10 Facts

Feeling like I should do a fun post to sort-of introduce myself to any new readers that might be checking out my blog for the first time! And for any longtime readers or family/friends just stopping by, these may be eye-opening NEW facts for you too ;) Plus people really seem to love lists now-a-days (Hello every Buzzfeed article ever)...

In no particular order of importance: 

1. I used to HATE drinking water. Even until I was 19 years old (can't remember exactly when it changed) but now I almost can't get enough of it. I barely drink anything else in the day...and I never thought I'd be this person but here we are. 

2. I love everything that lights up. We are talking Electric Light Parade status of lights. I love all that exists within that parade. Let's just say Disneyland at nighttime is my personal heaven.  

Also: Toys like this

3. I'm Multi-Ethnic (Half Mexican, Half White) and I really struggled with this in college. I still feel the tension of "not fitting in" but thankfully I'm a lot better now than I used to be with being comfortable in my own skin. 

4. My favorite type of songs are angsty breakup songs. I love the angst of it all! Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone! Justin Timberlake's Cry Me A River! No Doubt's Don't Speak! Adele's Someone Like You! Bruno Mars' Natalie.  Ugh...all just so good and those are just the ones that came into my mind.  

5. I've always wanted a surprise birthday party. But sadly never had one. *hint hint * 

6. I'm (soon to be) 28 years old. And still living the single life. Party on Garth.

7. I absolutely LOVE talking about media and television. I love watching TV and then discussing the episodes/stories/seasons with friends. I hope to one day have a job where I get to analyze and discuss TV and actually get paid for it! 

8. My all-time favorite show is Supernatural. I never used to have a favorite show because there was always something holding me back from committing to it (see this post for more details) but now that I've seen the glory that is Supernatural, I know nothing will compare. Hands down best show that I recommend everyone watch. 

 

 9. I'm frighteningly good at arguing/defending myself in conversations. It's part of my job but I think it's also part of my DNA. I get it from my dad.

10. I don't like sweet & salty things eaten together. I know, this one feels anticlimactic for me too as the last fact. But seriously! I don't like the taste of salted caramel/chocolate or any other combo. I like sweet and I like salty just as long as they aren't together.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this silly little update from yours truly...

Now it's YOUR turn! In the comments below let me know a fun fact about you!

Communication 101

I seem to be in a season of constantly thinking about friendship and what it means to be a good friend. This was definitely the focus of my brief time in counseling while I was struggling through depression over the past 9 months and my intense analyzing of friendship has continued even after counseling has ended.

I mentioned some of these similar thoughts in this post, but I wanted to delve a bit deeper and ask you all a question: Whose responsibility is it to keep a friendship alive? I wouldn't say that I'm a "great" friend because I know that I come with a lot of "friendship baggage" but I will say that I'm constantly thinking about how to be a better friend. This is particularly true now that I'm on an upswing coming out of depression. During that time, I didn't want to see or talk to anyone. I couldn't be bothered to care about most of my friends because I barely cared about myself. And I believe that some of my friendships were severely damaged in this time...but is that my fault ... or theirs?

Friendship is a two-way street and I know that I played a part in the broken friendships that I'm experiencing now...but wouldn't it be fair to also say those friends didn't reach out to me when I was chin-deep in depression?

Honestly, I'm not here to play the blame game but rather look deeper into what makes a friendship work. The main sustaining factor is communication. We must reach out to one another and show that we are thinking about/missing the people in our lives. Communication is what sustains any relationship and helps us to understand the people we care about more than just what we see on social media. It allows friendships to flourish into something meaningful, fun, and life-giving.

That is my new goal for the friendships that I wish to revive/maintain...communication.

 It may seem small to some of you reading this, but I've been trying to text and even call more often (I know right..who calls anymore?) so that I show my friends that I care. Some might not reach back, and that's okay. That's their decision and I can't hold that against them. What I can do is reach out and let them know I'm here, trying.

What are some small ways you want to reach out to the people in your life? What goal can you make for yourself this week to communicate better with your family/friends? I'd love to read your thoughts in comments below!

Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon <3

Bloglovin' Yo

Inspired by Zoella's blog and her FAQ page, I decided to join Bloglovin' and find other bloggers to reach out and connect with as I pursue writing for my blog more seriously...and it was the best decision I've made in a long time.  I have found some pretty awesome (and fancy) bloggers out there and some have even reached out to me! I'm inspired by the creativity in posts and the STUNNING designs of some blogs and I want to copy/duplicate them all with my own twist here. My creative juices are flowing! But enough of the mushy stuff...let's get to the post already!

So many posts that I've read recently have felt as though they were written specifically with me in mind. They hit so close to home for me by discussing insecurities in writing and knowing how to "stand out" in the crowd which is exactly what I'm struggling with at the moment. Everyone knows that blogging is popular and it can be hard to distinguish yourself from the millions of other bloggers putting their thoughts out into the world as well.

On Monday night, I broke down in tears with a crippling fear that I am not "unique" enough to be a creator on any medium, let alone my little blog that could. This blog has always been a place for me to express my thoughts, rants, and general fangirl sharing but I always imagined it was just my college friends reading and didn't think much about it. Over the years college ended but my writing continued and now I've really come to love it but still considered it a hobby rather than a serious pursuit up until a few months ago. I don't know exactly WHY but something finally struck a chord and I realized that I need to put all my creative energy into creating and building something here! I had to ask myself: WHAT have I been waiting for?!

Now that I'm made a commitment to writing, I've been able to quickly find others who are doing the same thing but in their own unique voice. I have also been able to feel as though I'm working towards having a place to finally call my own corner of the interwebs. While the blog won't be changing much in style and look (not yet anyways!) I can't help but feel a refreshing sense of "newness" as I think about what is ahead.

Thank you  Burt from postcardtheology.wordpress.com for having unique voices and keeping me interested in hearing what you have to say and Cait from notebooksisters.blogspot.com for reaching out to me. Supernatural fans unite!

There was also someone who wrote this AMAZING blog post about the future of blogging and having your own unique voice simply by being genuine and passionate about what you are writing...and I can't find your link. *sad face * If you're out there mystery blogger, let me know! I need to read more of what you are putting into the universe. Thank you too!

While the details on bloglovin' stats (followers? liked posts?) are still a bit hazy for me, I'm glad that I am able to use the site to read other "Lifestyle" blogs (or those without a set niche of content) and find a community that I hope to one day be a part of!

Cheers to what feels like a new beginning!