@jungk0oksthighs

Elle Woods is my absolute favorite female film character of all time. There has never been a single character that I have related to more or who has inspired me like she has. I post a lot about my love of school and the 8-12 hour study days I frequently partake in, which lead to @awesomefitgirlstuff asking for some study motivation. I figured, why not use the queen of beauty and brains as a perfect model for the topic? Without further ado, here are a few tips on how to study like Elle Woods 💗💓💕💘

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

You do not know everything. No one does. One of the most honest and courageous things we as humans can do is to admit that we are lacking knowledge and seek help from others. People want to help! They want you to succeed! If you need help studying, ask for help. If you need a better explanation, ask for help. If you need to see an example or two, ask for help. You have friends, you have classmates, you have teachers, and you have the internet. Help is there. Use it. Seek help as often as you need it. Even if it takes a village, who cares? As long as you end up knowing the material confidently and independently, it doesn’t matter how many sources or methods of assistance it took for you to get there. The results are what’s important.

Keep your chin up when others look down on you and just focus on your educational goals

Some people feel personally attacked when they see others putting in hard work to achieve their goals. Sometimes it’s jealousy, sometimes it’s a feeling that their position is being threatened, and sometimes they’re just afraid of losing you when you reach a new level. No matter what the reason is, you can’t let it stop you from pursuing your academic endeavors. Firstly, you can’t take it personally. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. Secondly, you must keep in mind that if you bend to their naysaying, you are letting your dream life slip away. That’s certainly not a good idea. Unfortunately, you may have to disappoint a few people on your way to the top. Just keep your nose in the books, forgive those who have malice towards you because of it, and study study study.

Beauty & brains

Just because you are making studying your top priority doesn’t mean it has to be your only priority. Don’t let your personal grooming slip or use school as an excuse to forgo your beauty routine. You can still make time for nail appointments, hair treatments, a bit of shopping, and putting together cute outfits even when you are deep into your toughest semesters. Plus, it will make you feel better! When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, your performance is good. Nothing beats a nice hot bubble bath after a satisfying day of answering every single flashcard correctly. Typing up a 10 page essay is a lot more fun when you have the sound of your new manicure click clacking as a soundtrack.

Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.

Exercise is very beneficial to our ability to use our brains so intensely for long periods of time. Make sure you stay sharp, stay fit, and stay active. You’re gonna really appreciate the extra movement when it gets to a point where you’re spending 10 hours at a desk everyday. And like the I said about beauty, you won’t want to use studying as an excuse to let your fitness goals crumble. Even a 30 minute workout will lead to big results in your studying and keep you on track. Not to mention, exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t!

Success is for those who believe it already belongs to them.

Do you think I study all day and night with just the hope that I will get good grades and a mastery of my skills? No!! I already know that a perfect score is in my future. I already know that high salary job opportunities are waiting on me. I already know that success belongs to me. I just have to go take it. You must have 100% faith that excellence is in your future. You can’t doubt yourself for one second. This is no time for humility. Set your goals high and be confident that you will reach them with hard work and diligence. You can achieve it.

Don’t let anyone outwork you.

Being known for your insane work ethic is such an honor. It means you’re putting in so much effort that no one can deny it or ignore it. You must be dedicated to your studies. You must be passionate about mastering the material. You must have a true craving for knowledge. You have to put in long hours day after day after day. You will earn the top spot in your class because you’re putting in top spot work ethic. You will receive an A+ on your exams because you’re putting in A+ work ethic. Make such a large gap that no one can even come close to you. If a survey is conducted where they ask your classmates, “who studies the hardest?”, make sure that you’re the uncontested #1 champ. Be the shining example. Be the one they aspire to emulate.

Dont study until you get it right, study until you can’t get it wrong.

To be a master of your field, you need to study like one. You can’t “kinda” know. You can’t “mostly” know. You need to be 100% sure that you have the right answer. When you perfectly understand the material and can easily teach it to others. When there’s no chance of you getting the wrong answer. That’s when you’re done studying. Strive for excellence, not to just “pass”. Remember that a perfect score is absolutely possible.

And lastly:

♡ channel your inner elle woods and dive into your studies with a “what, like it’s hard?“ mindset

studying will only be hard if you assume it to be. uplift yourself before starting your study session. go on a rampage on how you’re the best student at your school and that you’re successful at everything you do! the only person that will be with you from the beginning till the end is you. be your own cheerleader despite it all.

♡ romanticize your studies

life is better when you romanticize it and nothing beats playing some music to level your head, looking at photos & scenes of your favorite characters studying and acing their tests! 

clean your desk, light some candles, buy cute stationary, pretend you’re being filmed, visualize how it would feel when you have straight A’s and see that perfect score on the corner of your test/exams.

make a playlist with a cute cover and choose a vibe. dark or light academia? classics? rnb? cafe jazz? make it fun. mix it all together or make multiple playlists for the different moods you’ll be in. don’t listen to lyrical music. i recommend brown noise! and going to a cafe or a library helps me focus a lot. the background chatter doesn’t ever get too much for me so it gets easy for me to tune it out.

bambi’s supplies:

kokuyo campus binder notebooks

papier planners

laohaster aesthetic highlighters - 1 & 2

tombow dual brush pen markers

0.35 pens + muji 0.38 pens

paper mate gel pens

aesthetic book tabs

kraft paper sticky notes

index card case

♡ finding a study place

i love to study at libraries and local cafes. i also use this time to go on adventures to explore my city and find hidden gems. make sure it’s a place where you like the vibe, there are no distractions. something about looking like that mysterious, studious girl who stays to herself >>>>

before you indulge in your studies, be aware of your surroundings. get familiar with the place by grazing your eyes over the area and begin :)

make a checklist of all the items you need. laptop, charger, pens, notebooks, textbooks, a book to read if you want to spend more time at the place you’re at, headphones, calculator, etc!

if you’d rather stay inside, make your area is clean of clutter and clear of distractions.

♡ time management 

now that you’ve set out a place, let’s talk about time. what hours in the day work for you? morning, afternoons or at night? what weekdays work the best for you to keep up with this schedule?

be reasonable with yourself here. pick a time where your schedule is free and you won’t be distracted by obligations. tell your friends and family you’ll be busy during those hours on selected weekdays, not everyday will be the same. life can be hectic so this is where you take responsibility. work around your appointments. make use of your time and run flash cards while you wait to get called in or you’re in line, while you exercise, get creative! 

setting time away to eat and make sure you drink enough water is not equally but more important than any other thing. take care of yourself. 

utilize your time wisely. no one and nothing is going to achieve those goals. you are. 

now, let’s actually get into how i study. 

♡ scheduling & staying on track

create a system that works for you. keep a list of all of your assignments, finals, exams, tests, projects in an excel spreadsheet organized and ascended by the due dates and the progress of its completion. here are two very simple examples i made. 

as you progress through the list, it’s always so good to see the growing checkmarks! like yes, you did that and you can continue doing so! i always advocate for keeping track of your accomplishments no matter what ♡

as for day to day classes and schedules, you can use notion or google calendar. there are plenty of cute and practical templates out there to use.

let me know if i should share mine or make some

♡ how i study, stay ahead, and be the best student i can be

the most important thing a student can do is put themselves first! find out what works for you. your strengths, your weaknesses, and obstacles you tend to come across and work around them to make the best out of it. 

we’ve already covered the topics of time and place so great! now, that you’re all set, additional things i keep in mind to make sure i am all nice and comfortable are…

making sure i am comfortable. the temperature, clothes i am wearing, if i feel safe at the cafe/library/room i’m in.

i can’t focus or do anything on an empty stomach so get a small meal before you start and keep water and snacks with you!

the most important questions of all: are there any illnesses you have that affect your studying and focus? what is something you often find that gets in your way?

as hard as dealing with illnesses gets on a daily basis, it’s easy to forget that it can affect your studies just as much. you need to work with them. i used to think i was stupid, slow, and downright crazy for not understanding material right away or for how easily distracted i got because of my random bursts of energy. then it just dawned upon me one day and i said “oh… duh?”

so, what did i do? i found out what worked for me, monitored my studying techniques and personally modified them to work better with my attention deficit.

tackle the important tasks first. low maintenance assignments like reading and writing notes on a section, annotations, and worksheets can wait if they’re easy but this way might not be for everyone. 

the reason why i advise this is because at the beginning of a study session, i have the most energy/brain power so i’d rather shift my energy towards the assignments that need more of my focus!

plan what tasks you intend on focusing on that day. look at your assignment spreadsheet. which ones are more important/urgent? due the soonest? write them out in order and follow the list.

immediately writing down my thoughts. i’m very forgetful so making this a habit has helped me so much for when i get any new ideas and remember to do something very important.

find out what learning style fits you. visual, auditory, reading and writing, kinesthetic. making powerpoints, study guides, drawing diagrams, color coding systems, interactive notes. cater your study methods to your needs. here is a pinterest board with examples!

take a self assessment quiz. if you want, check these quizzes out to figure out what kind of learner you are and what study habits you can improve! remember that you can always be more than one thing just because quizzes give you a single result. you know you!

active recall. it’s a study method to help with retention, memorization, and informational retrieval. it reduces forgetfulness all the while actively stimulating your brain rather than writing notes, highlighting text information. 

separate the topics + subtopics and in the end, when you feel confident, jumble them together.

flashcards! i love them. you can use quizlet which has a spaced repetition system where it will bring back material you got wrong so you can focus on it extensively. physical flashcards and manually having to write them out is also a form of memorization!

practice testing (not multiple choice) online or finding them on a textbook, ask a friend to quiz you or ask questions to yourself and try to answer them accurately.

pretend to give a lecture. i love this one the most because if you know the subject very well, you can pretend to explain it to a peer and even a middle schooler so that it gives you a chance to simplify the material so it’s easy for them (and you) to retain. 

while using flashcards and lecture techniques, it helps me when my adhd flares up and i really can’t seem to stay still or keep from making noise. i can walk around my room & talk aloud, walk on a treadmill, and move my body!

i study until it becomes natural for me to know the answer, not because i recognize the term.

check your work and understanding to make sure that all of the information you’re studying is correct! it won’t hurt to do a little review here and there. you never know when a mistake might’ve snuck it’s way in.

make your own study guide. (if that’s your method) for every unit and section, covering every topic. this can be on google docs and whenever you learn something new that you think is important to know, add it via docs app or write it on a notepad so that you can fill it in later.

on the go. you don’t have to do this ALL the time (or at all) but if you think you need more time to soak your mind with information but you’re on a bus, waiting in line, etc. pull out your flashcards or google docs app to quickly review. there’s no harm in that! (just make sure you’re aware of your surroundings please)

OFFICE HOURS! go to office hours even if you don’t have any specific questions or struggles! it’s always an extra learning opportunity because you can listen to teachers and teaching assistants answer questions you might have later on AND the more you attend office hours, you’ll build a connection and get to know the teachers. that is always important.

starting assignments ahead of time. don’t put off working on a project just because it’s due in 3 weeks or so. start ahead of time so you don’t stress yourself out and cram. stretch them out. plus, even if you don’t actually put yourself to work, get a feel of the materials you’ll need to know, the instructions, etc because if you have any questions, you’ll have more/easy access to teachers for help since not many people will be there at the beginning of when a project is assigned.

ADVANCE READING! this is so fun to do. you basically just read ahead on current/future topics the teacher will cover to grasp onto the information. write down any questions you have and personally ask the teacher for a more clear answer for your understanding.

i love doing this because when the time comes of the teacher covering the topic, light bulbs just keep going off in my head! it’s exciting. it gives me room for me to retain and write any additional information the teacher says.

do not multitask. remember, if multitasking has always worked for you, don’t stop! for me, it’s truly better to focus on the task at hand to strengthen skills and concentration rather than having to do 2 or 3 different things at once. efficiency is key and staying true to one task at a time is the best way to do so.

BUT when my adhd gets in the way, be consistently inconsistent. don’t unnecessarily guilt trip yourself when you suddenly feel like doing another task. go with the flow. follow whatever your brain feels like doing at the moment! MOVEMENT IS MOVEMENT.

additional tip: take breaks at certain times even if you don’t feel like it. like the advice above, it doesn’t necessarily have to be resting. it can be as simple as taking a trip to get a beverage, tidying up your area, something easy & light to keep your mind occupied and to avoid burn out.

 breaking down the assignments into sections. this defeats procrastination. it can seem overwhelming when all the information is pieced together into one so divide the tasks into small sections. 

ex. read one chapter in the textbook, start writing down terms to know, annotate. move onto the next.

study groups. it’s collaborative— a chance to ask and also help others on topics you don’t know and make connections! the smaller the better in my opinion.

don’t look at studying as something you “have" to do. it’s an activity. a choice. it can either be stressful or something you can easily get through— how you approach this will ;

participate! ask questions! don’t be afraid to ask questions and raise your hand to put your two cents in when it’s an open discussion! just do it.

focus on the now. don’t overwhelm yourself by looking at all the assignments you have due. the task you’re working on at the present moment is the one that needs the most attention and focus.

advice from others won’t always work for you. we are all different! what might work for others won’t always work for you. this is why it’s important to monitor your study sessions, habits, behaviors, and find out what works and what you like better through trial and error. 

except for when i tell you to take care of yourself. if there’s anything you should take away from my posts, it is to put your needs first. always!

♡ keeping up momentum. motivation vs. self discipline.

“think of motivation as a power boost at the starting line and your foot pressing on the pedal of your car is discipline, it’s what keeps you going forward on your journey. motivation, as fleeting as it is won’t bring you far but self-discipline will.“

remind yourself of the life you want to live, the businesses you will own, the cases you’ll win, the people you’ll be able to help with your knowledge, the feelings you’ll have because of your amazing accomplishments if you just keep. on. going. 

read the “continuing to strengthen self discipline” section in my dream girl guide post. i guarantee it will help in finding what really works best for you when it comes to identifying roadblocks and how to work around these struggles.

KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM. you’ve been on top of your game so when it comes to engaging in activities that don’t revolve around school work, make it worthwhile. stay off your phone, say no to silly distractions and do something you’ll thoroughly enjoy. paint, draw, write, read a book, go on a walk! this will keep you going in doing your very best every day and it doesn’t have to be a strenuous activity! stagnancy who?

DOING ANYTHING THAT BRINGS YOU JOY AND FULFILLMENT IS PRODUCTIVE. 

♡ the most important tips of all

TAKE BREAKS. GO TO SLEEP. EAT WELL.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

DO NOT PUT THIS ON THE BACK BURNER. you want good grades and to do your very best, that can’t happen unless you TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

if it’s past your usual bedtime and your eyes are drooping, struggling to stay open, how are you able to retain all the information from that moment on? go to bed because then you’ll get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be refreshed for your next day’s class! OR if you don’t have class, you’ll be able to bounce back into studying in amazing condition.

PAMPER YOURSELF. 

good heavens, take a shower, wash your face, go for a walk, move your body, stretch, take time to just stay to yourself. enjoy the silence, play some calming music, watch a show, take a nap. your body is a temple, treat it with love. 

if you’re constantly stressed out all the while continuously flooding your brain with so much information without resting:

it decreases concentration → you won’t be able to retain any new information (so studying is automatically deemed useless) → poor sleep → you attend class and your inability to focus and overall school performance has degraded→ you isolate yourself from social interactions → fall into depression → difficulty picking yourself back up and the list goes on…

in summary, you will not be able to continue and put in your best work.

always remember that pushing yourself past your limit does more harm than good. 

you WILL crash and all that hard work will go to waste once you’re physically and mentally unable to show up for yourself.

and if it means you have to get anything lower than a 80, IT IS OKAY. nothing is worth more than your health. trust me.

♡ helpful resources

zlibrary + openlibrary - free online libraries

websites for research that is not google

weava highlighter - highlight text from pdfs and the web, add and organize notes and be able to access later! lifesaver.

99 legal sites to download literature

speechify - text to speech reader

not robotic. comes in many different voices and languages

aids in: easy reading, improve comprehension, multitaskers

adjustable reading speed

mercury reader - gets rid of clutter from articles for easy reading

grammarly - grammar and writing check

beeline reader - color gradient to help read easier

group your tabs for easy organization (for mac users: control + click)

piktochart - create infographics

spot misinformation - masterpost

desmos - free online graphing calculator

paper rater - essay scoring

pdf2go + cloudconvert - file converters

internet archive - free books, movies, software, music, websites…

slidesgo -  google slides and powerpoint templates

pomodoro timers - tide w/ white noise + otto w/ a website blocker

remember to drink water

more very helpful resources

okay my love! that’s all for this post. i wish you the best! ₊˚⊹♡ as always, here is the google doc version

— kisses from straight a student, bambi ♡

               SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION

INVEST IN YOURSELF: FALL + SCHOOL EDITION GUIDE HERE

rafe cameron x kook!reader in european summer ☀️

“why did you respond in 23 seconds” i would rip my heart out of my chest for you if you asked. Next question

hihii can you recommend me some psychological horror books? that have a twist plot at the end or something near that? thanks! (also we can be friends if you want to) <3

hi omgg, yay a book lover <33 ive only read a handful so here they are:

the silent patient - alex michaelides (def for a plot twist)

i’m thinking of ending things - iain reid

sharp objects - gillian flynn

the woman in the window - a.j finn

me choosing to try and interact more on tumblr

I feel so exposed 😭

Does anyone else feel embarrassed/shy in asks

Like hi I'm shy and idk what I'm doing

UMMMM did i just catch you making decisions based on a MAN?? i better not have. stand up girl, thats not it.

blushydior

    ♡⊹˚₊ 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄 ₊˚⊹♡

𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅: 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐃𝐀𝐘

this is nothing but an enhancement of the person already within you. this is not to say you aren’t perfect in your own beautiful way and you need to change your whole self because you’re “not up to par”. i make this post to tell you to never put a limit on your growth because change is constant and the smallest things make the absolute biggest difference. this is an endless self improvement journey where you will make clear of your beautiful qualities buried underneath, embody the person you’ve always wanted to become, and find new lovely sides of yourself in the process. the idea of change, even in the slightest, shouldn’t be feared but instead welcomed. there is nothing better than evolving and being a better person than you were yesterday. remember that you can change at any time. you don’t have to wait until a new year, month, or week and note that it’s never too late to do so. there is no other time than now. this post will always be here for you to look back on. and of course, despite the mentions of dream girl, this post is for EVERYONE.

to start and this is very crucial, ask yourself a series of questions:

what are my deepest values in life? envisioning the dream person i desire to be, do the habits i hold support me on this journey? what are some things i need to let go of that i’ve been putting off? how have i been feeling these past few months? do the people i socialize with inspire & encourage me in my endeavors?

really take your time to think about what you value, ways you can support them and analyze things in your current life.

now that you’ve got the foundation, let’s begin and become the dream girl you want to be. 

do right by you. you can’t do right by others if you abandon yourself for the sake of them.

              𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

bring out the journal because we are going on a self discovery journey! 

what are your goals that you’ve been wanting to achieve? start a business, do better in school and be at the top of your class, getting to places on time, be more open to meeting new people, reading more books a month, being more elegant, gentle, and kind…

what does the dream person in your mind look like? what habits and kind of friends do they have? how do they spend their time? how do they carry themselves? 

what are some things you need to let go of in order to successfully embody this person? socializing with toxic people, not having structure in the day, excess social media usage, substance consumption, sleeping in, procrastinating, victimizing, the negative self-talk, gossip, letting people step all over you…

what are some habits you’ll need to cultivate? lessen social media usage, waking up and going to sleep early, eating healthy, exercising, picking up old and new hobbies again, more walks, starting work right away, being kind to yourself…

                   𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐗

digital declutter: delete any and all useless apps. most of them are to be real with you. you don’t have to check your influencer’s new posts and vlogs and you will be okay if you miss out on the newest internet trends. for a little more push on letting go of social media, read my post on digital minimalism here.

remember, that this is a self development journey. you can’t and won’t accomplish the goals and habits of the it girl you want to be if you’re on your phone for more than half the day. be raw with yourself. let go of social media.

social group: really take some time to think about the people you hang around with. are they supportive? negative? do they talk bad about others? criminals? are they goal setters and high-achievers? do they support you and your goals? do they hang around with bad people?

the people you socialize with tells a lot about your character. seriously! if you hang out with people who treat others like garbage (for no reason), if THEY knowingly socialize with people who do tons of horrible things, where do YOUR morals lie? yes, they have been nice to you and you’ve known them for years but that excuse begins to fade when you are striving to be a better person and morals come into play. the environment you tolerate will hold you back. 

don’t feel bad about doing this. i did at first but it’ll go away, trust me when i say you’ll do so much better. 

most importantly, self care: how you carry and treat yourself shows others how to treat you. once you acknowledge what you are worthy of, you will not allow yourself to settle for anything that doesn’t meet your standards and much less allow yourself to tumble back into old, unhealthy ways.

enforce boundaries on yourself and others. get rid of the habits of bashing yourself when you make an honest mistake or your work performance/grades are low, stop saying horrible things when you look in the mirror, stop complaining and staying up at night for unnecessary reasons, damaging your health, stop letting people insult you, quit over explaining yourself.

detox ending note: again, take it easy with yourself. the more you exercise and strengthen your self-discipline, the easier this detox will be for you. you can start by applying a few habits at a time until it’s basically a part of a routine and go on from there but you have to remember to take it seriously in implementing it into your daily routine/life.

tell yourself that you are doing amazing because you are! you are striving to be better you every single day! how is that not admirable? you are always doing your best even if it may not feel like it.

     𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

now that you have a clear vision of things even if it’s little! you need to do in order to fully embody your dream self, it’s time to put things into motion.

how can you do this? enforcing self-discipline and setting boundaries. 

think of motivation as a power boost at the starting line and your foot pressing on the pedal of your car is discipline, it’s what keeps you going forward on your journey. motivation, as fleeting as it is won’t bring you far but self-discipline will. 

             DEVELOPING SELF DISCIPLINE

self-discipline: the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.

boundaries

a line that marks the limits of an area; a dividing line.

a limit of a subject or sphere of activity.

remind yourself of the life you want to live and the person you desire to be, remember that all of your desires have always been within reach. you just have to break out of the barrier you’ve put up for yourself, fight through the fear and the “what if’s” and just do it! the person you wish to be is already within you. 

thinking of and wanting to start is one thing but actually starting, no matter how small has already moved mountains you can’t yet see. 

                         WHERE TO START

self-discipline and boundaries go hand in hand. setting healthy boundaries will shine light on the path you want to take by making sure you’re staying protected by actions made by you and other people and discipline keeps you in check so that you can go about your self improvement journey the best that you can!

this can look like…

overcoming the urge to wallow in past failures and instead looking forward to a chance at a new beginning.

putting yourself first. taking care of your mind, body, and soul.

getting out of bed to finish your tasks even if you wanted to sleep in.

correcting yourself when you were slipping up on an old habit without self criticism.

making sure your boundaries allow you to grow and fix them as you seek fit

learning the best ways to say no and yes

being more considerate and kind to yourself and others.

not letting futile thoughts, ideas, and actions hinder your progress.

finally putting forth projects you’ve pushed aside. 

picking yourself back up after a difficult time even if it took a while.

more on boundaries here: BOUNDARIES 101

habits to acquire:

thinking of which times you felt down and uplifted and figuring out what contributed to those feelings. avoid habits and situations that don’t serve you and bring in more of what made you feel good about yourself and how you can further enhance that experience.

not rushing your personal journey

having a set routine. morning + night ideas.

standing firm on your boundaries

stop comparing.

becoming a digital minimalist

identifying with old habits and perceptions of yourself

investing in your appearance (because pampering is relaxing!)

not caring about what others think of you

taking care of your mind, body, and soul. tuning into what you need and what is best for you, fully influenced and putting things into motion because it’s what you truly want, not for pleasing others or trying to “fit in”

enjoying stillness

indulging in old and new hobbies every day. make it a priority!

more ideas here!

CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN DISCIPLINE

how do habits form? how do people get better at what they set their minds to? by figuring out what works for them and what doesn’t, what their roadblocks are and from then on, repetition and consistency. 

keep in mind that healing and improvement is subjective. make it work for you so that you are setting yourself up for success. take what you see from posts like these, videos, and books and refine it to make it fit perfectly with how you would like things to go.

take the habits you intend to leave behind and the ones you’d like to acquire and map out how you would go about leaving the past in the past to welcome in the new. 

figure out what your roadblocks are. when there comes a time where it’s hard to continue forward on your path, tune into your body and mind. what is it telling you? there is something that is bothering you that needs to be addressed. are you well rested? have you had enough water today? are you overstimulated? are there any illnesses that can easily flare up and be the reason why you’re feeling this way? 

don’t beat yourself up for feeling demotivated and unreasonably drained. most of the time, it’s really not the case. you just need to figure out what is going on and address it gently and sometimes you won’t really know what’s going on until later on and that’s okay! 

i would always feel drained or overstimulated with my depression, adhd, and chronic fatigue. it would cause me to flare up and enter episodes (depressive and manic). the things i would realize was that it was either caused by: an triggering/traumatic event, intense emotions that didn’t have an outlet, continuous outings. and sometimes flares up will just happen and i began to understand that. 

i didn’t blame myself for having illnesses. i just grew aware that what really matters is: i get through it every. single. time. and i will be okay even if i literally felt my world was crashing down on me yet again.

something that can help when dealing with episodes is that when you feel it coming on, prepare yourself so you can get through it even if it makes the experiences just a little bit better by 1%. taking a shower and brushing your teeth, cleaning up your space, gathering snacks and easy to make meals, telling a trusted loved one you won’t be available but might need their support, trying your best to go on walks even if it’s hard, putting on comfortable clothes, etc.

which one works for you? working your way up, going all in or both? it really all depends on what this method applies to. if you think changing your routine by the slightest will be a good step, do it or if you feel confident that deleting all the apps on your phone all at once is something you want to do, go all in.

keep track of your accomplishments. tracking your accomplishments will show how much you’ve done and keep you on your feet! nothing beats the feeling than looking back at all the things you’ve done before heading towards the rest of your goals with your head high. anything is possible. remind yourself that you can do it. sort it to yearly, monthly, and daily to do lists! it’s always the best thing to look at when there are times where you don’t feel like you did “enough”. your effort is more than enough!

and so you take a few days to rest. relaxing, taking a vacation… does this mean you’re being inconsistent? absolutely… not. duh? resting is being productive. putting yourself first IS self care! reward yourself with relaxing days spent by traveling, resting, going out etc. do what makes you happy and be safe. keeping a balance is SUPER important!

“take things slow with yourself. if your body wants to rest, let it rest. let your mind rest as well by letting go all the worries of “why you’re not active”. who cares if you take a slow day? do you know how much you’ve been through? the least you can do for yourself is be comfortable in your own bed without a care in the world. you’ve experienced enough guilt. let yourself be free knowing that you deserve to rest. you deserve moments of stillness. enjoy the now. it’s all we have. we’re not always meant to be up and running. we simply weren’t made that way. there is beauty in stillness, peace, and quiet. don’t put it to shame. instead, let your mind, body, and soul experience more of it.

do things at your own pace. if you think you can get up, brush your teeth and that’s all that you can do for the day, so be it. don’t force yourself to do things you can’t handle. you’ll be doing more harm than good. take it day by day. add an extra task as days go on. do something you believe will be fulfilling like going on a quick walk around the block, going to the store to get a drink, baking a treat, sitting outside for a few minutes at a time.”

— blushydior in be kind to yourself. healing is a journey.

      𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐔

read this with conviction: 

“as of this very moment, i am leaving my old and undesired self behind; the past mistakes, the unhealthy habits, how i used to treat myself and the way i allowed others to treat me, and all the pain i have held on to for so long. it’s all gone now. even if i may or may not have a clear vision of the dream person i am now embodying, i will remain open minded and brave into learning and growing each and everyday. i am not my past mistakes nor my trauma. i’m safe and secure now. and because i’m aware of my infinite power of having full control of my reality, i am rewriting my story.”

you are not your past mistakes. you are not the negative words you have been told. you are who you want to be. everything in your world holds absolutely no meaning unless you assign it meaning thus, giving it power. turn a blind eye to things that don’t serve you, put yourself first and watch how you will bloom vibrantly. 

      𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅.

NOTHING IS OUT OF REACH. everything you want is already within you, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

GIVE PERFECT A MEANING OF YOUR OWN! you are still an it girl if you make mistakes, you are still a healthy, recovering person with a few very tough days this week.

you are perfect for:

taking it easy 

always trying your best even if it doesn’t feel like it

making a mistake and learning from it

telling yourself: “i had a tough day today but it’s okay! i’m going to rest and take it easy. i’m okay. i am always doing my best. there’s nothing to worry about. tomorrow will be an amazing day.”

allowing yourself to cry, feel, and express your thoughts and emotions

putting your need first

using fear as an opportunity to grow

                YOU ARE PERFECT LIKE YOU.

             REMEMBER: THIS IS A JOURNEY

you will grow at your own pace naturally.

don’t compare yourself to others, they too had a past and obstacles to overcome (and still do!) to get where they are at right now. 

don’t rush into things, handling more than you could at once.

don’t beat yourself up for not knowing certain things earlier. everyone learns and realizes things differently. 

this is not a race, there’s no routine that is supposed to be one size fits all. this is a self paced journey. you will realize and see things at a different perspective as events unfold, you will outgrow the people around you and the bad habits as you find yourself at a more stable chapter in your life. don’t rush, don’t compare, just keep looking forward.

               𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

i have fully embodied my definition of a dream girl/boy/person.

i carry myself with full confidence and elegance.

there is not a day that goes by where i don’t do my best. 

i’m beautiful, intelligent, hardworking, kind, and gentle.

i am the best version of myself.

success is inevitable for me. i am successful at everything i do.

i have all of my desired qualities.

i become better and better each and every day!

my self awareness increases every second. i have the most perfect mental diet.

it’s so easy for me to persist in new and beneficial thoughts. flipping thoughts is just way too easy.

i am in full control of my reality. i am fully aware of my potential and i will never let anything or anyone affect me.

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”

— Zen Shin

☆ here is the google doc (and better) version! ☆