ESSENTIALS | Resting & Re-Centering Myself in March

This month has been a lesson in focusing only on
what is absolutely necessary.

A few weeks ago, I was all geared up to launch March's theme, ESSENTIALS, to better explore the things that are vital in my life. The things that are there when all of the frivolities get stripped away. What I hope to build my life on: God, family, nature, creativity, music, rest. My own personal ESSENTIALS.

Interestingly enough, I never got to draft that full first post,
because March had other plans.

This month has tested my limits with stress and made me essentially (pun wholly intended) have to start practicing what I wanted to preach: When stress starts to rage, how can I dial back, take a breather, and build my life around what is absolutely necessary?

This is something my sister likes to remind me of when I get overwhelmed.
Only do what you have to. Go to work, come home, and sleep.
Don't do more than you have to do during difficult seasons.

As a person who wants to constantly push myself to work harder, create more, run faster, this is welcome advice. Dialing it back to only what is essential in my life means protecting my time, putting the pause on creativity in favor of a full night of sleep (still not the best at that one), and setting boundaries so that I don't push myself too hard and burn out.

Oh, March. I wanted this month to be full of so much blogging.

But instead I tried to focus on Jesus, my tribe of loved ones, and allowing my spirit to rest (via nature walks, chai tea lattes, and reading books in the backyard). Unfortunately, I realized this blog was not one of my ESSENTIALS. It is an outlet that I adore but I can only pour into it when I have the time, energy and creativity to write something I resonate with. And if that means fewer posts and more resting, that's a trade-off I have to be willing to make.

I am curious to know what falls into the ESSENTIALS category for all of you.

What are the things that, even at your lowest and weakest, you know you need in your life to thrive and bring yourself back to a normal state? This could take any form, really. I know personally that a morning run and a cup of tea with some good reads will recharge me. Throw some vinyl in there and a vanilla bean candle and we're all set.

What about you?

How do you go about taking things off of the table (RIP my novel) when life gets too stressful? What kind of ESSENTIALS help recharge you? Oh, and how was your March? Mine has been a doozy, but I've learned so much. Looking forward to hearing from you in the comments!

I hope to be back in April with a new theme. We'll see!
Until then, I wrote a thing for Burning Youth and if you'd like,
you can read that here.

BEGINNINGS | Q&A Interview with Nabila About Blog Beginnings

Today on the blog we have a very special treat: To conclude February's theme of BEGINNINGS, I interviewed Nabila (who blogs over at Hot Town Cool Girl) about the beginning of her blogging journey and what she has learned! Please give Nabila a warm welcome and check out her answers in the segment below. Happy reading! ♥

Q: What sparked your interest in blogging?

A: My friend! She had a blog and was showing it to me. At that point, I didn't have any social media and neither did any of my friends. The thought that you could have this space that was truly yours that you could do anything with made me so, so happy.

Q: How did you go about creating your very first blog?

A: When I came home from my friend's [house] that day, I immediately asked my parents [if I could have a blog]. They said yes! They knew a bit about it because they also had blogs for work. I named it "Nabila Eve." It was very dark and had about a thousand gadgets.

Q: What advice would you give to your younger self about
beginning a blog now that you have more experience?

A: Design really counts. Also, proofread. I think one of the most important things, though, is to reach out to people! In the beginning, I thought I was a lonely blogger and there were no other bloggers around my age at all. When I actually found other bloggers and started talking to them, I felt so crazy accepted and they helped me so, so much.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a blog?

A: Just do it! So many people want to do things but they never do because they're too scared or anxious. Also, write about stuff you're actually passionate about. Don't start a blog just because you think it will be popular or you will make money off it.

Q: What is your biggest blogging victory?

A: I haven't done anything amazing with my blog like go to New York or get some award [but] I think one of the biggest things that has come from my blog is it has helped me find myself. I used to think I was boring and had no skill. With writing my blog, though, I found out that wasn't true. I have lots of skills and people actually like me? Like what?  

Thank you again to Nabila for the fantastic interview! It was so fun getting to 
read your answers and share the story of your blogging journey.

What about you? What kind of advice would you give to current bloggers and/or your younger blogging self? I remember when I first started blogging, I crafted an entire post dedicated to Pi Day. You read that right, folks. Share your embarrassing blog beginnings stories with me below!

This is the last post in the BEGINNINGS series! (Boo hiss.)
Click here to browse through all the posts in the series.
I'll be back in March with a new theme for you all soon. 

BEGINNINGS | Learning to Replace Negative Thoughts with Biblical Truth

I will be the first to admit that a lot of the time, I struggle to believe what is true.
I could blame it on our culture and its constant stream of media, but that wouldn't really be fair. What is more often the case is that I choose to listen to my own thoughts instead of what I know my family and friends and the Lord are all saying to me: good, beautiful things. Why is that?

Years ago when I spent a week with tanned legs and bandanas galore at summer camp, I learned that to get rid of one thought,
it helped to ruminate on another.

That was a big part of me beginning to realize just how I could shift my mindset. 
For every negative thought I had, I found a Bible verse to replace it, so when I was feeling angry, insecure or doubtful, I could read what the Bible had to say on that particular topic. That was also probably the same summer I came home to show the weird and (literally) campy program videos to my non-camp friends and learned that one should never, ever do that. BUT I DIGRESS.

Those verse cards helped me learn how to swap bad thoughts and replace them with truth. Which is something I find myself needing to learn again now as an adult, interestingly enough.

My friend Jenny also created a similar resource for me when I was still in middle school. Jenny is the best, I seriously have to give her mad props for being a mentor to me at a time when I was 13 and hyper as heck. The little card she made me is still taped inside my Bible front cover to this day and has a list of all the things God says about me (and you). Cards like this have been such a help to me over the years, so I thought I'd share it with you:

My God...

Loves me: Isaiah 43:4-5
Cares about my feelings: 1 Peter 5:7
Knows everything about me: Psalm 139:1-10
Is close to me: Acts 17:27
Forgives my sins: 1 John 1:9
Is my friend: John 15:15
Died for me: Romans 5:8
Never changes: Malachi 3:6
Comforts me: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Hears me when I pray: Micah 7:7

All credits go to Jenny. I was so blessed by these both then and now, my heart.

What about you?

Do you ever struggle with negative thoughts, and if so, what do you do to feel better? Did you ever go to summer camp and make weird memories? And what is one thing you're looking forward to this weekend? Thanks for reading, friends.