Monday Motivation- On Getting Back Up.

I'm back. Again!
Cue the fanfare, hopefully! Just kidding, y'all. I have no delusions of grandeur about this blog. However, I am hoping to get back into seriously blogging as I get back into real life and college.

Which brings me to Monday Motivation, of course! This graphic was an experiment for me with Chalk art on photoshop, so let me know what you think, ok?

This quote really spoke to me on so many levels. We can always start over. We can always come back. Choose now! I also love the idea that failure is only in staying down, not just falling down. Falling down happens. We're human. We make mistakes and life is messy and complicated. But if you can get back up when you fall down, you will never be a failure.
This is so relevant for me right now as I pick everything back up and prepare to go back to school after a year of medical leave. Has life been messy and difficult? Of course. I've taken more hits than I would have liked this year. But I'm getting up and moving on now that I can. I am hopeful and ready.

Are you starting over with anything this fall? Or ready to move on and have your fresh start? Now is the time!

Oh and as a blogging note before I go- I finally got a blog button to work, so let me know if you're interested in doing a button swap!

Hope y'all are happy and healthy!

An App To Make You Happier?

I stumbled upon this little app the other day and while I'm still getting the hang of it, I'm in LOVE with the concept. It's simple: throughout your day you take a minute or two to document the little things that make you Happier. 

So whether that be in a photo, a sentence, or a little blurb about what's going on in your day, you can  talk about the great thing that makes you happy. Then you can categorize it (things like animals, friends, little things, nature, etc) and post it.
Focusing on happy moments is a great way to center your life around gratitude. This is always hard to do, but Happier has simplified the process by making it fun, and even allowing you to set a reminder to post about the things that make you happier. It's like keeping a gratitude journal combined with instagram and twitter--- genius!

My favorite part of the app is being able to go to the discover page and look through everyone else's Happy moments. It's awesome to see the little things making other people's days. It's such a positive app, and you can click a little smiley if you like someone's post, or comment to congratulate or encourage others.   I smiled a ton seeing pictures of a delicious lunch, a first ultrasound, an acceptance letter to college... it's awesome to witness even a stranger's happy moment.

So I'm still figuring things out and I think I'd love this app all that much more if I had lots of friends on it! Come join me? Let's all get Happier!


Check out Happier on their website and download the app!
If we're Facebook friends you can find me on the app already, but if not I'm on there under Hannah Baartmans :)

Hope y'all are having a very happy weekend!
All my love,
Hannah

Creating a Sanctuary

Whether you're just surviving midterms or about to come back from Spring Break, you're no stranger to the concept of stress. I'm still dealing with stress on a daily basis and I'm not currently in school. Stress is known to have all sorts of negative impacts on the body, from chronic illness to anxiety and more!

But it's not as easy as saying "Don't be stressed out". Uh, thanks. I'll work on that between all the other stuff I have going on.  

Lately I've been working really hard on wellness as a whole concept. Medicine is not enough to cure my Crohn's, and I'm turning to alternative medicine, diet, meditation, and more. One thing that has been particularly effective for me lately is having a safe space in my home that relaxes me. I like to think of my room as my sanctuary.

Making your living space comfortable, safe, and relaxing is so important. Knowing you have a place that is a go-to for relaxation can help you relax when you're sick, stressed, or just need sleep! Here are my ideas to transform your room from stressful to sanctuary.

• Make sure spaces are functional: If you have a lot of bookshelf space being used for books you haven't read anymore, clear them out and donate, then buy boxes to store things you'll actually use and enjoy. The less there is on your floor and cluttered on shelves, the more comfortable you'll feel! 
• Cultivate collections of things you enjoy: For example, if you love nail polish like I do, bring that into your room and make that a focal point in the room. Put it on display instead of hiding it in bins.

My nail polish collection is a point of pride for me, so having it on display is a great reminder of something I really love! 

• Bring in things that help you relax: For me, it's scented candles. I have a whole table of scented candles I light while I'm in bed and not feeling so great. If that's not a possibility for you, try music, or whatever works best for you!
• Keep it clean: I know it's a pain, but a clean space is comforting AND relaxing.
• Hang things that inspire you: I made these canvases for my dorm this spring and I really love having them in my view every day. 

• Surround yourself with positivity: That means pictures, good memories, cards whatever helps. 
• Bring in material that is both stimulating and entertaining: I've really enjoyed my Kindle lately, and keeping that by my bedside has been great. On the other hand, it's just as important to me to read my favorite fun, lighthearted blogs. Just being in touch with others is important! 

What do you do to make your space a sanctuary? Do you have any other tips?

Hope you're all happy and healthy!

Love,

Hannah

A Little Help- Same Day, Different Attitude

When things get difficult, where do you look for guidance? Lately, I've been feeling like it just falls into my lap when I need it most. When I'm trying my hardest and I'm fighting through sickness and stress, someone or something will cross my path and make it clear what I need to do.
I think we all need a little help now and then getting through life. So why not share our bits of wisdom?
I think I'm going to make this a recurring blog post. It will enable me to talk about my life, and share the people and places I'm looking to for advice. I'll just do it whenever I feel like I have something to share.
This week, I'm actually going to share something that was directly shared with me in a speech. So I can't really take credit. It just really impacted me, and I think it will impact you.

 Secrets  to Happiness-
This was one of those moments where I truly felt God was reaching down and saying something to me. I   have been very stressed, working very hard, and trying to overcompensate for the fact that I have been very sick. Knowing I needed to fulfill my duty to my chapter, I pulled myself to our Officer Transition Workshop even though I knew it was going to be a long, exhausting day. What I didn't realize is that our speaker was going to completely reenergize me, and give me the hope I needed to continue in a life that I will admit was beating me down. I'm going to share the handout she gave to us, and then explain the point that pretty much knocked me flat.

Please don't steal this image, since it's property of RMH Charlotte and the speaker Mona Johnson-Gibson.  I'm just sharing it with you because I think it's really important! Feel free to save it for yourself, but don't pin it or post it on tumblr! 

Now these secrets may seem pretty standard but I can't communicate the delivery and the most important secret of all--- the one written in the margin.


Same Day, Different Attitude:
Our speaker was talking about seeing the world as a positive place, and how every day we often have a list of things we've GOT TO do. Like here was my GOT TO list for today:

• I've got to get up and get ready before class.
  I've got to get my work done and review before class.
  I've got to get through this class, it's just below my level.
  I've got to get my book and then I've got to go eat before
  I've got to go to Shakespeare class and then
  I've got to pay attention and pass this quiz.
  I've really got to finish this homework.
  I've got to get a latte so I can survive a 3 hour block class at 3pm
  I've got to get through this video, which is making me worry about my future.
  I've got to get dinner after class and then go rest and get homework done because I've just
  GOT SO MUCH TO DO TOMORROW.

Are you as exhausted as I am? That just feels bad typing. It's negative.  It's anxious. 

So how do we fix it? One word.

GET. 

I GET TO.

Let's go through my hectic Monday again with I GET TO.

• I get to get up and get ready for a day of classes that I'm looking forward to!
  I get to eat homemade apple cake that my mom sent with me last night.
  I get to laugh with my friends during class,  because we're all in the same classes.
  I get to have lunch with my sisters and friends, which refreshes me and I get to review during lunch for my next class, which is so helpful!
  I get to enjoy Shakespeare, and my professor is creative and interesting.
  I get to relax between classes.
  I get to enjoy a delicious gingerbread soy latte during my last class.
  I get to take classes in multiple subjects because of my profession.
  I get to have dinner with a great group of sisters and my best friend!
  I get to relax and watch tv and read after dinner and blog!

How do you feel now? That day sounds better, huh? Same day, different attitude. 

Image via Pinterest

What difference can one word make in your life? What difference does perspective make? 

Feel free to share!  Let's all give each other a little help. 

Love,

Hannah 

The Importance of Feeling Beautiful

My mom says I grew up with good self-esteem. She tells a story about trying on swimsuits with me when I was eight. I picked out a strapless tankini with big, horizontal stripes across my  tummy. Apparently, it was awful on me... but I didn't see it. I thought I looked awesome.

 I'm lucky. I'm lucky that I didn't grow up hating my body. So many girls see tons of things they want to change when they look in the mirror, and I don't dwell on it. Sure, I've got my issues, but at the end of the day I'm alright with who I am.

It's been a little harder for me to keep up that good self esteem with all of my health issues. My skin is scarred from shingles, my arm is bandaged up with a picc line and my weight loss has been totally halted by a Crohn's flare. I rarely wear makeup or get out of sweats, and even showering is a huge hassle with my picc line. I don't feel like myself, or beautiful at all lately. Worst of all, I have to go swimsuit shopping for a cruise soon!

I'm not going to let this beat me. I am beautiful, and I shouldn't have to feel otherwise.
Here are a few things that are inspiring me to feel more beautiful, wonderful and fabulous every day.

This show is such an inspiration. Betty is beautiful because she is truly herself.

Whitney Thompson- America's Next Top Model Winner!
She's a size 14 and looks INCREDIBLE!

Songs that make me feel beautiful, perfect and a little like a "firework."
Yes, I included the Glee version ;)

Lea Michele is gorgeous and accepts her unique beauty:

“I was one of the only girls in my high school that didn’t get one,” Michele said. “And if anybody needed it, I probably did. But my mom always told me, growing up, ‘Barbra Streisand didn’t get a nose job. You’re not getting a nosejob.’ And I didn’t. That’s why I’m proud to be on a positive show and to be a voice for girls and say, ‘You don’t need to look like everybody else. Love who you are.’”

At the end of the day you're the only person who can make yourself feel beautiful. Accept who you are and love yourself. You deserve it!