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2016 Goals

posted on : January 9, 2016 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

2015 was a year of growth for me. I was able to learn how to love myself (see my post on that here and my video here), gain a much more positive outlook on life, and it was a year of growth for myself in general. I want 2016 to continue with that pace, and to be an incredible year. I’m going to try my hardest with everything I do, and I have big plans for my blog and channel. I thought it would be a good idea to put my goals up on my blog, just to be able to check back on for myself, and to share them with you! So, here they are.

For my blog and YouTube channel:

1. Stay consistent. I am going to post one video a week on my channel, and try to post at least twice a week on my blog.

2. Schedule my time out so I am able to keep this consistency.

3. Make sure ahead of time that I have posts and videos ready – that way I know I will always have something to post when life gets crazy.

For my life in general:

1. Schedule my time out, so I stay on top of school.

2. Remain positive about myself, and my life.

3. Continue to love myself, and be comfortable in my own skin.

4. Forgive myself, and give myself a break when I make mistakes or have a hard day.

5. Spread positivity to those around me.

I like to call my aspirations for the year “goals” instead of “resolutions,” even though they basically mean the same thing. It makes me feel like I’m striving towards something throughout the whole year, and makes me work harder. Call them what you will, I think it’s important to set intentions for the beginning of the year so you feel like you’re working towards something, and don’t feel lost!

Check out the video I did on my goals as well! 🙂

What are your goals?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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The Year I Learned How to Love Myself

posted on : January 1, 2016 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

2015 was a very important year for me, and I’ve been working on a special project for a while now. Today, the last day of 2015, is the day I decided to post this video and blog post, and I can’t believe it’s finally here. I have really poured my heart and soul into this project, and I’m so proud of how it came out. I made a video, and wrote a longer explanation post, so check both out, and let me know what you think! I hope you like it!

Loving yourself does not come easy. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but have never felt like I had the ability to. Because of this, one of my goals for 2015 was to learn how to love myself. I knew it would be hard, but I at least wanted to try.

I have never felt comfortable in my own skin, and I always compare myself to others about everything: thoughts like “that girl has tanner skin than me”, “look at her tiny waist”, or “my arms will never look like hers,” constantly fill my head. I’ve always been insecure about my body, and myself in general. My body image has also never been good, and I especially struggled with it while growing up.

When I was 12 years old, I was bullied by a boy in my class. He called me fat each and everyday, which was one of my biggest insecurities. I wasn’t fat by any means – I was a dancer who had muscles in order to enable my body to do the sport that I loved. I mean sure, I wasn’t the tallest or thinnest girl in my class, but I come from a short family, so long and model thin legs were never going to be in my future. That was okay, but as a young girl going to school, being told that I was fat by a boy in my class hit home, and I started to truly believe it. He didn’t know that I spent hours each day at my dance studio to improve my dancing, all he saw was that I was different from the other girls. I also read too much according to him, and he thought it was strange that I was so much quieter than everyone else. I was never the loud one in my friend group, and they all had no idea just how much I hated myself and my body.

I started wearing sweatshirts to school every single day in order to cover up my insecurities. The sweatshirts to me were like a shield against everyone else; they cocooned my body so no one could really see it, and they made it easier for me to not stick out in class. If I could just hide myself from that boy and everyone else, I thought, eventually the voice inside my head constantly putting me down would stop. It didn’t, and if anything it made it worse. With the extra baggage over myself, the boy realized his words had an impact, which to bullies, realizing they are actually hurting someone is like striking gold. His remarks only got meaner, and he put me down every chance he got.

I never told anyone, even my family who was extremely close and supportive of me, that I was getting bullied, or that I hated myself. I wouldn’t even look in the mirror because I was afraid of what I would see, and I avoided the camera at all costs. My mom and I would pick the cutest outfits out for school, but I would always put a sweatshirt over them and tell her I’d just take it off when the day warmed up. That time never came, of course, and I kept the sweatshirts on the whole day, no matter how warm I was. They were my security blanket, and they hid me from everyone else. I don’t think anyone realized just how insecure I was about my body, or how inadequate I felt. It didn’t help that I had the meanest teacher in our grade, whom was sexist against girls and constantly put us down while praising the boys in the class. This only empowered my bully because he felt so untouchable.

My struggle with my insecurities continued on for the whole year, but between the summer of sixth and seventh grade, I took off my sweatshirt in front of my friends because it was so warm. They were so shocked at seeing me without my second skin, and it was in that moment that I realized just how crazy it was that I had been wearing them every single day for a year and a half.

I went into middle school and discovered makeup, which I loved to play around with. I probably wore way too much to school, but it was something that I loved and made me feel more confident. I started wearing those cute clothes my mom and I picked out, without covering up with a sweatshirt everyday. I switched from dance to cheer (a decision I now regret), and ended up finding a best friend. I had also met two girls in orchestra, who would later become two of my closest friends in the entire world. My confidence kept getting better and better, and by the time I was a freshman in high school, it had vastly improved from when I was 12.

Freshman year arrived quickly, and with it came many ups and downs. I quit cheer, a decision I am very happy with, and decided to join the swim team full time (I had swam on and off my whole life). It was something I was good at and something that I absolutely loved. I found wonderful friends who were fun and exactly what I needed at the time. They were accepting and supportive, and I’ll always be grateful to them for letting me into their close-knit group. For the most part, the year was great, and I started liking myself more.

The end of the year was where the down started. My best friend at the time, the girl I met cheerleading, started acting like a completely different person from the one I got so close to. Our friendship ended, not horribly, but not on a good note either, and I spent the summer being pretty lost. I’m grateful to her for being there with me in middle school, and we truly did have great memories from that time. I was able to go through those two years with someone who accepted me, and no matter who the person she is today, the girl I was best friends with was wonderful.

That summer was hard for me because I had just lost my best friend, and I felt so lonely. I started hanging out with two other girls, however, and found the best friendships I’ve ever had. Joycie and Rachel were there for me in a way they probably don’t realize; I could literally be the weirdest person in the world and there was never any hesitation on their part that we were sisters in all but blood. They were my best friends then, now, and will be always, and I can’t thank them enough. Because of their total acceptance of all my weird quirks (trust me, there’s a lot), I was able to start accepting myself as well. I thought if these two girls don’t care about my faults, why should I? With them, my supportive family, my friends from swim, and swim itself, I was in the best place I had ever been.

The rest of high school was both good and bad – as all experiences with high school are – and my confidence varied from time to time. I took hard classes with incredible teachers, and my love for English, Spanish, and learning about different places across the globe solidified. I got my first serious boyfriend at the end of junior year, but it wasn’t the best relationship. He made me feel lesser in every way; less beautiful, less smart, and less of a person in general. I don’t think he called me beautiful once, but I also learned that our relationship was not what healthy ones were like. It was short-lived, luckily, and I actually learned a lot about myself through the mistakes that we both made. Ending the relationship made me stronger and more confident because I learned how to stick up for myself.

The summer before college was spent making memories with my best friends, and we had a blast. I was nervous going into college because I was afraid I would be homesick every day, not be able to do well in my classes, or that I wouldn’t find a solid group of friends. None of these things happened, and though freshman year wasn’t everything that I expected it or wanted it to be, it was everything that I needed, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I made awesome friends, and ended up absolutely loving it there (and I still do today!).

I came out of winter break and into the new year, 2015, worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up this track of being happy with myself. So, that’s why one of my goals was to learn how to truly love myself. I have always loved the idea of self-love, and thought I would achieve that when I looked or felt a certain way. I thought that when or if I got a gorgeous guy’s attention by looking the way I had always wanted, it would all just click for me, and bam I would love myself. Well, ladies and gents that is not how it works. Like any relationship, loving yourself takes time and effort, and you have to love yourself before you can love others.

You would think it’d be easy to get to know yourself because, hello, it’s not like you haven’t met yourself, but it is hard work. Loving every single part is hard, hard work. You have to love the quirks and “faults” as well as your best qualities. Let me just say, though, your quirks and shortcomings can be some of the most beautiful parts of you. They are what set you apart from everyone, so make sure to give those parts some extra lovin’.

Body image is also a huge part of self-love. I have always had horrible body image; I’ll be the first to admit it. I saw my body as a failure because I wasn’t the tallest and thinnest girl out there. Again, comparison comes into play here big time. I compared my body to probably everyone I met, which was not a healthy thing to do at all. No, I don’t have model long legs, or world-class abs like Olympic stars; however, instead of thinking of these things as failures, I choose to love my body as it is. Sure, I work out everyday to stay in shape, and simply because I enjoy working out, but I no longer think “I’ll love my body when…” because that isn’t how anyone should think. I work out and eat right because I love my body. It does amazing things for me, and allows me to pursue the crazy dreams and goals I have. It lets me see the people I love, and go on adventures with. I can see all of the incredible sights this world has to offer because of my body, whether or not I have the “perfect” one, if there is such a thing. Our bodies do some pretty crazy things, and allow us to live this life we’re given. To not love it is a half-life; doing awesome things, but not appreciating the vessel we can do them in. I know I’m not the prettiest girl in the world, but there’s no one else out there like me, and there’s no one else out there like you. You are the only person who can be you, so never compare yourself to others. They are living out a completely different story to yours, so of course they’re going to be different.

My journey to self-love was a long and hard one, as they so often are. It’s hard to love yourself when there are people telling you that you won’t amount to anything, that you aren’t anything special, or that you’re ugly. We’re all special in our own ways, and you get to decide how far you go in life, not other people. Yes, there are going to be hard things for you to go through, but you react in the way that you want to, ultimately. You can let those people knock you down, or you can try your hardest to prove them wrong. I hope one day I can simply tell that boy from grade school that I made my dreams come true, despite how hard he tried to crush them, and that I love my body now. Please, please, please, don’t ever let anyone stop you from doing what you love. Regardless of whether or not your dreams are the “right” ones, or if they’re “too big” for you to reach, at least try. Honestly, what is the hurt in trying? You will truly never know if you can make it, if you don’t ever try. And don’t just give half the effort – fully and truly go for your dreams with all you’ve got. We get to decide what we do with this life, so you might as well do as much as you can.

So, the reason for this long, long rant is for you to realize that loving yourself is one of the best things that could happen to you. It takes a lot of time and effort, but the best relationships do. Start with small things, and work up to the bigger and harder things. And please also realize your body is beautiful – flaws included. They are what make you unique and interesting, and what set you apart from others. Never compare your body to others, or feel like it isn’t good enough. I mean really, just ask yourself, what is it not good enough for?

—

Thank you SO much for reading and watching, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

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How To: Decorate a Small Space for Christmas!

posted on : December 22, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite things to do, so I thought I would share how I decorated my dorm for Christmas! I’m back home now for winter break, but I’m so glad I decorated my dorm for Christmas, because it really got me into the holiday spirit, and allowed me to get through finals sanely!

1. Get festive pillows and put them on your bed, couch, etc.
Christmas pillows are always so pretty, and there are so many to choose from! I love to go to Michaels to get them because they have a lot, and they also have a lot of coupons you can use! This makes the cost of the pillows go down a lot, and also allows you to get a lot!

2. Get a mini-Christmas tree
I found my little Christmas tree in the dollar section of Target (it was $3), and later found the little ornaments for $3 as well! I had the little firefly lights already, but I know Target has some for super cheap as well. It’s super easy to find really cute and small Christmas trees that don’t cost a lot, and also won’t take up a lot of room in your small space! It was also super fun decorating it, even though it didn’t take that long at all.

3. Make a cute Christmas banner
I found a little kit at Target (I promise this isn’t sponsored by Target!) with gift tags and a bunch of twine. Instead of using the trees as gift tags, I decided to make a little banner out of them and put them by my desk! It was super easy to do, the kit was $3, and it looked so cute once I hung it up! This would also be really simple to do with simple construction paper and twine if you can’t find a kit like the one from Target!

4. Hang up twinkle lights. Everywhere.
I have little fairy lights in my room year-round, but they definitely feel super festive around the holiday season! You could even get some red or green colored lights to layer on top of twinkle lights already there.

Alright, well those are four, simple ways to decorate a small space for Christmas!

I can’t believe it is already time for Christmas – this year has seriously flown by. This is my favorite time of the year, though, so I’m trying to soak it all in as much as I can.

You can also check out the video I made down below, and you can see more of my Christmas-fied dorm room!

Do you like decorating for Christmas?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!

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How To: Stay Positive in College

posted on : November 13, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

When I first heard of “Sophomore Slump,” I didn’t think it would affect me that much. At the end of freshman year I felt like I had a pretty solid plan of what I would be studying after struggling with it so much for the whole year. As I am about halfway through my first quarter of sophomore year, I am definitely in a slump. Honestly, it really isn’t a bad one, rather just a stressful speed bump in my motivation. I love most of my classes, so I am very motivated to do all of the work for them, but I really cannot stand Economics, so it’s so much harder to actually sit down and force myself to study and do all of my homework. I do in fact get around to it, it just takes a lot longer.

Now that I’ve decided what I’m going to study and most likely major in (International Relations), I now have to think about what kind of a job I’ll want in the future. It’s really stressful, and all I want to do is avoid it all, lie down on my bed, and watch Gilmore Girls all day. Alas, that is not an option if I want to actually succeed in college, so I’ve been having to find ways to motivate myself and feel positive about my future. Since I’ve been thinking about it so much lately, I thought I should do a round up post of all of the things I’ve been doing! So, here goes; my guide to staying positive in college, and especially throughout the infamous “Sophomore Slump!”

1. Don’t worry too much.

This is so easy to say, because if you are a gold medal stressor just like me, then you know how difficult it is to not worry about every little thing. I worry about how I’m doing in my classes, what classes I should be taking, what kind of a job I’ll be able to get in the future, if my major is going to work out…the list goes on and on. Every college student can relate to this, because I’m sure these questions cross all of our minds about fifty times a day. At least. That’s all well and good, but you can’t let all of these things take over your life completely! when you find your mind circling back to the never ending cycle of “stress questions” think about something else, listen to some music, go work out, or just talk to your friends! Anything to get your mind off of stress that isn’t needed is just fine. Unfortunately, we do have to think about these things quite a lot, but it isn’t healthy when they start to take up all of our time.

2. Immerse yourself into the things you love.

In order to fill up your time with other things besides stressing, find something you love to do! That could be anything from joining a club, making new friends, reading a good book, exercising more, or picking up a new hobby. There really are a lot of options for finding things to do with your time, so just make a list! You don’t have to go overboard and join five different clubs – just start out with little things so you get your schedule figured out.

3. Make a plan.

This could be anything from a life plan, to just planning out your week. I find when I have more structure in my life, I feel like I am in control, and that everything will be okay. It’s when I’m sitting around wondering what I need to be doing that stress creeps up on me the worst, so when I have my whole week planned out, I feel so much better. It makes you feel more put together, which really helps out a lot. When you are on top of your homework for classes, you also know that you are most likely doing well in classes, which in turn makes you feel more secure about your future!

4. When it all gets to be too much, call loved ones.

We all have those days where the world seems like it’s just pressing in and suffocating us, and when it gets to that point, call someone you can talk to anything about. I usually call my parents or talk to my best friends, because they will just sit there and listen to me, and offer advice when I am finally done talking about all of the things that are stressing me out. Oftentimes, just talking to someone about your worries helps, because your stress somehow feels more validated and under control. Talking through things has always helped me since I like to come up with solutions to problems as I’m talking them over with someone.

5. Look at the bigger picture.

You are at college, getting a higher education that not everyone has access to. That’s pretty cool that you made it there! You are pursuing an education that will help you have a great career in whatever field you choose to go into. Sure, the stress seems like a lot now, but just think of how happy you’ll be in the end! Graduation will be so rewarding, and when you get your dream job, it will all be worth it. Your hard work will pay off, and you will be so thankful you survived all of those all-nighters, early mornings, and dreaded finals to get you where you are supposed to be.

Alright, well there are all of the things that have been helping me to stay positive this year! I’m glad I’m not struggling with sophomore slump too much since I’m actually pretty busy this year, but it definitely hits me when I have too much free time on my hands!

How do you stay positive?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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DIY Dorm Room Decor: Quote Canvas

posted on : September 3, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

With school coming right around the corner for some people, I thought it would be perfect to share with you guys a DIY that’s great for motivation. We all have those days where we feel inadequate for various reasons: a failed test, rejection of any kind, or you just feel down because of stress. I find that when I feel like this, motivational quotes, however cheesy, can really help to get me out of a slump. Making some kind of art piece with the quote is even better, since arts and crafts are so therapeutic. Does that make me sound ninety years old? Probably. But as long as it helps me stay motivated throughout the year, sign me up!

Here’s what you’ll need for this project:

Some sort of paint tray (cardboard will do just fine).

Either watercolor paints or acrylic paint. If you’re using acrylic paints like I did, you just have to water them down a ton, which is super easy to do!

A mug, cup, or bowl of some sort to hold water.

Paintbrushes of any kind.

And you’ll also need watercolor paper!

The fun part is next, because you can literally do any quote and any design you would like! I used my favorite quote, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” First I just used a white crayon to write the quote, and then I painted the background as a galaxy. It was really easy and I am so happy with how it turned out! Although I had to repaint the words with white paint, I’m glad I used the crayon first as a reference. Here’s how it looked before the white paint:

I also added some more point after this point to darken in some areas, and I also added the “stars.” After I did all of that, it looked like this:

I’m so pleased with how this came out! This is one of my favorite quotes because it really helps me when I’m feeling unmotivated. One of the scariest parts of college is the fact that your dreams may not pan out the way you thought they would; however, you should never let a “may not” or a “possibly so” keep you from trying your hardest and shooting for the biggest dream possible.

So go on and do this DIY and also achieve your dreams! This has been an nice DIY and life lesson all in one from Kendra! Let me know if you guys try this out by tagging me on social media (my handle is @stnkrbug on both Twitter and Instagram), and leave your favorite quote in the comments!

Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day, and dream big!

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My Experience At VidCon

posted on : July 31, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

I feel like I need to take a deep breath before I even start this post. VidCon was this past weekend, and it was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I learned so much, met some amazing people, and gained even more passion/motivation for my blog and YouTube channel. It was incredible to be surrounded by so many like-minded people and creative minds.
I went with one of my best friends, Joycie (from Much Ado About Nothing), and we both got creator passes. I’m very glad that we did, because we were able to attend super helpful panels featuring larger and more knowledgable YouTubers, and man, did we learn a lot! There were seriously panels on everything you can imagine, and we got to meet a lot of the YouTubers after their panels! It was nice to meet them on a more “professional” level, and to be able to ask them questions and for advice. I took a lot of notes, and now I feel like I can make a serious game-plan on how to grow my blog and channel, and I’m so excited!
During VidCon, I also got to be a part of a mentorship program in which I got two sessions with two different mentors (who turned out to be Nikki Phillippi and Meghan Camarena from Strawburry17!!). I was able to show them a video I had made, and ask them questions and advice specific to my channel. They were both extremely nice and helpful, and the sessions were super invaluable!

Here’s Meghan and I at our session!

I cannot thank them enough for the advice they gave me, and I really hope to meet them next year again with much more success from the advice they gave me! I’ve set some goals for myself for this next year until VidCon 2016, so hopefully I’ll be able to tell them how much I’ve achieved!
With Creator passes, we were basically allowed to do everything that Community people were, except get into the signing hall, which was just fine with me. I loved being able to go the main expo hall and go around to the booths, but then also go to the second floor – that only people with Creator and Industry passes could get into – to attend really helpful panels. I don’t do too well with the whole running and screaming crowd thing, so it was nice to have our calm second floor to go to that was much more relaxed. We had our own lounges that we could relax in, and oddly enough, I was able to find gluten-free and vegetarian food on the second floor! That was definitely a plus, because I had the hardest time finding food that was both gluten-free and vegetarian. We ended up eating most of our meals at the Baja Fresh inside the Hilton, since Mexican food can easily be made with corn tortillas and without meat.
While we were at VidCon, we got to meet so many people! I’ll show you guys some pictures here:

sWooZie and I!

Louis from FunForLouis!

Cassey Ho (Blogilates)!

Andrea from Andrea’s Choice!

Convos With Our 2-Year-Old!!

Aspyn Ovard!

Shaycarl’s mom!

Estée from Essie Button!

Anna and Jonathan from the SacconeJoly’s!

Austin and Brittany from the Nive Nulls!

All of the YouTubers I met were so incredibly nice, and were willing to meet all of us! It was so cool to be able to meet them in real life, and to ask them questions. It just makes me even more excited to grow my blog and channel! I have big plans for this next year, and I am seriously ready to hustle in order to make my dreams come true. I figured I would be inspired after VidCon, but I really didn’t know just how pumped I would be! Although I’m sad VidCon is over, I still have this passion that is making me so excited for the future. I am even more dedicated to making my dreams come true; it will happen! Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve something. I am so ready to prove all of those people wrong! Together we can do anything – so get excited for this next year!
I also just want to thank all of you guys who are following me, subscribed, or have supported me in any way shape or form! I am extremely grateful to you guys, and I’m so happy you’re a part of our little family. With time it’ll just get bigger and bigger, and even more supportive of all of us! We are all in this together (cue High School Musical music), so let’s make this next year great! (Okay that sounds weird because in fact it is the middle of the year, but ya’ll know what I mean).

I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS.

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!

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How To: Take Over the World

posted on : July 2, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

There has been so much women empowerment lately, and I seriously love it. Women all over the world know how hard it is to be successful in any industry. It is still a male dominated world, but their are many women who are trying to break free of this. Emma Watson, J.K. Rowling, Lupita Nyong’o, Michelle Obama (she is definitely more than “just the First Lady”!), Beyoncé, Amy Poehler…the list goes on and on! All of these ladies make me so proud to be a women, and they prove that girls really do run the world (sorry, I had to). Because of all the inspiration lately, I thought I would put together some of my tips on how you can be successful and, ultimately, take over the world. I mean that’s obviously the natural progression of things, right?

Failure isn’t bad – as long as you pick yourself up and learn from it.
Sometimes it feels like we take one step forward and two steps back as a world. That’s why it’s important to always try your hardest in everything you do. That definitely doesn’t mean that failing is terrible – sometimes it’s necessary! It makes you work even harder to achieve your dreams, and can help you realize what you should do differently. It’s really important to not let failure knock you down; that’s when it’s bad. If one little failure knocks you down and causes you to lose sight of your dreams, then you’ve only failed yourself.

Don’t ever lose sight of what you truly want.
Going along with failure, never lose sight of your dreams. This year I’ve dealt with that a lot; it’s really hard trying to decide what to do with the rest of your life, and consequently, what to study in college. Ever since I could read I’ve always wanted to be a writer. To create my own stories and share them with other people has always been my dream, and it makes me so excited that that could actually happen one day. It’s been a constant in my life, and the one thing that I’ve always had my eyes on. It’s so important to never forget those goals – your dreams from your childhood can turn into your future, so never forget that!

Don’t let other people’s words get you down.
My dad has always told me that no one can ever make you upset unless you let them. I never really understood that as a kid, but now that I’m a young adult (what?!) I definitely get what he’s saying. You are the only person who can let other people’s words bother you or not. If you choose to ignore them and not let their words get to you, then you will have such a better life. The world can be a hard place, especially when you go to college and meet new people every day. Some people feel better about themselves by bringing others down, and it’s really important to realize that. A person’s mean words about you most likely aren’t even about you; they are merely a way for the other person to make themselves feel bigger and better than everyone else.

It doesn’t make you weak to ask for help.
I am definitely guilty of this because I’m extremely stubborn. It can be hard to realize that asking for help won’t make you look weak, or that it’ll be a bother to other people. Strength isn’t measured only in the things you do by yourself, and in fact can be shown by the things you achieve with others. Admitting you need help can also help you grow as a person because you learn from others, and oftentimes learn more about yourself.

Celebrate the little victories.
All of your little victories add up over time, and nothing is too small! If it’s important to you, then it matters. Period. Life can be hard, so being happy about all of the little things can make it easier and more exciting. Everyday is filled with both sad and happy things, so it’s your choice which ones you let affect you for better or worse. But just remember that every minute spent upset is one you could’ve spent being happy!

Treat others as you want to be treated.
This is simply the golden rule, and the courtesy that every human being deserves, no matter how much you dislike them, disagree with them, or how different you are from them. I am a very firm believer that this will get you far in life because people will notice how you make them feel. When you try and treat everyone the same – with kindness and respect – it reflects on the kind of person you are, and shows people that you are someone worth recognition, and support. Plus, the “golden rule” is something that everyone should live their life by, even (and especially) when dealing with people whom you don’t get along with the best.

Well, those are my tips on how to take over the world. On a more serious note, I believe that being a woman should not give you a disadvantage in any way. The world can be a very hard place for women because of reasons out of our control. We shouldn’t let those reasons keep us down though, and should rather work extra hard to overcome them. Women should also always support each other, and it makes me so sad to see girls tear each other down. If we all supported each other, we could make leaps in bounds in terms of equality, in a shorter amount of time.

What is your tip on how to take over the world?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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DIY Fairy Garden

posted on : June 28, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

As you may have seen in my last post (Weekend Recap: Father’s Day Photos), my mom and I made our very own fairy garden for my dad that doubles as a hummingbird feeder. Because he loves hummingbirds so much, we decided we would make the coolest feeder possible for them! (And, I think my mom just really wanted to make a fairy garden.)

In order to make this little fairy garden, my mom and I got most everything from Michaels, and what we didn’t get there, we already had at home. The piece of wood was found on our property, and we thought it would be perfect for this little project!

The whole process was a bit messy, but it turned out well! We just started out by placing the little jars we fill up with the hummingbird food (sugar and water), and then we started putting on all of the little additional details.

Here is the whole thing completed! I love how it looks as a whole, and when you look at each individual detail! There are so many little adorable details all over it, so it’s cool to look at it closely!

We put little lights on it as well so it lights up at night. We of course bring it in at night since we don’t want the outdoors to damage the lights!

My mom and I were so pleased with how it turned out! My dad ended up loving it, although the hummingbirds are still a little unsure about it. We put little tiny straws into the jars that are surrounded by flowers, so we’re just waiting for them to get a little bit more used to it. I’m sure with time they’ll be more willing to check it out! For now, it’s just really adorable to look at and use as a sweet little decoration.
This project would be so perfect for little kids as well! I’m sure they would have an absolute blast making this, and then playing with it once it’s finished. I remember I had this little fairy book when I was a little girl, and I absolutely adored it. There’s just something so fun about fairies for little kids! And even as adults, we’re all still enjoying this little project!

Have you ever made a fairy garden before?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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New Blog Name…Kinda!

posted on : June 17, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

As you might have already noticed, I changed my blog name (kinda)! Stnkrbug has always been a part of my “brand” but my overall blog has been named “It’s a Bug’s Life.” When I first made my blog, I didn’t think just “Stnkrbug” could stand on it’s own, so I felt the need to think of a longer name. However, I got my very own domain yesterday, so the move to “Stnkrbug” felt right. My tagline is now “It’s a Bug’s Life” and I am so happy with my decision! I have been called Stnkrbug my whole life, so it’s only natural to have my own place on the internet called that as well. My YouTube channel is also called Stnkrbug, so I love how everything matches now. My whole blog is still the same – I won’t be changing what I blog about. The only thing that has changed is the name of my blog! I say only, but I feel like a name change is pretty big!

I’ve been feeling so inspired lately – probably because I’m home for the summer and don’t have to worry about school – so this change has come at the perfect time. I think it’s really going to propel me forward with my blog! I’m so ready to commit myself even more to my blog, and I can’t wait to see where this summer takes me. I have VidCon in about a month (okay 35 days, but it’s not like I’m counting or anything…) which is going to be so much fun and a great opportunity to meet other online creators! I really want this to be a summer filled with creativity and inspiration with everything I do: blogging, YouTube, and also writing! Writing is one of my biggest passions, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, and I have decided to start writing a book! I don’t really know where it’s going to take me, or if it’s even going to be a success, but it makes me excited and happy so I’m doing it! I’ll update you guys throughout the process, so hopefully it’s a fruitful one.
Well I just wanted to quickly update you guys and let you know about the name change! I hope you all like it, because I’m in love! 🙂

What are you excited for this summer?

Have a wonderful day! 🙂

Also, I leave you with this picture my mom took of me the other day and swore up and down it was cute. Mom’s will be mom’s! (I’m still super glad to be home hehe)

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Dear Freshman Year

posted on : June 13, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

Dear Freshman Year,

I learned a lot from you this past year, and not all of that knowledge was from the classroom (or lecture hall, for most of my classes). Thank you for teaching me how to be an adult, and that I can be completely self-reliant but still lean on my parents when I need to. Thank you for making me realize that family isn’t always flesh and blood, and can be found in those people you awkwardly meet at your very first floor meeting. Thank you for showing me just how great my parents are, and that it’s okay to call them while crying when finals get to be a little too much. Thank you for allowing me to be truly young and carefree – if only for a night – with some of the best friends I’ve ever made. Thank you for teaching me how to live with someone I don’t exactly get along with, and how to make the best of a bad situation. Thank you for forcing me to break out of my shell in order to meet people that I’ll probably be friends with for the rest of my life.

Freshman Year, you were a difficult, crazy, exciting, adventurous, brand new year for me, and I’ll be eternally grateful to you. As I sit here in my kitchen at home and recall all that happened this year, it truly seems like a whirlwind. When I look back to last September, I remember a girl who was absolutely terrified to leave home. Now I see the girl I am today who has so much more experience in the real world. While it’s nice to be home now and have a break, you were truly a blast Freshman Year. I made some amazing friends, and learned that I really can rely on myself, even if I don’t always have to. I’ve had to make real-world decisions because of you, and I’m so glad that I was able to learn how to do so. A year ago, even the thought of those huge decisions would have me shaking in my boots (or Birkenstocks, as I always wear).

Freshman Year, you were probably one of the most difficult years school-wise. I was definitely pushed to my limits by you, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Getting eight hours of sleep this year was nearly always impossible, but I also wouldn’t have made a lot of the memories that I did, had I went to sleep at a healthy time. My grades would’ve suffered as well, and I had to pull many all-nighters in order to do well in my classes. I’m glad I learned that all-nighters are a lot better when they’re spent with coffee and friends. Speaking of friends, I learned from you, Freshman Year, that it’s okay to lean on them and let them help you with tough situations. It taught me that my friends really don’t mind listening to me list my problems, and then helping me find solutions to them. I wouldn’t have made it through this year without the friends I made, and also my best friends from home.

Without you, Freshman Year, I would not be the person I am today. While I’ve always been mature for my age, this past year has taught me more about the world than I ever could have imagined. I thought I already knew a lot about being an adult, but I really didn’t. I know I have a lot more to learn from the next three years in college, but you, Freshman Year, have taught me a lot. It’s crazy to think four years ago I was finishing my freshman year of high school; it really seems like worlds away. And in just three years I’ll be finishing college. I promise I’ll try and make every year count, but you’ll always hold a dear place in my heart.

I’ll never forget my memories from you, Freshman Year, and I know I’ll be telling some of these stories to my children one day. Hopefully all of the friends I made during this past year will be there when I do so, and we can look back on you with all of the fondness in the world. I’m excited for the next three years, but I promise I’ll never forget you. You are just the beginning to a brand new chapter in my life, and I’m so excited to continue my journey.

Love,
Kendra

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Category: Inspiration