September Lifestyle Challenge

Hi everyone!

Today I want to take the time to address stress. Everyone experiences it, and it's completely normal (especially if you're about to go into college, like me)! However, just because it's a natural human tendency, doesn't mean you have to suffer through being stressed out.

That being said, this month's lifestyle challenge is:

    relax.

Take the time this month to do whatever it is that calms you down: listen to soothing music, take a nice bubble bath, do some light yoga, or read an easy book. It's important to take a break from whatever you're doing and just calm down for a little while. Your body and mind will thank you!

Feel well, everyone. And remember: life's good.

August Lifestyle Challenge

Hello, everyone!

This month, the school year has begun again for many of us. Now, if you're like me, you're thinking, "Boo, hiss!"

However, attitude is everything whenever approaching new situations. This current school year is my senior year of high school, which is really quite daunting for me. To tackle this fear I've been having, I decided that the lifestyle challenge this month is:

    accept change.

I've realized that looking at change as not necessarily a bad thing, but an opportunity for new, positive experiences. Here's to a good school year (for those of you in school) and a fulfilling month for us all!

July Lifestyle Challenge

This summer's going by so quickly for me! Is anyone else feeling the same way? Slow down, Father Time!

Anyways, today I want to revisit why I started writing these Lifestyle Challenges. I'm working on changing myself in effort to be the best person I can be, and I want others to do the same! Basically, these challenges are monthly things we can do to learn to love ourselves. Overall, I'd like to be confident, at peace with myself, and I want to learn to be really happy to be alive.

Most self-help books will tell you that one of the key points in achieving happiness is carpe diem: live for today, Viva la Vida, etc. Essentially, we cannot postpone or put off happiness. Have you ever found yourself saying "I'll be happy when (insert event here)"? I used to do that as well, but we have to try to be happy now. To quote an Incubus album: if not now, when?

That being said, this month's lifestyle challenge is:

      list your favorite things about yourself.

It doesn't have to be long. Even if you don't believe it, write it anyway! Maybe people see something in you that you don't see yourself; write it down. If you don't think you're a good artist, or a nice friend, or a smart student now, here's to the hopes that you will soon! 

You can also make a list of positive adjectives that describe you (or adjectives that you'd like to describe you). Take a moment and appreciate yourself, even if it's only for one day this month. 

To anyone reading this, know that I believe in you. You deserve to love yourself.

June Lifestyle Challenge

Happy summer, everyone!

I don't know about other areas of the world, but everyone in the Los Angeles area is melting from all the heat. But I'm so glad to be out of school, so it's worth it. I'm definitely planning to make this summer one of the best ones I've ever had. You should, too!

This month's lifestyle challenge is:

     experience nature.

I don't mean to get all transcendentalist-hippy-trippy on you guys, but nature is so important! By experience, I'm not saying just sit in your backyard for five minutes; everyone should really take the time to experience nature. Take a hike, go visit a garden, plant a plant!

An appreciation for nature and all its bounty is vital for having a prosperous life. Everyone should be grateful for the beauty all around us! Take your time this month and take advantage of the sunshine--if there's any in your area, that is!

May Lifestyle Challenge

Well, it's the final month until summer break! Let's celebrate properly, shall we?

This month's lifestyle challenge is:

    make a new friend!

Okay, maybe I'm a little cheesy, but expanding your circle of peers can't hurt. For me personally, I think making a new friend would ease my anxieties about my finals and AP tests (which start tomorrow, by the way! *heavy breathing*). 

As we prepare to kick off the start off summer, let's share the celebration with others. I urge everyone to just try; it won't be as bad as you may think!

April Lifestyle Challenge

It's already April, everyone! Can you even believe that?

Speaking as a high school junior, it's scary how fast time is moving! April means next month is the month of AP testing, and next year is my senior year. The year after that will be my first year in college! That's both exciting and frightening to think about.

This month's lifestyle challenge is in celebration and appreciation of how fast time is passing. We should always remember to cherish each day, and with that being said, the April Lifestyle Challenge is:

    be thankful every day.

Not to be morbid, but you really never know when a breath could be your last, so it's essential to be thankful for each and every day you are given. Let's all take every day this month to be thankful for something--be it your house, your significant other, your dinner--anything that helps you appreciate your life a little bit more.

Good luck, and as always,

Stay beautiful,

Patricia

March Lifestyle Challenge

Happy March 4th, everyone! John Green has informed the world that today's the only day that is also a sentence. Isn't wordplay beautiful?

Speaking of beautiful, let's talk about you!

This month's lifestyle challenge is another little milestone we can make to learn to love and appreciate ourselves. Daylight Savings Time falls on this month, and I'm using that as an inspiration for this challenge. As we turn our clocks forward, let's push ourselves forward in doing so.

The March lifestyle challenge is:

     compliment yourself.

Take a moment every day, look in the mirror, and tell yourself something nice! It can be something as great as "I feel and look amazing today," or something as tiny as "Hey, my hair doesn't look as horrible as usual!" Anything that can boost your self-confidence works just fine.

Good luck everyone!

Stay beautiful,

Patricia

February Lifestyle Challenge

This month's lifestyle challenge is a bit late, but nevertheless, let's get down to it!

Is it just me, or did January seem to fly by? It didn't really hit me that a new month came until I started seeing Valentine's Day ads everywhere.

I don't really like how Valentine's Day comes with the implication that someone has to shower you with gifts in order to make you feel like you're loved. I especially don't like that, for girls, Valentine's Day is made to be a waiting game for some guy to come court them. That's complete BS to me, and I think that attitude only perpetuates the idea that people are in desperate need of a significant other to make them happy or to make them love themselves.

That being said, February's Lifestyle Challenge is:

      be your own valentine.

This month, I challenge you (and myself!) to take the time to truly pamper yourself. Use the holiday of love's theme to your advantage and do something that makes you feel great about yourself! Buy yourself something nice, write yourself a confidence-boosting letter--anything that makes you feel awesome.

Celebrate your existence. You deserve it.

Stay beautiful,

Patricia

January Lifestyle Challenge

Happy new year, everyone! I hope everyone's determined to make 2014 a fantastic year.


I'm quite the artist, am I not? ;)

That being said, is anyone making near-impossible-to-maintain new year's resolutions this year? It's a recurring problem I have every January, but this year, I'm taking a new initiative to change. Today, I'm introducing my new method of self-reform that I call Monthly Lifestyle Challenges.

Every month, I'll challenge myself (and you as well!) to work on doing something to improve my outlook on life. A little challenge to tackle once a month is much less daunting, and much more doable, than an overarching feat to accomplish in a year. It would mean lots to me if some of you took a crack at these challenges with me!

To wrap this up, January's Lifestyle Challenge is:

smile more often.

Not sure if anyone else runs into this problem, but I am constantly bogged down with comments like "You look sad today!" or "Is something wrong?" when in reality, I'm perfectly content. Thus, this January,  I'm determined to smile more often. Maybe not an ear-to-ear grin every hour, but a smirk every now and then would surely lighten my mood and the mood of those around me.

So with that, let's make the world a tiny bit happier--one smile at a time.



Best wishes,
Patricia