God U Ever Just Wanna… Get Some Matching Friendship Bracelets With A Gal… Or Maybe Some Matching

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me: *does nothing with my life* minimalism

go on please //

this may seem hard. your mind may be in ruin, and your soul may be lost. your hands, may only be more scarred and your eyes, they seem like they have carrying the burden of a hundred sorrows but this will end. i may not know when, but i do believe this will end. this will end.

— soulinkpoetry

manifesting my dreams. 

🦄💥✨🐬🌙🔮

they’ve come true.

like to charge

reblog to cast

Because of coronavirus, a lot of recent grads are moving back home. After four years (or more) of freedom, being back home is a big adjustment and it’s easy to revert back to our teenage behaviors. Here are some of the things I’m doing to feel a little more like a grown up while I’m living at home!

i. make your space your own

Just cleaning out your room can make a huge difference. Donate your old clothes and take your old posters from high school down. If you’ve got the time and resources, a fresh coat of paint or new bedding can also do a lot to make your old room feel more adult. You can also rearrange furniture to make a workspace if you’ll be working from home or applying to jobs.

ii. set boundaries

Lovingly set some ground rules about how you can best support each other. This is especially important if you’ll be working or taking classes from home – let them know you’ll be unavailable during certain hours so they don’t barge into a Zoom meeting. 

iii. build a routine

Even if you’re not working or in class at the moment, it’s important to be intentional about your time. The biggest thing that contributed to me feeling like a kid when I first moved back was spending my days watching Netflix and napping. Which are totally valid! But add in other daily activities, like taking your dog for a walk and making yourself a nice breakfast.

iv. make time for friends

I normally hate virtual hangouts, but they’ve been so important for my mental health during quarantine. Schedule a weekly Zoom coffee date with your group of friends. FaceTime your old roommates. Meet your high school bestie in the park and have a distanced picnic (don’t forget masks!). Having a support system is so important right now!

v. find new hobbies

This is the perfect time to try out new hobbies. Plus, craft stores have been having great sales since they know everyone is cooped up all summer. I found some really fun craft kits that I never would have tried normally, and now I’m the proud owner of a woven frog wall hanging. A few ideas: painting, tie dying, embroidery, yoga, running, learning a new language, reading, etc.

Having a long-term project to work towards – like a larger art project or trying to master a difficult yoga pose – helps to keep the days from running together.

vi. find ways to feel “normal”

Everyone, no matter their living situation, is feeling really upended right now. Find the little ways to bring back pieces of your “normal” life. Learn how to make your favorite coffee shop drink at home. Cook for yourself. Wake up at your normal time even if you don’t have to. Keep up with your normal exercise and self care routines – they’re more important now than ever!

anyone else grieving & mourning & lamenting & kicked apart by nostalgia & going silently about their lives?

i walk on the sun, i stand on the sun,

i know nothing but the sun.

(...) the sun fills my chest to the brim with heavenly honey.

— edith södergran, from triumph of existence (my translation)

The Running Checklist

As you’ll discover after a few posts, I’m good at creating carefully crafted checklists and systems, and better at disregarding the entire system and getting back to chaos. :D 

Not so during the final mile project. So here’s a checklist that will (hopefully) make it slightly easier for dragging that ass out of the house and onto the track. 

The Night Before

Select which phone you’ll be taking with you for the run. Hook it to the charger IMMEDIATELY before you forget.

Make sure that the phone has the running tracker that you prefer to use and that you are logged in, etc. My Current favourite is Nike+Run club. There is just something about the interface that is so motivating, and the option to sync keeps you updated across multiple devices.

Select the playlist you’ll be listening to. Ensure it’s availabe offline on your device. Nothing is more irritating than network issues interrupting your upbeat music in the middle of a great run.

Lay out your workout clothes and accessories.

Pants and t-shirt

Sports Bra

socks

running shoes

earphones (personal choice, I personally can’t workout without high tempo music blaring in my ears)

handkerchief or small towel (very important if you, like me, sweat like a pig)7. hair ties

Keep a bottle of water and some light snack by the bedside table

SLEEP WELL

Morning of the Run

When you hear the alarm, count 5-4-3-2-1 in your mind, throw the covers off, then get off the bed

Drink half a bottle of water at least. Eat the light snack(like a handful of almonds, or a fruit)

Freshen up, wash your face, brush your teeth

Change into your workout clothes. Wear the shoes. Tie your hair.

Grab your phone and earphones

Take other essentials like your mess card, ID card, bare necessary money, keys, energy drink, etc. Make sure you have a place to store all that safely during the run.

Apply Sunscreen. I can’t emphasize this enough

Do your daily stretching/squat challenge/plank challenge, etc

Get the fuck out before your brain gets the chance to sabotage eveyrthing

After the Run

Log in to the tracking app.

Drink water. Then your predetermined protein shake/energy drink/refreshing drink (if you have one)

Have a hearty breakfast. Fill your plate so much that it embarrasses even the toughest of body builders.

Wash face with cool water. Apply aloe vera gel to cool down any summer burns or heat rashes. (I have hypersensitive skin)

IMMEDIATELY take a bath and get dressed really well down to your shoes and get on with killing the rest of your goals like the BADASS BOSS BITCH that you are! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT crawl back into bed or go on YouTube or Pinterest for that one minute of reward. You have better rewards waiting for you. Like the sound of scratching off items from your to-do list or the smell of you getting nearer to your life goals!

SMILE cause you made it!! :)

Of course, this list is written keeping someone in mind who’s going for an early morning outdoor run. The list will have to be modified according to your own time and place. But it pretty much covers it all for most.

Happy Running!! :)

Note: I will keep updating this list as I continue making progress on my runs. The more runs I go for, the more challenges I will face, the more solutions I’ll learn to overcome them, the more I’ll share.

from Kiki Smith, The Vitreous Body, with adapted translation of The Way of Seeming  by Parmenides of Elea, 1999-2000 , book of 18 woodblock prints on rice paper, 12 x 19 inches (30.5 x 48.3 cm)