Monday Mantra

I came across this quote on Pinterest and it couldn't be more on point. We only have so many days in our lifetime. If we experience a crappy day, which we all will more than enough times, then we experience a crappy day. But the thing is, when the day is over, it's over. And it's time to start over when the sun comes up the next day. No more living in the past, and no living in the future either. Life is all about enjoying the moment you are in RIGHT NOW. Right now. You have every right to start the day feeling happy, grateful,  and overjoyed. There is no reason to ruin a perfectly bright day with emotions and feelings from the day before. Our feelings are like the ocean. As humans, we are going to feel waves of excitement, waves of sadness, anger, whatever emotion. We need to accept how we feel and let those feelings pass. So no matter what, everyday should be a new day. Start now! Even as I'm typing this, it's giving me motivation to let go of feelings I've stacked up from a couple days and release them and start over. Believe me, it feels SO good to let everything go and be in the moment. 

Just take a really deep breath in, think about everything that's bothering you or weighing you down, and exhale it alllllll out. Then smile, blast some of your favorite music, and live in the moment and BE HAPPY :) Happy Monday! 

Maddie

Pastel Moodboard♡

I found myself wandering the realms of pinterest for over 2 hours today and felt the urge to create a moodboard on what I've been obsessing over. I created a few new boards on my pinterest and these collages kind of sum up what they're about haha! The pretty soft pastels with the white are absolutely stunning, but i also love the bright neon chalky colors too. So many decisions ;) I think after looking at so many pictures, I want my room to stem from one of these palates. Probably the one on the top, because I love the way it looks with gold and those colors could pretty much go with anything. 

Oh, and I ended up not going to school yesterday (tuesday) or monday because my city had a terrible rain storm that flooded everywhere, including some major streets and schools, so my school closed! I was taken by surprise, but having an extra two days off after the weekend felt extremely satisfying. 

I hope everyone is having a fantastic week! :) Two more days until the weekend ♡

Maddie

5 Ways To Make Your Day Better

I don't know about you, but sometimes I wake up in a not so great mood. Even though, for the most part, I try to always stay on the positive side of things, my emotions are too strong and they pull me in the wrong direction. On days like this it's a little tougher for me to find motivation to do things, so I got an idea to share with you guys some little tips on what I do to get out of the weird funk. 

Make a beautiful, delicious breakfast// Okay this one might be weird, but if it's morning and you find yourself unhappy or 'not in the mood', make something good to eat! I love food, like a lot of it lol, and breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day. Usually I have a nice warm bowl of oatmeal with fruit, nuts, and cinnamon or a delicious green smoothie. It all depends, but I always make sure to make my meal look pretty. It makes me happy! :)

If you're angry or holding tension, exercise// It might not seem like you would want to exercise if you're unhappy, but trust me, it HELPS. Even if you punch your pillows as hard as you can, you will exert that negative energy out of your body and release "feel good hormones" into your brain. I personally like to do something everyday, whether its run, lift weights, do squats, swim, or yoga. I always make sure to switch it up so i don't get bored, because I'm the type of person that can't have the same routine for very long.

Get up, and dress up!// Make yourself look beautiful! Throw on a great outfit that makes you excited, or if you have a new shirt that you haven't worn, wear it! Then, put on a little makeup, or a lot! Who cares, just do what makes you happy. Add the extra cat flick or go for a bold lip. Sometimes when I'm feeling rebellious, I like to wear dark lipstick. It makes me feel SO good ;)

Go for a walk// If the weather is nice, going for a walk is something I love to do, whether if I'm by myself, with a friend or with my family. It clears my head, and often it's when I get some great ideas coming to mind. Plus, there is nothing better than hearing nature. I love to stop in the middle of countless tall trees and just stare at the sky and think about life. You have to remember that we are only given this life once after all, so anything making you upset is really meaningless. Breathe a couple of breaths and feel grateful for everything.

Watch your favorite movie and bake some treats// This might not be for everyone, but yes I am like an 80 year old grandmother, okay?! There is nothing that makes me happier than staying home at night, watching I Love Lucy or the Parent Trap, and baking some cookies. And then eating handfuls of dough lol. And doing it with a friend or my mom is even better!! ;) 

Yes some of these are weird tips, but they help me get out of weird moods and if you've never tried any before you should, just to see if they help you too. Remember, each day is just a day. If you have one bad day, don't scold yourself, and don't hold on to negative energy. Before you go to bed, make a list in your head of things that make you happy, or things that your grateful for. Think about exciting things coming up in your life. When I do this I tire my mind and fall asleep. And then you can start a brand new, fresh day! :) SMILE!! 

Maddie

Sketchy

So I think I found a new obsession: doodling. But especially with the fine-point black sharpies. Am I the only one that finds it so satisfying to draw with those? They make the most perfect, smooth lines and even if you mess up you can create something out of it. I started looking up pictures on pinterest and google to just mess around, but then I found myself sitting in the exact same spot for 3 hours trying to perfect a drawing! It was crazy. A couple nights ago I even forgot to eat dinner, that's how intensely I was into it.

And for those who don't know, I also have an attachment to the yin-yang symbol, don't ask me why. But ever since I can remember, probably since the 3rd grade, I've always loved it. I even have a chocker necklace that's very tumblr looking haha. So I looked up a picture to doodle and 2 hours later that's what I finished. The calligraphy I did actually surprised me, because I've wanted to learn calligraphy for ages now, and seeing that I actually have a chance of being okay at it makes me happy! 

I'm gonna try and doodle my own ideas, because it's kind of boring to always copy something. I've been doing at least one sketch a day, and I find it's making me think a lot more clearly, kind of like I used to when I was painting and playing the piano. Man I really need to get into that again. 

Do any of you doodle? I would love to hear from you :-)

OH p.s.-my house currently smells like Thanksgiving and apple pie thanks to my granola baking in the oven. Recipe will be up tomorrow ;)

Maddie

Weekly Recap ♡

Well happy Friday everyone! :) This week flew bye. I planned on doing more than I did, but I just got caught up with other things and now it's already the weekend, crazy! My dad was away all week for a business trip so I'm looking forward to spending time with him...I'm scheduled to go and get my driver's license (yikes!!) so I need to practice with him a weeeee bit more haha! Anyway, I though I would just share some moments of my week that made me smile. I personally love to read these kinds of posts, so I wanted to write one myself :) 

Monday// I woke up and felt so energized and ready for the week. I had an amazing workout and much needed tan time!

Tuesday// At about 10:00 at night, I got the urge to bake some homemade granola. Lemme tell you, I don't know how I didn't eat the whole batch. It's got everything from sunflower seeds, to walnuts, almonds, dates, coconut flakes, and toooonns of cinnamon. Recipe coming soon ;)

Wednesday// Guess what I ate for breakfast? Yep, my granola. With some sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries, and a splash of coconut milk. It was heaven. 

Thursday// My mom, little brother and I all went out to this outdoor shopping center. We walked around and had the nicest time, then stopped by the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. But you know what that means, yes of course we ordered dessert. I'll just say we all licked the plate clean.

Friday// Since it's technically the beginning of the day I can't really say much, but I am feeling extra grateful all snuggled up in my bed sheets writing this. I'm going to go make some tea and then do some yoga. Ahhh, I'm so happy :) 

I hope this made you smile a little bit! Did you have any special moments during your week? Share them down below! :-)

Maddie <3

Stress Less: What Yoga Has Done For Me

Here is another post for my “Stress Less” series on the blog today. Oh the wonders of yoga, haha! I’ll start off by saying I’m not that new to yoga. When I was younger, like ten or 11, I would take classes two times a week for about an hour. It’s young I know, but boy did it relax me. I still remember the dimly lit room, the amazingly scented candles, and how the teachers would cover our eyes at the end and spray our feet with essential oils. It was nice :)

Fast forward a few years, and here I am really throwing myself into the world of yoga. Before last year, I had no idea there were so many ways of yoga practice. There’s so many to name, but practices like Vinyasa, Hatha, Bikram, Nidra, Aerial, etc! It amazes me that they are all so different.

When I first started practicing yoga by myself a little over a year ago, I didn’t see the purpose of it. I didn’t look deep enough into what it was really doing for me. I almost gave it up for good, until I started researching different techniques. I also watched different youtube videos, which helped me to do more advanced moves. I ended up learning a lot, and I found that I like a faster moving flow, more breathe and things like that. Not always, because sometimes the slow relaxation flows do wonders. But it really sucked me into it!

When I finally started to understand what it does for the mind, I was addicted to it. At first, I though yoga was just another form of exercise or strength training. But it is SO much more than that. You learn to control your breath, your thoughts, your body, you build amazing body strength, flexibility, stability and the list goes on and on. I find that ever since I started doing yoga a couple times a week, I’ve been a lot calmer in situations where I would usually start to freak out or get anxiety. Since I’ve seen such amazing results with my inner self, I really want to start doing yoga every morning. Even if it means I have to wake up 30 minutes earlier, it really makes a difference in my day.

Along with changes in my mind and thoughts, I feel so much stronger! Really, even my mom was like “what are you doing to get your arms that toned?!” I’ll admit I got kind of excited when she said that, especially since I have thin boney arms, I’m glad I’m finally starting to build muscle. It also strengthens your core amazingly, your legs, pretty much every muscle of your body.

I have also recently found a yoga studio with my mom, and her and I have started to go together every Saturday morning. Let me tell you, after I finish my class, I feel like a new person. I sweat in that class, literally!! But we also do slow moves with long breaths that literally re-charge you and relax you to the point of sleeping. When I walk out, I feel so grateful and happy to be alive, and it sounds weird but my inner thoughts just change immediately.

So as you can see, I really have nothing bad to say about yoga haha. It just takes a little time to get used to! With our world going as fast as it is, and everyone is so busy doing other things, people don’t take enough time for themselves, and when it comes time to slowing down sometimes it’s hard on people because we aren’t used to taking things slower. So if you don’t do yoga, I want you to give it a try. Maybe grab a friend or your parent and try a yoga studio. You’ll really feel a difference in yourself.

Xx,

Maddie

Monday Mantra: Try Something

Happy Monday beautiful people!! :) I am in SUCH a happy peppy mood and I'm really thrilled about it. Sometimes, even though I try my hardest to stay positive, I can slip into weird funks and I get upset with myself. BUT, i have to remind myself that I am human and I have emotions and its OKAY to show them, just not get caught up with them.

How was your weekend? I had a blast with my dad at the baseball game. My team ended up loosing, but it was soooo close! But i had fun daddy/daughter time :) Yesterday I kind of just chilled out around the house. I did some yoga, relaxed in the sun, and then went and saw a late movie with my mom.

But the point of this post is to start your week off right, with a nice quote! :) I have so many quotes that I love from my pinterest board that it's hard to choose just one. But this one stuck out to me because I've been pushing myself to do this for a couple of weeks now.

I know it's hard to push yourself to do something, especially when you've got no motivation to do so. Trust me, i know how you feel. But ever since I started reading these success books and listening to these motivational speakers, I saw something trending. These successful people did something everyday to push themselves closer to a goal they set. So if you want to create a successful blog, write or journal for a couple minutes everyday. Or if you want to be a better photographer, go and take pictures, of ANYTHING! Mess around with the editing software on your computer. Or if you're obsessed with makeup try doing your own makeup differently. It all makes a difference, and when you find something that you love doing it creates a spark in your mind. 

It wasn't too long ago that I was struggling to do anything I wanted. I had no motivation, and no idea what I wanted to do. But my mom kind of opened my eyes and just told me straight up, that I have to make my own choices. I can't just sit around and wait for life to happen. I, MYSELF, have to make and create MY life! That's when my mind trailed off and thought about this blog that I created and forgot, well not totally forgot but you get the idea. I got scared because I wasn't ready to start it, but after waiting a few months I finally was, and ever since then I have gotten my new camera, and I've just been doing stuff like crazy! :)

When you finally push yourself to do something, so many doors open and you open yourself to do new things. Really, even doing the little things like writing down 5 goals while you have your breakfast in the morning helps.

I hope this gives you that extra motivation for the week. I love you guys, and remember that it's okay to feel lost sometimes. It's those weird feelings that lead us to something bigger :)

xx,

Maddie

●Pause●

I didn't think I would be absent from the blog for more than a day but it ended up turning into three or four...oopsie. This last week just got so hectic and I needed time to think about what I wanted to write about. I would rather have a couple great, honest posts than a bunch of rambles. 

Some of you may notice, but I have a newwww header! I'm actually really excited about it. I don't know if it will be permanent, well i know it definitely won't, but for now it's 100% better than what I had before haha. This week I've really been taking a lot of time into what I want to do with my blog. I'm trying to learn HTML and CSS (dear lord help me lol!). Honestly, it is a little tough, but I'm really good at all of this computer stuff, so I just need a little time and hopefully I will understand the basics of it.

I'm also going to a baseball game with my dad today, which I'm really excited about :) I don't go to these often, so when I'm able to spend time with him alone I really cherish the moments we have. 

Back to our regularly scheduled program ;)

Have a beautiful weekend!

xx,

Maddie

Monday Mantra ☮

Happy Monday loves!! :) Whenever I type that out, I think of hugging whoever is reading this. If you're having a rough start to your week, or maybe you want to curl up in bed instead of doing whatever it is you have to do, I want you to think of me giving you a virtual hug. Do it! Now smile :) Mondays are meant to start fresh and start over! Do you feel a little better? Maybe? :) 

I really resonated with this quote when I came across it on Pinterest. This kind of describes how I have been moving the past year. I'll admit, I've been moving a bit slow. Well, I should say i WAS moving a bit slow. I didn't know what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, who i wanted to see. I was completely lost. I was without motivation to do much. But what I didn't understand was life is going to keep moving. Fast or slow, it's not stopping. On a particularly stressful day for me, my mom sat with me on the couch, and I just cried. It wasn't anything hysterical, I just silently cried in her arms. She told me that I have to stop waiting for life to happen. Just sitting back and doing nothing expecting miracles to happen doesn't work (although there are some exceptions). She also said that you have to start small, like when I told her about how I wanted to get a job or start my blog. In order to climb up the ladder, you have to start at the bottom, and that's what I'm doing now.

Fast forward a couple months later, and I have my camera, a great babysitting job, and I'm feeling more like myself pre-depression. It's been awhile since then, but I'm starting to feel happier. It's amazing how doing what you love can change your whole outlook on life, isn't it? So getting back to the quote, I'm doing things slowly. I'm doing them right and the way I feel comfortable. Soon, I want to expand out of my comfort zone and do bigger things that scare me, and scare me a lot. Have you ever had that feeling where you've accomplished something huge after having such a long fear of it? It feels amazing doesn't it? The way where you feel like you can conquer things so much bigger. I wanna have that feeling more often. 

And one last thing, I don't intend on walking backwards, either. Everything in life happens for a reason, and the struggles I've gone through have put me in the position I'm in today. Trying to fix the past doesn't heal anything because it's already over. It's a hard way of living, to try and focus on the present moment, because nowadays we are always looking ahead or at what someone posted 3 hours ago. But, I've been setting little goals throughout the day to just be quiet and be in the moment. It really helps to center the mind and quiet the loud noises in your head.

Hope this wasn't a rambly post!! Have a great week :)

xx, Maddie

Stress Less: Go For a Walk

I hope you're all having a great weekend! :)

I think I want to start a new series called “Stress Less.” I always like reading posts about how to make life a little less stressful, so I want to share with you what works for me.

I have always liked taking walks, especially at night when the sun is setting. That’s a time for me when I feel most myself. That, or right in the morning when the sun is rising. I guess I’m just that kind of person haha! Taking a quiet walk in the evening is when I start to tune out and think the most about things like school, hobbies, my future plans…

But the reason I love walking is because you can start a walk angry, sad, confused, whatever emotion, and then come back feeling refreshed and new. It gives a person time to think and release any unwanted energy. Being around nature and fresh air leaves me feeling amazing, too. And closer to being a human. You know, a human that has been untouched by technology and social media and present day madness.

When I go for walks, I don’t take any music, either. And I know that would probably surprise some of you! But I really like to unplug from any technology. Now that doesn’t mean you have to if that’s what you like. If listening to music relaxes you fully, then by all means listen to 100 songs if you want to. But just pay attention to your surroundings, the animals making noises. It really centers you and brings you to the present moment.

And lastly, forgive and forget. If you got into a fight with your parents, a sibling, your best friend, a co-worker, let it go. If it’s anything silly or just unwanted banter, brush it off and then remember you’re just a human and its normal to get into fights! If it’s something more, think about how you can resolve it without the problem getting out of hand. Think about what you can say to that person. And like I said, forgive and forget. Release negative energy.

I hope this helps anybody looking to de-stress. Even if you don’t need to, just go for a walk anyway. It’s so great for the mind, body, and soul.

Always remember to smile!! <3

Xx, Maddie

Being Curious... ☯

For the last couple of days I've been in a weird mood. I've been thinking a lot, almost to the point of arguing with myself. Weird right? I just feel like I have to write it out or something...if you don't mind.

I have had conversations going back and forth in my head, like saying "you need to do this" "i'll do it later" or thinking about things in the future which don't need my thoughts yet. That is a problem I'm struggling with. I need to stay in the present moment. For the past, I don't know couple of weeks, I have wanted time to either speed up or slow down. I don't want to get any older at this point, because I have a fear of my future in a year's time. I don't know what I want to do, study, I don't know where I wanna go...and the truth is it doesn't matter. I know it doesn't. But I'm the type of person that likes to know things like this. I know there are people out there who go from being homeless to millionaires in a year's time, or who start little blogs and become internet famous. I have to drill it in my head that not knowing what the future holds is perfectly normal and its okay.

I just...I get anxious. When I think about things like getting a real job, not just babysitting, it scares me into thinking my childhood is over. Am I the only one that thinks this? I hope not. I have really really been trying to experiment with hobbies and things I like to do. I know what i like to do. I like to draw, take pictures, write, blog, create, i love makeup and fashion...And some days I love it more than others. On certain days, sometimes I could care less about makeup. But then on others I'm absolutely obsessed. I guess that's the thing about being human. We go through ups and downs, and maybe being a girl you go through more haha! :)

The thing is, I want to expand my creativity. I think when I went into high school, I was just kind of pushed into a whole new world, and I kind of shut myself out from a LOT. I turned into a completely different person, and I still think I'm not the same. Of course I've changed since 4 years ago, but before high school, I used to laugh at everything and not care about what people think. I used to brush stuff off that didn't matter and I used to be laid back. Nowadays, I'm sort of confused and quiet. Once I get to know people, I can't shut up, but now it's like I can't really start a conversation. When I found the world of blogging, my hopes looked up. I started following a few blogs, and now it's turned into a few hundred. I LOVE reading blogs, any kind really. It's like talking to a friend that you don't even know!

 That's why I started my blog. I started it a year ago, and left it. I do regret not trying last year, but when I look back on it, last year wasn't good. I often have a feeling inside like I'm late on the train or I'm too old to start something, and then I think how stupid is that? I'm so young, my life hasn't even properly started yet, and I'm worried about being too old! 

I have some goals that I want to achieve very soon:

-learn the tricks to good photography

-stop worrying about what others think of me

-journal and write my ideas every single day

-do something that makes me happy every single day

-create friendships with other bloggers

-smile, more often

-add to this list

These are basic, little goals that I need to set for myself. I have more, but that's why I put add to this list. Blogging and writing and creating are things I love to do, and I think it's just hard for me right now because I had fears of who I was and what I'm like. I need to access my creativity that I used to have, and start to really use it every single day, like I used to. I really want my blog to grow and turn into something amazing. Make it a place of uniqueness and a place where others can come to be happy and be let in on my life. I just want that to happen :)

I feel like sometimes I wonder why I started a blog. There are so many thousands of blogs nowadays, that a lot of content is pretty similar. But i have to realize that it's about being yourself and original. That's what gets friendships started and a blog growing. I find that if I get a vibe off of a blog like this isn't really a passion, I don't read it or follow it. Being a reader, you just kind of know when someone isn't for real. And I don't want that to ever happen with my blog. Especially since I'm starting to really put a lot of work and effort into it. Since starting to post regularly on my blog, I've realized what a demanding and long working job blogging is. Really, it's hard to understand if you don't do it, but it's a tough job! I don't really know how to end this post since I feel like I could rant a little more, but I won't haha.

This was a little rant, and I hope it doesn't annoy anyone haha. I felt like I needed to get little blurbs out of my head..if anyone wants to ever talk to me just talk to me through google +, or twitter :)

my twitter is: @maddieeebug

xx, Maddie

Currently Loving: My favorite bracelet

This is just a quick little post i felt like writing..Recently, I have been wearing a certain bracelet every single day. I really love it a lot, especially because it means something special to me.

My mom bought this for me after she saw me eyeing it in a little boutique. We know the designer of it, so that just made me want it even more! I saw my mom sneak away with it, and i think she might of thought i didn't see her. hehehe. 

Well, long behold i found it in my Easter basket :) i was so excited. but enough of that, I want to tell you what it means. This bracelet was made from Lapis, turquoise, clay beads, and swarovski crystal. It's called "Lord of Success" and it was also blessed. It protects, removes obstacles, gives knowledge, wisdom, and wealth. The elephant is a symbol of courage, strength, luck and longevity. The Lapis is protection and psychic awareness. 

To tell you the truth, I feel stronger when I wear this. It calms me and gives me a good feeling. So, that's why I've been wearing it! It's a little different than what I would usually wear or pick out, but after looking at it, I do think it's beautiful.

Do you have any interesting jewelry items?

xx, Madison

Family Festivities

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day off (i'm pretty sure this is only in the states though...) I've been busy with my new camera (eeeep!!) Yes you read that right: I finally FINALLY got my the camera i have been wanting for ages. It's the Canon rebel t3i. Literally I cannot contain my excitement. My dad and I went to Best Buy yesterday and I spotted it within seconds of walking in the store. Since it's a holiday weekend, it came with a special package, so I also got this amazing lens to come with it for 50% off too. I was soooooo excited :)

After coming home I basically ripped the box open and got straight to figuring out the contraption. I know it's daunting at first but I'm good with technology, so I know I'll figure out all of the functions soon. I didn't have much time before I had to get ready to leave, my family and I were going to see more family that we hadn't seen in a while, so I thought, why not bring my new camera?! ;)

I only got a couple of shots because the battery wasn't fully charged and, if I have to be honest, i deleted a bunch because I still don't think i'm that great at it yet. But no worries, im definitely learning haha. Ps this took about two hours to finish because the software that came with the camera decided not to work with the operating system i have on my computer!! Don't worry i fixed it ;)

I know these pictures aren't that great but it's just a little snapshot of what I saw while i visited my family. We had a delicious fruit tart, and we sat outside and saw those beautiful mountains. 

I hope you had a beautiful weekend too! <3

xx, Madison

*i also changed my blog name, i just wasn't liking what i had, and for future purposes I just decided to go with my name*

Sunny Saturday Morning

Today I went to my first yoga class in a really long time, probably since I was 10 or 11, so six or seven years ago. It was actually really amazing, and such a relaxing thing for me to do. After a lot of emotional things going on, I think I really needed a class like this. It wasn't just an easy yoga class either. I actually got pretty hot and sweaty doing some of the moves! Which is good, because I like a challenging yoga sequence. 

The yoga instructor talked about overcoming obstacles and releasing fear through our breath. Just breathing through all of these different challenging stretches really helps to remove blockages throughout the body, if you know what I mean. I really liked one part of the class, where we were all in child's pose, and it looked like we were bowing or surrendering ourselves in front of the teacher. She said that surrender doesn't mean to give up, but to let go of something. And that really stayed with me. I think it taught me that even if we "give up" something it doesn't always mean we're throwing in the towel. It just means we know enough was we need and what we don't need, and that it's okay to let go. 

The teacher said some really great things throughout the class, but I just wanted to share some of what she said with you. Maybe it will help one of you, or maybe it was just a quick little story to read :-) 

Have a beautiful weekend!!! 

xx, Maddie