BEING YOURSELF

Thursday, October 31, 2013 | Posted by | | Edit Post
Hey y'all! I know my previous posts have had some sassy comments and jokes, but this post topic is sensitive and deserves to be handled delicately and with respect. So please excuse my lack of humour.



When you were but a wee, young tot, you probably dreamed of becoming a doctor, a firefighter, maybe even a princess! The point is, you dreamed about being something.... something great. You were probably really proud of your aspiration too, exclaiming your dream matter-of-factly to whoever would ask. Life is so much simpler through the eyes of a child. You knew what you wanted to be, but you didn't worry about who you were. You never second-guessed a friend, or judged somebody for something they liked or something they wanted to be. You naturally accepted everyone because you didn't know any better... you were untainted by society's expectations and prejudices. Unfortunately as time progresses, acceptance is harder to find.


AFRAID OF YOURSELF


Before I completely lose you, the reason I decided to write this post was because I was inspired by my friend. He is in university; a straight A student, impossibly kind, the funniest kid you'll ever meet, oh, and very, very gay. Growing up, he was terrified of coming out to his parents and friends. Society has not been very "tolerant" of homosexuality and because of this, my friend was never able to express who he truly is. He remained quiet about his sexuality and pretended to be someone he wasn't. Fortunately for him, when he decided to come out (very recently), his parents and his circle of friends were (and still are) supportive and proud of him! We love him to death and would accept him even if he turned into a donkey during the full moon. It pains me to think that he thought he couldn't initially tell us! But his exact words were, "It's not you... it was everyone else."

What? His comment left me dumbstruck. But he was right. Society is so hard on people who have unconventional traits (I really don't know how else to phrase this... not being the stereotypical Adam or Eve?). It's not just the LGBT community either. For example: Racism and sexism are still problems too! The worst part is that a lot of people are so desensitized to these issues that they don't even realize that it's happening or that maybe they're contributing to the problem themselves! It's the little things: the negative comments, the jokes, the stares, anything that remotely makes someone feel uncomfortable, unwanted, and unaccepted. It all fuels the fire.

You might be asking, "how is this relevant to your blog?"... Well, I'll tell you right now! This is ALWAYS relevant. But sticking to this blog, our teenage years and our twenties are possibly our most vulnerable and influential when it comes to developing our identity. High school and university are times where we seek social acceptance. You experiment, try to find your "group", test out new hair styles, wear weird clothes, listen to strange music, maybe even try out some not so great things. It's all a part of the process of our development and without this stage in our life, we'd be lost in identity limbo. 

Identity is a touchy subject at the best of times and most of us struggle and will continue to struggle with finding ourselves. But imagine what it is like to be afraid of who you are, to fear that people will despise you for being born a certain way. Imagine being scared to even try to find out who you are. It's the average identity crisis x10000 and quite frankly, it's appalling.

Nobody should be afraid of themselves. No one should have to wake up and look in the mirror, hating who they see. Everyone is different. It's just something that we're going to have to accept.

STAND OUT


If you can look at yourself, and I mean truly look, and say that you know exactly who you are and are comfortable with it, then I applaud you. Really!

But think about those people who are not as fortunate. Look at your friends, family, neighbours, strangers... Maybe they haven't found themselves yet. Maybe they're still hiding, ashamed to be who they are. Maybe they're scared that if they reveal themselves fully, then society will tear them apart.


BE THE CHANGE



It's inevitable. Society will always judge. There will always be people who do not accept certain sexualities, races, religions, etc. But progress is possible. Acceptance is possible. And it starts right here... With us. Be a friend. Listen. Try to understand. It's the only way to move forward and leave all of this judgemental crap behind. The only way to change things is to do it ourselves. If we begin to accept and support variety in our world, maybe those people who are terrified to be different will find the confidence to step out of the shadows and finally LIVE.


To all of those people who are scared, to everyone who is hiding, to every single person who has ever wanted to change themselves just to fit in, I say this:

SHINE. Be yourself. You are a perfect little ray of sunshine and everything you are is unique and beautiful. Do not let anybody take that away from you.

Conformity is overrated. Dare to stand out and be YOU.



As always, it was a pleasure blogging for you guys. Until next week,

Taylor xx












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STRESS: HOW TO DEAL

Wednesday, October 23, 2013 | Posted by | | Edit Post

FEELING THE PRESSURE?



I'll be honest with you guys... I often find myself in situations where my life feels out of balance and the world seems to be throwing every problem in my face all at once. This might sound ridiculously dramatic, but stress can do that to a person.

The average person is faced with deadlines, demands, and plenty of frustration every single day. The sad part is that we experience stress so often that we have become desensitized to it's presence in our lives. 

Stress is the response our bodies have to feeling threatened or "out of whack". It gives us that "fight or flight" feeling, the one that either makes us want to tackle our problems head on or curl up into a tiny little ball in the corner of our rooms. It can be caused by so many things: School, work, family, relationships, anything really!


THE EFFECTS OF STRESS


Alarming, isn't it? I could go through that list and check off about 99% of those as something I have experienced at one time or another due to stress.

Stress has been seen as both good and bad: Good because it can put you on your toes and motivate you to accomplish something, but bad because it can literally make you sick and just not yourself. I personally find that stress is gigantic pain in my arse, not a motivator! The only thing that stress makes me want to do is flip tables and throw things out windows. But hey, that's just me!

DEALING WITH THE MONSTER


You will never fully eliminate stress even if the sign says you can. However, you can learn to manage it and salvage your sanity in the process. Here are a few techniques to help during times where you're about to spontaneously combust:

1) Deep breaths. Slow things down and reign in your focus. Concentrate on that breath, take control of the tempo of your life, and go at your own pace.

2) Remove yourself from the stressful situation. Just take a break! It's as simple as putting down your school work for a little bit and cooling off. Your body will thank you for it and you'll probably be more productive when you return to your work.

3) Physical activity. Go for a run, go to the gym, walk your dog, get active! Blowing off steam is the perfect way to help calm down those stressed out nerves.

MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE: Go pet a fluffy little kitty or puppy. This is self-explanatory. You're welcome. :)


Life is not rainbows, lollipops, and unicorns frolicking in a field of daisies. Life is a biznitch. It kicks us in the derriere extremely hard at times and it sends us into downward spirals of rage. However, learning to acknowledge our stressors and taking steps toward relaxing ourselves in their presence will help us keep control in those table-flipping moments. It's a choice, really. Choose to handle situations instead of letting them stomp all over you! 

When I start to lose my mind, Gimli comes to me speaking words of wisdom.












And thus my sanity is restored! 

Well, now that I have written about de-stressing, maybe I can take my own advice and relax! I hope y'all are having a great week and keeping your stress levels under control!

Until next time,
Taylor xx
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Tuesday, October 15, 2013 | Posted by | | Edit Post
Okay, so I know we don't have to post anything, but I'd still love to say a big (belated) Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Hope you had the BEST dinner and all that jazz!

This weekend was my 20th birthday (October 13th) so I had a few things to celebrate! :) I also went to the Supernatural Convention (yay birthday presents) from Friday-Sunday in Toronto!!!

I got to meet these three perfect people: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins! (plus a lot of the other cast members!) They were all so amazing! These three also wished me a happy birthday, pulled me into a group hug, and squeezed me so tight I couldn't breathe! Basically, it was the best moment of my life!

I feel like I am totally bragging over here (I am so sorry for that), but I've just been dying to share what I have been up to!!!


Anyways, I really do hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and that your reading week is going great!

Until next week,

Taylor xx
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PROCRASTINATION

Monday, October 07, 2013 | Posted by | | Edit Post

The week before reading week 

A.K.A. Hell on Earth

It began just like any other Monday. Woke up, went to class, went home,and then I sat around doing nothing as my inner monologue said, "Another week, another opportunity to put everything off until the week it is due. Let's go on tumblr!" As I briskly tumbled along my dashboard, I stopped... Something wasn't quite right.

It hit me then, square in the face, with the force of an extremely angry Hulk. Reading week is next week! That means everything is due THIS WEEK! 


Dang it! Procrastination got me again. Well done, Taylor. 
Me:0  Procrastination:193715248

We've all done it. We've put things off until the night before they're due, pulled all nighters, dragged our semi-conscious bodies to class with the last tidbit of energy we managed to scavenge up, all the while clutching our freshly printed papers like a lifeline. 

Okay, maybe that's a bit exaggerated, but I swear there was this one time I was actually asleep on my feet, trying to make my way to class by guiding myself along the hallway walls. It wasn't pretty. And now that I think of it, neither was the grade I received on that paper.

Ah, procrastination is a biotch and a darn near impossible habit to break. Just try to look at these uber cute drawings of the stages of procrastination without agreeing.


You're nodding, aren't you? ;) For me it pretty much sums up my last 16 years of education, ECE to Brock year 3. Even now, as I sit here writing this post, I am procrastinating. 

To make myself feel better about my lack of motivation (I am refusing to speak the P word), I've decided to research some ways to avoid or at least help with... you know... P-ing.

In a nutshell, this is the advice most articles dish out on beating the P.

1) Put the work into perspective. Don't build these projects up to be big, bad, dream crushing monsters.

2) Reward yourself. Have something waiting for you when you complete your task. It'll make you work harder and faster and the relief you feel upon completion will be even greater.

3) Just start. As soon as you do, you'll wonder why you ever waited to begin in the first place! Start early and do a little each day. It'll feel amazing when the due date approaches and you've already finished 90% of your assignment!

These are quite obvious, but I think it is nice to be reminded how simple beating the P really is! It's just a matter of putting your mind to it and just DOING IT!

If you're feeling like a real go getter today, or you just want to put something off for another 4 minutes, you should check out this video:



Huh. Even though this post was created with the help of *whispers* procrastination, I think it was fairly productive if I do say so myself! :)

Well, I'm off to go do some laundry, rearrange my room, brush the cat, and disinfect every surface inside (and possibly outside) of my house! Hope you have an awesome and productive rest of your week! Oh, and I almost forgot... Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Taylor xx
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NUTRITION: FUELING YOUR BODY

Wednesday, October 02, 2013 | Posted by | | Edit Post
Anybody ever heard of the infamous freshman 15? it's those nasty pounds we students tend to gain during our first year at university. Yuck! Who actually wants this pesky and unnecessary weight? I'll tell you who! NOBODY! And to top it off, this weight gain could persist or get worse in the school years to follow. No need to panic! I am going to explain why it happens and what can be done to hopefully help reverse it and keep those pounds off for good! (UH OH, I sound like a cheap, knock-off version of Jenny Craig) 

WHAT CAUSES THIS UNWANTED WEIGHT GAIN?

 Because of the massive amounts of stress and a change in lifestyle when we first begin our post-secondary education, our diets and ultimately our nutrition deteriorates. Our schedules are constantly changing throughout the week and it can be hard to find time to sit down and eat a healthy, FULL meal. But unfortunately, we find ourselves more often than not reaching for the easy, convenient snacks and foods, or just skipping meals altogether. This is where that pesky, unwanted 15lbs creeps up on us. It attacks our weaknesses: the reluctance to set our alarms 15 minutes earlier in the mornings, and packing a lunch.

LET'S INVESTIGATE

 Well, this might be a no brainer, but because we often skip meals or eat crap foods, we do not get the nutrition our bodies need in order to function properly. Last week I wrote about how important a good night's rest was, but what is sleep if we don't properly fuel our bodies during the waking hours?

Studies show that the most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies in college students are Vitamin C, calcium, and iron! BUT our sodium levels seem to skyrocket... hmm... why exactly is this? Let me break it down for you.

The fresh produce section at the grocery store is intimidating. Yep, I said it. I am intimidated by the fruits and veggies. It's not so much that I am afraid for my life while browsing through the section, but I am overwhelmed by the sheer amount of items to choose from. It is more time consuming to hand pick food from this section than it is to, let's say, grab a box of KD or chips. Instead of feasting on the gloriously delicious health foods, we tend to eat stuff LOADED with sugars and carbs! These are the easy foods: granola bars, kraft dinner, ramen noodles, chocolate, chips, pop, y'know.. the good tasting things (this accounts for the high sodium levels!). This is our problem. I'm not even talking about students either. We as a society are becoming so lazy with our food choices that we would rather just buy stuff in boxes or get fast food than actually take the time to pick out healthy food, prepare a meal, and sit down and eat.

I get it though. Our schedules are hectic! Some of us are even trying to balance school AND a job, which makes nutrition fall to the wayside even further. This is exactly why it is even more important to focus on what we are taking into our bodies. Without the proper intake of a balanced diet (THINK 4 FOOD GROUPS!!), we have no energy to make it through school or work and we actually increase our chances of becoming ill. I understand that picking out fruits and vegetables, lean meats, or organic foods is pricey! Let's face it... most of us don't have money to blow and that could be a contributing factor to the cheap, crummy foods we choose to buy and eat!

Before we move on, let's summarize what we know:

1. Fast food, boxed snacks, chips, pop = carbs, sugars, sodium = weight gain
2. No fruits and veggies, dairy products, lean meats = lack of Vitamin C, calcium, iron
3. poor diet = poor performance :(

TACKLING OUR PROBLEM!

First step: let us cleanse our cupboards and pantries of the unnecessary foods. 

hey, junk food! 


ADIOS!

Throw away those junkie foods and QUIT BUYING THEM!


I think the next step is fairly straightforward... Ultimately, we have to find a way to get all of the food groups into our diets! Taking the preparation time, nutritional value, and price into consideration, I'm going to give a few suggestions for some easy and quick meals that you could try during your busy weeks! *I did a test run of the meals below so I could give a realistic preparation time*



Let's start with the most important meal of the day! 

BREAKFAST!
  • Try a bowl of probiotic yogurt with some granola, a handful of fruits (blueberries are excellent), a glass of orange juice, and maybe some multigrain toast on the side as well!
    • We cover the basic food groups here, the prep time is about 5 minutes (toast takes a little longer than throwing yogurt in a bowl!) and the entire meal costs under $10.00. I had enough to last me a few mornings!
LUNCH!
  • Sandwiches are fast and easy! Throw some turkey, mayo, cheese, and a little bit of spinach or normal lettuce! Wash it down with some milk or water and voila! A healthy and delicious meal!
    • Again, we're accessing all of the food groups with this one, plus the prep time is only 6 minutes (I'm sure I am also a slow sandwich maker so it could be done faster!). This meal cost me $13.00 and I had enough leftover to last a week!
DINNER!
  • My favourite dinner time meal to make is salmon with mixed vegetables and potatoes, accompanied by a gigantic glass of water or milk!
    • The salmon is easily found in the frozen food section, and if you prefer to speed up the time, the vegetables and potatoes are in the frozen food section as well (Green Giant Steamers are quick and healthy!)
    • This meal emphasizes our protein intake and with veggies and potatoes (good carbs) on the side and some milk, we can hit all of the food groups! This meal takes about 30 minutes to make (Salmon baked in the oven takes about 20 minutes, steamers take about 7 in the microwave) and the entire meal can be purchased for around $15.00!

Now these meals are not perfect, but they are quick, healthy, and very tasty! They are easily prepared if we just take the time to make them! If you find your schedule doesn't allow making a lunch or dinner at a decent time, try preparing the meals the night before and taking them with you the next day! It is way better than eating junk food! In between all of your meals, reach for healthier snacks; wash some grapes, cut some watermelon, clean off some carrots and celery and stick them in tupperware and throw them in the fridge! If you find you won't have time to make it to the fridge, put some almonds or nuts in a baggie and bring them with you! 


TIME TO WRAP IT UP!

Think of your body as a nice expensive car. Are you going to run that car on crappy fuel, or are you going to give it top of the line oil and gas and let it run to it's full potential? 

I apologize that this post is so crammed and informational! I have been under the weather the past few days and I just haven't been myself :( ... But hopefully you are able to take something away from what I've written above and apply it to your everyday lives! Without a good diet, our bodies and our brains don't have the proper fuel to be productive. I mean, who can actually focus on class when our stomachs are making weird and annoying grumbly sounds? So eat right, drink plenty of water and give your body and brain everything they need to be healthy, happy, and productive!


Until next week,
Taylor xx

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