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Category: Inspire

How To: Take Over the World

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! 🙂

New Blog Name…Kinda!

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)

Imperfections

I have always been a perfectionist. Ever since I can remember, everything that I’ve done has had to better than just “good enough” which has always pushed me to try my hardest. Because I had to do everything perfectly, I’ve often held myself to those very same standards and have found it difficult to accept imperfections.
Imperfections are very tricky things; we all have them, yet try our hardest to deny them. Society today makes it seem as though you have to be perfect in order to be successful, and the person with the least amount of imperfections is automatically thought of as the best. We reject these parts of ourselves because we believe they make us weak and not good enough, when often times they are the very things that set us apart and make all of us unique. If we were all perfect human beings, the world would be an extremely boring place because everyone you meet would be the same.
I have many imperfections – I’m extremely stubborn, indecisive, self-conscious and I worry way too much. It’s hard sometimes to accept these things because I hate to feel weak, but they’re also the things that make up who I am. As humans we’re of course way more than our imperfections, but they are fundamental to who we are. The people who love us have to accept our imperfections, and even come to love those too. I think it’s really important to accept them ourselves as well. When you love every part of yourself, life gets a lot easier to handle. And when you accept every part of yourself, it’s a lot easier to be comfortable with yourself in every situation.
I was tagged on YouTube for the Imperfections tag, and I’m so glad I was! It was so cool to think about my own imperfections and how they make us all so human. I think it’s a really good idea to think about our imperfections and accept that they are a part of us. It helps so much to accept them because once you accept the “worst” things about yourself, the good things are so much easier to notice! One of my New Years “resolutions” was to start loving myself, so this was such a cool thing to think about. So let’s spread around some much needed self love!

What are your imperfections?

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

How to Deal With Rejection

One of the things that undeniably, and to put quite simply, sucks about the human experience is rejection. Everyone can relate to it and has been through it; be it through a job you didn’t get, a dream role given to someone else, or in your love life. Rejection cuts right to the core and makes you question exactly who you are, and more often than not your self-esteem takes a huge blow. While it does indeed suck, what sucks even more is letting it keep you down and doubt what kind of a person you are. I’m someone who has always struggled with rejection – my self-esteem has never been the greatest, and I often let other’s opinions of myself bother me way more than they should. It has taken me a long time to realize that the only opinion about me that matters is my own. It really doesn’t matter how others see you – it matters how you see you.
Since I’ve faced a lot of rejection in my life (who hasn’t?) I thought I would share with you guys some tips on how I get over rejection.
1. Give yourself time to simply cry it out.
Crying is such a great therapy sometimes. I actually hate crying in front of others (I was a huge crybaby when I was younger), but it can actually be very therapeutic. I think it’s important to accept your hurt feelings after rejection, and simply give yourself time to say “You know what, this isn’t what I was hoping for, and I’m really sad about it.” The important thing, however, is to not get stuck in this stage. Just give yourself a couple of hours to do this, a day if you need it, and move on.
2. Do not let the rejection define you – it does not have anything to do with who you are.
It took me a long time to realize this. My first instinct after rejection is to start questioning and blaming myself. I was rejected because I’m not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough. Those thoughts pass through my mind over and over and I have to literally tell myself that it has nothing to do with the person I am. The way you deal with rejection defines who you are. If you let it knock you down and stay there, you are only doing more harm to yourself.
3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends.
If you’re having a hard time with the rejection, don’t hesitate to reach out to friends for advice, or simply just a shoulder to cry on. There is no shame in asking for help, and your friends will be more than happy to do so. Talking and having someone listen can be really helpful and make you feel less alone. You’ll probably be feeling really insecure after rejection, so having someone there for you can help you feel a lot more secure about yourself.
4. Get your mind off of it.
Go out and take a walk, read a good book, or watch a movie. There are literally hundreds of things you could be doing instead of dwelling on the rejection. It’s not at all healthy to sit at home and think about the hurt all day because you’ll never get over it. Getting your mind off of it helps you realize there are other important things in your life, and that you eventually will get over it.
5. Don’t let it make you afraid.
Sometimes when we face rejection, it’s easy to say “Well I’m never trying that again!” It’s important, though, to get right back on the horse. Don’t let one rejection – or twenty – make you afraid to try your hardest at something, or be too afraid to try it again. So what you didn’t get that one job? You’ll find another one! That guy doesn’t like you back? You will find someone even better. Rejection isn’t the end of the world, but something to learn from and apply the lesson next time. 
It’s so important to learn how to deal with rejection, because you’ll probably face it a lot in your life. A bleak point, I know, but if you realize it doesn’t make you a bad person, you’ll be able to handle it a lot better. It’s a part of life, and something that everyone has to go through before they get a simple “yes.” You will hear “no” more, but once you get that “yes,” it’ll all be worth it.
How do you deal with rejection?

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

A Word About Stress

I can’t explain how stressful this week has been. I have had multiple midterms and a mountain of homework to conquer – I guess I didn’t fully realize just how stressful college can get, since I haven’t been this overwhelmed yet. On Wednesday, I had to just sit down and force myself to take a break from homework and studying because I was driving myself insane. I know that I push myself too hard sometimes, and it’s so difficult for me to take a moment and realize that it’s okay if I need to take a break in order to continue doing my best. I am a perfectionist to the core, so doing something with only half of my effort is never an option. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can be unhealthy when I literally force myself to power through homework and studying to the point where I am in tears.
I have never dealt with anxiety and stress well, and being at college, it is only intensified. I worry about the littlest things, and when I’m stressed I am just a ball of nerves that gets worse and worse until I inevitably break down. I envy people who don’t have anxiety; to go a day without worrying about every little thing would be a dream. Sometimes it’s difficult for my friends to understand how I fixate on little things and have trouble making decisions because I worry about every single outcome possible. What if I make the wrong decision? Or what if this happens, or that, or even something I didn’t even account for? I think about it all, and it makes me so angry with myself because I wish I could just easily make a decision and just be done with it.
All my life, my dad has always told me “It ain’t nothin’ but a thing” when I’m really worried about something, which helps put everything into perspective. Like the quote above, the way you deal with stress and anxiety is more important than the actual thing that is stressful. I know that I don’t deal with stress and anxiety in the best way; I just try and focus on other people and never talk about my own stress with others because I don’t want to be a bother to anyone. I love helping people and listening to their problems, but I just don’t like to draw attention to myself since I’m a very shy person. I’ve slowly been realizing, though, that it’s really important to talk about your troubles. Loved ones are the people you should be able to talk about anything with, and for me, that is my parents most of the time. It helps me when I get other opinions and advice, and to also put things into perspective. A big thing to me could be something small to others, which helps me realize that my worry just might be magnified in my eyes, or that I’m making something way bigger than it needs to be
I don’t want this post to be just totally depressing, haha. Writing this is just a sort of therapy for myself after the week I’ve had. My blog is a creative outlet in which I can write about anything, and that sometimes includes things that are troubling me, or struggling with. I want the majority of my blog to be about all of the things that make me happy, but sometimes I need to talk about the hard things in life. I don’t think it would be fair to myself or anyone else if I didn’t share my own struggles, because we all have them and need to talk about them sometimes. So while I had a brutal week, I also know that it’s finally the weekend and I can do nothing and just wind down from all of this stress!
How was your week?

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

2015 Will be the Year…

1…..That I go out of my comfort zone and try new things, and talk to new people.

2…..To celebrate myself, and learn to love the person I am. It might take the whole year, but this year I’ll learn to love myself.
3…..That I will go on great adventures and STUDY ABROAD.
4…..To expand my blog/work on it more/post more/generally make it better.
5…..To consistently post YouTube videos and work on my channel.
6…..That I will study everyday.
7…..That I workout at least five or six days a week.
8…..That I will eat healthily, and continue vegetarianism.
9…..That I will go out and be with nature more.
10…..That I will read as often as I can.
11…..That I will write at least a little bit everyday (or most days as school permits).
12…..Of random acts of kindness.
13…..Of mistakes that I learn from.
14…..To break out of my shell, and try to be more outgoing.
15…..That I start living my life to the fullest!
I hope you all have a wonderful 2015, and I wish you the best of luck! 🙂

Sunday Thoughts: The Holiday Season and Giving Back

Blogmas Day Five!

Today I was watching Louise’s (from Sprinkle of Glitter) latest Vlogmas vlog, in which she talked about giving back, and how the holiday season is the perfect time. With my last couple of posts being about gift ideas for loved ones, her thoughts got me thinking about the importance of giving back as well. I’m not saying that it’s horrible to only give presents to those we love, if that’s all you can afford to do, then that’s perfectly okay! But if you happen to be fortunate enough to have the time or money to help out, then by all means go ahead. I actually went into a store today, and the fire department was standing outside doing a toy and canned food drive. My family usually donates a couple of cans of food, but this year I really want to do more and try to help a lot more people. With it being the holiday season, giving back is all the more important to help other people have the warm fuzzies associated with Christmas and other holidays. So many people aren’t fortunate enough to even have a warm place to be at night, let alone receive presents on Christmas morning. Don’t get me wrong, giving back is extremely important all year long, but this time of year really helps people realize that there are others who are in desperate need of help from people who can afford to lend a hand.
Being at college has also opened my eyes to the horrible realities some people face; homelessness, going without food for a couple of days, becoming unemployed, or worse. It’s easy to forget how some people live in the world when you aren’t surrounded by it everyday. Living is very, very hard in some parts of the world – sometimes it can only be called surviving. This time of year is the time for you to be grateful of what you have and not what you don’t have. What I mean is, don’t be grateful that your life isn’t like the lives of the less fortune, rather be happy with the things that you do have, and try and help others out when you can. I heard a wonderful talk about this, and how the speaker hated it when people were grateful for the wrong things – that they have a home that unlike homeless people, or that their health isn’t like that of the ill. Try and always be thankful for the things in your life as they are. Life becomes so much easier when you are able to be thankful for everything you have, and even for the little things in life. And on that same point, trying to help out in little ways, but often, can add up to a lot over time! An act of any kind of kindness goes a long way.
Giving back and helping out has always been something that I’ve been passionate about, so it’s something I could drone on and on about! I just think the world would be a much better place if more people tried to help out, even in the smallest of ways. I know that I could definitely try and help and give back more myself! This is just the perfect time of year to try and help out a little bit more than you usually would, because it helps spread holiday cheer 🙂 This time of year is definitely my favorite for that reason, and all of the warm fuzzy feelings of being with those you love, and being able to give them a gift that shows just how much you care for them. I hope all of you have a great holiday season this year!

What are some of the ways you give back?

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂

Dorm Room Inspiration

Hey guys!
I have written a couple of posts in the past couple of days, but saved them as drafts, as I just want to let them kind of…stew, for lack of a better term! So today I thought I would share with you guys how I’m hoping my dorm room will turn out! I move in on September 19th, so I want to get a bit of an early start on getting decorations and all of the necessary items sorted out.
I would love  to find a tapestry or something like this to hang in my room since we can’t paint or anything. It’s so pretty and would definitely personalize my dorm a lot more!
I also love the idea of hanging lights and pretty fabric over your bed! This would make it seem so much more cozy and home-y.

 These little photos hanging off of fairy lights are so cute! I love how it looks at night.
 This is such a great idea! I really want to break out of my shell in college and have the time of my life, and this would definitely force me to do it! The little bucket on the side is so adorable, too.
The birds flying along the lights are so cool as well – I love bird silhouettes!
I love how clean yet boho this looks! I absolutely love dream catchers and really want to put one up in my dorm, so something like this would be perfect! I think I might do something similar by my desk. And it would be cool to put pictures in the shape of my home state!
This is basically exactly how my dorm is going to be set up, with my bed being lofted and my desk underneath it in order to save as much room as possible. This room just looks so cozy and home-y! I would really like for my dorm to look like this.
How cool are these lights?! I have seen this DIY project on Pinterest and I am definitely going to give this a try. If it’s a success, then you will be seeing it in a future post! However, if not, then in the pile of “DIY’s From Pinterest That Didn’t Work” it will go.

I also like the simplicity of these two – it kind of reminds me of snow and rain. They would also be a really classy way of using fairy lights, and not just look like strands of lights strung around everywhere!
 My mom made a couple of these for our house, and they are so pretty! I would love to have these in my room (even though I’m not 21 yet, but I mean wine bottles are classy right?) to remind me of home. I might be able to use Mason Jars, too!
Ahhhhhh if only I had the room for a bookshelf like this in my future dorm room…it’s going to be super weird not having all of my books with me! I have about three or four book shelves in my room (by now I’m having to stack them in random places because I’m running out of room) so I’ll have to be picky about the ones I take with me to college!
Well, there you have it! I would be extremely happy if my dorm room turned out like any of these pictures, and I’m hoping that they do! I’m on the hunt for the perfect decorations >:)
What kind of decor do you like?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!

Dorm Room Inspiration

Hey guys!
I have written a couple of posts in the past couple of days, but saved them as drafts, as I just want to let them kind of…stew, for lack of a better term! So today I thought I would share with you guys how I’m hoping my dorm room will turn out! I move in on September 19th, so I want to get a bit of an early start on getting decorations and all of the necessary items sorted out.
I would love  to find a tapestry or something like this to hang in my room since we can’t paint or anything. It’s so pretty and would definitely personalize my dorm a lot more!
I also love the idea of hanging lights and pretty fabric over your bed! This would make it seem so much more cozy and home-y.

 These little photos hanging off of fairy lights are so cute! I love how it looks at night.
 This is such a great idea! I really want to break out of my shell in college and have the time of my life, and this would definitely force me to do it! The little bucket on the side is so adorable, too.
The birds flying along the lights are so cool as well – I love bird silhouettes!
I love how clean yet boho this looks! I absolutely love dream catchers and really want to put one up in my dorm, so something like this would be perfect! I think I might do something similar by my desk. And it would be cool to put pictures in the shape of my home state!
This is basically exactly how my dorm is going to be set up, with my bed being lofted and my desk underneath it in order to save as much room as possible. This room just looks so cozy and home-y! I would really like for my dorm to look like this.
How cool are these lights?! I have seen this DIY project on Pinterest and I am definitely going to give this a try. If it’s a success, then you will be seeing it in a future post! However, if not, then in the pile of “DIY’s From Pinterest That Didn’t Work” it will go.

I also like the simplicity of these two – it kind of reminds me of snow and rain. They would also be a really classy way of using fairy lights, and not just look like strands of lights strung around everywhere!
 My mom made a couple of these for our house, and they are so pretty! I would love to have these in my room (even though I’m not 21 yet, but I mean wine bottles are classy right?) to remind me of home. I might be able to use Mason Jars, too!
Ahhhhhh if only I had the room for a bookshelf like this in my future dorm room…it’s going to be super weird not having all of my books with me! I have about three or four book shelves in my room (by now I’m having to stack them in random places because I’m running out of room) so I’ll have to be picky about the ones I take with me to college!
Well, there you have it! I would be extremely happy if my dorm room turned out like any of these pictures, and I’m hoping that they do! I’m on the hunt for the perfect decorations >:)
What kind of decor do you like?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!

Dorm Room Inspiration

Hey guys!
I have written a couple of posts in the past couple of days, but saved them as drafts, as I just want to let them kind of…stew, for lack of a better term! So today I thought I would share with you guys how I’m hoping my dorm room will turn out! I move in on September 19th, so I want to get a bit of an early start on getting decorations and all of the necessary items sorted out.
I would love  to find a tapestry or something like this to hang in my room since we can’t paint or anything. It’s so pretty and would definitely personalize my dorm a lot more!
I also love the idea of hanging lights and pretty fabric over your bed! This would make it seem so much more cozy and home-y.

 These little photos hanging off of fairy lights are so cute! I love how it looks at night.
 This is such a great idea! I really want to break out of my shell in college and have the time of my life, and this would definitely force me to do it! The little bucket on the side is so adorable, too.
The birds flying along the lights are so cool as well – I love bird silhouettes!
I love how clean yet boho this looks! I absolutely love dream catchers and really want to put one up in my dorm, so something like this would be perfect! I think I might do something similar by my desk. And it would be cool to put pictures in the shape of my home state!
This is basically exactly how my dorm is going to be set up, with my bed being lofted and my desk underneath it in order to save as much room as possible. This room just looks so cozy and home-y! I would really like for my dorm to look like this.
How cool are these lights?! I have seen this DIY project on Pinterest and I am definitely going to give this a try. If it’s a success, then you will be seeing it in a future post! However, if not, then in the pile of “DIY’s From Pinterest That Didn’t Work” it will go.

I also like the simplicity of these two – it kind of reminds me of snow and rain. They would also be a really classy way of using fairy lights, and not just look like strands of lights strung around everywhere!
 My mom made a couple of these for our house, and they are so pretty! I would love to have these in my room (even though I’m not 21 yet, but I mean wine bottles are classy right?) to remind me of home. I might be able to use Mason Jars, too!
Ahhhhhh if only I had the room for a bookshelf like this in my future dorm room…it’s going to be super weird not having all of my books with me! I have about three or four book shelves in my room (by now I’m having to stack them in random places because I’m running out of room) so I’ll have to be picky about the ones I take with me to college!
Well, there you have it! I would be extremely happy if my dorm room turned out like any of these pictures, and I’m hoping that they do! I’m on the hunt for the perfect decorations >:)
What kind of decor do you like?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!