favorite posts of 2013

with it being new years eve and all, i thought it was only natural to reflect on the posts of 2013 that i liked the most. new years eve makes me anxious honestly…the countdown, the need for awesome plans, a new year, expectations, tears, etc. but i will absolutely appreciate the moments of missananda this year 🙂

some of the moments are pictured below. some of the greatest moments that (aren’t) pictured are when I and my blog were featured on the 20somethings of 2013, learning about living alone, new year’s resolutions for the ‘school year.’ and probably “meeting” all of you and sharing my story with you–i love my readers,

in no particular order: 1// how did i end up here?–my story that i am now proud of and hope encourages everyone 2// after a period of struggling i found the word “relax” imprinted into the sidewalk 3// i simply love NYC 4// watching my best friend graduate from college 5// the amazing quote by Kyoko Escamilla 6// the day Marlowe came into my life 7// fall festivities with great company 8// a very special visit

happy, happy new year everyone and do a little reflecting for yourself!

Featured Friend: Briannah, “Who am I?”

A friend of mine, Briannah emailed and asked to create the statement, in a video of myself, “I am ____.” It took me longer than I thought and there were lists of possibilities of words that I thought would be.. “good enough.” I thought and thought and after talking to a good friend of mine about it I thought… STRONG was the perfect word to use. This year has been all about learning about myself and I’ve gone through…so much. Needless to say, I’ve persevered and have found myself in so many ways and truly can define myself as a strong woman which I am so proud to say for myself and hope so many other girls and women can.

WHO AM I?

The question “Who Am I?” is not as straightforward as you would think. In class we did a whole field assignment around the idea of who we thought we were. Not what other people thought, not what we wanted to be, but who we are. It was brutal, but very eye opening. When I actually sit down and think about the question I got frustrated. All of this self-reflection was tiring me out. But then I started to honestly think about all of the things that make me, well me. The experience is wonderful, an experience of self-awakening that I just had with myself. Now, I can take this experience and either keep it to myself…or I could share it. When I learn something cool or something interesting to me, I like to talk about it around the dinner table or talk to my friends about it, so for my final project, I gave some of my friends the question “Who Am I?” to ponder.  Here’s what they came up with.

{see the video below}

Gratitude is the way home. Home is where joy lives in us.

a little something i discovered during my Brene Brown art-journaling course…just had to share!

for 2014…

Wellness Wednesday: My Pledge

I AM IMPERFECT & I AM ENOUGH.

Happy Hump Day!

As I had mentioned in my last ‘Wellness Wednesday’ post {which can be found here} I’ve just started my Brene Brown e-course and I’m absolutely loving it. Today is the last day to register, if interested and you can do so here! I highly recommend it and I’m having a ton of fun art journaling, already!

Today, I had to make a pledge to myself. The “Perfection Pledge” I had to write it on my hand and take a photo of myself as pictured above. It was totally strange but one of the greatest reminders to really and truly remind myself that I really am good enough and seeing myself with the pledge that way–so reinforcing.

I just really had to share this with you all. I really hope you can make the same pledge or something like it. Art journaling has also been amazing for me. Totally different, fun, and I’m getting completely lost in it in a good way. I really want to push my readers to try one or both of these ideas for your mental health and appreciation of yourself…if I can do it, really, anyone else can.

Wellness Wednesday: Oprah’s Life Class presents Brene Brown: The Gifts of Imperfection

I was thrilled the other day when my aunt sent me this info about this awesome eCourse by Oprah and Brene Brown. As you all may know, Brene Brown played a HUGE role in my self-discovery and working towards a better “me.” You can see my posts on HERE, HERE, and HERE.

At first, I was nervous about the time commitments I’d need to make to accurately take part in this but that quickly faded after I thought about how much I needed to spend more time on my mental health and well-being. I can’t begin to explain my thoughts and feelings on this accurately or how it could really impact your own life so I encourage you to please take a look and see if it could fit in for you, right now.

 

{click HERE or on the photo above for more info.}

Wellness Wednesday: positive notes to yourself

something that (most) people find odd is when they walk into my apartment and they see in my full-length mirror, this message that reads, “I am a strong, happy, confident woman.”

I put this up at one of the toughest moments in my life last semester when i wanted to be these things.. I heard from professionals, relatives, from reading and so on what the effectiveness of this really is. it being framed in the present tense…it’s been said that this can help you believe it, makes it real and becomes ingrained very quickly. writing it down in your own handwriting makes it even more “your own” and is another facet of ingraining it into your memory and BELIEVING it. and as you can imagine, posting it somewhere where you will see if everyday is very effective and nonetheless when you’re looking right at yourself…pushing yourself to believe it.

i can honestly say it’s really helped me feel more positive and have more positive thoughts about myself. doing it is simple and it doesn’t hurt to try…at all. remember 1) write it in the present tense 2) always a positive message 3) large enough that you can read it 4) in a space you see it everyday and 5) say it aloud to yourself every so often..it’s not that absurd..think of the amount of the time you scream “shit!” when you’re alone.

hope this helps 🙂 HAPPY HUMP DAY!

A peek into what I’m reading…

As many of you know I had come up with a little summer reading list. And although its nearing the end of summer, I’m still working long and hard on this list. I blame the amount of schoolwork and added stresses of life 😛 oh the joys of growing up.

Anyway, Brene Brown was a major hit for me this summer. She brought me an entire new light into my self-discovery and letting go of things in my past that I wasn’t too fond of. (See my posts on her HERE and HERE and my summer reading list HERE)

As cliche as the basic may be, facing your fears, I’ve realized is one of the most liberating and self-appreciating things you can do for yourself. More than just “facing fears” by facing those difficulties straight in the eye, things as simple (for me) as not going someplace because I don’t want to and not caring about what others would think about it…just being content with what I want was liberating and great for me in practicing my own preferences.

Coming from a lifestyle and/or childhood where the general cultural makeup is one where all decisions are made for you could be one of the most difficult things to get over and understand your own true likes and dislikes…i can 19409395% attest to this. i’m learning, by Brown’s well-put phrase (highlighted then screenshot from my kindle) that owning this story and where i come from will allow me to embrace the details that are difficult to come to terms with.  we all have those shadows…so i’m not imposing any sort of sob story but sometimes it’s hard to realize what those ghosts are in our past until we notice some of the ugly things that may come up about ourselves. by starting to learn about my “story” i’m more than appreciative of what this story is and in understanding how it makes me a good person today.

i hope this little quote helps you think about and embrace your own story.

and for the record, I’m reading all three, The Gifts of Imperfection, The Casual Vacancy, and My Year with Eleanor simultaneously and about quarter way through with all of them. They’re all really good. I highly recommend!

Happy end of the summer!

the end of the beginning

so another term is under my belt. i finished my first summer term on friday and it felt so awesome. i can’t believe how quickly it’s all flying by and how much things change moment by moment. i feel that i have some amazing, new friends and have never felt so great about what i’m getting my life into. i can’t wait to be with kids, all the time and to be the person that understands them, that advocates for them, that guides them, and is one of their best friends.

my first summer session ended with these beautiful flowers from two very influential instructors that i’ve had- in more ways than one.

given my whole new obsession with flowers this season, i’d say it was pretty fitting.

the things they never tell you about living alone…

here’s a little list i’ve come up with after the first six months of my living alone..about the things no one told me. and it includes both good and (not so good) sides.

1. pants are optional. pantsless (as we speak) i never thought i’d let my legs be so free in my life…it’s awesome.

2. i listen to the same two songs over and over with little to no worry if anyone knows i have (or not)

3. you do everything alone. this has been one of those things that’s both good and bad. good when you don’t want anyone to answer to  but bad when you have a million groceries to bring up 5 flights of stairs.

4. the guy across the hall does exist even if you never really see him.

5. thoughts of “i wonder what people think of the smell of my cooking?” or “can they hear the trashy reality tv show i’m watching?”

6. you can get away with not cleaning for a day (or three..you know those insane weeks)

7. lights can be on or off whenever you want them to be.

8. you can wake up whenever you want.. no one knows… which could be a bad thing at some point…maybe.

9. i put together some of the weird outfits

10. i’m (still) decorating my apartment (bittersweet) but it’s the way i need 🙂

11. i never really close the bathroom door…..is that weird?

12. i talk to marlowe..out loud. all the time. i know that’s weird.

13. i scream the F-word multiple times without a care in the world. how empowering.

14. sportsbras as shirts on hot days.

15. eating cheerios for multiple meals a day, multiple times a week.

mehh…maybe this is why i’m “so weird” now. but hey, i love it and i’ve never felt so free. i think every woman needs to live alone for a part of her life for self-discovery

photo of one of the “dream rooms” i have from the blog cape cod collegiate.