My Proudest Moment

One year ago yesterday I did something I never thought I would do, ever. 

My proudest moment was when I ran my first half-marathon. This was such an awesome experience for me, because I set my mind to something and worked everyday to reach my goal. Also I got to run it with my dad, which makes so incredibly happy. His mindset was if I could do it so could he. Running was not my thing. I did not like it. With time I began to look forward to my daily workouts. I learned to respect to running, even when I wanted to give up. 

Running this with my dad is one of the best things I’ve done with my life. Even when we didn’t speak, we were cheering each other along. We were able to push each other to be better. I am not going to lie there were days where he kicked my butt! Thank you dad for doing this with me, I love you!

On August 29th, 2014 we did it. We ran 13.1 miles up a freaking mountain(remind me to never do that again). We started it together and we finished it together. 

After that I know that I can do anything if I set my mind to it. 

xoxo,

       MK

How to be a Morning Person

With school starting soon I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks for having a better morning. Doing these things puts me in the right mind set to take on the day!

Drink Coffee
- Yeah, yeah don't do that. Caffeine isn't good for you, but hey, you are trying to be a morning person and nothing is going to wake you up faster than a quick cup of coffee. Honestly I don't feel like myself without my coffee in the morning...(cough cough...addict...)

Establish a Routine
- I cannot stress this enough. It will make it a thousand times easier to get up at 7 am if you always get up at 7 am. You need a sleep routine so your body knows when to go to sleep and when to get back up, but it goes farther than that. Create a before bed routine as well. This will allow your body to know when it is settling down for the night. Use your favorite face wash, put on some comfy pajamas, and read a good book. Just let your body wind down.

Have a Good Breakfast
- This will give you something to look forward to each day. I am ten times more likely to be happy when I am about to eat good food. Even if you have to make it the night before to save time in the morning, it is worth it. So whether its a smoothie or oatmeal, eat a yummy breakfast. Seriously though just looking at this smoothie bowl makes me want it to be breakfast already.

Pick Out Your Clothes the Night Before
- This will  your morning so much it isn't even funny. I have late too many time to count because I couldn't decide what to wear or I decided I hated everything in my closet. Having your clothes picked out will allow you to relax and let you look forward to putting on your cute clothes in the morning.

Go Outside
- The fresh air and sunshine does wonders for your sleepy eyes. Luckily for me Maci makes sure that I go outside as soon as I wake up every morning, but even if you don't have a dog just go outside and look around, be thankful.

Exercise or Stretch
- I know this is not realistic for everyone and certainly not every morning, but getting your blood pumping is such a wonderful way to wake up. The endorphins make me happier and I feel as if I can think clearer afterwards. So even if it is just for 5 minutes, do it.

Make Your Bed
- I feel like such a hypocrite typing this. I never, never make my bed, but I am working on it. If you make your bed you are less tempted to climb back for "just 5 more minutes." The real kicker for me is you feel so much more important at night getting into a made bed then an unmade bed. Its awesome for self-esteem.

Plan Your Day
- When you wake make a To- Do list or write down all the things you have to do that day. For me knowing everything I have to get done that day relaxes me, it makes me feel more in control of my day. This will also keep you more organized.

Don't Snooze
- For me this is a daily battle, sleepy mind vs. real me. Very day the I win I feel so much better about myself. This is a mental game every time you press snooze your trick your mind into thinking you are really going back to sleep which makes you even more groggy when you actually have to get up in ten minutes. So get up the first time.

Choose Music over Tv and Social Media
- This gets your mind in the right mind set. When you look at social media earlier in the morning you immediately are comparing yourself to others and are thinking enviously, but when you listen to music you give your self time jam out and be yourself before facing the real world.

xoxo,
        MK

My List

I believe everyone has a list– a list of things they want to do in their lives. I also believe most people will not even do half of the things on their lists. So this is my (current) list. It will change with time, but the point is that I want to document all of these things as I do them as a way to help me keep a record of my goals in life. Life is about living...like really living.

Travel Aboard

Go on a Mission Trip 

Get a Tattoo

Go Backpacking

Make Money Blogging

Have 100 Followers

Get Married

Run Another Half Marathon

Go Scuba Diving

Go Rock Climbing

Go to Europe

Publish a Book

Sleep Under the Stars

Drive Coast to Coast

Go to a Murder Mystery Dinner

Start a Blog (February 2015, here) 

Pay a Strangers Bill

Take a Photo Every Day for a Year

Visit all 50 States

Get Fit, Stay Fit

Complete my Random Acts of Kindness List

Be a Vegan for Two Weeks 

Get 100,000 Page Views on my Blog

Dye my Hair Blonde

Be Brave ( here, here) 

Let go of a floating lantern

See the Northern Lights

Read 5 Books in One Month

Be a Mom

Have a Yes Day 

Adopt a Puppy (Maci, February 2015)

xoxo,
         MK

In My Skin

Sometimes being in your own skin is difficult and hard to talk about. For many years I blocked thinking about myself. I for one hand have had a very hard time being in my own skin. I have battled with anxiety. I have been through highs and lows, tears and laughter. I have been through therapy and long talks with friends and family. There have been times when I thought I didn't even matter if was alive (fyi this is not true everyone matters).

I am brave, strong, happy, and at peace with myself. 

Personally I believe you can always be a better version of you. My mile can be faster. I can be on time more. I can be nicer. I can be better, but I will never be perfect. Pushing yourself can be a good thing, without pressure I don’t think you can reach your maximum potential. There is a limit though when the pressure you or others are putting on you has a negative effect on you, it is too much. 

I struggle with never wanting to let anyone down and spending myself too thin to avoid upsetting anyone. I don’t enough time with myself. I used to ignore my emotions (I’m getting better) because I though it was selfish to put myself first. That is not true, to be your best self for others, you have to put yourself first sometimes.

Life should be about happiness and being comfortable in your own skin. You have the ability to do whatever you want. I have the ability to do whatever I want. what do you want to do? Find what makes you happy in life. Find who make you happy in life. There is no need to compare yourself to others. Life has enough pressure why put more on yourself. 

We all feel pressure to be prefect. Sometimes we feel like we are never enough. I feel like that a lot. Then I remind myself I am brave, strong, happy, and at peace with myself. We are already perfectly ourselves. And that is enough. You are enough. 

xoxo,
         MK

Health and Happiness Inspiration, from Pinterest

Drink tea before bed
     - make sure it has no caffeine, this will help calm you 

Exercise most days
     - no one is perfect and we all know how busy we are, but do your best I promise it will make you          feel better. The earlier in the day you work out the better you will sleep at night.

Get 7 hrs of sleep each night
     - again no one is perfect but try

Keep your room cooler at night
     - sleep in shorts. Sleeping in a hot room or warm clothes makes you restless at night

Wake up around the same time every day
     - I know 7 am on Saturday doesn't sound great, but your body likes a routine and will lead to you          having way more energy

Go outside
     - just sit enjoy the sun, vitamin D is good for you and so is some fresh air

Meditate 
     - you told have to be good at it, just try to think about yourself and your feelings, or try the                  headspace app

Be grateful
     - when you think about the good things in your life you are happier

Spread joy
     - do good, feel good, feel good, do good

Let go
     - go with the flow, things will work themselves out

Eat better
     - the better you eat, the better feel, the better you feel, the happier you are

Have deep conversations
     - this gives you purpose and allows you to be meaningful

Create a bed time routine
     - this will let your body know when to start calming down and prepare for sleep

xoxo,
     MK

Fill the Freezer

 

I want start off by saying people are simply amazing. Over the past several months my family has been through some really tough times. My dad unemployed, my mom working multiple jobs, just scrapping by. But this story isn't about our rough patch, it's about wonderful, loving people. 

My parents friends held a Fill the Freezer party for us, every one who was invited brings a frozen dish or gift card to go to eat. It is so simple but so powerful. We filled two freezers with food! People bought us groceries and gift cards. They wanted to make sure that food was the last thing that we were worrying about. I grew up in a family where doing for others is just a part of daily life, but having people do such a caring, simple act for my family was eye opening. People are amazing. There were so many people there to give hugs and remind us that no matter how hard times get we are still loved. They showered us with encouragement and love. There never a way to thank friends enough. People go beyond expectations, even in the broken world that will live in there is still so many good people and so much hope. Thank you every one, thank you! 

If you know anyone that could need extra support, throw them a Fill the Freezer party. It's an easy way to spread love. And living to help others is the best way to live. 

xoxo,

       MK

If you were not afraid...

todays blog post is inspired by Ellie and Jared vloggers on Youtube. one year ago they decide to not be afraid and started doing daily vlogs. as i was watching their one year vlog i started to think about myself. what would i do if i wasn't afraid? would i jump out of an airplane? would i gave this blog my all? would i swim with sharks? would i dress differently? would i act differently?

sometimes i feel as through a lion is about to attack me just by walking out of my house. the world is a scary place. my body freaks out and i fear even being myself. but if i was not afraid i was share my blog with everyone i know. here i am recording my life and sharing it on the internet but my mom doesn't even know my blog exist. if i was not afraid i would give my all to this blog. i would make a schedule and stick to it. i would take classes to improve my blogging. if i was not afraid i would dance like no one was watching. if i was not afraid i would wear nice clothes, not baggy t-shirts. if i was not afraid i would be myself all the time. if i was not afraid i would speak up when i had an idea. if i was not afraid i would choose make myself happy. if i was not afraid i would not be silent. if i was not afraid i would be adventurous. i would climb to the highest mountain I could find. i would go swimming in th cold.

so i am here to say i'm going to try and not be afraid. because lets just be honest there is always going to be people you think you are not enough. but being you is enough! Ellie and Jared are a wonderful example of the great things that can happen when you stop being afraid. thank you both for the inspiration.

"i have an ambition to live 300 years. i will not live 300 years. maybe i will live one year more. but i have the ambition. why you will not have ambition? why? have the greatest ambition possible. you want to be immortal? fight to be immortal. do it. you want to make the most fantastic art or movie? try. if you fail, is not important. we need to try." - Alejandro Jodorowsky

so lets be brave.

 what would you do if you were not afraid?

xoxo,
       MK

Challenging Myself

Recently I've been trying to be a happier person. I have a very bad habit of not making time for myself; it has cause me a lot of grief and anxiety. So I decide to make a change by challenging myself. I have signed up for four challenges, for the next three months. 

100 Happy Days

100 happy days is where to post a picture to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or email it (for those who aren't the biggest fans of social media, like myself). Most people cannot complete this challenge do to "lack of time". If you want to check it out visit 100happydays.com

Happy Acts

Happy acts is another social media challenge, this abou posting as many as kind acts as you can leading up until international happiness day (March 20). With this challenge if you sign up before March 20th they will donate a dollar to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. You can check this out at happyacts.org. 

30 Day Yoga Challenge

This can be found on YouTube and is done by doyouyoga.com. I am using this challenge to relax and get in touch with myself. 

Half Marathon Training

I ran my first half marathon in August and it was one of the happiest day of my life. I had never been so proud of myself. I set my mind to something and followed through. During the winter months my running has slowed down (okay, completely stopped), but I am ready to get back out there and will be starting my training soon.

xoxo,

        MK
 

 

Things I know about MK, from Haley and Ashley

Tonight the girls took my surface for a few hours and when they came back they had both typed up a "Review" of me. This was so sweet because when you feel lost with yourself and your not really sure where to go it's nice to such an honest opinion from some very sweet kids. Kids have a way of asking nothing but the truth, thanks girls for showing me who I am.

These notes were also a bit of a wake up call for me. I spend so much time with these girls sometimes I forget they are sponges absorbing everything I say and do. I love these girls with all my heart and feel so lucky to lead them as they grow up.

Mary Kate , also known as MK. MK is a very nice, caring, and sweet girl. She is very caring and loving. She baby-sits and works for a family. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Some of her hobbies include, reading, playing with her puppy Maci and watching movies.  By Haley
 

Things I know about mk from Ashley

Mary kate leopard is a very interesting girl. She is also very caring and so sweet. Mary kate got straight As every year. but she has her ups and downs. And she past all her SATs. But is I could describe marykate in two  words they would be creative and loving. So let me tell you when WHAT MARY KATE likes. Mary kate likes the way her mom cooks and she loves her new puppy maci. Now let me tell u her favorite food and pizza whoops her favorite food PIZZA!!!!!    

THINGS MK DOES

  ·       EAT ICE CREAM 

  ·       PLAYS WITH DOGS
  ·       TALKS A LOT  

NOW THINGS SHE HATES

 ·       MESSY ROOM

 ·       MEAN PEOPLE
 ·       HOMEWORK

xoxo,
        MK

Monday Motivation

Romper: Forever 21 Shoes: K-Mart Necklace: Forever 21 Sunglasses: Raybans

The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me. –Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand is one of my favorite authors. Her books are moving and she is inspiring. In a time when writing was a man’s world she had the courage to put herself out there.

Each Monday (hopefully) I want to share a happy quote and cute outfit, because everyone knows Mondays are the grossest days of the week and we could all use a pick me up.  The outfit is there because even though you feel like you should be wearing sweat pants it’s easier to face the week with a little bit of confidence.

xoxo,

MK