No one chooses to be uncomfortable, but more and more I am finding myself in uncomfortable positions in all aspects of life: in yoga, academically, socially, mentally, etc. Our comfort bubbles are what we are so used to being in that sometimes I feel like I need to be forced out of it. Transitioning to college was a huge uncomfortable phase and I'm sure there are more to come.
So, how do we tackle this discomfort? It could be from just an icky feeling in your gut or an overall sense of despair and fear. I still do yoga and am continuing this journey of discomfort in all of the poses I do and have done for the past five years. Today, my instructor taught us about embracing our fears—embracing this discomfort we are feeling and to let it go. Mind over matter.
I already know that this year and the upcoming school year will be very crucial times for me to get focused on my future. However, I'm taking up big leadership roles with a couple groups I'm in like Her Campus DePaul and PRSSA. I will be the president of Her Campus next year, and while I am very excited to be leading this amazing group of female writers, I'm already apprehensive about how much work I will be stressing over.
Sometimes the biggest things we want cause the most discomfort, more than you know. I guess worrying about it now doesn't do any good, but I'm always thinking a year ahead of everybody else. My life would be so much easier if I didn't care too much about things, so I brought this topic up because I'm sure I'm not alone.
It could also be my Leo/Virgo personality taking over, but I really think there has to be a time when we all just get comfortable being uncomfortable in all types of situations. I'll be going to Europe in a month (OMG) and literally have no idea what to expect. I know it will be great and I know I'm in a great group of people, but there are still a lot of things I don't know about where I'm headed.
In times like these, I think it's best to take a step back and just appreciate everything that's coming your way—good or bad. There's always a lesson to be learned and room to grow. Maybe you're headed to an interview, audition, getting a promotion, traveling, taking an exam, whatever it may be! I know that I got through it, so you can too. Enjoy it while it's good.
Recently I made a little hair change, one that was very needed. No, I did not chop it all off, but it's that time of year when things change and I needed a refreshed look. I got highlights last year and it kind of faded out into a muted brown color that just didn't do my natural hair justice.
My good high school friend, Natalie Grollo, knows her stuff! She has magical styling skills and I would highly recommend her to everyone looking for a freshen up or even a brand new do.
Sometimes change is good, even if it's just changing something about your look. I wasn't totally for sure about what I wanted to do to it, I just knew I needed something that looked like my natural hair, but better.
I feel like I'm going to get addicted to getting my hair done because the result is just unbelievable. Also, I just love sitting in the chair and chatting with the stylist, it's very therapeutic. We decided on a honey blonde balayage for my hair and I am beyond pleased. I didn't want to lose the length or add layers, but Natalie really achieved the color I was hoping for.
At the end of my visit, she recommended me a couple products that she used in my hair. I'll be honest, I'm not too keen on using a ton of products in my hair and I usually don't style it on the daily, but she suggested I used color locking shampoos and conditioners without parabens or harsh chemicals. Of course, I was interested because I want to maintain this hair color for as long as I can. Drugstore products, while tried and true, don't always cut it.
She advised me to use a small amount of the Amika Vault Color-Lock shampoo and conditioner to ensure that my color stays put for a few months and not to wash my hair as often as I normally do, which is sometimes every day after I work out. Not only does this shampoo and conditioner smell so floral and fresh, but it is also made with soybean oil, to protect the color from fading and stay vibrant. It also is made with an amino acid blend that strengthens my hair shaft and roots and boosts its overall health.
I am the queen of texture, so this Amika Un.Done Volume and Matte Texture Spray had to be added to my basket. When I do feel like adding an extra oomph to my hair, texture sprays are my best friend. Rather than just sticking my head with a stronghold hairspray, this gives it flexibility and added playfulness.
Doing your hair can be as simple as a clean new cut or as drastic as a totally new color. Whatever it is, I think everyone deserves to change it up a little and reinvent their look this season. It's a nice way to get back on your feet and work it.
It's rare for me to talk about my relationship status, but over the course of a few months I have experienced through close friends and family the hardships of broken relationships and people left feeling empty and hopeless—something I have really yet to experience and hope not to. There's so much pressure on young people to be dating and out and about finding a man or woman to have on your arm. What even is dating anymore? Swiping right?
I've had my fair share of Tinder experiences and dates, this probably won't be the end of it, but it has really made me reconsider the reasons we date and find people to be with nowadays. High school was never an option for me to date. I personally just didn't have much interest in dating and then breaking up before we graduated. "People just date to break up," was my impression of it all. It was just so taboo to me because people would just fake be together to "be together".
Now that I'm in my second year of college, I've got to wondering about how my parent's generation just happened to meet their soulmates in college, because frankly, I haven't found any contenders. Times have changed and I think expectations are way higher, now that we can customize our dating preferences online and immediately swipe away the duds. How have we become fixated on finding this "perfect one," when we're all too fixated on making ourselves appear to be the "perfect one" online?
These past two years in college have opened my eyes to what I really want moving forward, socially and career-wise. I've begun to embrace my autonomy and have become more inspired because of it. I've been producing creative work that I believe in—doing that is hard when you have to worry about your significant other. There have been so many instances that I've noticed people being hindered and cut off from fully being their monarch butterfly selves just because they were afraid of releasing from that bond (or crysallis if we're staying on the topic of butterflies) for a moment to do something they themselves wanted to do.
Knowing that I have the freedom to do whatever the hell I want during this period of my life has not only strengthened my mental wellbeing but the way I approach challenges and also when I do meet new people, I'm confident in myself. I don't have anyone to report to or prove it to, but me. Of course, I would be open to relationships and all the joys that come with it—I'm not anti-dating. Finding myself now, during college, has lead me to reflect on who I want to become and who I would consider letting into my life.
There also comes a point in time where I think every middle-aged person feels like they're forced to marry or settle with the first person they see. What a terrible way to connect with someone! Wouldn't you think? I mean obviously that's not entirely the case unless you're on 90 Day Fiance, then I guess you don't have much of a choice. I want my 20s to be a fun exploration of people and relationships, but I also want to remind myself that I don't need anyone to fulfill some social need or standard; that we're all just supposed to have dated a lot of people by the time we're thirty.
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