I did it! I caught up with this challenge. Do you want to make predictions on how quickly I fall behind? I don’t even want to think about that!
Week eight in The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal is a list of your favorite quotes. So, for the sake of this post, and being exhausted, I’m going to be doing my top ten favorite quotes right now.
“Write about hard and clear of what hurts.” – Ernest Hemingway
“Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence.” – Unknown.
“Confidence is not ‘They will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.” – Unknown
“It’s time to start being the person you want to be, not the person you think everyone else wants you to be.” – Molly Ho Stuido
“If you’re not excited about it, it’s not the right path.” – Abraham Hicks
“Make happiness a priority and be gentle with yourself in the process.” – Bronnie Ware
“When you can tell your story and it doesn’t make you cry, that’s when you know you’ve healed.” – Unknown.
“Learn the difference between your tuition guiding you and your trauma misleading you.” – Homebody Club
“Motherhood is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had… and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.” – Linda Wooten
It is so important to take the time, in this hectic world, to think about good things. That’s why I love getting creative and doing these sorts of things. I’m a pretty pessimistic person; so trying to teach myself to rewire my brain has been serving to be a challenge.
But, I’m trying my best.
So, I’m going to keep up on these sorts of things; doing some writing prompts, and making an effort to express my creative side. Without further ado – here is my list for week seven of The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal.
List all of the people who brighten your day.
Everly
Aubri
Nathan
Arlo (even though he’s a cat)
My parents
Any strangers who smile or strike up a good conversation.
My friends who can reach out.
My readers.
The welcoming side of the blogging community.
Do you want to participate? Tell the story of the last person who brightened your day. 👇
I’m addicted to anything that can boost myself. That’s why I love these (guided) journals that encourages creativity, personal growth, or making lists! Which is probably a good thing because I have been doing a lot of them!
This is what week six of The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal is!
List the ways you love to have fun.
Writing a journal entry.
Creating a new blog post.
Losing myself in planning.
Being creative.
Playing video games with my family.
Getting too involved with my Sims.
Reading or watching something inspirational.
Doing a craft with my four-year-old.
Talking to my husband.
Making my baby laugh.
Going swimming.
Listening to music.
Watching a movie.
Going to a theme park.
Having ANY day trip.
The “take action” of this one is just talking about planning on making more time for them. Which is a fantastic idea but I have been doing a good job at doing that.
This is where I managed to get the last time I was working in this journal, but none of it was the same as anything you see now; which is crazy to see just how much changes in a few years . I know that I keep busting these out but I really want to catch up and keep up with doing this! As I said, my journals have been pretty neglected!
In this post I’m going to be doing week five in The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal.
List what you would like your life to look like in ten years.
Still happily married.
Maybe one more baby.
Be in our own house.
Both working from home.
Have tried a new lifestyle.
Have less clutter, or eliminate all together.
Being a full-time blogger.
Have checked ten things off my bucket list.
Given back to my parents with a vacation.
Homeschooling my kids.
No more regret.
Feeling proud of who I am .
It’s brief but it’s true!
TAKE ACTION: What are some small steps you can make now to make one of your dreams happen in the future?
I think that a lot of this is based off of simple things, but get better with managing money, healing myself, and developing better communication skills.
What does your life look like in ten years? 👇👇
We are halfway to catching up to where I’m supposed to be with this challenge and I’d be lying if I said that it’s bothering me; it’s actually been fun!
We are back in this blog post with the fourth week of The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal.
List the soundtrack to your life
Perfect by Simple Plan
My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Hate Me by Blue October
Lose You To Love Me by Selena Gomez
Glad He’s Gone by Tove Lo
I Won’t Give Up by Jason Mraz
In My Daughter’s Eyes by Martina McBride
Moral of the Story by Ashe
I Think I’m Okay by Machine Gun Kelley
Love Can Be Chosen by Avia Butler
929 by Halsey
Remember This by NF
To me, the perfect album has 12 songs! I even organized them in an order that tells my story. Enjoy!
TAKE ACTION: Make a playlist of these songs as a memento of the person you are at this very moment. Revisit this list.
I created a Spotify playlist where you can listen to the 12 songs I feel describes my life story (so far) the best! Maybe I’ll share a story, diving into each at another time!
Thanks for reading.
What are some songs that you would include in your soundtrack? Let me know! 👇
Back again for the second week of this journey. I’m a sucker for lists and always will be. I was so excited to get my hands on The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal; and it has been living on my bookshelf ever since.
I actually attempted doing this back in 2017, which is crazy! I’m really glad that I’m forcing myself to get started because I will keep making excuses; I don’t want to live that way anymore.
Anyway,
Here is week two of the 52 Lists Project!
List your favorite characters from books, movies, etc.
Hmm. If I’m being honest, I don’t know how to answer this one. Most of the content that I surround myself with are inspirational or realistic. Most of my shows and movies are watched with my husband, so, I haven’t really cared to sit to watch an actual thing besides a couple here and there.
I’ll have to really scratch my brain for this one.
Okay, here we go!
TV SHOWS
Jack Pearson from This Is Us Beth Pearson from This Is Us Garrett from Superstore Dina from Superstore Bay Kennish from Switched At Birth Emmett Bledsoe from Switched At Birth Belle from Once Upon A Time Killian Jones from Once Upon A Time Jessica Day from New Girl Nick Miller from New Girl Winston Schmidt from New Girl Cece from New Girl Winston Bishop from New Girl Bob Belcher from Bob’s Burgers Linda Belcher from Bob’s Burgers Louise Belcher from Bob’s Burgers Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl Lara Jean Covey from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before Peter Kavinsky (Movie Version) from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
MOVIES
Wilbur Robinson from Meet The Robinsons Westley from The Princess Bride Belle from Once Upon A Time Killian Jones from Once Upon A Time Eunice from She’s The Man The entire Von Trapp family from The Sound of Music Hallie & Nick Parker and Annie & Elizabeth James from The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version) Chessy & Martin from The Parent Trap Ellison Oswalt from Sinister Danny Zuko from Grease Sandy Olsson from Grease Gerry from P.S I Love You Erin Gruwell from Freedom Writers
BOOKS
John Ambrose McClaren (Book Version) from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han Carl Donovan from Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith Alex Sawyer from Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith Zee Hatcher from Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith Simon Rojo-Flores from Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith Alfred Furnace from Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith Rosemary Hathaway from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead Christian Ozera from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead Vasilisa Dragomir from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead Isabella Swan from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Edward, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Alice, and Renesmee Cullen from Twilight by Stephnie Meyer Rosalie and Jasper Hale from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Honestly, I’m going to stop there or I will be here ALL night!
That’s crazy how much I remembered while writing this and I’m SURE there are a million more. Ones that I know I will be upset with leaving out. Whew, I’m tired!
TAKE ACTION
Find a common personality trait between your favorite characters. What is one favorite character trait that you admire in your favorite characters that you can work towards this week?
They definitely are all protective of the ones they love AND/OR they’re super funny. I can work towards that by making my loved ones laugh and figure out how I can best protect them.
That one was so long!
I’m really proud that I did it because, well, I almost gave up on this one.
What about you? Talk about it in the comments 👇 on some of your favorites, what they have in common, and how you can work towards that trait that you admire so much.
I have been neglecting myself for a long time and I finally get a chance to play around with my book series by Moorea Seal, starting with The 52 Lists Project. I know we are already in the eighth week of 2020, so, I’m going to try to get a bunch of these out!
I’m not sure if I’m going to be doing just this book for the year or do my others, as well. Hmm.
Well, here’s week one!
Lists your goals and dreams for the year
Have five dates with Nathan.
Become a mother who doesn’t yell.
Get off of state assistance.
Get over 100 blog views in a day! (I have gotten close)
Write an updated bucket list.
Launch my new blog.
Improve my photography
Get back into YouTube
Do at least 10 challenges.
Finish Generation 1 of The Sims 4: Parentcy Challenge
Declutter at least 100 items.
Pay off my “normal” debt. (medical & credit card)
Dye my hair a bright color.
Buy new glasses.
Purge old and create a new wardrobe.
Heal from my past.
Unplug completely for one week per month.
Become comfortable with who I really am & no more holding back.
Mend my marriage. (Have a serious talk about our future)
Actually use my planner (improve self-care!)
TAKE ACTION:
What is the first step toward achieving your biggest goal? Pick one thing you can do this week to get started.
Hmm. I honestly can’t figure out which one is my biggest goal! I don’t know if this means which one will take the most work or the one that I feel the most attached to.
All of these goals and dreams are equally important and challenging. But, I’m going to go with become a mother who doesn’t yell.
I dreamed that I would be a gentle mother and, I’m just not at all times. I find that when I’m stressed or angry, I turn into a mother that I’m ashamed of being. This year, I don’t want to let my anxiety get back into my life and impact my parenting. My daughters are absolutely amazing and beautiful and we all deserve a strong, happy relationship because I REFUSE to be a mother who my kids have to recover from.
So, the first step of many is going to start this week – and continue into every future week, and it’s going to be finding a way to manage my stress better, coming down to my four-year-old’s level to talk to her instead of shouting into the other room, and doing more with them.
It’ll be okay!
Thanks for reading and have a good day.
What are your goals and dreams for the year? How can you have a step closer this week? Write it in the comments below. 👇
It took me so much longer than it should have to realize that I deserve to love myself. More often than not, we’re told that other people’s needs and desires must come before our own. If we don’t live this way, we’re criticized and deemed to be “selfish” or “rude”. If we have friends or partners that we put on the side to care for ourselves we’re “toxic” or “fake” and when we are parents, you’re seen as an “unfit” parent for focusing on things that make you happy for a moment.
Whenever I’m asked to pick something out for myself; my go-to is either a notebook or a guided journal. I love self-help books and anything that allows me a space where I can grow.
When you hear about self-care, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Mine was usually a bubble bath with candles, snacks, and a book. But there are SO many different ways that you can practice self-care and the best part? You can pick and choose what YOU love.
Here is a brainstorm on how I would practice self-care in these particular categories! If you find this list helpful, please let me know! If you would add anything (I’m always open to more ideas to try) then leave it in the comments section! 👇
For sure, many of these could fall under multiple categories!
Emotional
Emotional self-care is just what it sounds like, self-care that pertains to your feelings and taking time to explore your emotions.
Write a journal entry.
“Braindump” on your blog, in your planner, or on paper.
Open up about how you’re feeling.
Allow yourself to explore your current feelings.
Teach yourself to acknowledge how you feel, name it, and let it go.
Arrange an appointment with a professional.
Mental
These are activities that stimulate your brain. As a Gemini, I not only love but need to be interested and use my mind to do anything. Here’s the problem for me, I need to enjoy it. So, math problems are OUT!
Do a WordSearch Puzzle
Put together a pretty jigsaw puzzle.
Watch a movie.
Read a book.
Work in a guided journal/workbook.
Color something beautiful.
Draw.
Use your planner.
Play video games
Watch inspirational content.
Learn something new.
Listen to music.
Physical
The best part about this category is it’s the obvious section of self-care and one that you probably do every day. These are self-care activities that take care of your body.
Do a yoga routine.
Have a snack..
Treat yourself to food you have been craving.
Drink water.
Go outside and get some sunshine.
Go for a walk.
Do a physical stimulating activity (such as swimming)
Take a shower/bath
Practical
These are your everyday tasks that you want or need to do. They can range from cleaning to “adulting” duties.
Personally, being social isn’t that important to me as being social drains my energy quickly. Whether this is due to my social anxiety, or I just get too overwhelmed, I can see how being social is a way to practice self-care. So, this is perfect to form relationships or strengthen your existing bonds with friends, family, and your other loved ones.
Call a loved one.
Follow new people on social media.
Text a friend.
Have a date-night.
Visit your parents
Organize a get-together.
Spiritual
The last cateogry is spiritual and this one is definitely going to look different to everyone, depending on what you believe in. I have a blog post about the Universe and how I practice my spirituality.
Check horoscope
Do a Tarot card reading.
Meditate.
Sit in nature.
Try a spell.
Purchase crystals.
Learn something new about astrology or “witchy-ness”
As you can see, there are SO MANY different ways to practice self-care. The important thing is to remember that self-care is not only okay to do, but a necessity!
So, take some time to love and care for YOURSELF. Schedule it in your planner, set a timer on your phone, give yourself permission to take care of your relationship with yourself. Your list will appear different and that’s okay – the purpose is to do something that makes you happy!
Also, Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m personally celebrating with blog work, video chatting with my husband, and watching the second film in the To All The Boys I Loved Before trilogy!
If I can give one piece of advice on love, it’s to NEVER stop dating. Dating your partner is more than just getting to know each other (which, by the way, you can always learn something new about your partner) but a time where you focus on your relationship and really show love and appreciation for your other half.
I have been with my husband for six years now and we have been married for almost three years. I find that whenever we haven’t had 1-on-1 time in awhile, we get frustrated with each other. Especially being parents to two beautiful little girls, our relationship goes on the back-burner a lot.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my plans on my blog with 26 date ideas that could work for any budget (I have a lot of free ideas) and have both indoor and outdoor dates – you’re sure to find something you love but I urge you to try something new!
I have been wanting to do an A-Z date challenge with my husband for a long time, so when he comes back home, we are going to get started and I will share updates whenever we complete one!
Without further ado – here are 26 date ideas – the A-Z Date Challenge.
A is for… Arcade!
One of our favorite dates is to bring about $20 to an arcade and try our luck at the games. We have done this on a few occasions, including on our honeymoon, and it was so much fun to play together and have some friendly competition. We loved being able to purchase our daughter some prizes with our tickets that we won. Our personal favorite game at the arcade is Space Invaders!
B is for… Bowling!
I’ll be honest and say that I hate bowling. I get crippling anxiety because I have this intense need to be perfect at everything I do, and I get embarrassed if I’m not, especially in public. My husband and I brought our daughter to a local bowling alley for a short time (it was closing soon) and I was so embarrassed that I got angry with him. However, it would be nice to head to an alley and be able to laugh with each other.
C is for… Camping!
We LOVE camping in our house! We went camping for the first time a couple of summers ago and it was the best experience! I absolutely love being in the outdoors, having some food on the fire, going swimming, and sitting together while unplugging from the outside world. The last time we went, once our daughter was asleep in the tent, we laid down by the fire and stared up into the night sky. We talked and it was a start of shifting in our relationship. We are already planning on going camping for this year’s family vacation!
Camping can be whatever you’re comfortable with. As much fun as the tent was, I felt really anxious and vulnerable – this year we are going to try cabin camping instead. One thing is for certain – no electronics! Take this time to connect with each other without a phone buzzing and really enjoy nature together.
D is for… Drive-In!
There aren’t too many of these left but I love going to the drive-in to watch a movie. I like being able to have popcorn but have control over volume and not really hearing other people. I love packing the car with delicious snacks, bringing a blanket, wearing my pajamas, and watching whatever movie we want to see.
Of course, you can go to the local cinema to watch a movie in theaters, rent a movie to bring home, or even go see a show!
E is for… Escape Room!
I have never done one of these but they look like SO much fun! We love doing activities where we work together to achieve something; so, an escape room sounds like it’s RIGHT up our alley.
F is for… Food Date!
Orange Lake Resort
Whether it’s breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert – at the restaurant or at home – getting food is one of the most common dates out there. One thing that I would love to try someday is a “restaurant hop” where you get your appetizer in one spot, entree the next, and dessert at the last stop. Food is a way into realizing what you like to eat, try new things, and you can see how caring your partner is by how they interact with other people.
I personally love getting takeout, fast food, or sitting down at a buffet or Italian restaurant. Our favorite places are Denny’s, Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, and getting Chinese food.
G is for… Game Night!
Be it a card, board, or video game… having a game night for a date can be a lot of fun. We love playing Rummy (card), board games, and definitely some video games, too. Maybe I will write a blog post on the best video games to play with other people, too!
So, head to the store to pick up a deck of card, board games of your choice, or grab the controllers to sit and play a game together. They boost cooperation skills, communication, and even some competition with your partner.
H is for… Hiking!
SMCC
This is one of those things that my husband has been wanting to do with me for a bit now. I’m not really an active person, so, I have been hesitant on this one. Still, this will be the perfect date to choose someplace, get on proper shoe wear, and head up a mountain. I will definitely have to pick a place where it has an absolutely beautiful view. I’m actually excited but already tired for this idea!
I is for… Ice Cream!
Going out for ice cream is the perfect date for the summer months! There are so many fun flavors to try! Another good idea is to go to one of those frozen yogurt spots and choose for your partner on what flavor and toppings.
J is for… Jumping!
A place that we have always wanted to go is to one of those trampoline parks! Our baby is really little so we won’t be able to get anything out of it at her current age as a family, but maybe we can do a day-trip instead! There are so many fun activities to try and it would be cool to be able to do this together.
Grab your partner and look for trampoline park near you! Don’t have one? Find something active and fun!
K is for… Karaoke!
One of my favorite things that we do together is sing duets in our car. We both suffer from anxiety so I don’t know how we would do about going to a karaoke bar to sing in public, but definitely wouldn’t hurt to sing together; maybe we can play Sing star, rent a karaoke machine, or, if we are feeling brave, sing on open mic night!
Choose a method, find a song, and be silly with your partner by singing your favorite songs together.
L is for… Laser Tag!
If you haven’t been able to tell from this list, I love dates that get you in tuned with my childlike moments. Laser tag is a lot of fun but I’d love to find a massive place where we can play laser tag!
I personally hate this theory that you can’t have fun doing things like this together. Get suited up, grab a tagger(?) and step into the darkness to come out with the most points!
M is for… Mini-Golf!
I LOVE mini-golfing but I’m SO bad at it. It was actually my dream date for the longest time and my husband brought me a few years ago. Again, I hate feeling embarrassed so when I miss the shot way more than the six times, I get frustrated. Still, I love going mini-golfing and highly recommend giving it a go!
N is for… Nature!
This one is so vague for a reason… nature isn’t supposed to be difficult to get into enjoying! One of the best things you can do for your relationship (and health) is to go for a walk in nature. I love being able to walk around the block, hand in hand, and talk about our lives.
So, choose a location and go for a walk, or, sit down under a tree, enjoy the beach, do whatever you feel the happiest in the sunlight, or whatever weather it is.
O is for… Ocean!
Martha’s Vineyard
I”ll be honest and say that I much rather spend the day at the beach so this could be whatever you want. Grab beach chairs and enjoy the beach or ocean! If you go to the ocean, you can look for crabs, or sea glass, or you can sit on towels and talk. We fell in love by the ocean so it’s got a (salty) space in my heart. So, grab your partner and head to the beach!
If it’s too cold right now (I live in Maine, we have snow right now) then head to an indoor pool! You can get some swimming in and have a cozy night in the hotel room.
P is for… Picnic!
There are classic dates for a reason! Picnics are so much fun and really easy to do. I love bringing some cold sandwiches, salads, and curling up on a blanket with my love. I would LOVE to have an actual basket and bring traditional picnic foods, too! Perhaps even a bottle of wine?
If you’re not up for picnics, try looking at other classic dates for inspiration. There’s nothing like having some quiet time with your other half, no matter what stage in your relationship you’re in.
Q is for… Quiz!
This one is really good for those of you who want to get to know your partner (or have a strong relationship in the first place) and it’s a quiz on how well you know them. Just go online and search “quizzes for couples” and choose one that you feel comfortable doing. I personally will be doing this one. Are you up for seeing who knows the other more?
Maybe you can throw in a prize for the winner. Such as the winner gets to decide where you’re going for dinner. The winner gets to pick the next movie you rent. The winner gets ____ whatever it is.
Just try not to get too emotional if they know a little less than you thought you did, I know it’s easier said than done, but sometimes
R is for… Reminiscing
Take a walk down memory lane with this easy and FREE date idea. I love being able to talk about memories with my loved ones and romantic relationships are no exception! Take an hour and sit with your partner and reminisce about your GOOD memories together. Keep it positive and enjoy remembering the reasons why you fell in love (or what first attracted you to each other), this is a perfect date; especially when you’re sentimental person.
S is for… Stargazing!
Stargazing is one of those simple but beautiful dates. On a beautiful night, head outside and look up at the sky. Maybe you can discover something amazing (we swear we saw a UFO one time), and you can name the constellations! Stargazing is amazing and FREE!
T is for… Theme Park!
Disney World Animal Kingdom
Theme parks are SO much fun! I’ll be honest and say that my husband and I have different ride styles, he is a thrill junkie and I’m terrified of them. It’s definitely one of those fears that I want to face and get super comfortable with it. You can save up to go to an expensive theme park (our favorite is Universal in Florida) or the one that is closest to you.
You can spend the day to go on rides, slides, or see the other attractions. You can eat food, buy some souvenirs, and enjoy your time together! It’s a little pricier than the other things on the list, but it’s a lot of fun!
U is for… Understanding!
I’ll be honest and say that this one could get a little rough but one of the best advice I can give is to set some time aside to talk to your partner. Communication is the best skill that you can have, especially when you’re in a relationship. Take time with your partner and talk about your relationship. The purpose is to get to know what you’re doing well and where you see your relationship going – obviously this is more for the “well-established” relationships.
We enjoy having a moment to look at our relationship without rose-tinted glasses on. Just be careful and don’t use this time to yell at each other; have PRODUCTIVE conversations.
The biggest goal of this date is to leave it understanding your partner a little more. Learn about them, your relationship, their interests, etc!
V is for… Volunteering!
Volunteering is something that I have been considering for awhile. I love the thought of heading somewhere with my love and giving back to the world or our community. With our toughest time, we have had people give to us, and we want to return the favor. There are thousands of programs that are looking for volunteers.
This date helps you to become involved with establishments that need you. Volunteer your time, donate to charity – just become involved! There are children that need help, the homeless, the animals, the world – check out your opportunities!
W is for… Whale Watching!
My parents went whale watching and they loved it. To be honest, I have a huge fear of anything that has to do with being out in the actual ocean. This is the perfect idea to enjoy some time with my other half, and to face a fear!
Whale watching is one of those experiences that you don’t get to have often. Or, maybe you do, but it’s something that I have never experienced and think it’ll be a lot of fun! Not into the thought of whale watching? Choose a different “rare experience” to try together!
X is for… X-Rated! 😉
This varies for every couple, my husband and I have always been sexually pleased with each other. Use this date to explore each other on a more intimate level. There are so many different games that encourage being comfortable with your partner – I would love to try Stripper Twister, but one that we have played before is The Dice Game!
If you’re not comfortable having sex, that’s okay! Use this date to cuddle instead or hold hands!
Y is for… YouTube Challenges!
I LOVE doing YouTube challenges! There are so many out there to do solo, as a couple, or even with other loved ones! I personally have been DYING to try the Pizza Challenge!
Grab your other half, choose a challenge, and record the results! Best of all, have fun!
Z is for… Zoo!
Animal Kingdom
I know that zoos are a controversial thing but I find them fascinating. I love the zoos that are made of animals that were rescued. But, let me be real with you, I only get upset with an establishment when the living conditions are disgusting.
A zoo is a great place to go to look at fantastic animals, learn about their lifestyle, and maybe even get a chance to have an animal encounter experience that they put on!
There you go!
I hope you enjoy some time with your partner and Happy Valentine’s Day! What dates are your favorite? What are your recommendations for dates?
A Whimsical Writer 