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Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas!

posted on : June 19, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

When I found out I had to stick to a gluten free diet – you can read more about it on my post How To Eat Gluten Free – I knew breakfast would be a little difficult to figure out. I usually ate some kind of cereal that had wheat in it, so at first it was kind of hard adjusting. But, after reading from sources online and just simply going to the grocery store to check out my options, I’ve come up with some really solid go-to recipes for breakfast!

1. Gluten Free Waffles From Vans.



I’ve always loved waffles, so when I found the Vans Gluten Free Waffles, I was super excited because not only are they healthy, but they taste great too (I promise this post isn’t sponsored by Vans, I just really am addicted to their waffles). They have a couple of different flavors which pleasantly surprised me, because usually gluten free foods come in one flavor – and I have seen before where the box lists the flavor as “gluten free.” So the fact that this brand offers many different flavors made me super happy. I like to stick to the all-natural one (just your run-of-the-mill waffle), but I’ve had the blueberry flavor as well and it’s really yummy! I just put peanut butter on them, and depending on how I’m feeling that day, I either put chocolate chips or banana slices on top!

2. Gluten Free Toast and an Egg

Can we just appreciate how good this egg looked before I tried to flip it?


Since I was a kid, toast and an egg has been one of my favorite breakfast foods. It really fills you up (especially this 7-grain kind!), and gives you a lot of energy for the rest of the day. I have also been obsessed with Cajun seasoning lately – I have been putting it on everything guys – and I put some on my egg and it tasted amazing! You seriously need to try it. I just put grape jelly on my toast with no butter or anything since I’m not the biggest fan of butter, and it tastes great! This is also a really fast breakfast for days that you don’t really have time. And nowadays, gluten free bread doesn’t taste any different than regular, so you can have your toast and eat it too!

3. Omelette With (optional) Salsa

You know this is full of Cajun seasoning.

Another obsession of mine: salsa.

Omelette’s are such a great breakfast food! Not only do they taste great, but they are great for you! I fill mine with sautéed vegetables, Cajun seasoning, and a little bit of cheese, and top it all off with a generous amount of homemade salsa! My taste buds are probably numb from all the spices I put them through, but ohmygosh does it taste amazing. Seriously, add in some bell peppers too and this is heaven!

Well, there you have it! Three different ideas for gluten-free breakfasts! There are definitely more that I love (gluten-free pancakes, oatmeal, Puffins cereal…) so if you want some more ideas, just let me know! I seriously always wake up hungry so it’s super important for me to always have solid breakfast ideas I can regularly fall back on. And since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I like to keep them healthy so I can get my body ready for whatever!

What is your favorite breakfast food?

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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Dealing With Endometriosis

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

So, what is endometriosis anyway?
Endometriosis is a condition that a lot of people don’t know about, but is becoming more and more prevalent among women today. It’s a disorder that is oftentimes very painful, where the tissue that usually lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it, usually around the ovaries, bowel, or the tissue lining the pelvis. The extra tissue outside of the uterus causes cysts to occur because the tissue has no way to exit. These cysts are very painful and sometimes have to be removed with surgery if they don’t go away on their own. Endometriosis can also cause scar tissue around the uterus, which can lead to fertility problems later in life.

My Story
(Side note, this story contains a lot about periods so if that isn’t your cup of tea, you have been warned)

I have always had really bad cramps while on my period. Even from my very first one, my periods have always lasted a solid week – sometimes even 8 days. My mom was the same way, though, so we really didn’t think anything of it. Fast forward a couple of years, and I was working as a camp counselor over the summer when I started to have really bad pains in my lower stomach. They persisted through the night, and finally in the morning my parents took me to the ER. The doctors first thought I had appendicitis since they found fluid in my stomach around where my appendix was. A surgeon came to my room and told me not to eat or drink anything because they would be performing an appendectomy on me later that day. Naturally, I was terrified because all of a sudden I would be getting surgery when I thought I just had a bad stomach bug.
One of the OBGYN’s (women’s doctor basically) in the hospital saw the results from the CT scan and thought that instead of having appendicitis, I must have had a large cyst that had just burst, resulting in the fluid around my appendix. They told us to go home and wait for a day, and if the pain subsided a bit, then the most likely cause of the pain was the cyst. We did just that, and my pain did lessen. After all of this, I had to go to an OBGYN in order to determine the cause of the cyst, which meant multiple doctor’s visits and ultrasounds. Seriously, I think I’ve had more ultrasounds than a pregnant lady. So, once they were pretty sure the cause was endometriosis (all of the symptoms were there, long and painful periods, the whole cyst fiasco, pain in my lower stomach random times throughout the month, etc.), my doctor decided to do a laparoscopy to know for sure I had endometriosis, and to get out any scar tissue or remaining cysts.
This time, surgery wasn’t so scary (although I did almost pass out while talking about it – I don’t do so well when talking about myself getting surgery, but with other people I’m fine…weird I know) since I had time to prepare, but I was still nervous to see what the doctors would find. About a week and two small incisions later, my doctor told me I did in fact have endometriosis, and that there were a couple of ways we could keep it under control since there’s no cure. She decided to put me on a really low dose birth control to keep a handle on the hormones that cause the extra tissue to grow, and if that didn’t work, I would have to get a shot every three months that put my body in a controlled menopause state. My family and I opted for the birth control since there were a lot less risks, and it worked really well for a couple of years. Recently, I have been developing cysts again more frequently, so my doctor decided to change up my prescription, which has helped a lot.

How I Deal With Endometriosis
Now that my endometriosis is mostly under control, the pain has lessened immensely. Before we knew that I had it, the pain was sometimes unbearable which caused me to occasionally stay home from school and lie down for most of the day. I had no idea that other girls didn’t get such bad cramps, or feel pain in their lower stomach throughout the month. I’m actually really allergic to ibuprofen so I can only take pain medication with Tylenol in it, so I typically just lie down and let the pain subside. Using a heating pad can really help sometimes, too! Since the hormones that cause the tissue to grow uncontrollably are under control, I have a lot less pain, and a lot fewer cysts.

Why I Decided To Post About Endometriosis
When I first heard the term “endometriosis” I had absolutely no idea what my doctor was talking about. We of course came home from the doctors office and researched it as much as possible, and found some great resources. It turns out it is a hereditary disorder, and affects the women in my own family on my dad’s side, and a couple on my mom’s side as well. Endometriosis is something that needs to be talked about a lot more because it’s affecting more and more women. It’s something that can easily be controlled once known about, but also something that can get out of control if let alone. There are some great resources, like the Endometriosis Foundation of America, that have information about endometriosis and just general support. I learned a lot from their website when I found out I had endometriosis, and it made the whole situation feel a lot more manageable!
I wanted to post about endometriosis, though, so there’s a little bit more awareness about it. I really think more people should know about it, because it’s something more and more women are suffering from, but they don’t even know it. Early detection can literally be life-saving, because some women become infertile if left untreated. This has happened in my own family, and it’s so sad when it happens, especially to women who really want children.

Symptoms
-Pain in the lower stomach and back, especially during your period
-Excessive cramps during your period
-Heavy flow
-Excessive fatigue, especially during your period
-Basically, every symptom during your periods are far worse than normal

Treatments
-Pain medication
-Hormone Therapy
-Low-dose birth control pills
-Surgery (laparoscopies usually)

When should I see my doc?
If you are having sever symptoms during your period, you should just go see your doctor to get things checked out. Periods suck in general, but if they are debilitating to you, then you should really go in. Early detection is key with anything, so it never hurts to ask your doctor if you could be experiencing endometriosis. It can be a little scary at first (I was only fifteen at the time so I was quite terrified to say the least), but it’ll work out in the end, and you can always take someone with you to the doctors! I had my parents with me every step of the way, and the rest of my family was there for me after my surgery to constantly check in on me, so that was really wonderful.

—

Wow, this ended up being long! I’ve been wanting to write about endometriosis for a while now, though, because like I said, it’s something that I believe needs more awareness. I’m also in the middle of dead weak (finals are in a couple of days!), so it was nice to take my mind off of studying and just write about something that’s been a big part of my life in recent years.

Have you ever heard of endometriosis?

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

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One Year a Vegetarian

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

May of last year was when I officially became a vegetarian. While I had mostly stopped eating meat in April, I really officially became a vegetarian in May. I haven’t really talked about being a vegetarian on my blog, not because it’s super personal or anything, but I just honestly haven’t gotten around to it. I became a vegetarian for moral reasons – animals are treated horribly today and I don’t think how they are thought of simply as products is right at all, and it makes me so sad to think about the cruelty they face in meat factories. On the flip side, I definitely don’t judge others for eating meat. I know it’s a hard decision to make and just generally a difficult thing to commit to for some people who love meat. My family was really concerned when I became a vegetarian because they wanted to make sure I got all of the necessary nutrients, so my parents made me do a lot of research about any supplements I would need to take, or certain fruits and veggies I should eat more of.
Becoming a vegetarian was really easy for me because I’ve never been a huge meat eater. The only meats I really liked were turkey and chicken, but even then they definitely weren’t my favorite food. Actually, the most difficult part of being a vegetarian so far has been when I’m at other people’s house and they fix meat and something with wheat in it – my choices are then super limited to say the least. I usually just try to give people a heads up, and being in college now, it really doesn’t come up a whole lot. Now that all of my family is used to me being a vegetarian, it’s not difficult to have other things to eat besides meat at family gatherings and holidays.
Another difficulty I’ve faced about being a vegetarian is actually not from my own doing, but questions and criticism from other people. My family especially was confused and concerned about whether or not I would be able to get the proper nutrients from fruits and vegetables alone. My dad really loves meat, so he didn’t get why I would voluntarily remove it from my diet. My mom was just worried that I wouldn’t get enough nutrients, but in time they both accepted the fact that this was a permanent change for me. Some people I’ve met have also been surprisingly critical of being a vegetarian and simply don’t understand why I became one. It’s sometimes frustrating when people do this because I never ask them why they eat meat and choose to do so. I’ve never been critical of anyone who eats meat; I believe it’s a personal choice, and neither is more right. It’s just how I choose to live my life and it really doesn’t affect anyone but myself.
So far, I’ve only missed eating meat during Thanksgiving. I have always loved turkey, so it was hard watching everyone else eat it, but I just took some extra mashed potatoes 😉 There are actually so many meat-free dishes you can make during the holidays, and they have tofurkey! I have never tried it but I definitely will next year. Other than Thanksgiving, I haven’t felt like I’m missing out on anything. There are substitutes for virtually every meat nowadays, so if I ever have a dire craving for a cheeseburger I can easily eat a veggie burger. Honestly, I like veggie burgers way more than I ever liked regular cheeseburgers! I think it just comes back to the whole non-meat fan growing up, but veggie burgers taste so much better to me.
Becoming a vegetarian has been such a good decision for me – I have so much more energy because I have to eat fruits and vegetables literally all of the time and I don’t miss meat at all. I have also always loved animals, so I feel like I’m making a difference – even though it’s a small one – and helping them. If you’re on the fence about becoming a vegetarian, I say definitely go for it because you won’t regret it. You may have a rocky start, but just start cutting meat out gradually and soon you won’t even miss it. I know it can be a lot harder to become a vegetarian for people who love meat, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. I think the meat industry really needs to change, and I’m not even going to get started about the fishing industry. I’ve always been a bit of a tree hugger, so for me these issues are near and dear to my heart and I could probably talk about them for hours…
Well, anyway, I don’t want this post to rattle on and on about the woes of the world and environment, so I’ll leave it at that! It’s just important to myself that I kind of recognize that it’s been a year without meat. I’m so glad I decided to make the switch to vegetarianism and I think I’m going to start posting more about things like vegetarian recipes, tips, etc.!

Is there anything you’ve dedicated yourself to?

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

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How To Get Clear Skin!

posted on : May 26, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
Clear skin is something that we all can relate to in our struggles. Especially when you are a young person, it can sometimes feel like you can never catch a break with your skin between hormones, school, stress – the list goes on and on. I have found a skin routine that really works for me, so I thought I would talk about it a little bit since it really makes my skin happy!

I also just want to preface this with the fact that my skin is very dry and sensitive, so I have to use products that are very gentle, and I always try and use more natural products. My skin seems to react a lot better to natural products, so I always stick with that route!
1. Always take off your makeup at night.
It is so important to take off your makeup at night! If you don’t, your pores are just plugged the whole night, which leads to breakouts! So make sure to steer clear of those by taking off your makeup before you sleep.
I use this eye makeup remover from Fresh, and I absolutely love it! It is so gentle on my eyes, and it leaves them feeling really hydrated, which doesn’t always happen with other eye makeup removers I’ve tried. This product also takes off all of my eye makeup, even the most stubborn mascara! I could go on and on about it, and if you have yet to find an eye makeup remover that you like, you should definitely try this one!
After I take off my eye makeup, I use these makeup remover wipes for my whole face. They are made especially for sensitive skin, so they work really well for me! I also really love Burt’s Bees because they’re products are always so gentle on my skin.
2. Wash your face at least once a day.
I know this one is a given, but for me I only wash my face once a day. Anything more than that really irritates my skin since it’s already dry and sensitive. In the mornings I just wake up and put lotion on, and I skip the face wash. If your skin is really dry and unhappy, try doing this! I know it’s necessary for people with oily skin to wash their face twice a day, but dryer skinned people can get away with just once.
3. Exfoliate at least once a week.

 I usually exfoliate on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s, so twice a week, but it’s important to exfoliate at least once a week! It helps to remove the dead skin cells that can clog your pores up, and just keeps your skin happy and healthy!

4. Use a face mask.

 I use the Clear Improvement mask from Origins once a week to clarify my skin, but you can use any type of mask you want! There are some really great moisturizing face masks if your skin is particularly dry (I usually do this in the winter), or masks to help reduce oiliness. I really love this mask, though, and it works really well with my skin! I’ve always had really good experiences with Origins products.

 5. Use a good moisturizer.

 I use the Daily Face Cream from First Aid Beauty in the mornings and night, and I really love it! It’s super important to make sure your face is properly hydrated day and night, so I suggest using lotion at least twice a day. Sometimes I even like to pop on some lotion in the middle of the day when my skin is really dry!

6. Always use sunscreen!
Sunscreen is so important to use even on days that are cloudy! I don’t put sunscreen on all over my body every single day, but I always put sunscreen on my face! It’s in my BB cream, so I’m covered for everyday use, but if I’m going to be in the sun all day (like at the beach or pool) I put on an actual sunscreen for more coverage. Your skin will thank you later in life for consistent sunscreen use!!

I also made a video where I talked a little bit more in depth about all of these points, so you can give it a watch if you want! 🙂

What are your skincare tips?

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

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Imperfections

posted on : May 18, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
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! 🙂

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Weekend Recap: We Got a Puppy!

posted on : May 12, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
This past week has been absolutely crazy. Because it was Mother’s Day weekend, I was planning on going home for the weekend on Friday, but ended up getting sick Wednesday and going home Thursday night so I could be sick at home. Once I got home, my parents told me we were getting a puppy from California, and that that they would be going to get her on Monday night! I was super excited because one of our dogs passed away a couple of months ago, and ever since then our other two dogs have been really sad and mopey. We all thought a puppy would be a great way to cheer them up, and who doesn’t want a puppy?!
My parents asked if I wanted to go with them on Monday, but I wouldn’t be able to because those are my busiest days with classes, and I didn’t want to miss that much school with midterms coming up. Because of that, we decided to leave Friday night to get her! It took us 12 hours to drive to California from our house, and then another 12 hours to drive back. Needless to say, 30 hours later (we had to stop a lot to let our dogs out of the car to stretch their legs, bathroom and food breaks, etc., which added up to an extra 4 hours) we were all very ready to get home and out of the car.
And this is Willow! The 30 hour road trip was so worth it to get her. She is such a sweetheart and fits right in with our family, which consists of two other dogs and four cats. It took our other two dogs, TJ and Miki, a day or so to get used to her, but they are playing like best friends now.
Here are some photos from the trip:

She was kind of nervous at first in the car.

This is TJ, my dog.
She became more brave and started trying to cuddle with him!
And then TJ didn’t really like that so he came up and sat on my lap. Not even kidding.
Typical puppy chewing on everything.

We stopped at Lake Shasta real quick which was really pretty!
After 30 hours in the car, home didn’t even seem real, and we all slept for a good 12 hours. 
TJ was so happy to be home and able to run around.
This is Miki, and she was super happy to be home as well.
Miki was really unsure of Willow at first, but she warmed up to her. She loves to “mother” her!
Willow just adores Miki – and TJ – and loves to do everything that they do. 
Overall, the trip was actually fun and definitely worth it to get a puppy! I didn’t end up doing hardly any homework which I’m paying for now, but again, so worth it! Willow is the perfect little addition to our family and I will definitely cherish these memories. It’s hard being away at college sometimes when you miss your family, so this weekend was really exactly what I needed! And summer is only a couple of weeks away, so I’ll be able to spend lots of time with all of my puppies.
What did you do this weekend?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
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How to Deal With Rejection

posted on : May 4, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
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 🙂
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OOTD: Flowers and Fountains

posted on : April 29, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
It’s no secret how excited I have been for spring and warmer weather, and I have definitely been taking advantage of that by wearing all of my spring dresses! Here is (yet another) outfit I wore the other day when it was a little cloudy out, but still nice!
I haven’t told you guys, but I’m a secret duck whisperer.

Dress: Urban Outfitters
Cardigan: Aeropostal
Booties: Nordstrom
I really love wearing this long cardigan with dresses on days where it’s not quite warm enough to only wear a dress! It’s also a great neutral that goes with pretty much everything! The crochet is so pretty, too, and I love the pattern of it.
You might also notice that I got a whole new look for my blog! I’m so happy with it, and it was definitely time for a change! I have gotten really serious about my blog this past year, so I wanted a template that was more clean and simple, but still had some nice color to it. Let me know what you think! I am in love with it 🙂
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!