What I eat in a day posts weirdly fascinate me. Am I the only one? I couldn’t possibly be since they pop up on YouTube and in blogs quite often, right? Well I thought it time that I threw myself into the mix…until I realized I eat like a five year old. I almost didn’t post, but then I thought, “nah….let’s keep it real here.” So this is a realistic look at what I eat in a day. Now it’s not EVERY day, but this day in particular looked something like this…
It started with a bowl of Trix cereal. I’ve been kinda obsessed ever since they brought the shapes back. I mean come on. A rainbow explosion first thing in the morning? Who could say no?
I had a busy day of errands so I popped over to Starbucks for lunch. I hadn’t given their grilled cheese a go and it’s honestly quite delicious. Iced chai tea lattes are my lifeblood lately. I feel like I’m officially an adult, running on caffeine and not much else.
I said I was going to keep it real with this post. For dinner I had another bowl of cereal. In my defense, it was a different type of cereal. I could have easily faked it and said we had one of our Hello Fresh or HomeChef meals, but let’s be honest…I couldn’t be bothered to make one. Not all days exclude any actual meals, but this particular day definitely wasn’t my shiny moment in nutrition. So another bowl of cereal and a couple of hours of Stardew Co-Op with my friend Lauren and I called it a night.
How’s that for honesty lol…
Where all my introverts at?! *raises hand eagerly* I love a good night in rather than going through all of the effort to get ready and go out with friends. Plus the mid-westerner in me loves saving money. So gather your gal pals because these 10 girls night in activities are far superior to anything outside of the house.
1. Planner play date. Ughhhh what I wouldn’t give to throw all of my planner supplies in a bag, head over to my friend’s house and sit down for a good planner session. It’s so relaxing to get your planning done (which you have to do anyway) next to someone else. Plus you can share supplies and gush over adorable stickers you’ve been hording.
2. 80’s RomCom marathon. 80s John Cusack is a serious dreamboat. Set up a pillow filled viewing room and turn on Say Anything or any of the amazing movies that came out of the 80’s. Make it a double or a triple feature!
3. Video games aren’t just for the boys. Gather some gals and break out the Switch to play Overcooked or a racing game. I’ve done this a few times and it always ends in serious laughter. And it’s always interesting to see how chill girls are on a team compared to a mixed team or just guys.
4. Wine and cheese pairing party. But seriously…meetup where we bring a wine and cheese pairing? Can that become a thing. Have your friends bring a cheese and a wine to go with it. You’ll feel super fancy tasting wine and cheese together.
5. Cookie swaps don’t have to just happen around the holidays. Each of your friends makes a few dozen of their favorite recipe, get together, and swap. Keep the fun going and have milk with your cookies and catch up.
6. Follow a Bob Ross video. Unless you’re some talented painter, this will end in horrible paintings and a ton of laughs. Wine’s also a must.
7. Watch the Bachelor even if you’re not into it. I go over to a friend’s house every once in a while to watch the show and love it even though I don’t know who is who. The drama is so over the top you can’t help but love it. Plus there are so many commercials you can spend that time catching up.
8. Board games. Ah board games. My favorite way to get a group together. With so many amazing games out there I could go on for post after post, but I’ve always been a fan of cooperative games. Check out Escape the Temple if you’re looking for a good one to play next.
9. Netflix movie pajama party. Netflix is starting to rival the Hallmark channel for cheesy love stories. Throw on your pajamas (even if it’s in the middle of the day) and have your pals over for popcorn and love puns. Has anyone watching Falling INN love yet?!
10. Potluck meal. Have each one of your friends bring a different course to a meal over. Someone brings an appetizer, a salad, a main course, a side, a dessert, etc. You can pick a theme or have people bring their favorites in that category!
This month’s
Oh, Hello Box inspired this blog post! This month’s theme is girls night in and if you need a jump start to your evening it’s the perfect thing.
Order yours before the end of September!
As the summer winds down and my brain evilly reminds me that ‘winter is coming,’ I thought it a good time to test drive some new creative habits to keep me busy during the colder months. Sure you could just pop over to the store and strike up a new creative habit, but I find taking these few steps as the best way to start (and stick with) something new.
First and foremost, do your research. Whether you want to take up kitting or baking, watch some YouTube videos about your interest first. That way you aren’t diving into something that you’ll quickly jump back out of. When I started baking, I read a lot of blogs to see what recipes were the easiest to follow. That way I could have some creative successes under my belt right out of the gate rather than burning a bunch of cookies and losing hope.
Accountability is key when starting any new habit or hobby, so tell people about it! It’s something new in your life so share it with your friends and family. Plus they’ll likely ask you a few months down the road how it’s going. Don’t disappoint and stick with it!
Give yourself a timeline of how long you’re going to try out the new habit before moving on to something else. If you find you just aren’t cut out for hand lettering, move on to something else. But make sure you’re giving yourself a few weeks to a solid month to try it before switching.
One of the easiest ways to start a new creative habit is to schedule it in your planner. That way it becomes a priority and not just something you talk about doing but never get around to it. I like to bake on Saturday mornings, that way I won’t go months without creating something new and delicious. Find a day during the week or a two week schedule so you can actually do this new habit.
Don’t forget to start slow. If you’re like me you’ll want to jump right in and buy everything under the sun for this new hobby. I can’t tell you how many bins are in my basement full of hobbies I thought I would stick with. For real…I couldn’t tell you…start small and work your way up if you find you enjoy the new habit. Start with a simple hand lettering set and expand your collection if it’s something you actually enjoy. That way you aren’t throwing away money you could be saving for a hobby you want to do in the future.
So whether it’s baking, writing, painting, or whatever, pull out your planner and carve out some time. I always feel so calm and focused after I bake something and it ultimately helps me throughout my work week (plus I get delicious snacks!). A creative habit is a powerful tool!
What creative habit are you trying to start?
I think it’s safe to say that everyone is busy in one way or another. People are constantly juggling work, health, hobbies, and a social life. It’s tough work. So here’s what you can do to balance friendships when you have a hectic lifestyle (aka everyone…)
Check in regularly even if you aren’t able to schedule time to see them. I call my check in times “Text Tuesdays” to remind me to send my friends a text message to see what’s new in their lives. A decent number of my friends live out of state so it’s a great way to know what’s going on with them. Even if it’s just a quick, “Hey, you’re one badass person,” it’s important to let them know I’m thinking about them.
Let worlds collide. Over the weekend I had a photo shoot for my business and I invited my friends to join the shoot with me. Sure it wasn’t an ideal way to spend time with them, but I still got work done and got to hear about their lives. Two birds with one stone is sometimes the best way to accomplish it all. Try finding a way to combine your social life with your work life so that if you can’t have undivided attention, at least you still get to see your friends.
Plan ahead if you and your friends have a busy schedule. Sometimes I have to plan things out a month in advance for our D&D squad to meet, but it’s better than nothing.
Schedule the next event at the current one so you don’t find yourselves going months before seeing each other again.
Make it a priority. I know that’s easier said than done, but if you want to find time to have friendships, you have to make time. Maybe you have to skip a night binge watching Netflix to have a girl’s night, but it’s worth it to maintain your relationships. Trust me, from one introvert to another, it’s worth it.
Sometimes your friendship maintenance will slip, and that’s ok. The best of friends will understand that life can get crazy sometimes but you still care about them. So pick up your phone and shoot a friend a text to hang out next week. Even if it’s just for an hour for coffee. You’re going to need the caffeine anyway…
The photo of adorable Gallifrey is here to keep things in perspective. My life and relationships now are stronger than ever. I’m happy. I have a husband and cats that love me. It’s all good. But let’s talk about that one time I was in that shitty relationship shall we?
There are so many things I wish I could go back and tell myself about that craptastic relationship in college. But I don’t actually regret it. Sure I definitely wouldn’t repeat it, but I learned a lot about myself, my worth, and the love I deserved. If time travel becomes a thing, I have a few things I’d tell myself (besides ‘end it’ of course).
Words and actions aren’t the same thing. Just because they say one thing, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Being in a bad relationship is more lonely than being alone. There’s so much doubt and distrust in an unhealthy relationship that you spend more time wondering and worrying what they’re up to than anything else. I felt constantly paranoid (and for good reason because he was definitely cheating on me) and unsure of myself. I felt crazy, jealous, and alone.
If it’s work, it’s not worth it. A relationship shouldn’t beat you up mentally. It should make you feel like you’ve found something that’s been missing. That you’ve found a missing piece of yourself that you didn’t know you needed. It shouldn’t hurt. It shouldn’t be soul-crushing.
Leave the self doubt behind when you leave him behind. It took me way too long to regain the self-confidence I lost in that shitty relationship. I felt worthless, not sexy enough, not funny enough. Just not enough. My self worth got wrapped up and twisted into making him like me that I didn’t even care if I liked myself.
I am the accumulation of all of my past experiences. That shitty relationship gave me what I needed to become a person I wanted to be. I learned to say ‘no’ and to fight for myself. It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen overnight, but I took how terrible I felt those brief months in that relationship and put it on the never-again list. I hope none of you experience a shitty relationship, but if you find yourself in one, have the courage to take yourself out of it sooner rather than later. You deserve better.
Yes you.
You deserve better.
(Also I sincerely hope that shitty guy reads this post…just sayin’)
*plays Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” on repeat*
Halfway done with 2019 and it still feels like I’m just getting going. Isn’t that always the case though? Despite still feeling like I’m in 2018, I’ve learned a few big lessons this year that feel worth sharing. Even if it’s just for future Kayla to look back and think, “oh how quaint.”
All things are difficult before they are easy. I’ve started a lot of new projects this year. I launched a subscription box, am deep into creating a coaching program, and am taking active steps towards a retail location. And it’s hard. I have no freakin’ clue what I’m doing most of the time. But things become easier the more you do them. The box process has become a well oiled machine after six months and I’m sure everything that’s difficult now will become easy soon enough.
Anything can be accomplished with time and effort. This kind of goes with the first lesson. I never in a million years thought I’d be creating curriculum for an online coaching program. But with time and a whole lot of effort, even the most daunting thing (I’m looking at you retail store) can become a reality.
I’m a social introvert. This year I joined the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s ambassador program kind of on a whim. It’s a whole lot more socializing than I originally expected, but I’m realizing that’s ok. I’m still a hardcore homebody who loves to be alone with her husband and her cats. But I can also be that socialite attending networking events and grabbing coffee with strangers.
That you can’t always dip your toe in. This feels 100% true with the retail shop venture we’re embarking on. It’s definitely not something to just “try out.” There are leases, commitments, and so many other factors that can’t be half-assed. It’s time to go all in on Oh, Hello.
Don’t say ‘no’ to yourself for someone else. So often I find myself thinking, “oh there’s no way they’ll want to collab with me.” I’m literally saying ‘no’ for them before I’ve even asked. So many times this year I’ve been pleasantly surprised by responses to emails and inquiries. You never know what they’re going to say, so don’t say it for them.
I’d love to say that I learned something small like how to clean the oven (I still don’t know), but these past six months have been packed with some big “aha” lessons. How has the first half of 2019 been treating you?
