May 24

Do not be a martyr.  It is just obnoxious.


I agree that martyrs are annoying.  However, I think people that think they know what the word "martyr" means but really don't are even worse.  Anyway, I don't think I have ever been guilty of this (god, I hope not) nor has anyone I know.  If they did, I would probably run screaming.
AMANDA


I am definitely guilty of standing up for my beliefs no matter what other people think. I wouldn't go so far to say that I am a martyr. But who knows, maybe I'm the next Gandhi?


xx Brie

May 23

Think of something that you did that you are still angry about and think "I forgive me."  Repeat this as often as you can.


Hmmm, let's see.  I have a huge problem getting over embarrassing moments.  I will forgive myself for getting in a humiliating fight with a teacher in eighth grade.
AMANDA


I will forgive myself for getting angry at myself for things that weren't my fault. 


xx Brie

May 22

Breathe deeply and think "I release tension and let go of resentment, anger, and anxiety."


I release tension and let go of resentment, anger, and anxiety.  I really needed this today; I am currently recovering from a horrifically embarrassing moment.
AMANDA


I really need to remember to do this more often. I forget how good a deep breath feels. 


xx Brie

May 21

Make sure everyone in your immediate family knows they are appreciated.

• I am grateful to my dad for his wise words and always making me laugh
• I am grateful to my mom for always being a friend and a protector
• I am grateful to my brother for being a mentor and role model
• I am grateful to my sister for being my better half

AMANDA

• I appreciate my dad for looking out for me and taking care of me
• I appreciate my mom for listening to me cry and always being there to give me a hug

xx Brie

May 20

Do you overreact to tiny issues?  Be honest.


I am definitely guilty of this one.  I wouldn't describe my self as a drama queen, but I do sometimes latch on to what people say and simply won't let go.  I don't know why I do this; it only hurts me.  I also have no idea how to fix it.  Anyone got any ideas?
AMANDA


I do the same thing, Amanda. I've been getting a little better at it lately. I just tell myself that the person who said it doesn't think it is a big deal. They probably don't even give it a second thought. Why should I?


xx Brie

May 19

Make sure you have alone time.


I know a lot of people who simply don't know how to be alone.  Maybe it is because they don't have any hobbies or they just don't want to sit and think.  In any case, I am always grateful that I am not one of those people.  I love spending time with the people I care about but I also love just being alone and puttering.  I think if you struggle with this, you definitely need to work on this.  It is a very important skill.
AMANDA


I have too much alone time, haha. I am very good at being alone, because most of the time I'm not lonely when I am alone. I love sitting and just listening to music or sitting outside in my back yard on the porch swing. I agree with Amanda. This is a very important thing to do. The thing I need to work on is making more plans. There is such a thing as too much alone time, I'm finding.


xx Brie

May 18

Take ten minutes this morning to check in with body and assess your emotional and physical needs.


I remember two distinct times in my life where I can clearly remember my mind going "don't do this!  You will regret it."  Of course, I did it anyway and (surprise) I did deeply regret it.  I think it is really important to trust your instincts and listen to the voice inside your head (unless it is telling you to do bad things in which case, I advise against it).  I will try to check in with myself more often.
AMANDA


I am a firm believer in following your intuition. I am going to do this tomorrow morning. I get so caught up in my plans that I put my physical and emotional needs behind getting things done. I am making it a priority this summer to be more sensitive with myself emotionally and take more care of my body.


xx Brie

May 17

List what is important to you.  Put the items in order of importance.  Look at the top three and make sure the items are supporting you emotionally, physically, and financially.  If not, change them.

• My friends
• My family
• My hobbies

We are good here, Fletch.

AMANDA

• My friends
• My boyfriend
• My family
• Learning
• Traveling

I'd say my friends are my number one source of emotional support, which means the world to me.

xx Brie

May 16

Be open to help.


I know there are certain people that have a really hard time asking for help.  I am really not one of those people.  I am fully aware when I have no idea what the hell I am doing and have grievances about voicing it.  If any readers out there do have trouble with this, please share.  I really would like to hear your story.
AMANDA


I have a lot of trouble asking for help. I always fear people judging me or thinking I am a burden. To me, feeling like I am dragging someone else down is one of the worst possible feelings. Asking for help makes me feel stupid and useless. I'm trying to be open to help, but I always feel like people will be incredibly annoyed with me. 


xx Brie

May 15

Don't ignore women outside of your age range.


I have friends that are ten years older than me and I have friends that are several years younger than me.  I think it is important to try to meet people that are different than you.  My philosophy is that I should always have one friend that completely embarrasses me in public (in a good way) but I need someone to bring me out of my comfort zone every once in awhile.  I actually can currently think of three of my friends that do that so I may be excelling too much in that department.


I have always been very close with my grandmother and aunt. I have a younger cousin who I am very close with, as well. My best girlfriends are my age or a year older or younger, though. I love having my friend group that I do everything with, but I think it is important to do things with many, many different friends. 


xx Brie

May 14

Try to change judgments you have in your head to some sort of blessings.


Yikes.  That one is hard.  Especially here such gems like "you earn what you get" or "that bitch is a dirty whore" (both of which I had the pleasure of hearing today).  However, I think there is something to be said for this method.  I am certainly going to try it, though I promise nothing.
AMANDA


Ah, yes, I agree with Amanda. I agree that it isn't good to judge others, but I feel like sometimes people are just stupid. Have you ever thought that you're the only sane/intelligent person in your life? That's how I feel. It is especially hard to stop judging others when they have no desire to improve themselves or learn anything. 


xx Brie

May 13

Finish the sentence: I refuse to compromise on ______________.


I refuse to compromise on my hobbies.
AMANDA


I refuse to compromise on my future.


xx Brie

May 12

Don't be envious of others.  It is embarrassing.


Ooo.  This is something I have trouble with.  Growing up, I absolutely hated school.  I had two older siblings so whenever they graduated, I was so jealous it hurt.  I also have had petty jealousy as well.  However, everyone has their problems.  If you look close enough at someone, you will realize that they have deep issues as well.  I haven't gotten better about it lately.
AMANDA


All around me people are doing amazing things that I wish I could do. I envy people with talent and good looks. I have realized that I have good qualities just as everyone else does. And the people I put on a pedestal have flaws, as well. I come to this conclusion after much thought. When I'm actually faced with these situations, I am not as rational as I am writing this post. 


xx Brie

May 11

How are you feeling right now?  Check in with yourself.


I feel pretty happy.  I had a tough week and so I planning on a fun weekend.  My sister is in town, I am having a girls night tonight, and I am having a relaxing morning.
AMANDA


I'm feeling very tired, but relieved. I have a date with Amanda tomorrow night that I am looking forward to :)


xx Brie

May 10

Learn about finances.


I think we have done this one already so I will skip it.  Knowledge is power, etc.
AMANDA


Yeah, I guess I don't have anything to add, haha. Just know your way around the finances and try to be well informed.


xx Brie

May 9

Take a break from a problem for a day.  Think about it the next day and you might have a solution.


This is easier said than done.  Right now, I don't really have a problem I need to solve.  I do, however, have certain things I keep obsessing about.  Trying not to think about something is really hard for me; I have always been kind of a worrier.  I usually can distract myself with books and movies, though.
AMANDA


I do this a lot. I distract myself the day I have a problem, and by the next morning, my head is clear. It is easier to find a reasonable solution this way. I am an extreme worrier, too. My friends are the ultimate awesome distraction, though :)


xx Brie

May 8

Make a list of everything you know how to do, however trivial.


1. I know how to write newspaper articles.
2. I know how to make kick ass peanut butter cookies.
3. I know how to navigate major European cities.
4. I know how to comfort my friends and family
5. I know how to debate.
6. I know how to evaluate film and literature.
7. I know how to take care of a chinchilla.
8. I know how to stand up for myself.
9. I know how to make a video.
10. I know how to take care of my hair and make up (could you tell by now I was running out of things?)
AMANDA


1. I know how to present reasonable arguments to back my beliefs.
2. I know how to bake.
3. I know a bit of French.
4. I know about literature.
5. I know a lot about music.
6. I know how to be a good friend.
7. I know how to make people laugh.
8. I know how to write creatively.
9. I know how to play the harmonica.
10. I know how to dress for my body shape.


xx Brie

May 7

Embrace your choices with enthusiasm.


I think this is important and if you don't feel enthusiastic, you shouldn't make a certain choice.  I have been making a lot of important decisions lately, and so far, I think I am excited about my choices.  I also think you should defend your choices, but don't let it bother you if people don't agree with your choices.  They don't have to.
AMANDA


I agree, Amanda. For the most part, my life philosophy is "if it doesn't make you happy, don't do it." I, too, have been making a lot of big decisions. I am super excited! I used to let what other people think affect my choices. If someone didn't approve, I would be sad and rethink the decision. Now, I focus on what makes me happy.


xx Brie

May 6

Decide if you want challenges to make you weaker or stronger.


I have decided, after much deliberation , that I want them to make me stronger, heehee.  So far, they have.  My surgeries have helped put things in perspective.  I do wish, though, that I was better at learning from embarrassing moments.  To this day, I am still mortified about certain things that happened in fourth grade.  From now on, after each embarrassing moment I am going to list three things I can learn from the experience.
AMANDA


The challenges I have faced have definitely made me stronger. I struggled with growing up in a predominately Christian area, and I have now found peace as an atheist. I have faced rough relationships and have come out stronger. I hope to continue to learn from my experiences and grow after facing challenges.


xx Brie

May 5

Don't insist on proving you are right all the time.  Relax your shoulders and realize that the world does not have to share your opinion.


I had a huge problem with this when I was growing up.  I grew up in a mostly wealthy, white, conservative, Christian neighborhood.  I know, First World Problems, right?  I am not saying it was the toughest area to grow up in (problem the opposite of that) but it did get frustrating for a   eleven year old who knew that she was an vegetarian liberal atheist.  I used to get into arguments with people all the time, including teachers.  Not saying that I was necessarily right all the time, but it is very easy to beat kids in arguments when they are not informed and merely repeating what their parents say once while watching the news.  It was so annoying to constantly realize that I could back my opinions better than any student I met in that school but still be treated like I was some kind of weird heathen.  However, in high school I got better about being inwardly satisfied and brushing things off.  I even wrote an article in the school paper about my experience.  Luckily, no one really read it.
AMANDA


When I grew up, I basically had all of the same opinions as everyone else. As I got older, that started to change. I am a vegetarian liberal atheist, as well. I guess you could say that I get into arguments, but I prefer to call them discussions. I never yell at people, I simply inform them. It still annoys me when people have no idea what they are talking about, but I've gotten better at holding my tongue. 


xx Brie

May 4

What is your favorite color?  Make sure you see happy colors every day, either in your clothes or your house.


My favorite color is black ("but that is the absence of colors"; shut up!).  My friend always makes fun of me for wearing all black so I have really gotten into wearing bright spring colors.  You would be surprised by how many orange shirts I have.  I also am a fan of jewel tones and greens.  The rooms in my house kind of explode with different colors and it makes me happy to look at them.
AMANDA


I really like black, too, Amanda. I think black, white, and gray are really chic, so my bedroom is black and white with black and white photographs. I have accents of bright colors in the form of plants. During spring and summer, I wear a lot of white and light colors. Also, when I look out my bedroom window, I see beautiful flowers. 


xx Brie

May 3

Are you filling your life with food, a busy schedule, or medicine to avoid your feelings? Deal with it so you can move on!


I tend to watch a lot of television when I'm trying to avoid something. But when something is just too persistent, television can do nothing to distract me. I just had to take some time today to let myself be sad. I'm exhausted. Sometimes, I just need to let my emotions out, and I usually do that by crying. Afterwards, the problem doesn't seem as daunting anymore. Give it a try! You might be surprised at what you find out about yourself!


xx Brie


Whenever I am trying to avoid something, I usually watch movies and read.  I think talking is the best way to let out feelings.  I can always discuss an issue with my friends, my mom, or my sister.  I agree with Brie that sometimes crying actually makes the problem less worrisome because you are truly letting your emotions out.
AMANDA

May 2

Make personal fitness a top priority. Excess weight can drag your spirits down and hold you back.


I am making it my goal to be really active this summer. I'm going to have a much lighter work load, so this should be easy. I can feel a huge difference when I don't exercise. Also, when I don't exercise I get sick easily and I have much less energy. I'll keep you updated on how it goes.


xx Brie


Ugh.  Exercising.  Here is the thing.  I love being active when I am away from home.  I love to wander through cities and try different sporty activities depending on where I am.  However, I hate exercising for exercising sake.  I detest gyms, especially treadmills (growl).  That is why I am going to explore different fun activities in the region where I live this summer.  Updates will follow.
AMANDA

May 1

Realize that you are a strong woman. 


This post makes me want to sing "I Am Woman"! I always say "women can do anything", and I truly believe it. We are so much stronger than we give ourselves credit for! Don't sell yourself short. Realize and accept how powerful you are. Try saying this out loud: I am a strong, independent woman, and I can do anything I set my mind to.


xx Brie


I know a lot of very strong women that I look up to.  I also know a lot of weak women who are actually pretty great people who just can really hold their own under pressure.  Sometimes I think that we really don't realize how strong we are unless we experience a trauma.  I also believe though that that kind of sucks.  I agree with Brie that we should accept how powerful we are before trouble starts.  We will be better prepared.
AMANDA

April 30

You are surrounded by people who care about and support you. Don't be afraid to take advantage of your opportunities. 


Lately, I have really been making things happen for myself. I'm happier than I have ever been. I feel like part of my happiness is from being sure of my plans for the next few years. I have become more comfortable with asking for help, and I'm really going after what I want.


xx Brie


I too have been really going after what I want lately.  I think that once you feel like you have no control over what is happening in your life, the desperation kicks in.  I believe that you always have a choice.   I think once you realize that, you are on a better path to happiness.  At least, that is what happened with me.
AMANDA

April 29

Don't be afraid to say no.


Whether it be to a party or for a favor, some of us have a problem saying no. When I'm dealing with my friends and family, it is especially difficult for me to say no to things. I don't want to seem lazy or like I don't care. From now on, my personal happiness and comfort comes first. If I need to say no to something, I will.
 
xx Brie


Hey!  I am back from a truly amazing trip to London.  I thought I would post some pictures of my vacation since it kind of goes with the happy theme since it is my favorite place in the world.

But now I am back.  So yeah.  Anyway, I have trouble saying no to certain people because I want to be polite.  I think that saying no to things doesn't make you mean, though. I will try to implement this rule.

AMANDA