A break. That's all that had been on my mind for weeks. My boyfriend and I made plans to get out of town and explore some unfamiliar territory. Flights were too expensive and we knew we wouldn't have much time for a road trip (four days, to be exact). We decided on Minneapolis. We had both been (myself many times) and the route to the Minneapolis area was familiar. We didn't want this to be a typical shop-at-the-Mall of America-trip (although we did spend some time there and I did spend a bit of money). We wanted to find something new to us; something that defined the city aside from the Mall of America or Valley Fair; something to make us gawk in wonder and awe.
We took an entire day making our way up confusing highways and overpasses getting lost by mishearing the annoying voice of my GPS. We explored uptown Minneapolis and found trendy coffee shops, beautiful old churches, and an awesome sushi restaurant.
We also spent part of an evening getting lost on a quest to find an ice castle.
It was a short trip, but it was nice to relax, explore, and learn more about the one I love (awwww, I'm a disgusting sap).
I'm a go-go-go kind of person — even when I don't need to be. I stress myself out over every task I take on. Along with that, I try to do everything at once. If I get stuck on one task, I go to the next one until I hit a roadblock, then bounce to another one, and another, and eventually I end up with a pile of roadblocks that lead to me staring at barely-touched Word documents on my computer screen and perusing social media for hours. Then, I come close to missing deadlines and terribly slapping together assignments just to get them done. My method of "getting stuff done" isn't really productive.
My close friends, family, and boyfriend try to convince me that my way really isn't the highway. The potholes in my road lead to a lot of tears and frustration. All of them keep saying the same thing.
"Take a break."
My excuse/response? "Haha! A break! There is no time for breaks. A break will put me behind."
Last Friday, the homework piled up for the weekend and the same panic settled itself in my gut. I reviewed the list and didn't know where to start. Then, the words of my friends and family crept back into my brain again. "Take a break."
I opened my laptop and began revising an article for my journalism class. I stopped and felt my eyes glaze over looking at the screen instead of reorganizing my paragraphs. I was so tired after a full day of classes. "Take a break."
I shut my laptop, called my boyfriend and to his excitement said "we're going on a date." I was going to take a break.
We enjoyed a late dinner at an all-you-can-eat sushi joint, then indulged in some carrot cake at Baked Expectations, and finally settled in and watched There's Something About Mary. Little did I know that this simple and relaxing date would result in the most productive day of my college career.
I woke up the next day, went out and took some photos for an assignment, came back to my desk and ploughed through three major assignments due the following week. I hate to admit it, but it looks like I was wrong.
If you're like me and refuse to delay your work and give your brain a break, stop it. You're not above rest. You're deserving of fun, and you are most definitely deserving of a clear head that allows you to work efficiently.
Take a walk, watch a movie, meet a friend for coffee. Anything. Take it easy. you'll thank yourself later.
Apologies that this post is all over the place — I had a lot on the brain this week :)
My mom is the coolest lady. Hands down. She's loving and fun, but unfortunately lives about an hour and a half away from me. Despite the distance she still reaches out and cares for me (even though at times I'm a terrible, neglectful daughter who finds it difficult to make time for family). Pretty sure I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
Last week, GabiFresh's swimwear line came out. Gabi Gregg is a plus-size fashion blogger and basically a queen. I was overjoyed as I feasted my eyes upon the beautiful high-waisted bikinis that would actually fit my fairly large Mennonite behind (not the most desirable type of booty - I got it from my grandma). The only problem was the price tag. I am a broke student working one shift a week. I don't really have extra money to spend on luxuries, especially $100 bathing suits. I told my mom about the suit. Her reply?
"That's cute! You can use my Visa to buy it!"
This suit is the object of my adoration. How cool is this thing?!
Say what? I was in shock. I wasn't sure if I was reading the text message correctly. I had to ask to make sure. My mom's reply nearly brought tears to my eyes.
"You bet! You have worked so hard for so long you deserve a treat!"
I knew I had been working hard lately. Not only that, but also stressing myself out and getting emotional over anything thrown my way. I didn't realize there was another person out there who actually recognized I was giving my all when it came to the work I was doing. I was honoured and still am flattered and so grateful to have my mom in my life. Whether it's giving me a little confidence boost like this every once in a while, or taking a day off work to clean my entire apartment, she's always there for me.
On the topic of swimwear...
If you haven't heard yet, the next swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated is a bit of a game-changer. While it's no cover page (one day ladies, one day), the magazine will feature the first plus-size swimwear advertisement, to which I say "finally." Modelling a bikini for swimsuitsforall is famous and gorgeous plus-size model Ashley Graham. I'm so happy to see the love for curves growing (it's about time). I'm a firm believer in the "all bodies are beautiful" movement and this is definitely a step in the right direction. While I'm not a fan of Sports Illustrated, I am a fan of the growing acceptance for different body types in media. If you do take interest in Sports Illustrated, this issue comes out February 9. Check out the ad below.
If you're like me and have a little more to love on your bones, I hope you feel encouraged. Big or small, rock your body.
I'd also like to note, this week is Eating Disorders Awareness week. Some of my classmates have done a phenomenal job addressing the issue and telling their own unbelievable and inspiring personal stories, including:
In case you missed it, last week I told the story of my struggles with my weight, my battles with binge eating, and my quest to find a balance when it comes to being healthy. You can check it out here.
For more information on eating disorders, visit NEDIC's website.
