Song of the Week - August 8th

I don't know if this song it so much motivational as it just just epic. I love it, and it definitely gets me pumped up!

The Fire Shall Devour Them - The Three Corners of the Earth

Expressive Writing

I was recently in a car accident. Nothing too serious but I have been having back and neck problems because of it. I have also been in a bit of a rut ever since. It has been 3 weeks now and I still don't feel like I'm back to my bubbly self. I have been sleeping in late and haven't been in the best place mentally. I read a while ago that writing for 15 minutes everyday is really good for your mental as well as your physical health.

I am going to dedicate 15 minutes everyday for the next two weeks to writing. I encourage you to do that same. You can write about anything. Here are some idea:

• Something that you are thinking or worrying about
• Something that you have been dreaming about
• Something that has been affecting your life
• Something that you have been avoiding
• Write about how your day was
• Write about how you want your day to go or your ideal day

The options are endless. 

You can write by hand or type it on the computer. You can save what you write, to look back on it later, or you can throw it away. 

I will be writing by hand. I could post my entries, but I think some of them will be too personal. If I write something that I feel comfortable sharing I will post it. 

Here is a video explaining the expressive writing method: 

Song of the Week

I randomly came across this song and immediately fell in love! It's fun and up beat, and makes me want to get up and dance! 

Why Don't We Do Something - Hey Geronimo

Fear of Banana

Found this photo online. So hilarious!

 Original photo from http://www.fanpop.com/spots/random/images/5719759/title/random-wallpaper?ir=true

Book Review - Some Girls Bite

I was recently in a car accident and it has given me a lot of time to catch up on my reading! So I thought, why not do a few book review.

I just finished reading a book called Some Girls Bite, written by Chloe Neill. It is the first book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. I am going to be completely honest right up front. I love young adult urban fantasy type stuff. You know, the stuff that most people secretly love, but then once it gets famous complain about how it's horribly written. Such as Twilight and The Hunger Games.

I'm not reading these books for the amazing literature, I am reading it for fun. I don't want to have to think I just want a great escape, something that I can get caught up in and stay up half the night reading.

Anyways... I liked this book quite a bit. The book takes place is the 21st century where vampires in Chicago have recently made it known that they exist. There are four Vampires Houses, all of the vampires must belong to one, or will be rejected from the vampire community. The story is told in the first person, by protagonist the protagonist, 27 year old grad student, Merit.

Here is the summary from the book: 

“Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago’s vampires announced their existence to the world – and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker… and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

“Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I’ve traded sweating over my dissertation for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude - and servitude. Right…

“But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I’m surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone’s still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival House? An angry mob bearing torches?

“My initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war… and there will be blood.”


My take on this book: I liked it! It had just enough romance to keep me wanting more. And enough action to keep me guessing. I wasn't positive about the identity of the villain until the end, although I had my suspicions!

If you're interested in a funny book that has the perfect amount of action and romance than I definitely recommend this book!

Song of the Week - July 25th

Love this song! Plus, I'm really addicted to Glee right now!

I Can't Go for That/Making my Dreams Come True - Glee Cast

Song of the Week - July 18

Love this song! Hope you do too!

You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray The Musical

Song of the Week - July 11

This one is more for the ladies! I love this song, and it just makes me feel so good. I like to imagine he is really speaking to me.

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

What Should You Blog About?

Every now and then you find yourself scrambling for an idea. You ask yourself, What the heck am I going to blog about today? Well here are a few ideas that will hopefully inspire you to write a fantastic blog post!

• Books you want to read
• Bucket list
• What motivates you
• Wish list
• Top 10 guilty pleasures
• Top 5 favourite sites
• How do you use social media
• What motivated you to start a blog
• What motivates you to keep writing your blog
• Tell a funny story
• Letting go of frustrations
• Have a giveaway!
• Favourite recipe
• Interview someone
• Discuss an event that you attended
• Rant
• Review something (books, movies, food, products...)
• Write a how to or DIY
• Make a list
• Ask your readers to write an article that you will put onto your blog (giving them fell credit, of course)
• Post about your favourite blogs posts
• Post in response to a blog you recently read
• Ask your readers what to post about and use their suggestions (giving them credit for the post idea)
• Do a follow up post on something you've already written about
• Share your recommendations

My Bucket List

I've been thinking a lot about what I would like to accomplish in this lifetime. Here's what I have come up with so far.

• Write a novel
• Fall in love
• Own my own house
• Travel all through Europe
• Own a successful business
• Get a degree
• Go on a Safari
• Change someone's life for the better
• Write a song
• Meet someone famous
• Learn to play guitar
• Learn to play piano
• Learn to draw
• Learn to play tennis
• Be happy

What do you think? What's on your bucket list?

Song of the Week!

You've probably heard this song on the radio recently, it is quite popular.

What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) - Kelly Clarkson

20 Ways to Sneak in Exercise

Just a few ways that I have come up with to sneak in a little exercise throughout the day!

 

Dance like no one's watching, chances are, they aren't!

1) When you're studying/writing/reading/doing any kind of work where you just kind of sit there, every 10 minutes or so get up and dance around/do jumping jacks etc. for 30 seconds -1 minute. (Or put on your favourite song and dance for the whole song!)

Bonus: It gets the blood pumping so if you are studying or writing or whatever, it will help you stay focused and you'll be able to work for longer. 

2) When you're brushing your teeth, stand on one leg. Alternate. 3)  When you're watching TV, during the commercials do sit ups, push ups, squats, lunges, etc. Do a different exercise every commercial break. 4) While I'm waiting for my beanie to warm up in the microwave at night, i like to some calf raises. I usually do it for about a minute. 5) I like to park farther away from the store, gym, or school etc. That way I get in extra steps.

Bonus: Save on gas! Every one else is driving around looking for a spot as close as possible, in the long run, by taking that first spot you see you'll probably save time! 

Stairwell

6) This one is so important! Take the stairs!!!! I can't stress it enough, I mean, if it's 10 floors I understand taking the elevator, but I say 5th floor or less the stairs shouldn't be a problem. (And if it is, then I think this list might be especially important to you.) Suggestion: If you are going to the 10th floor, you could get off at the 7th (or whatever you're comfortable with) and walk the rest. 

7) Waiting for the bus? If the bus is going to be a while, you could walk to the next stop. Or just take a 10 minute walk around.

8) Walk up the escalator. You could just stand there and let it do all the work, or you could walk up it, and save a little time.

9) Fidget. Tap those fingers, move around in your chair. Re-position yourself, whatever you can think of. I remember reading somewhere, years ago, that if you fidget throughout the day you could burn up to 600 calories. I think 600 calories from fidgeting would be an extreme and unlikely, but I'm sure it's possible to burn a few hundred. (That's like a small workout at the gym!)

10) On the phone? Pace! Don't just sit there, walk around!

11) Ladies... Don't forget your kegel exercises! Whether you're waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting for that red light to change to green.

12) Sit on an exercise ball rather than a computer chair. It's better for your core!

13) Skip! If you're just walking around the house, put a little bounce in that step! You'll burn extra calories!

Just Dance!

14) Just Dance. Ever played it? It's for Nintendo Wii, Playstation Move, and Xbox Kinect. It is so much fun, and a pretty good workout if you really get into it. I'm not telling you to go out and buy a new game console, but I bet one of your friends has one, and I think the game is fairly inexpensive. Go over and play! You can play with up to 4 people and the more people the more fun! I'm not going to lie, you will look silly, but who cares! It's a blast! Trust me on this one guys.

15) Practice proper posture. So important! It uses muscles throughout the body, therefore you are burning more calories.

16) While you're standing waiting for something somewhere, contract your butt muscles, hold for 2-4 seconds, release, repeat. Work those butt muscles!

17) Got to run an errand nearby? Walk or bike!

Playing Tug of War

18) Play with your dog! Tell him to sit and stay, then you go run and hide and call out to him. Make him find you. Give him a treat when he succeeds. Do this 5 or 6 times. And your dog will absolutely love it! (I do this with my dog and he goes crazy, he loves a good game of hide and seek!) You could also play Tug-of-war, or take him for a run or walk. 


19) If you're stuck sitting at a desk, slowly raise one foot 3-4 inches off the ground, hold for 15-20 seconds, slowly drop it back down. Repeat with the other leg. Then do both. It really works your thighs! 


20) Laugh. Laughing is so important in life, it will give you a complete boost and work your abs! So laugh as much as possible. What are some ways that you fit in a little work out here and there throughout your day?

Healthy Nibblets

Fruit Skewers!

I really struggle with eating constantly throughout the day. When I am stuck at home, I feel the need to constantly be putting something in my mouth. So I have come up with a list of healthy things to nibble on throughout the day! Now you don't have to feel guilty about eating all the time.

• Vegetables
• Fruits 
• Water - it will help you to feel fuller so that you won't eat as much! If you find water to plain; add a slice of lemon, some mint leave and/or a few slices of cucumber. 
• Humus - I love humus so much! Costco has really good garlic humus as well as roasted red pepper humus. You can also make your own! 
• Seaweed
• Berries - I love frozen blueberries. They're so good! 
• Frozen yogurt - I literally mean take the single serving yogurts and put them in the freezer for a day. They taste awesome and they take a long time to eat. 
• An apple with almond butter
• Popcorn - very low in calories. Be sure to skip the butter!
• Trail mix - You can make your own, add nuts and seeds, a little bit of dried fruit (I love dried coconut and cried mango) and a few chocolate chips if you need that extra sweet thing (I use the mini chippets)
• Cottage cheese with veggies
• Hard boiled egg
• Fruit smoothie

Upcycle - Wood Pallets

Pallet

The term "Upcycle" is totally new to me. In fact, I only just discovered what upcycling was about an hour ago. I've always known how to upcycle and been very fond of it, but I didn't know it had it's own term, I would have just called it recycling.

Anyways, for those of you who are unaware - as I was an hour ago - upcycling is taking some kind of material that is junk or something deemed useless and turning it into something awesome!

So here is 10 different ideas to upcycle and help out the planet, while having an awesome and interesting piece of furniture.

Enjoy!

1) Coffee Table 

    

  

2) Garden

3) Chair 

    

4) Coat Rack

5) Shelves

 

6) Sofa

7) Bed

8) Cabinet

9)Shed/Fort

10) Swing

I worked so hard to get all the pictures to align and all be the same size, but for some reason when I publish it to blogger it gets all messed up. So I apologize for that! 

Motivational Song of the Week!

Love this song! Gets me pumped! Enjoy.

In Your Light - Gotye

A Few Tough Nights

My mind wandering over the past nights.
Making my meditations very difficult! 

The past few nights I have found my meditations to be very difficult. I had a really hard time focusing. As I have decided that I prefer to meditate without music or guided meditation, but instead in complete silence, any little nice around the house can catch my attention. For example, my father watching TV. I can hear the television from my bedroom, and it is very difficult to tune it out.

My sister is another distraction, her room is right next to mine, and she is usually getting ready for bed when I am doing my meditation. I can hear her door opening and closing, while she runs from her room to the bathroom.

However, my main distraction; the noise in my own head! 

On Sunday night in particular. I had had a very big weekend and could not stop thinking about it. I also met a guy on Saturday night, and we made plans for Monday to grab coffee. Understandably, I was quite nervous, and couldn't stop going over different scenarios in my head! 

I don't have the most experience in the dating scene. Not because I don't get asked out. I always just say no... I think it is because I am afraid they won't like me once they get to know me, or something silly like that. That's a whole other can of worms! 

I tend to get really nervous when I have to try new things and tend to over think things. A lot. I really do get myself worked up over these things. Even though I know; in the long run it really doesn't matter. And when it comes to this boy; if things don't work out, chances are, I won't ever see him again. He doesn't exactly run in my circle of friends. 

Monday night was quite similar, except I was constantly thinking about our little coffee date. That, by the way, went fine. He even asked if I wanted to do something this coming weekend. But for some reason I still felt the need to obsess. 

Tuesday night, I still couldn't stop obsessing. I kind of think that that is not very healthy? Not sure.

Hopefully, tonight will be different. I think I am more relaxed so that is a plus! 

Song of the Week

I hadn't listened to this song in years, and then it came on my mp3 player while it was on shuffle. Needless to say, I was up dancing around singing all of the lyrics that I, somehow, still know. 

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen 

This song just gets me so pumped! I love it. Hope you do too! 

Motivational/Inspirational Quotes

Just a list of quotes that make me feel good. Other than the first one, they are all fairly short. Enjoy.

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
- H. Jackson Brown

"To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others."
- Albert Camus

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
- Michael Altshuler

"Never let yesterday use up today."
- Richard H. Nelson 

"A year from now you will wish you had started today."
- Karen Lamb

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."
- Aristotle 

"The surest way to be late is to have plenty of time."
- Leo Kennedy

"They can because they think they can."
- Virgil

"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."
-Francis Bacon

"No man is happy who does not think himself so."
- Publilius Syrus


"There is only one success--to be able to spend your life in your own way."
- Christopher Morley

"Everyone has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases."
- Jeremy Collier

"To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first."
- William Shakespeare

"Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will."
- Jawaharal Nehru

"After the game,
the king and the pawn go into the same box."
- Italian Proverb 

"Believe that you have it, and you have it."
- Latin Proverb

"Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer."
- Marcia Wieder

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
- Wayne Gretzky

"Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think."
- La Bruyere

"The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live."
- Elbert Hubbard

"A light heart lives long."
- William Shakespeare

"The only journey is the journey within."
- Rainer Maria Rilke

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow."
- Doug Firebaugh

"Happiness is not a matter of events, it depends upon the tides of the mind."
- Alice Meynell

"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still."
- Chinese Proverb

"What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself."
- Hecato, Greek philosopher

"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
- Benjamin Franklin

"The mind that is anxious about future events is miserable."
- Seneca

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions."
- Albert Einstein

"First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do."
- Epictetus

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up."
- Paul Valery

"It is idle to dread what you cannot avoid."
- Publius Syrus

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is."
- Vince Lombardi

"Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul."
- Democritus

"People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest. "
- George Matthew Allen

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement."
- Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog

"Every artist was first an amateur."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you don't know where you are going,
you'll end up someplace else."
- Yogi Berra 

"Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. "
- Margaret Lee Runbeck 

"Don't bunt. Aim out of the ballpark."
- David Ogilvy

"Imagination is the eye of the soul."
- Joseph Joubert

"A smile is the beginning of peace."
- Mother Teresa

Procrastination

Love this image! Displays procrastination perfectly.

If I could get rid of one bad habit that would solve almost all of my problems; it would be procrastination. There's no debate. It is my biggest issue.

I will do anything to procrastinate. A couple of months ago, I was picking my sister up from work on my way home from school. I had just written an exam.

While we were in the car she looked over at me and said, "You're eyebrows look really good! Did you go get them waxed?"


"No," I responded. "I plucked the crap out of them last night."


"Wow, you will do anything to procrastinate, won't you?"


Just a little example at my procrastination skills. I think I spent almost an hour that night, perfecting my eyebrows. The really pathetic part is that I only needed to study for about an hour for that exam. I already knew most of the materials. So I have come up with a few helpful tips to avoid procrastination!

How to avoid procrastination: 

1. Choose one thing and focus on it. If you are studying, pick one subject and focus on that for a designated amount of time. 
2. Set time limit. Tell yourself you are going to focus for an hour, and not a minute more or less. 
3. Take breaks. After the period of time is passed take a break. You deserve it! 
4. Find a quiet space. This is mainly for studying or getting work done. Avoid distraction such as the TV, radio, mp3 player, phone, computer, etc. Some people say that they study better with music, but they're only kidding themselves.
5. Get pumped! Whether you have a big test to study for or you have to hit the gym, get yourself exited. Listen to your favourite pump it up song and do some jumping jacks. Get the blood flowing. You'll find it a lot easier to finish what you need to. 
6. Do you have a favourite quote? One that really motivates you.  Read it. Don't have one? Check these out.
7. Plan out a schedule. Get an agenda book, and write it when you need to have things done by. 
8. Reward yourself! Whether you reward yourself by having a cookie, watching an episode of your favourite show, or buying that shirt that you've been eyeing; it's up to you.
9. Don't make excuses for yourself. It is so easy to fall into this trap. We all do it, we make excuses for ourselves in order to make us feel better about failing at something. We just need to own up to it. Admit our mistakes and move on. 
10. Break it down. If you have 50 pages to read, then read them 10 at a time. Every 10th page take a break.  If you're at the gym, keep the breaks short, under a minute. The interval training is good, but you don't want to lower your heart rate for too long.

However, sometimes its not enough to just avoid procrastination. You might want to take a look at the reason you do it. 

• Perfectionism
• Fear of failure/success
• Underdeveloped decision making skills

Personally, I think I suffer from fear of success. I think I'm afraid of the responsibility that will come with succeeding. 

Motivational Song of the Week!

This week's song is by a band called Two Door Cinema Club. really love all of their songs, but this one just makes me feel good, and i find myself bouncing around and doing a little dance everytime I listen to it.

Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club

For some reason this version is slightly different than the one that is on their album. However, the differences are very minimal. 

Day 1 - Meditation Challenge

Meditation helps you become more aware
of your surroundings

I started a Meditation challenge today. In order to be able to properly decide if meditation is truly for me, I have to give it a fair chance. I figure 90 days is a perfect amount of time to fall in love with it, or for it to grow to be my enemy - unlikely.

I started with a simple 10 minutes today, I listened to a guided meditation by Daniel Goleman. Specifically, his mindfulness meditation. It was supposed to be 14 minutes, but my back was starting to really hurt, so I had to cut it short. During meditation you are supposed to sit up straight, and my posture is horrible. I have been working on it though, I wonder how long does it take to correct posture?

Well that gives me a great idea for a new post! exercises to improve posture. I have been given some good ones from my physiotherapist.

Back to the point! I felt good during my meditation, I found that 10 minutes wasn't too hard to sit through. I think that it is a great start. I look forward to tomorrows meditation.

Short-Term Goal: Be able to meditate for 15-20 minutes by the end of June.

Long-Term Goal: Meditate twice daily, for a total of 1 hour and 15minutes by Christmas. (Assuming I fall in love with meditation and decide to stick with it past the 90 days)

I'm not sure if my long-term goal is realistic or not. I will be able to better judge the time frame when I have a little more experience. I encourage you to try meditation if you haven't. Set goals for yourself, and write them down so you don't forget them.

If you are interested, join me in the 90 challenge!

Best of luck!

Meditation

As I have been having trouble sleeping, have been dealing with some depression, and I seem to be exhausted all the time, I have decided to try is meditation. I have heard so many good things about meditation, and I truly believe it will help me to reach my goal to life a better healthier happier life.

I will start by doing it every day for 10 minutes working my way up to 30 minutes.

I am wondering about others' experience is with meditation though. I would love to hear your advice.

Here are a few of my questions:

• Is it best done at night before bed? Or in the morning after waking up? 
• Should you not do it on a full stomach? Or does that even make a difference?
• Should I meditate to soft soothing music or maybe some ocean sounds, a guided meditation or nothing at all? Also, if you do have any specific music suggestions I'd love to hear them!
• Do you sit on the floor cross legged or on a chair? What about a balance ball?

What has worked best for you? I know that you are supposed to do whatever works best for you, but I would really like to hear what has and hasn't worked for others as well.

Motivational Song of the Week!

I have decided to post the song that is motivating me the most every week. It might be a song that gets me up moving and makes me want to dance! Or, it might be a song that just lifts my spirits and makes me feel good.
This weeks song just makes me feel good. So here it is:

Carry On by Fun

Hope you liked it! 

It will be different every week. The song may be old or new; it could be an upbeat or more mellow song. Depends on my mood and what I'm into at that moment. 

A Little Background

Hi! My name is Tess.

About a year and a half ago I had lost a bunch of weight. And over the past 6 months, I have managed to put it back on. I have been really struggling. I have trouble sleeping at night, I have fought some episodes of depression - usually lasting 1-3 weeks. And as I'm sure you have guessed I have had a lot of trouble with my nutrition and fitness/exercise regimen. All in all I am feeling pretty horrible.

I had started going to BCIT last fall and I was doing quite well, I was fighting through my anxiety and depression and really thought I was going to succeed. I don't really know what happened, but I had 6 weeks left in the year and I just stopped going. I cried on the phone to my best friend for a solid hour after I had missed that first week. I told her I couldn't go back I had missed too much. (Which if I had just gone back that second week I could have caught up). I am so embarrassed and ashamed about it only my family and closest friends know about it. I haven't told anyone else. For some reason, I always seem to sabotage myself when I am doing well. This needs to stop now.

The way I see it: I have hit rock bottom and there's no where to go but up. I have decided to put everything that has happened over the past couple of years behind me and start anew.

This is why I am starting a new blog! I want to completely change my life. And not for only a year or two; for good!

I want this blog to motivate me to make a better life for myself and hopefully others too! I want to be happy with myself. And rather than wait for everything to just happen for me (which I feel like I have been doing lately) I am going to put the hard effort in and make the change.

This is my 180 project.