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Category: Thoughts

Champagne Pop Review

I’m so sorry this post is a week and a half late! Work has been absolutely crazy, and I’ve been really busy with last minute preparations for LA. I still cannot believe that I’m going to VidCon! That is for another post, though – today I’m going to tell you about the newest highlight from Becca cosmetics in collaboration with YouTuber Jaclyn Hill, Champagne Pop! You may have heard of it since a lot of people have been going crazy about it (myself included), so I definitely wanted to let you know my thoughts on it!
I have watched Jaclyn Hill’s videos on YouTube for a while now, so when she announced Champagne Pop, I was so excited! A good highlight is what I had definitely been missing in my makeup collection, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
 The box is a gorgeous rose gold shade with “drops” of champagne (hence the water droplet overlay for the title picture hehe) all over.
 The color shows up a bit better and this picture. The back features a picture of Jaclyn and a little back story to the product!
 The whole product packaging itself looks the same as the other Becca highlights, and I love how it looks and feels! It’s super chic and compact.
 There’s a little plastic cover over the product when you first open it up. I couldn’t wait to get it off at this point!
 LOOK AT THAT COLOR.
 Here’s a swatch on my hand!
 It’s seriously such a beautiful shade, and looks so pretty in the sunlight, and also when you aren’t in direct light. I am in love!

 Here’s what it looks like in simple natural light – I love how it isn’t super in your face (although you can definitely put more on than I did here!), but it also gives a super pretty glow to your skin. I applied it to the upper apples of my cheeks (is that a thing?) and also to my cupid bow area.
 I love how it makes my skin glow a bit, since I have super dry skin that can look too matte sometimes!
 Here’s how it looks in direct sunlight!
#highlightonfleek
 I really love how this looks like in the sun – it gives you the perfect summer glow! 
Overall I am SO satisfied with this product! The consistency is slightly buttery (you know what I mean?) so it goes on really well. I’ve been playing around with how much product to actually put on my brush, and I don’t really think you can go wrong. It gives such a pretty glow to the skin, and looks especially gorgeous in the sun and bright lighting. I’ve noticed my skin also looks much glowy-er in general in regular indoor lighting, and I have gotten many compliments on it!
I was afraid I would be too pale for a highlight, but this shade really compliments the pinker undertones in my skin since it’s more of a rose gold color. Even though it is a rose gold shade, I think it would look really good on people who are darker or have a more olive complexion. It really is a versatile product that can work with a lot of different skin tones!
I really encourage you to get this highlight if you’ve been needing one, or if you want to try a new one out! Becca highlights are known for being really great, and this one definitely lived up to the hype and expectations! I’m very, very pleased with my purchase, and give it two thumbs up!
Do you have a favorite highlight?

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

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)

Dear Freshman Year

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

Dealing With Endometriosis

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! 🙂

One Year a Vegetarian

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! 🙂

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! 🙂

Weekend Recap: We Got a Puppy!

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! 🙂

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 🙂