"A master in anything, was once a beginner in something" has always been one of my favourite quotes as a teacher. Flashback to my grade 6/7 practicum, I wrote this quote on the board when my associate teacher asked me to find a saying that resonated with me for the "quote of the day." And while most of my students failed to comprehend or rather, care for this simple saying, I found that the quote was in fact more of a reminder for me to face each day ready to learn and make new mistakes.
This quote is a constant daily reminder to me, that at 23 I am most likely not going to be a master in...well, anything for that matter. And while there may be this fabricated illusion that things come "naturally" for others, born talent and inherent abilities are not enough to make you great at something. Being a master in anything requires dedication, practice and hard work. It takes patience and an ability to accept that mistakes are inevitable. It takes time.
So even though I still feel as I may not be a great teacher just as of right now, I know someday I will be. And the first step to achieving this, is to forgive myself for making mistakes. Simply put, sometimes you have to taste defeat in order to appreciate success. Or as Drake puts it, you gotta start from the bottom to get "here." Whenever "here" is for you.
In conclusion, be kind to yourself. Acknowledge that you are doing your best at your own pace and one day you will succeed. And one day you will look back at your mistakes and see them as little brightsides xo,
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Friday, 3 October 2014
IF YOU AREN'T FAILING, YOU AREN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH
I snapped yesterday, like snapped, snapped. Like a flimsy branch being flung into a tornado kind of snapped. I was off to a really good start, I can assure you. I told myself I was energized, I got my morning workout routine in and I was on my way to prepare for a healthy lunch. And then a comment I have too often heard, snapped the last straw in me.
I can't say that I reacted with dignity and grace. I'll pretend that I didn't scream and cry (when in fact I did). But what I can admit to is that sobbing and sulking for 15 minutes gave me that final release I needed in order to get back to my goals and feel happy. It was if those tears had been flooding up inside me, screaming to overflow out of my dry eyelids. "FREEEDOMM!" is what they would probably yell (if tears could talk).
So instead of staying under my comfy bed sheets and sleeping until I had to leave for work (my regular go-to coping method), I got up and took a shower. A wonderful shower, I may add. I sang, possible danced a little and belted out some really good hits. I felt much better. I even decided to take a short walk before work which is supposedly useful to get you out of a slump. And then I worked. Simple as that.
I realized here that I didn't necessarily fail at my happiness project because I lashed out and got upset. In fact, I think I needed that final form of release. Failure, instead, would have been me curling up into a ball until the world came knocking on my door. It would have been me taking my frustrations out at work. But I CHOSE to be happy. Like physically and mentally chose to get my butt off of the bed and do something to alter my mood. This is what I like to call "Operation: Get Your Ass Up And Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself." And guess what? It worked.
I may not always be able to control or contain my frequent mood swings but I do have the power to choose how long I stay in these experiences. A feeling is a feeling, until it becomes a mood. And I would much rather having feelings of anger or sadness at times but then be in a happier mood for the rest of my day. I assure you that I will fail, but failure is always needed to improve oneself. Failure tells the world, "I am challenging myself to be better, to be happier."
I can't say that I reacted with dignity and grace. I'll pretend that I didn't scream and cry (when in fact I did). But what I can admit to is that sobbing and sulking for 15 minutes gave me that final release I needed in order to get back to my goals and feel happy. It was if those tears had been flooding up inside me, screaming to overflow out of my dry eyelids. "FREEEDOMM!" is what they would probably yell (if tears could talk).
So instead of staying under my comfy bed sheets and sleeping until I had to leave for work (my regular go-to coping method), I got up and took a shower. A wonderful shower, I may add. I sang, possible danced a little and belted out some really good hits. I felt much better. I even decided to take a short walk before work which is supposedly useful to get you out of a slump. And then I worked. Simple as that.
I realized here that I didn't necessarily fail at my happiness project because I lashed out and got upset. In fact, I think I needed that final form of release. Failure, instead, would have been me curling up into a ball until the world came knocking on my door. It would have been me taking my frustrations out at work. But I CHOSE to be happy. Like physically and mentally chose to get my butt off of the bed and do something to alter my mood. This is what I like to call "Operation: Get Your Ass Up And Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself." And guess what? It worked.
I may not always be able to control or contain my frequent mood swings but I do have the power to choose how long I stay in these experiences. A feeling is a feeling, until it becomes a mood. And I would much rather having feelings of anger or sadness at times but then be in a happier mood for the rest of my day. I assure you that I will fail, but failure is always needed to improve oneself. Failure tells the world, "I am challenging myself to be better, to be happier."
Thursday, 2 October 2014
ENERGY
For the past few days, I feel like I've been in a slump and when I mean slump I mean the "don't bother me as I binge watch Netflix and contemplate the meaning of life as I watch Channing Tatum strip down to his skivvies" kind of slump. I had tried my luck applying for some jobs over the weekend, despite the fact that most of the postings required some sort of ECE degree. "Great," I thought, "At least my boyfriend will have a job when he's done school!" And then, with even more determination, I sent my application for teaching in Catholic schools over to my church in hopes for a priest to sign it and return it back to me in time for my interview with the board. Well, no such luck. "Wonderful," I complained, "Just wonderful."
Not only had I felt rejected by countless job recruiters, but at the same time I also felt rejected by my choice in career. Really? No one wants a teacher graduate, with an undergrad in English and Sociology? And to make matters even more alarming, I hadn't even seen a job post that desired these requirements! The final kick in the can came when the priest of my church couldn't even sign my application form because he could not "accurately describe how long my family had been affiliated with the church." Completely understandable, despite the fact that I was baptized at this parish, my parents got married there, my brother and I were altar servers, I won a scholarship for university from them and we went to church every Sunday until both my brother and I landed jobs about 5 years back. The one place where I felt that I could not be turned away, is the one place I felt had most failed me. I may not have been attending church regularly, but I did practice Catholic values outside the community and in more ways than one, taking a break from church made me appreciate my relationship with God so much more when I came back. "And we welcome you, with open arms."
I never intended to start this blog post being so negative, but I guess that tells more about what kind of slump I am in. But I want to change that. There's a great commandment in Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project that says "act the way I want to feel" or essentially, "fake it till you make it." Just because you aren't happy now, doesn't mean that you can't be happy later. Just because you don't have energy now, doesn't mean you can't force yourself to act more energetic. And in due time, your feelings will follow your actions.
So that's what I did. I woke up early today with the thought of I FEEL ENERGIZED although I really hadn't and I've taken the time to map out what I want to get done this morning before work. My list includes:
- Eat a gnarly breakfast (I had to check how to spell that word)
- Write a blog post (check mark!)
- Get my glutes workout in
- Read 2 chapter books and make notes for work
- Don't complain about work
- Be happy that I have a job
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
FRESH FACE
What female (or male for the matter- no gender discrimination here) hasn't had to battle with the breakouts on their face at least once in their life? From weather change, to hormones to using the wrong products, there are many reasons as to why skin can become irritated and over time, can begin to lose its brightness and texture. Over the course of my life, I have always struggled with acne prone/oily skin and it was only recently did I discover that my skin was also dehydrated. So what does that mean? Well not only was my skin oily on the dreaded T-zone but it also meant that my skin was also very flakey and appeared dry when I woke up. In order to combat this, I decided that instead of covering myself up with more make up (which let's be honest, would only make matters worst) I would address the issue of my skin first and therefore, work from the outside in (or from the under on). And with that in mind, I headed to my local Sephora to scope out a few new products.
The one thing I always appreciate and genuinely admire in a sales associate is honesty. I'm sure we would all much rather have someone tell us the truth about the way we look, then being suckered into buying something that would never work for us in the present or near future (I'm talking about you Aritzia). Luckily, honesty is exactly what I got from the sales associate at Sephora at Fairview Mall. Not only was she informative, but unlike other workers, she didn't try to sugarcoat the truth behind some of Sephora's beauty products. She not only told me which products would probably break me out due to high return rates from customers but she always went on to talk about her job and what she really wanted to do with her life. Building trust with clientele is extremely important in the customer service industry, and because of this, I trusted her to find me the best products for my face. And here is what they are:
Make Up Forever HD Foundation: This product is an absolute joy to have on my face now that the weather is cooling down and there are little signs of humidity lingering around Toronto. I don't think I could use this makeup too much in the summer, as it is a liquid foundation and will most likely to cause my skin to become more oily. However, this foundation is wonderful as it blends easily and covers up a lot of redness on my cheeks. I like applying this product on with a sponge as it gives me the most coverage and then finishing it off with a light dusting from my MAC powder. I have to say however, I am not use to wearing liquid foundation and have soon found white clothing to be my ultimate kryptonite...but all beauty comes with a price right? Regardless, I am happy that in no way shape or form does this look too cakey or overdone and it is a great substitute for my MAC concealer that was just way too runny and looking! Overall rating: 8/10
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: I have always enjoyed Fresh products due to their natural ingredients and minimalist packaging and this item is no exception! It does a pretty good job of taking off my makeup but works AMAZINGLY with my Clarisonic. Not only does it help to make my skin feel soft in the morning, but the product really stands up to its name by leaving it looking fresh and hydrated as well! Upon initial application, it doesn't feel to strip away the dirt but in the morning, it is evident that the formula really gets underneath your skin and cleans away all impurities. Definitely worth a repurchase! Overall rating: 9/10 (I took away points because the bottle goes by quickly and it is costly at $18.50 for some a small bottle)
Sephora 8 Hour Mattifying Moisturizer: I first discovered this product on my trip to Orlando, Florida. I had been previously using Fresh's Umbria Clay Lotion but due to its high price, a sales associate from Sephora allowed me to sample this. I love the consistency of the product and it does really help my skin become more matte and stay oil free for most of the day. It isn't too hydrating, obviously, which is fine since I apply an oil on for moisture at night (more on that in my next post). Overall, decent product for a decent price! Can't go wrong with that! Overall rating: 7.5/10
I hope you all learned something new about these products! Having used all 3 products for about 2-3 weeks now, I can definitely say I can see an improvement in my face. If you have any other products you can think of that would work well for my skin or are great alternatives, let me know! Till then, love yourself, xo
The one thing I always appreciate and genuinely admire in a sales associate is honesty. I'm sure we would all much rather have someone tell us the truth about the way we look, then being suckered into buying something that would never work for us in the present or near future (I'm talking about you Aritzia). Luckily, honesty is exactly what I got from the sales associate at Sephora at Fairview Mall. Not only was she informative, but unlike other workers, she didn't try to sugarcoat the truth behind some of Sephora's beauty products. She not only told me which products would probably break me out due to high return rates from customers but she always went on to talk about her job and what she really wanted to do with her life. Building trust with clientele is extremely important in the customer service industry, and because of this, I trusted her to find me the best products for my face. And here is what they are:
Make Up Forever HD Foundation: This product is an absolute joy to have on my face now that the weather is cooling down and there are little signs of humidity lingering around Toronto. I don't think I could use this makeup too much in the summer, as it is a liquid foundation and will most likely to cause my skin to become more oily. However, this foundation is wonderful as it blends easily and covers up a lot of redness on my cheeks. I like applying this product on with a sponge as it gives me the most coverage and then finishing it off with a light dusting from my MAC powder. I have to say however, I am not use to wearing liquid foundation and have soon found white clothing to be my ultimate kryptonite...but all beauty comes with a price right? Regardless, I am happy that in no way shape or form does this look too cakey or overdone and it is a great substitute for my MAC concealer that was just way too runny and looking! Overall rating: 8/10
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: I have always enjoyed Fresh products due to their natural ingredients and minimalist packaging and this item is no exception! It does a pretty good job of taking off my makeup but works AMAZINGLY with my Clarisonic. Not only does it help to make my skin feel soft in the morning, but the product really stands up to its name by leaving it looking fresh and hydrated as well! Upon initial application, it doesn't feel to strip away the dirt but in the morning, it is evident that the formula really gets underneath your skin and cleans away all impurities. Definitely worth a repurchase! Overall rating: 9/10 (I took away points because the bottle goes by quickly and it is costly at $18.50 for some a small bottle)
Sephora 8 Hour Mattifying Moisturizer: I first discovered this product on my trip to Orlando, Florida. I had been previously using Fresh's Umbria Clay Lotion but due to its high price, a sales associate from Sephora allowed me to sample this. I love the consistency of the product and it does really help my skin become more matte and stay oil free for most of the day. It isn't too hydrating, obviously, which is fine since I apply an oil on for moisture at night (more on that in my next post). Overall, decent product for a decent price! Can't go wrong with that! Overall rating: 7.5/10
I hope you all learned something new about these products! Having used all 3 products for about 2-3 weeks now, I can definitely say I can see an improvement in my face. If you have any other products you can think of that would work well for my skin or are great alternatives, let me know! Till then, love yourself, xo
Thursday, 21 August 2014
MIND AND BODY KICK START
With time slowly winding down before my one month vacation has finally ended, I have decided to take it upon myself to a 30 day challenge in order to improve not only my overall body and fitness but also other aspects of my life as well.
As I wandered around Indigo, meticulously looking between pre-teen covers of vampires and science-fiction heartthrobs and trying not to be obvious as I drifted back and forth to the romance section, I finally came across the peaceful self-help area of the store. Being quietly tucked away behind the crowded Starbucks café, this lovely little place distracted me for most of my time waiting for a call from a friend. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect (maybe people in pretzel yoga stances or prayer beads?) but I found it comforting finding both men, women and people of every age surveying the shelves.
Great, maybe I wasn't the only one needing a little self-help!
With that little enlightenment, I came across the book "The Happiness Project" and after reading a few pages, I contemplated what really did make me happy in life- good friends, a loving relationship, financial stability, a happy household, successful at my job- well the list goes on. But how do we get there and more importantly, how do we sustain it?
I think it is rather difficult and in fact, misleading to think of happiness as an end goal and I think this is what the author was getting at in her book. In order to be happy, we need to set small, attainable goals that will contribute to our happiness rather than get us to the imaginary promise land of "happiness."
And as a result of this, I have decided to take a 30 day challenge not as a way to always assess what makes me happy, but to document what does and then go from there. In all honestly, a large part of this will be related to beauty, mind and fitness as this is where a large part of my time and energy goes into. However with my looming job hunting over the horizon, I know it will expand into much more important parts of my life.
The point of this is to kick start my mind and body into a happier and healthier life. So have fun and enjoy the ride with my as I share with you my journey to find my little brightsides! xo
As I wandered around Indigo, meticulously looking between pre-teen covers of vampires and science-fiction heartthrobs and trying not to be obvious as I drifted back and forth to the romance section, I finally came across the peaceful self-help area of the store. Being quietly tucked away behind the crowded Starbucks café, this lovely little place distracted me for most of my time waiting for a call from a friend. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect (maybe people in pretzel yoga stances or prayer beads?) but I found it comforting finding both men, women and people of every age surveying the shelves.
Great, maybe I wasn't the only one needing a little self-help!
With that little enlightenment, I came across the book "The Happiness Project" and after reading a few pages, I contemplated what really did make me happy in life- good friends, a loving relationship, financial stability, a happy household, successful at my job- well the list goes on. But how do we get there and more importantly, how do we sustain it?
I think it is rather difficult and in fact, misleading to think of happiness as an end goal and I think this is what the author was getting at in her book. In order to be happy, we need to set small, attainable goals that will contribute to our happiness rather than get us to the imaginary promise land of "happiness."
And as a result of this, I have decided to take a 30 day challenge not as a way to always assess what makes me happy, but to document what does and then go from there. In all honestly, a large part of this will be related to beauty, mind and fitness as this is where a large part of my time and energy goes into. However with my looming job hunting over the horizon, I know it will expand into much more important parts of my life.
The point of this is to kick start my mind and body into a happier and healthier life. So have fun and enjoy the ride with my as I share with you my journey to find my little brightsides! xo
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