiving in America, and if you're at all familiar with the American version of the Holiday, your mind probably goes to the food instantly. You also may think about the day after Thanksgiving when people line up outside department stores waiting to get in for the Black Friday deals, and all of the chaos that ensues on Black Friday. Less than 24 hours after sitting down to remember what they're thankful for at the dinner table, a sizable number of Americans wake up ridiculously early for great deals on the hottest products of the year. Or at least what seems to be great deals anyways. I have absolutely nothing against Black Friday shopping, you can actually get some good deals to kick off the holiday shopping season. Some people also enjoy it for the sake of tradition, or for the experience itself. It's just a little ironic that there are a few people who will start fights over material items, less than 24 hours of remembering what they're thankful for. As if they couldn't have found the item they were fighting over on Amazon, possibly for an even better deal. But I digress, I majorly digress.

I'm just going to get to the point now. Although the food and the shopping are a huge part of Thanksgiving week in America, so is gratitude, as the name of the holiday may imply. Let's be honest for a second too. As much as we should be practicing gratitude year-round, it can be easy to get caught up in the stresses of everyday life. So it's nice to have holidays like Thanksgiving that remind us to be thankful for what we do have, big or small.

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It wasn't until after I had written my post about my worst mood-killing habits that I realized that I had left out my worst mood-killing habit of all. As a matter of fact, I didn't even realize that it even was a bad habit, or how bad it can be, until after I had published that post. It didn't actually hit me until I was watching the fifth episode of Shane Dawson's series, The Beautiful World Of Jeffree Star. It resonated with me instantly when Shane said that he wanted to stop saying negative things about himself. That was when I realized that this was something I really need to work on as well, as I know for a fact that I can be my own harshest critic. I often find myself saying harsh-ass shit to myself that I would never say to another person. So needless to say, I've allowed this habit of negative self-talk to go almost completely unchecked for far too long. And going into 2020, it's time to start changing that.

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New Year's Day is one of my favorite holidays. It's possible that I actually look forward to a new year more than I look forward to Christmas, but it's a very tight race between the two. The Winter holiday season is exciting to me, in general, even though I strongly dislike Winter. The Christmas season has always been a wonderful and magical time of year for me. Honestly, I still get that child-like feeling when December arrives that I did when I was a little girl. Even though I'm technically an adult now. Although, I'd say that I have more appreciation for the season now that goes beyond the food, the presents, and all the fun events. There is a lot of work that goes into decorating, shopping for gifts, wrapping, and everything else leading up to Christmas morning. All of which can be a lot of fun, but also a little stressful at times. But honestly, through all the magic and chaos of the December holiday season, I can't help but think about the new year coming up.

I have always been the type of person that absolutely loves a fresh start and an opportunity to begin again. I love all of those chances to refocus on my goals and set new ones for myself. Of course, you can choose to do this at any moment, even right this very second. Seriously, there is no time like the present! But I have always loved it when the spirit of beginning again was there, as it certainly makes it significantly easier to refocus. I absolutely love Sundays, the start of a new month, and (most of all) the start of a brand new year because of that factor. Who doesn't enjoy the feeling of a clean slate?!

That being said though, my New Year's resolutions have always been rather ambitious, as I'm sure most people's are. So when January 1st hits, all the goals that I've set for myself can be a little overwhelming, especially if I go into them unprepared. Although I have stuck to some of them in the past, many were lost within the first week of January because I wasn't ready for them. So this year, I've decided to figure out my New Year's resolutions early, and start working on them now. Like I said, there's no time like the present.

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I absolutely love being productive! The feeling of working hard and getting a lot done is just amazing. Whether it's something you kinda have to do or something you just want to do because you enjoy it, or perhaps a little of both if you've turned your passion into your career, nothing beats getting on a roll and crossing a lot of tasks off your to-do list. But sometimes, even if you're super passionate about something, there's likely to be a point where you hit a metaphorical wall and can't seem to get much done. Even though you just want to get it done so that you can be done with it because the task at hand is really stressing you out and your patience is fading fast. If you still have any patience left, that is. You may also find yourself questioning why you even started in the first place, as you've likely lost a lot of your original passion and motivation for whatever it is you're doing. It's not unlikely that your only motivation at this point is to get it done just so you can finally be done with it.

Okay, let's be real for a second, there are some tasks you just want to be done with from the start, such as cleaning the house, yard work, or any other task that you have to do but never actually want to do, but I think you get the idea. Regardless of whether it's something you have to do or something you just want to do, there comes a point when it's time to take a break. Or when it's well past time to take a break, let's be honest.

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First of all, I'd like to give a huge thank you to Mari for tagging me to participate in this amazing Autumn tag; you can check out her response to this Fall questionnaire here.  

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, although it tends to come a little late in Ohio, and Winter tends to approach quickly once Autumn actually sets in; but I still enjoy Autumn for the few weeks it's actually here. With that being said though, Autumn is making its quick visit in Ohio as I'm sitting here writing this, so let's take a moment to sit down and really appreciate this colorful season. 

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I'm going to be 100% honest, although I do try to avoid using my phone, tablet, or laptop too much within the first hour or two of waking up in the morning, and an hour or so before bed, I'm still on them pretty much all day. I'll admit it, I'm a little too attached to my electronic devices and I should probably cut back my use a little more; especially as I can't fathom going very long without them. Although I do have quite a few activities that I enjoy that require no Wi-Fi, mostly for when the internet is down or I need a very short break from it, some of them actually still involve a screen! A lot of the things that I enjoy the most, make me the happiest, and that even relax me the most involve some sort of electronic device with a screen; whether it's my phone, tablet, laptop, or the TV. So although it's never a bad idea to put the phone down or to log off and enjoy the fresh air, a little "me time" spent using your tech in a positive way isn't a horrible thing either. 

We all know that the digital world can easily become negative, stressful, and just plain toxic, as it exposes you even more to the negativity in the world, but there is also a positive side to the digital world as well; I've already discussed both the best and worst ways social media has impacted my life before. It's also way too easy to become sedentary when you're too connected to your digital devices as well, one of my worst mood-killing habits. I could go on and on about the negatives about living in this digital world; even as a tech lover, I'm not oblivious to the negative effects it can have, but I also see the positive side to it as well. So how can one go about using their digital devices in a positive way, and even use them for self-care? I have quite a few ideas.

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With this week being Asexual Awareness Week, I might as well come right out and say it; I'm on the asexual spectrum! To be a little more specific, I identify the most with demisexuality, which essentially means that I typically don't usually experience sexual attraction, but I might if I form a strong emotional connection to someone. Also, I'd like to clarify that this is not the same thing as abstinence or celibacy; this is just one of many misconceptions about asexuality. Asexuality is a sexual orientation, not a personal or lifestyle choice, such as abstinence; and although many asexuals may choose not to have sex (or just don't care to), many asexuals do have (and even enjoy) sex, even in the absence of sexual attraction.

By the way, before I go any further, I'd also like to note that sexual attraction and romantic attraction are not the same things. You can be asexual and not experience sexual attraction, but still experience romantic attraction; and be of any romantic orientation, such as heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, panromantic, or even aromantic. By the way, you can also be aromantic (or any subset of aromatic), but not be asexual, and be of any sexual orientation. I could go on and on, but I literally can not speak for everyone on the ace or aro spectrum, as there are many ways to experience asexuality and/or aromanticism. I can, however, speak from my own experiences.

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Bad habits are so easy to get into, yet can be very hard to break out of. Seriously though, although they say it takes 21 days or even more to form a habit, it seems that a bad habit can form or resurface in a matter of just a couple of days if you're not careful. But if you're anything like me, and you know that what you do drastically affects your mood, your productivity, and just about everything else about how you're feeling; sometimes that's motivation enough to tackle a bad habit. Easier said than done, I know, as sometimes slipping back into one bad habit can cause a domino effect and bring back multiple others; but personally, I find that by focusing on tackling one bad habit, it makes tackling most of the others seem natural and effortless as my mood improves. I know this isn't always the case for everyone, but this often the case for me, especially as most of my bad habits are related in some way. 

That being said though, I know for a fact that my habits have a direct impact on how I'm feeling; I also know that letting even just one of them slide can cause a domino effect and bring about the others if I allow it to go unchecked for too long. The good news is, I've pretty much pinpointed the habits that make me feel like absolute poo, and I pretty much know exactly how to fix them. Sometimes the solution isn't easy, especially when I'm not exactly feeling the best, but sometimes just knowing where to start, or knowing where I can start small, can be motivation enough to lift myself back up from a bad habit and get my shit together; so I don't feel like shit.

Photo courtesy of Daria Shevtsova on Pexels

Recently, I've absolutely been loving the idea of doing whatever I can to reduce the amount of stuff I'm tossing into the trash bin. Let's be real here for a second, not only is it better for the planet to try to reduce the amount of waste we're producing, even in the smallest of ways, but it can also save you quite a bit of money to cut back on the use of those single-use and disposable products. Sure, it's a lot more convenient to be able to just toss something in the garbage bin, and not have to wash it, find a place to store it, or have to deal with it in any way; but seriously, even if the environmental impact of constantly using and tossing these single-use products right into the trash doesn't really cross your mind, or you're reading this and you're already calling me a "tree-hugger" in your head, I'm sure that if anything, you'd love to be able to save some money in the long run. 

For real though, although many reusable products may initially be a bit pricier than their single-use counterparts, you won't have to keep buying them over and over, or at least not nearly as often if you opt to use reusable items whenever you can. And who can argue with saving money and trips to the store?

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In my last post where I discussed the best and worst ways that social media impacts my life, I mentioned the fact that, on social media, it's super easy to compare yourself to others; or compare your life to the lives of others. In that same post, I also offered a few tips on how to combat that comparison. But let's really talk about this for a minute, because I know just how quickly comparison can kill your mood; and it's not always even caused by Instagram or anything on social media, but by real life. As a matter of fact, for me personally, comparison with people that I know in real life kills my mood much quicker than any Instagram post from someone I follow on the internet.

This isn't to say that I'm not happy for these people, whether I just know them from social media or in real life, when good things come their way; but sometimes I can't help but wonder when my time will come for certain things, and sometimes will mind will also say "or if my time will come", which is never a fun thought. Especially when it comes to those things that I've always dreamed of, that I really thought I'd have by the time I turned 25; but here I am at 25 (and a half), and I'm still living at home, I've never been on a vacation that was anything more than a day trip, I'm basically single, I'm socially awkward AF, and the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, others from my graduating class (2013) are buying their first home, getting married, having kids, getting big promotions; you get the idea. I can relate to so much of what one of my favorite bloggers, Lucy Mary, said in her post about having a mid-life crisis in your mid-20s. Apparently, you don't have to be in your mid-30s or 40s to have one; because I certainly feel like I'm having one!

As I was saying though, that kind of comparison can seriously make you go from completely feelin' yourself to "what the fuck am I doing with my life" quickly.  But depending on how you handle it, and how you talk to yourself in these situations, you can bring yourself out of that state of mind, and you can even turn comparison into a way to find a bit of gratitude!

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Ever since I got my first computer in my room with high-speed internet, I spent a lot of time online, and even more specifically on some sort of social media site; although when I was younger many of them were more targeted at kids and young teens and had stricter rules to protect the safety of children while still allowing them to connect with others who have the same interests and make new friends (we need more sites and app like this now honestly). Either way though, whether I was on Zwinky or on MySpace (yes, that was a thing), watching YouTube videos, or if I was using an IM service like AIM or Yahoo Messenger (okay I really feel old now), I was spending most of my free time outside of school on some sort of social media website. And I still do this now as an adult; just now I use Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, WeHeartIt, Facebook, YouTube, and a few others now instead of MySpace and the online games. 

I'll be honest, I know I spend way to much time on social media and the internet in general. Although I think that may be due to the fact that I was an outcast in school, and didn't leave the house much; as I didn't really have anyone to spend time with in real life. All that being said, I've spent enough time online to see both the bad and the good sides of social media. Seriously though, while older generations, in particular, and the media often portray social media as a bad thing, it's not all bad; and can even be beneficial if used in a positive way. Don't get me wrong though, social media can also be extremely toxic if used in the wrong ways, and it's nearly impossible not to stumble across nasty things from time to time; and they definitely should be talked about, but the positive side of social media shouldn't be forgotten either. So today I'd like to go over the best and the worst ways that social media had affected my life personally.

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If you've recently done a deep clean of your home, either for Spring cleaning or just because you felt extra motivated to clean, or maybe because you had to because you were about to have guests over for a holiday or family dinner, you're likely enjoying how satisfying having a clean home is. Seriously though, despite how unpleasant some tasks may be (I'll always despise dusting), you can't deny how satisfying it is to have everything clean and organized. So now the thing is, trying to keep up with it; because odds are you aren't going to want to spend your Saturdays going through that whole entire chore list again, some chores you probably don't even want to do every week, but you also don't want to just let your space go unmaintained. Especially considering the fact that some chores are even more unpleasant if you procrastinate on them for too long.  

There are a few things I actually feel I may do more often than some people, but there are also some things I do (way) less often than others; mainly either because those tasks are a hassle to do on a daily or weekly basis, or because it's unnecessary to do them that often with my lifestyle, and in a relatively small household of three people (all adults), and a dog. So of course, you should build your cleaning schedule based on your lifestyle, your household, and your own needs and preferences; as well as what you feel you can easily keep up with.

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Who doesn't love taking a nice hot shower? I know that I certainly love taking a nice hot shower before bed at night; especially after a really hard workout earlier that day. Occasionally though, I actually kind of like to take a cold shower. Well, I like the benefits that can come along with taking a cold shower anyway; I rarely enjoy the process of taking a cold shower. Like seriously, who would? I don't like being cold, so I don't particularly enjoy getting hit with cold water; even if it's my own choice. 

So why do I choose to put myself through such torture, you may ask? I mean no one is forcing me to take a cold shower, aside from myself. So why do it? Well, you'll have to read on to find out...

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I absolutely L-O-V-E my bed! So much so that sometimes I really don't want to get out of it, but let's be real, no one wants to leave their bed in the morning. Despite the fact that I don't want to get out of bed, I know that I can't just stay in bed all day; and that getting up at a decently early hour allows me to get more done in the day. As a matter of fact, I actually love the feeling of getting up somewhat early in the morning, once that "morning feeling" passes, and I'm always amazed at how much I can get done before my afternoon workout when I get out of bed by 8:00 AM. (Which I realize isn't exactly early, but I'm naturally a night owl and I go to bed at 12:00 AM, so it feels early for me, haha.)

Still though, despite knowing how good it feels to get up at a decent hour, and how much more I can actually get done in a day when I don't oversleep, as well as knowing that oversleeping makes me feel physically crappy, sometimes I have the hardest time getting out of bed. As a matter of fact, sometimes my feet don't even end up hitting the floor until almost 11:00 AM, and I'll end up feeling not only super groggy from oversleeping, but like I wasted the day away. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with sleeping in, especially on days where you ended up going to bed way late the night before (and for Daylight Saving Time); or for when you're not feeling well. But personally, I find it easy to just make excuses to stay in bed longer on most of these days.

Luckily I do have a few little things that help me get out of bed, and I've also found that trying to figure out exactly why I don't want to get out of bed helps a bit too.

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Sometimes I can't wait to hit the mat or go for a run, other times I seriously do not want to work out, or even get out of my chair (or my bed) for the matter; sometimes I really need a little extra something to motivate me to put on my shoes and start moving. On those days, I need a little extra motivation to help me stay on track and not needlessly miss my workout; if there's no real reason why I have to skip it that day. And even when I'm feeling super motivated, it never hurts to have a little extra motivation to help take full advantage of that energy and excitement so I can make the absolute most of it.

Photo courtesy of Viktor Hanacek on PicJumbo

If you spend any significant amount of time on the internet, or if you follow a lot of health and fitness blogs, you've likely noticed that meditation is often suggested as a way to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and as a way to relax in general. Now, I'm definitely not going to deny that meditation is helpful, as a matter of fact, I've found that short guided-meditation videos really can provide at least a little bit of relief when I'm feeling really stressed or anxious. But the thing is, trying to sit still in Sukhasana for an extended period of time and trying (and failing) to focus on nothing but my breath is just not my thing. Perhaps this is because meditation is a practice, and I don't really do it all that often, so it's extremely difficult for me to clear my mind and not to fidget; but I really just can't get into it.

But knowing how beneficial it can be to take the time to at least try to clear my head (or maybe just sort through my thoughts) and not do too much, it's definitely worth trying to do something meditative. Even if the traditional sitting still and saying "ohm" type of practice that you may typically think of is really not your thing, there are still plenty of ways you can clear your head and ease some of the tension in your mind. Which in turn can relieve some of the tension you may physically feel in your body; as well as help you feel more focused when you're trying to work or sleep a little better at night. There are a lot of benefits to taking up meditation or finding some way to be mindful, clear your head, or just relax; and you can still get them even if sitting still in silence for long periods of time isn't for you.

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As someone who absolutely loves to create, and is rather particular on the small details, I am constantly trying to take up new skills so that I can figure out a way to create whatever it may be that I want to create on my own. Whether it's designing and coding my own layout for my blog, or creating graphics and artwork, I absolutely love being able to do it on my own (while also utilizing whatever tools and resources I have available of course). I suppose you could say I'm a little bit on the ambitious side; though I think all bloggers are in one way or another, and that ambition is a good thing!

The only thing is, taking up a new hobby or skill, especially one you know next to nothing about, can be rather overwhelming when you're doing it without any formal help. Not to mention if you're taking up something where even the smallest error could throw everything off such as with HTML/CSS and JavaScript coding. I could go on and on about the frustrations that can come along with taking up a new hobby, and being 100% self-taught because you don't really want to pay for formal training or classes, without knowing whether you'll really stick to it or not.

But even though taking up a new creative skill without any formal training or help can definitely make the process quite a bit more difficult, as well as frustrating or even stressful at times; it definitely can be done as long as you have passion.

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Do you know how when you're a child they tell you to never grow up; or not to grow up to fast? Well, I kind of listened to that, as best as I could as an adult anyway. I may not be playing on the playground anymore, then coming home and playing with Bratz or Barbie dolls until my childhood 9:00 PM bedtime, and I definitely have a few more responsibilities now than I did when I was 10; but I have still found ways to keep in touch with my inner child. As a matter of fact, I have found that I actually have a greater appreciation now for some things from my childhood than I did back then; whether it's through a greater understanding of the subtle adult humor in kids shows, or pure nostalgia of simpler times from my childhood or even my teen years. 

Whatever the case, I like to regularly get in touch with my inner child; as for me personally, connecting with that side of myself is a form of self-care. And I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I actually don't mind being a little "immature" or childish in some cases. I mean do I really have to grow up all the way, just because I'm in my 20s? I suppose that is definitely a matter of opinion, but personally, I want to hold on to that inner child as much as I can. And there are definitely some great ways to do it, whether you're in your 20s or even beyond. 

Although looking back on it now, I can honestly say I'm kinda grateful I was an outcast in school, that wasn't always the case. Especially when I was in middle school and at the age where it felt like being popular (or at least fitting in) was of utmost importance. I did some pretty stupid and silly things to try to win over the popular kids, or to at least try to make friends and just be accepted. Many of the things I did were just cringe-worthy, and I have no idea why I thought they'd actually earn me the acceptance of the cool kids; since apparently shows on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel aren't reliable sources on how to be cool in real life. Some things I did were just straight up stupid, and not even really worth it. 

I'll be honest though, there are also a few things I did that I actually don't totally regret or cringe at, but I wish I had done them because I wanted to; not to try to impress others. 

Photo courtesy of Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Can I just say that some of my hobbies and interests can be absolutely frustrating sometimes?! Especially since I tend to gravitate towards things that not only require a lot of creativity, but also a lot of focus; as well as attention to detail. Not to mention, I don't really have any formal training in any of my hobbies or interests, and Google and/or YouTube tutorials are my only real helpers in a lot of cases. So when something doesn't go right, and I still can't figure it out after hours of Googling, or sometimes not even knowing exactly what to type for my Google search, it can get really stressful, really quickly. Even when it's not something that I have to do, but just want to do. 

If you're a creator, and especially if you're a coder (or you're working with technology in general), you definitely know what I'm talking about. Really though, any hobby that requires a lot of focus or skill can get rather stressful; especially when you're pretty much on your own when it comes to troubleshooting problems. Or simply getting it just right, and up to your standards; even when it's something you're doing just because you enjoy it, and not as a job. I've personally found myself getting rather tense over my own personal projects on multiple occasions, often to the point where I'd feel the tension in my body. Sometimes I'll even become moody and snappy over something that I usually enjoy doing. 

And if you're anything like me, when you're super passionate about something, quitting is not an option. Even if the process is currently making you want to rip your hair out.

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With Spring being here, there's a good chance you're probably thinking about Spring cleaning; if you're not already either in the process or possibly even done with your Spring cleaning already! I personally find Spring cleaning to be very satisfying, even if some chores and tasks can be a bit tedious, or not fun at all. The end result of a clean room or a clean home, and getting everything reorganized, decluttered, and back into order, is always super satisfying regardless! And as you're going through your Spring cleaning checklist, why not also consider giving your digital life a little TLC as well? Especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer, phone, or tablet; or possibly all of the above. 

Personally, I pretty much live on my devices, to the point that I'm probably a little too dependent on them (but that's beside the point), so I know that my digital life could use quite a bit of TLC from time-to-time; just like my home. So as I start thinking of doing some Spring cleaning in my room, I'm also thinking of digital Spring cleaning as well.

Photo courtesy of Studio 7042 on Pexels

Spring has officially in the northern hemisphere! Well, at least by the calendar, it's officially Spring; I live in Ohio so it'll probably be a couple more weeks before it actually starts to feel more like Spring consistently. Gotta love the weather in the northeastern and midwestern United States. Anyway, warmer weather is just around the corner, so if you've been thinking of trying running, now is the time to give it a go; and even if you live in the southern hemisphere, Fall can also be a great time to start running as well, when the weather isn't too hot or too cold.

I personally started running in the Spring of 2017 as a way to add in some extra cardio to my regular workout, and although running definitely is challenging, especially in the beginning or when coming back to it after the Winter, it's definitely enjoyable. And while I may not be a professional runner or a personal trainer, I have certainly found ways through a bit of trial and error that help make my runs and jogs better and more enjoyable. So if you're considering getting into running or jogging this Spring, Fall, or really any time, these tips are certainly worth reading, as I honestly wish I knew some of them before I ever started running!

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I'm not gonna lie, I absolutely love my bed; so sometimes getting out of it can be a real struggle. So needless to say, in the same way that I sometimes really don't want to work out for one reason or another, there are also a ton of reasons (and excuses) that I can make for choosing to just stay in bed all day. As a matter of fact, I probably have way more reasons and excuses to stay in bed than I do to not work out, let's be honest. 

But just as I don't actually like missing my workout when there's no reason why I actually have to take a rest day that day, I also feel extremely guilty when I sleep in past 10 AM (or later). Oftentimes, oversleeping also makes me feel a lot groggier when I finally do get out of bed as well; so not only am I feeling guilty about needlessly wasting away the morning hours, but I also feel quite sluggish throughout the day, and it's hard to do anything productive. So even when I really don't want to get out from under the covers, I know that getting out of bed by at least 9 AM, or preferably even earlier than that, is best for me. 

I'll be honest though, simply knowing that I'll feel better throughout the day isn't always enough on its own for my feet to hit the floor. Sometimes it takes a little bit of an extra push (and some bribery).

Photo courtesy of Alex Bertman on Unsplash

I was not exactly the most popular girl in school; as a matter of fact, it was actually quite the opposite, and I was more of a popular target for teasing. Or at least that's how it felt at the time anyway. Needless to say, I didn't really have many friends and I pretty much never got invited to anything outside of school. Heck, I wasn't even invited to much in school; as the teacher often had to assign someone to work with me whenever we had to work in groups or with a partner (even though I'd have very much preferred to just work alone), I sat alone at lunch on most days, and I literally never had a date for a school dance. So I think you can guess that my social life outside of school was pretty much non-existent. (And let's be honest, my social life as an adult is still pretty much non-existent, LMAO.) But looking back on that now, I don't think that was necessarily completely a bad thing. 

While I can't say that the bullying hasn't had any negative lasting effects on me, and especially on my mental health, I can say that there's definitely a silver lining to not being the most popular girl in school. While all I wanted at the time was to be cool or at least fit in, (I could seriously go on and on about the things I did to try to be cool before I realized that "cool" is subjective and that what society deems as being cool can change over time), I have certainly found a few ways that not being popular has actually brought some good into my life. 

Some of these ways are more serious than others, and some of them may seem a bit silly or pehaps even kind of sad to some, but I truly believe in trying to find even just a little bit of good in a bad situation or experience in any way that you can. 

Photo courtesy of Dabbles & Babbles

I admit it, I spend way too much time on the internet; to the point where I'm probably way too dependent on it. Although I know I'm definitely not alone here, many businesses in the US will actually close when their internet isn't working; gotta love first-world problems. But seriously, I'm almost always using the internet for something in one way or another; even for my workouts, as I mostly workout from home using YouTube videos. Probably the only thing I don't primarily do online is my shopping, I actually do still like going to the store and buying things in person, but I still browse the online store before going to get a general idea of what they have. 

Needless to say though, my life pretty much revolves around a Wi-Fi connection; so when the internet goes down, there's a serious issue. Of course, I'll go through the process of resetting everything and checking my internet settings, but when that doesn't work after so many tries, I usually come to realize there isn't much I can do about it; and all I can do is wait for it to come back on. A lot of the time the issue is resolved within an hour or so, but sometimes it's down almost all day. So then what do I do?

Of course, I could just sit there sulking and staring at my screen, waiting all day for it to come back on; but then all I'd be doing is wasting the day away. So why not make the most of it instead? Although it's definitely an inconvenience and super frustrating, it's the perfect opportunity to do some things you normally wouldn't. Seriously though, there's a lot you really can do without a Wi-Fi connection (and without using your mobile data if you don't have unlimited). Besides, taking a break from the internet is never a bad idea anyway. 

Here are a few of my favorite things to do when I can't get on the internet (or when I just need a little bit of a break from it).

Photo courtesy of Adam Grabek on Unsplash

Whether you're just getting started on your fitness journey, or you're a longtime fitness junkie, you've probably had a few of those days where you just really didn't want to work out. Perhaps even to the point that you absolutely dreaded the mere idea of putting on your shoes or rolling out your mat and getting started. It's okay, I've totally been there; many times. And yes, I've also totally skipped my workout on multiple occasions too; which is totally okay to do occasionally, as long as it doesn't become a habit. Rest days are essential, and it's important to take a rest day or an "active rest day" at least once a week. I have personally set Sundays to be my active rest day, where I'll just stretch my muscles or do some gentle yoga in place of any intense exercise (hence the "active" part), but even though I have my rest day every week, I still have days where I really, really, really don't want to work out through the rest of the week.

But the thing is, even when I really don't want to work out, even to the point that I'm absolutely dreading even getting ready for my workout, I don't like missing my workout. I know that getting my workout in benefits me in so many ways, both mentally and physically. I can go on and on about all of the ways that simply making the time to workout has benefitted me, and how 40 minutes to an hour of movement has made a huge impact on my life. But despite knowing how great working out usually makes me feel, notice I said usually, there are just some days where it's a struggle to drag myself to the mat.

When I do end up getting to the mat on these days, I typically don't regret it, I'll even feel a greater sense of accomplishment that I completed something that I didn't even want to begin. But there are also times where, for one reason or another, I'll drag myself to the mat and end up having a crappy workout and won't even enjoy a second of it; sometimes leading me to feel even worse than before I started. Which is an indicator that I probably should have either taken a rest day or tried something else.

No one likes having a crappy workout, and working out should never make you feel worse than you did before you started. Although it does happen from time to time. But to help avoid this feeling, as well as needlessly skipping my workout, I like to ask myself why I don't feel like working out that day. And when I think about it, it usually comes down to one of these 5 reasons.