Hello friends! This week I thought I’d share with you some fun things I’ve been investing time into over on Instagram. I made a pledge a few weeks ago to post more on the image-based social media site as another way to connect with my subscribers. But besides silly selfies and image catalogs of my daily life, I like making inspiring quote images and sharing my thoughts. I basically find myself writing mini-blog posts! So I thought it would be fun to put a collection of them here. Enjoy!
Permission to Fail
Sometimes I leave myself paralyzed by fear of failure so that I can’t even do anything for which I could fail at. That fear of failure is devastating and so easy fall into. My parents never taught me to be perfect, but along the way I gathered that the more “perfect” I was, the less likely they would have a reason to be disappointed in me. (And man, did I fear the people I love being disappointed in me!) So I worked so hard to never fail, to always be perfect–perfect grades, never misbehaving, the highest honors–but at the price of not stepping out of my comfort zone. I would only do what I knew I could succeed at, but that doesn’t leave much room for creativity or growth! Sometimes you have to do things that you’ll most likely fail at. And keep doing them, over and over until you find you’re not failing anymore. Practice makes perfect, you know? No one starts practicing at their peak or highest potential. They always have a goal to look forward to. So today, I’m giving you all the permission to fail. (And I don’t mean, fail your classes…) Try something you’re afraid of or know you’ll fail at. You might find, it wasn’t so impossible after all! But even if it does prove difficult, know that it doesn’t define who you are. One failure, a hundred failures, doesn’t make YOU a failure when you keep striving toward your goal.
Happy Fourth of July
Happy Independence Day America! I’m very blessed and thankful to have been born in a country whose founding premise was freedom. On social media recently, I’ve seen so many people bashing and decrying America and saying they’re losing their freedom because of various decisions the government has been making. But what they don’t realize is if they didn’t live in a country like America with the freedoms they have, they wouldn’t be able to cry out against their government and the things they don’t like without being severely punished. The freedom of speech is probably my favorite tenant of the USA. We take it for granted so much without realizing that our ability to take it for granted itself means that we have it. I don’t always agree with everything my fellow Americans are feeling and saying but that’s okay! Because I live in a country that can have differences of opinion without being persecuted for it. It’s only when we become intolerant of others opinions and try to take away their freedom of speech that we run into problems. Okay…End of nationalistic rant! Ha! Today I’m proud to be an American. #fourthofjuly #4thofjuly #independenceday #merica #proudtobeanamerican #redwhiteandblue #lumis
Create Adventures for Yourself
“Create Adventures For Yourself!” It’s summer time and adventures are everywhere! But even if it’s the dead middle of the winter when the world too cold and gray and boring to think there’s much adventure out there, you can always find one. YOU are the adventure. So make every day count and everything you do an adventure of its own. You’ll find happiness in the most unexpected places! #adventure #adventurer #sunflowers #inspiration #inspiringquote #quote #madewithover #happiness #behappy #createyourownadventure
Think Before You Speak
After hearing about the SCOTUS ruling on #MarriageEquality a friend said to me “Did you know you can marry a fag in any state now, Kaitlyn?” And I was really insulted because no matter your opinion on the issue, the use of a derogatory term like that is never acceptable. I understand that his statement was mostly coming from a place of emotional charge, but it’s still not okay to say things like that. Today’s challenge is “Think Before You Speak” because we all have moments when we blurt out things that can be hurtful to others because we’re emotionally in the moment. I don’t care what your opinion is on #MarriageEquality who still have to respect other people. Maybe that means not acting like a liberal jerk and taunting your conservative friends. Or maybe that means thinking about the comments you post online more so as not to incite any anger or say inflammatory things. The guy who said this a great guy. He’s just very vocal about his ultra conservative views and I respect that.any of the points he makes are very good. But sometimes he (and many others) lets his emotions get in the way of politeness and respect for his fellow man. I do it too! We all do! So today just think a little more about what you’re saying before you actually say it! #lovewins #scotus #gaymarriage #supremecourt
Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” I discovered #thinspo a few years ago and was appalled. I didn’t know that stuff like that existed: encouraging girls to not eat, think of themselves as nothing more than their bodies, and guilt and shame them for their choices. They were beautiful images with a terrible, haunting, and destructive message. I’ll be real with you. I want to be skinny. I’ve settled with being healthy and even that is a challenge sometimes with my work schedule and living situation. But I’d love to look like some of those girls in the images you’ll see for thinspo. But I don’t want to not eat or restrict my calories to 300 a day like some of the “diet” charts you’ll find. Because that isn’t healthy. That’s an eating disorder and serious body image issue. I don’t always love my body the way I should. Even though I know it’s important to love me for me no matter my size or weight or hair color or level of paleness. Today is challenge you to take a look at your body and health. Are you doing good and respecting it? Are you hating and hurting it whether that means restricting food or binging on junk. I think a bigger and better goal than being “thin” is respecting your body and those of others. #bodypositive #thoughtoftheday #skinny #fat #loveyourbody #anorexia #bingeeating #lieswetellourselves
Start Living the Life You Want Now!
After a week of vacation, seeing friends, and contemplating life, I’ve decided on a new life motto. I’m not sure what it was before now but I know it definitely involved a lot of waiting on fortune to come to me and not going out and seeking what I want. Part of that comes from my upbringing. I’ve observed it being a very southern Christian thing to say “Wait on the Lord, He has a plan for you!” Which I believe to be true but I think the way I was interpreting it and many others do too is wrong. It feels like they’re saying to wait to do anything until God tells you exactly how your life is supposed to go. But how can that be true? I don’t think God wants us to just sit around waiting for something to happen. I think He’d want us to take action! To seek the life we want! We’re never going to get where we want in life if we don’t first make an effort to get there. And for me, that means to stop living the way I’m unhappy with right now even if it’s easier to stay in my comfort bubble. And to start living the life I want. That means doing the things I love and want to do more of like swimming and living in a new place and making art and being a better YouTuber. So today I challenge you to start living the way you’ve dreamed your life to be! It will seem impossible (as it definitely does for me right now), but I’m confident it’s doable!
i IMAGINE (blank) 
Leave a Reply