obviously what i look like when working out. lol not

I hate working out. 

There you have it, the flat out, honest truth. I hate working out with a fiery passion. The thought of getting up from my nice cozy writing nest and murdering my body with push-ups is not a thought that tends to bring me much joy. I'm sorry to all of you wonderfully healthy people- I wish that I was a member of your ranks. But I'm not, I'm really not. I love pasta. I have never tasted kale. And up until recently, I had never worked out on a regular basis. 

Then, theatre happened. 

I've mentioned on here that I am going to be playing Zaneeta in The Music Man. And oh my goodness, am I excited. Zaneeta Shinn is the dream role that I never knew existed. She is sassy and doesn't have to sing (which means I don't have to confront my deepest fear), and she dances like crazy. This is the most that I've ever danced in a show in my life, and I'm loving it. Music Man has infiltrated my life like no other, and it's wonderful. I dream about this show at night, guys. I am so freaking excited. 

But at the same time...a part of me is terrified.

When the show is over and I'm looking back on it, I don't want to say, "Well, if I'd just stretched a little more, that would have looked better," or, "If I'd just practiced that a few more times it would have been perfect". I don't want to give myself any opportunities to think about what I could have done better. I want to be able to know that I did everything I possibly could have.

So, out of this freakout, something new was born.

Since the beginning of March, I've been working out to some extent every single day. I am so determined to do everything that I can to do as good of a job as I can. And I can't believe that I'm saying this, but.....I. Actually. Enjoy. Working. Out. 

I am completely shocked to be able to type that statement, but it's true. I've gotten to the point where I'm actually disappointed if I can't work out for a day. It's the most bizarre thing on the planet, but it's true. 

So, in case you happen to want to jump of the cliff of crazy and join me in becoming a fan of exercising, HERE ARE SOME LOVELY TIPS I SHALL SHOWER ON YOU!!!

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1. Find Something You Like

I hate weight lifting. Running absolutely kills me. And let's just say anything that involves a ton of upper body strength just doesn't go well. But I love long walks. Hours upon hours of dancing is my favorite thing on the planet. Yoga is my go-to. And I stretch and stretch and stretch until I cannot stretch any longer. I've found things that I enjoy doing, and that are good for me, and so I do them. Find what works for you. If there's a form of working out that you enjoy, it won't seem like such a chore anymore, and you'll find yourself actually looking forward to working out. Maybe you love zumba, or swimming is what makes you feel alive. Figure out what works for you. 

2. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

You've heard it a thousand times, but that's because it's true. Music makes SUCH  a difference! If you have a playlist that you love, it will make working out so much more fun. I love making high-energy playlists to jam out to while I work out. 

3. People or Nah?

Maybe you adore having a workout buddy to keep you accountable, and to have someone to joke with through the pain. Or maybe the thought of someone crashing your alone time makes you want to bash your head into a wall. Figure out what works better for you, and go for it! Personally, I tend to like working out alone best, but if I'm going on a walk or doing yoga, I like doing it with my mom. It's totally up to you!

4. Rewards

I tend to try to avoid food-related rewards (because sadly going and eating twelve brownies seems to ruin the fact that you just worked out. 'Tis an unfair world.), but coming up with a way to reward yourself for working out really helps. Say something like, "If I finish this workout, I'm going to go read that book I've been wanting to finish for half an hour" or, "If I walk one more mile, I'll watch a movie on Netflix tonight". It's a fun little way to encourage yourself to keep going. 

5. Make a Tracker

You can do a month by month tracker, or you can just do it up until a certain point that's your "goal time". For me, I took a sheet of paper and made rows of boxes counting down the days until tech week for the show, and every day that I've worked out, I've checked the day off. So far, I haven't missed a day! It's really fun being able to check that off and see your progress grow.

6. Multitask

Do crunches while you binge your favorite TV show. Go for a walk while you talk on the phone with a friend. Do some jumping jacks while you wait for your food to warm up. Squeeze some extra exercise in whenever you have a chance, and it won't feel like a chore. Just keep moving! 

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Why You Should Do It

Whenever I used to hear people say "I feel so much better when I work out!" I would honestly just laugh. Getting all hot and sweaty and exhausted can make you feel BETTER? How could that make any sense? But yet..it's true. When I'm consistently working out, I really do feel so much better. I have more energy, and I'm not as tired. Sometimes doing yoga will even get rid of headaches! It's the weirdest thing, but I finally kind of like working out. It definitely hurts the first few days, but it ends up being worth it. I swear this isn't me talking anymore I've been brainwashed send help.

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So, what do you think? Are you ready to join me? What are your thoughts on working out? Let's chat! 

The Idiocy of Apathy

Y'know what's really not cool?

Apathy.

"Apathy. Noun. Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern."

Basically, you just don't care. And yeah, I get that you think it's cool to be super chill all the time and not really care about anything. But allow me to let you in on a little secret. It's not. 

Maybe I care too much. Or maybe I'm just sick of being surrounded by apathetic people 24/7. Either way, I want to talk about this for a second. 

A lot of people that I know are superbly apathetic. They genuinely don't care about anything, except maybe having a good time, and they make this known. Spending time with people like this drains me to no end.

How do you do that? How do you just..not care? Do you not have any passion? Any ambition? Does nothing in you want to go further? 

People think that they're super cool when they just go with the flow and don't care about anything, but they're not. They're really not. 

You know what is cool?

Caring. 

Being passionate about something. Having dreams. Having something in your life that makes you want to get out of bed and do things every day. Being involved in the lives of people around you. Not just floating through life like a piece of dandelion fluff. 

When I talk to someone who's just completely apathetic, I usually walk away from the conversation wanting to slap some sense into them. Why do you not want to care about something? I genuinely don't get it. But there's nothing cooler than talking to someone with some real ambitions. Somebody who has a dream and is figuring out a way to get there. Someone who tells you about their passion with a fire in their eyes. Those are the kind of people who excite me. 

I get that being apathetic is really easy. It's easier to not care- about people, about the future. To just float through life without a care. 

But please, don't live that way. 

Find something that you care about, and pursue it. Work for it. Fight for it. Don't give in to apathy. Chase that dream of yours. You can do this. 


p.s. If you want to read an even cooler post on apathy, go hit up my friend Rachel's blog. She absolutely nailed it. 

p.p.s Also I posted again on Burning Youth and would love if you checked it out ♥

10 Happiness Boosts

from an afternoon where the clouds were cotton candy 

Life is full of craziness. So amidst the craziness, take a little time to give yourself a happiness boost. ♥

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1. Work out. I know that it sounds counterproductive, but trust me- it will make you feel better once you get past the exhaustion. I've been working out every day since March began, and I'm finally starting to love it. Pinterest has some really fun workouts that make exercise fun instead of a chore. And remember, to quote the wonderful Elle Woods- "Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands." (Or that horrible teacher who just gave you three essays this week. Exercise, folks. Give your self-control a boost.) 

2. Write. Anything you want- just write. Write a journal entry, a poem, even an Instagram caption. Just get some words off your chest. You'll feel lighter. 

3. Drink some water. You're probably dehydrated and don't even know it. Water will make you feel better, I promise. 

4. Do something special for your appearance. Whether that's putting on your favorite shoes or a swipe of bright lipstick, when you feel like you look nice, you'll be more confident and ready to take on the world. Just remember, you look great no matter what. 

5. Text someone you love. Think of a person who always brightens your day, and talk to them. You need people in your life who will bring you up when you're down. 

6. Listen to your favorite song. Music is proven to lift your mood, and having a song that you like stuck in your head will make you happier. 

7. Get something done, no matter how small. Knocking something off of your to-do list will life a burden off of your shoulders, no matter how tiny of a task. Feeling productive will oftentimes motivate you to do something else, and clear your mind even more. 

8. Splurge on a treat. For a minute, stop worrying about how unhealthy that cinnamon roll is, and just enjoy it. Treat yo self. 

9. Jot down ten things that you're thankful for. It's cliche, but it will make you happier. 

10. Take a breath. Do something you love. You've got this. 

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What makes you happy?  ♥

Happy March!

Well, hello there, March. February is the shortest month of the year, and I definitely felt that. It flew by, and now here we are. March.

In all honesty, February was a rather lovely month. Crazy crazy crazy, but I've finally caught my breath and can look back at all of the wonderful parts. Usually I loathe February with every fiber of my being, but this February wasn't dreary and depressing and boring. We've had really warm weather, and life has been far from boring. Sometimes I think I would have loved to have a bit of boredom! But I'm super thankful for all of the memories that February held.

I joined Burning Youth. We had a two day intensive rehearsal. Tons and tons of cupcakes were made. The Superbowl happened, and my cat failed horrifically in his guessing as to who would win. I sent tons and tons of Valentines and nearly died in the process, but had so much fun. THREE (!!!) people sent me snail mail and I could have cried tears of joy. I witnessed the most beautiful sunset I've seen in a really long time. Many, many doughnuts were consumed. Tech week came and went, and it was beautiful. My copy of Martin Hospitality came in the mail. I saw the worst play I think I've ever seen in my life. We learned an amazing new dance variation that I'm super pumped for. Two of my best friends and I hung out one night, eating ice cream and sitting on railroad tracks, and it was an absolute blast. February, you were good to me. ♥

March..well, I'm not sure what it's going to hold. My best friend and I have this funny little "everything bad happens in March" superstition, so here's hoping that that doesn't hold true, haha! I'm realizing that I really don't have any major plans for the month..so far, all that I have on the calendar are cramming schoolwork, and lots and lots of rehearsals. Hopefully there will be some time to add some fun things in as well! 

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D I S C O V E R I E S

-Not necessarily a discovery because I already knew about it but OH MY GOSH, In The Heights. I can't get over how flawless it is. 

-ABBIE RELEASED ANOTHER SONG!! She's so cool.

-Krispy Kreme once again has apple doughnuts, and all is right in the world.

-Ed Sheeran released another song, How Would You Feel, and it's beautiful.

-The Newsies movie came out and I didn't see it which is probably a crime. Am I even a theatre kid anymore???
-Rachel posted about small talk, and it was genuinely one of the most relatable things I've read in a long time. 

-Also, the video of Lin Manuel Miranda and Auli'i Cravalho performing How Far I'll Go at the Oscars?? Y'all, I was dying. Lin's rap was just perfect, Auli'i has an amazing voice, the flags in the background were the coolest effect, and the fact that Auli'i kept singing even as she got whacked in the head with a pole?? Wow.

-City of Stars. Just...City of Stars. I still haven't seen La La Land, which I consider to be my greatest fault in life at the moment, but it's such a gorgeous song. 

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F E B R U A R Y   P R O G R E S S

-Survive our show. A success, in every form of the word. That was a really great week. 

-Keep up with my reading challenge. HA. I literally did not finish a single book, which is awful. I'm currently in the middle of rereading Deathly Hallows, which I admit is a really long book, but oh my gosh I cannot believe that I didn't read at all. I'm so behind, haha. 

-Take part in InCoWriMo Success! Although I didn't do it every single day because hello, life, I did write over 28 notes/letters! It was a lot of fun. 

-Finally put together a blogging journal. Yeah, no. Other things had to take priority this month, and that never happened. It's on the to-do list, and I'm hoping to do it this week!

-Make it a priority to write more often. Yes and no. I didn't write much at all at the beginning of the month, but lately I've been making a ton of progress on my novel, and I'm really excited. It's so crazy to see my baby finally being wrapped up. 

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R E S O L U T I O N S

-Make more progress on my reading challenge. One of the perks of not having quite as many rehearsals is that I should have more time to read!

-Exercise regularly. I'm really trying to get in great shape for Music Man. There's a ton of dancing, and I want to be on top of my game. 

-Get back into Instagram. I really haven't been posting a ton, simply because I haven't taken many photos lately, and I want to change that. 

-Keep sending snail mail. Just because InCoWriMo is over doesn't mean that we have to stop sending letters!

-Get that darn blogging journal together!

-Attempt to manage my time more wisely

-WRITE WRITE WRITE!!!!

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T H I N K I N G

My mind is constantly whirring a mile a minute, and this month was no exception. I'm going to save most of my thoughts for more specific blog posts, but I've just been super nostalgic lately. I guess it's the fact that everything is winding down, people are graduating, things are changing...it's weird. And I don't like it. At all. But that's life, I guess. Also, in everything that I've been reading, love and forgiveness have been coming up a lot, so I suppose those have been on my mind as well.

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B L O G G I N G

-Started the month off with a lovely January recap, and some rambles about things to come.

-Ten days later (ha) I talked about how crazy life is, and the best way for an introvert to survive that craziness.

-Then Valentine's Day rolled around, and we talked all about love, and what it really means.

-I JOINED BURNING YOUTH (!!!) and naturally had to flail about it. 

-Tech week nostalgia barreled in, and I did a lot of reminiscing.

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Overall, February was pretty stellar. ♥

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So, how was February for you? Did you have a good Valentine's Day? What's the BEST thing that happened to you this month? What are you looking forward to in March? Anything interesting that you're flailing over? Have you seen La La Land? What music have you been listening to? Let's chat!