Quasi-Recovery

Hey guys! Long time no see! I have found myself having a bit of extra time this lovely afternoon, so I thought that I would take the time to write out a blog post. I am currently in a cozy …

Link Love 1/24/2016

It’s Sunday so that means it’s Link Love time! I spent a lot of time reading some great articles this week, here are some of the highlights! I hope you enjoy and I’ll see you again later this week with …

Review: Probar Base Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a review! I picked up some new bars the other day to try, one of them being a Probar Base bar. I got the Peanut Butter Chocolate, Cookie Dough and Chocolate Mint flavors to …

Link Love 1/10/16

Hello! Two blog posts in just 3 days? I’m on a roll haha *insert crying but smiling face* Anyways, I did a lot of reading online this week and here are some of the highlights! I hope you enjoy :). …

Update + Asking for Help When Needed

Hello, long time no see! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and happy new year! It has been awhile since I have posted on here, so I thought that I’d do a bit of an update.

Anyways, as many of you may already know, I did relapse back into some not-so-great habits but have since been doing much better. I went inpatient for a few weeks and I am so glad that I made that decision. I had gone too far to fix the issue on my own. I needed help.

So many times, asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness. Rather it be asking for help concerning a mental illness or asking for help on something as simple as a homework question or running an errand. The truth is though asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

Asking for help leads us to feel vulnerable, a very scary emotion. We are left open, allowing others to see our imperfections and the very things that make us who we are. This takes strength to show, especially in a society that leads us to believe that feeling vulnerable is bad and should be avoided at all costs.

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Feeling vulnerable allows us to connect with others on a deeper level of understanding as well. For all we know, the person we are opening up to may have similar feelings or has been in a similar place. You don’t know unless you open up, be vulnerable, and ask for help.

Being vulnerable and opening up about your struggles takes great courage though. By asking for help we are exposing our difficulties, putting them out there to be judged. We may often become self-conscious, ashamed, embarrassed or even guilty for asking for help.

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I know that before I asked for help regarding my recent struggles I had the same tape replaying in my head over and over again, the “You don’t need help”, “Asking for help makes you appear weak”, or the classic “You aren’t sick enough to get help” and the “You don’t deserve help”. I remained trapped by these thoughts and the disorder continued to make me miserable.

Then one day I finally broke down, called my mom and told her what was really going on. She gave me the BEST support, encouragement, and love that I could’ve asked for. The whole time I thought that I was going to sound weak and be unlovable. I thought that my mom would become irritated with me but I later found that these thoughts were false.

When you become vulnerable, people tend to act with compassion towards you. Everyone has felt vulnerable in the past, likely not for the same reasons, but they still can relate to how you’re feeling in some way.

Overall, asking for help leads to a more fulfilling life, stronger relationships, and a deeper connection to your self.

I’m going to end the post here before it gets any longer, but I hope at least a few of you found this to be helpful!

No questions today, just leave your thoughts if you’d like! 🙂

Five Things Friday 7/17/15

Hey everyone! Today I am going to be linking up with the amazing Clare over at Fitting it All In for my very first Five Things Friday post! If you haven’t already, I recommend visiting her blog! She is so inspiring and just awesome :).

Okay, here we go:

Five Things I Ate:

1. Ben and Jerry’s Save our Swirled ice cream, as I posted in yesterdays Thinking Out Loud post :). You should definitely pick up this flavor if it sounds good to you, as it’s limited edition. I enjoyed it while watching a movie with my wonderful mom.

2. This vegetarian/vegan spaghetti and “meatballs” that I got at a local vegan restaurant with a new friend of mine! She is such a friendly, amazing, kind girl! Anyways, this spaghetti was absolutely amazing, I was pleasantly surprised! It was also SUPER filling, which was also surprising. I am no ways vegetarian or vegan (she Ben and Jerry’s above haha) but this was a nice and welcome change of pace. I’m so happy that I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried something new. The company made it the best though :).

3. More ice cream! It has been so hot where I live recently, at least compared to what I am used to here in rainy Washington state, so ice cream has become a necessity to stay cool! Here we have a double scoop of local coffee ice cream in a homemade waffle cone. Yum! It really hit the spot after a day of exploring Portland, Oregon with my mom and little sister 🙂

4. Here we have a salad that I got for a lunch last week at a food truck also in Portland. So good and served with homemade honey mustard dressing. So good for a hot day!

5. Last but not least, here is a slice of caramel apple pie with homemade vanilla ice cream that I shared post lunch (after the salad above) with my mom and sister! It was a good sized slice and we were all pretty hot but wanted to try one of the lovely pies this little restaurant had, so we did the logical thing and split it. So glad I branched out and tried something difficult for me but oh so delicious.

Five Things Making Me Happy

1. The absolutely gorgeous weather we’ve been getting in the Seattle area recently! And by recently I mean the past several weeks! This is very rare for this area, so I am trying to soak it up as much as I can while it’s here. In Washington, you never know, the weather can turn quickly. I have sure been getting my Vitamin D though!

2. Not having so much to worry about and work on for school has also been a blessing. It’s so nice to take a break from the hustle-bustle of school. I am trying to enjoy it while I can since when I go to Spain, I am technically taking a whole class so there are going to be many assignments. I do enjoy being somewhat busy though so it’s probably not a bad thing.

3. This random taco pillow I found at a quirky little shop in Portland. It’s just so cute, I couldn’t help but take a picture!

4. Lately I have become more and more thankful for my pets. I have three cats and a dog and they have always been by my side. I sometimes forget to give them the credit they deserve. They have turned some of my worst days around by just being there for me. I will be forever grateful for their unconditional support, as cheesy as that may sound :).

 

5. I am becoming more and more grateful for my family. As it gets closer and closer to fall (I know boo hoo 😦 ), I find myself trying to spend more and more time with them. Luckily I won’t be going too far away for college but I know that I obviously won’t be able to see them no where near as much as I do now.

Five Pins!

1. Summer Squash Fritters (via Lexi’s Clean Kitchen)

Put all of that summer produce, like zucchini, summer squash, and basil, to good use with these delicious looking fritters!

2. Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Brownie Brittle (via Food Faith Fitness)

These look so chocolate-y and good!

3. 15 Insane Trips You Can Actually Afford (via Refinery29)

Finally some trips that I ~may~ be able to afford haha.

4. 53 Books You Won’t be Able To Put Down (via Buzzfeed)

Some great books to add to your summer reading list!

5. 15 Productivity Tips for Procrastinators (via Lifehack)

I am very guilty of procrastinating. Here are some great tips to help!

Whew that got long kick! Anyways, I hope that you all have a great weekend!

Thinking Out Loud #1

Hey everyone! I’m back after a looong hiatus! Between senior year and family what-not, I was very busy this past year! Luckily though I’m all done with high school (woot woot!) so things will be easier to schedule.

Since it’s Thursday and I want to try something new, I’m going to be linking up with Amanda over at Running With Spoons for the first time!

I have been reading her blog for a long time now, and she is just amazing. So inspiring. If you haven’t already, you should definitely go check out her blog! She has super tasty recipes, tips, and is absolutely hilarious!

Gosh I’m so excited :D. Okay, here we go!

1. I leave for Spain in TWO WEEKS. I’m so excited yet a little nervous at the same time, to be completely honest. I have never been out of the US, except to go to Canada a handful of times, so this is going to be big for me! Plus, I don’t know anyone who is going and I am going to be gone for 3 weeks. EEEK. Oh well I know it is going to be really fun and eye-opening for me :).

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2. I am all set up to start college in the fall at the University of Washington in Seattle! I have finished some last minute things, like sending transcripts, and my orientation is coming up in about a week and a half, right before I leave for Spain. I still do have some things to do to get ready for fall though, including…

3. Dorm decor! I have gotten my sheets, but that is the extent of my quest for dorm essentials so far. I definitely need to make a Target run sometime this summer to grab a comforter, pillows, desk supplies, and I’m sure a plethora of other…~necessities~. Does anyone else know of any stores that have somewhat affordable dorm furnishings? I know that some stores have really nice things, but some of it is just so dang expensive! I’m looking at you Pottery Barn and Anthropology…

4. My cat today decided to hide underneath the dishwasher for some reason…I have no clue why. I just put it down and she didn’t move. She kind of flattened herself instead and just hung out down there while I did the dishes. Cats are so weird, am I right?

I see you! 

Hello there little weirdo…

5. I am excited to be going to Portland, Oregon and some of the Oregon coast next week with my mom and two younger sisters :). We go every year, so it has become a tradition of ours. I am always blown away by the beauty. I know that I have some pictures on my phone from last year, but my phone is not cooperating with me right now. Technology these days, tisk tisk!

6. I had some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream last night, and I was in heaven on earth! I tried their new limited edition flavor, Save Our Swirled or SOS. It had raspberry ice cream with raspberry jam swirls, marshmallow swirls, and white and dark chocolate ice cream cones meandering around through out the pint! I highly recommend it! I will probably be doing a review of it sometime soon, so stay tuned!

7. Welp. I am already running out of thoughts, so for right now, I’ll call this post a wrap! See you guys tomorrow! I hope you all have an amazing day! 😀

San Diego NEDA Walk 2015 Recap

First off, I’m sorry that I’ve been neglecting my blog :(. I really do enjoy blogging but I always seem to be busy no matter what. I think now that with the initial stress of the new semester beginning has subsided some (my first semester didn’t end until early February), I will be able to focus more on my blog. That’s my plan at least! Hopefully I’ll be able to keep myself accountable ;).

Anyways, what a weekend! I’m at a loss of words to describe the experiences that I have been so lucky to have the past few days. Let’s recap, shall we?

Early Friday morning I flew to San Diego, California to tour a college, University of San Diego to be exact :).

 Bye bye Seattle!

I went all by myself and it was truly an amazing experience. I met so many new people from all sorts of different backgrounds. The one thing that they all had in common though was their positive, friendly attitudes. I have seriously never met such kind people in my life! I learned so much just listening to what people had to say. It truly is remarkable.

On Friday I toured University of San Diego and fell in love with it. The campus was absolutely gorgeous. Here are some pictures (cue photo dump):

Sorry that the last two were a little blurry haha. The tour was great though and this school is now for sure one of my top picks (fingers crossed!)

Moving right along…

While the weather was not as good as it normally is in San Diego, I still thought that it was great. Being from Washington State, where there seems to be an endless amount of gray skies, this was a vast improvement. Plus the little rain actually felt good. Maybe I’m just too used to it…

Saturday afternoon was fantastic though!

Going briefly back to Friday I was also lucky enough to finally go to Sprouts! I’ve heard several positive things about the store so I was ecstatic when I found that there was one just a few minutes from my hotel. I was not disappointed and while I couldn’t buy much, I was still happy that I got to see what all the buzz was about ;). Definitely worth the trip.

Oh and here’s some random but really good Teriyaki that I got for dinner Friday night. I had some ice cream afterwards for dessert since ice cream is thee best :).

Saturday, however, was by far the best day of my mini vacation. I joined Julia and some of her friends along with a few others for the San Diego NEDA walk and boy, I am so happy that I had the chance to go. It was better than I had ever imagined it to be and I feel beyond blessed to have participated in such a cause so close to my heart. Here are a couple pictures:

Yes, I am squinting like crazy since I am blinded by the sun haha. I must not be used to it…

Again, words cannot describe how lucky I feel to be able to participate in such an event. It was eye opening to hear what other people had gone through in their own recovery journeys. While it was sad knowing that many must suffer from eating disorders and various other illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and even more physical ones like cancer and diabetes, it is nice knowing that you are never alone, no matter what.

In this case, it was refreshing for me to see that I am not alone in fighting this disease, although sometimes it may feel like it. There are thousands out there facing similar circumstances. Julia, along with everyone else there, gave me renewed strength in my recovery and reminded me to keep fighting, no matter what, to be healthy again. I have been having trouble continuing on from my current point in recovery, so I am beyond fortunate to have been given so much unwavering support.

It makes me angry to think about how unfair it is to those who must suffer from similar issues. However, the truth is that we all have every power to fight. To fight for recovery, to fight for our health, for our well-being, and perhaps most important of all, for our freedom. It will be extremely difficult but worth every bit of effort. No one deserves to live a life dominated by a disorder. Life is worth so much more.

And on that (hopefully) empowering note, I shall close with a picture of my view outside my airplane window as I was leaving San Diego,

See? Even California was sad to see me leave! I’ll hopefully be back soon, after I get a well-paying job haha.

New Years Resolutions

Hello hello HELLOOO! (remember that movie?).

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas, I know that I sure did. I spent lots of time with my family and close family friends. I went to a few Christmas parties, ate some good food, rested, and slept. A lot. Like I have been averaging 10-12 hours a night the past week…oops. It was very much needed though, as I had been getting about 5 hours a night prior to winter break. No good.

Anyways, sleep is not the topic of this post, although I will be writing one on the importance of sleep and rest soon (if I get around to it…). Instead, I want to discuss New Years resolutions.

Often times people, myself included, focus on everything we didn’t get accomplished or even start during the past year. We tend to focus on what we didn’t do or on only the negative aspects. You may feel like you should of put more effort into school (a big one for me) or like you could of spent more time with family or friends. Maybe you wanted to become closer to God or set aside more time for your hobbies. While all of this may very well be true, if you focus all of your energy on what you didn’t do last year, than you are going to be starting the new year out with a negative mindset.

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While it is important to consider what we may of not done, we should not put all of our energy into belittling ourselves for it. Things come up, unexpected events take place, life happens. It’s okay. I know that it’s cliche, but you truly do learn from the past. Evaluate and think of what may of gotten in the way of you accomplishing your goals. Do you spend too much time on social media? (raises hand…) Do you often put others ahead of yourself? Is there a way that you can carve out a section of time in your day, or even just once a week where you can work on your resolution? For example, say your resolution is to become closer to God. Set aside just 10-15 minutes a day to pray, read the Bible, or even just meditate. Whatever you want. It’s your resolution, remember? 🙂

Another tip for New Years resolutions is to start with small goals. Just like you would for studying, take it one small chuck at a time. If your goal is to spend more time doing things you enjoy, start with setting aside a specific time just once a week. As short or as long as you like. Over time, it will become habitual and before you know it you will improve on whatever it is you’re doing. It’s perfectly find if you don’t do it every week or if something else comes up, just don’t loose focus on your overall goal. Write sticky notes or tell a friend or family member about your resolution. Keep yourself accountable!

Well, that’s about all I got for tonight. It’s past midnight here and I should probably be heading to bed…. I hope this helped though!

Questions:

1. What are some of your New Years resolutions?
2. Did you have a resolution last year? Was it successful?

Review: Ben & Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

I finally found it you guys! I had been looking for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for weeks and a couple of weeks ago I finally found it at some random Walmart in the middle of nowhere. Weird right? I had called every Walmart within a 50 mile radius of my house (no, I hear you, I’m not crazy 🙂 ) with no luck. I was about to give up in my struggles when all of a sudden my family and I pulled over at a Walmart at 1:30 in the morning as our car was having trouble (which was not fun by the way). There, in that Walmart, I found it.

At the time, the employees were restocking and I was the only customer there, since you know, it was 1:30 am haha. I screamed and giggled when I found my beloved pint. Every worker in there stared at me. They probably thought I was crazy or on drugs or something because who goes to Walmart in the middle of the night screaming when they find ice cream? Not very many my friend, not very many…

However, in my defense, this ice cream was absolutely DELICIOUS. Seriously. If you guys ever come across this flavor, you must buy it. It’s required. Okay, you don’t have to but I highly recommend it :).

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream with a Graham Cracker Swirl

How can you go wrong with that?

Pumpkin + ice cream + graham cracker swirl = perfection in a pint.

And that was exactly what this was. Perfect.

Upon first opening, I was greeted by some delightfully light orange ice cream with some graham cracker swirl saying hello. The smell was intoxicating. It smelled exactly- maybe even better than, dare I saw it- pumpkin pie. I grabbed a spoon and dug in, expecting the best…

…and I was not disappointed. You see that chunk of buttery, rich, sweet, graham cracker swirl there? Yep, I think I died upon eating this. I died of over stimulated taste buds. It’s a real problem nowadays ;).

Take two! Yum yum yum.

The slightly crispy, sweet graham cracker swirl contrasted beautifully with the smooth, rich pumpkin ice cream. It wasn’t overly sweet, which is definitely important to me since I’m not a huge fan of desserts that are too sweet. The pumpkin flavor was great too- not too weak, which I find to be a problem in some pumpkin ice creams, but not too strong either. Perfectly pumpkin-y :).

Overall, this ice cream was just plain perfect. I can’t think of a single thing that I would change or add to it. This is definitely on my list of all-time favorite ice creams. Considering the fact that I have tried almost every Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor out there- along with a plethora of other brands and flavors- this is quite the accomplishment in my book.

Rating: 11/10 (yep, 11 🙂 )