Ocean Isle Beach

This weekend’s adventure not only took us to Ocean Isle Beach, NC, but also Myrtle Beach, SC!
We got to Ocean Isle Friday night and I had no clue just how close to the beach and ocean we were. You could hear the ocean, and little to my knowledge, my sweet boyfriend got us an ocean view. We stayed at a place called Islanders Inn. It came equipped with a medium sized flat screen, microwave, coffeemaker, a small fridge, and 2 sinks (one was for a kitchenette like area). The room had a queen bed as well as a pull out bed for only $82 which was pretty good. The balcony gave an amazing view of the ocean. It was gorgeous! It was almost scary, you know? Just this free-flowing thing. It’s so expansive and brings you down to earth. You relax for once because your life and problems just seem so minimal compared to the strength and beauty of the ocean. Just breathtaking.

In the morning we watched the sunrise along the pier and then went back to sleep; We had been up late doing homework. When we finally woke up we walked along the beach and took some video footage for our vlog here. We ended up collecting shells, and I touched seafoam for the first time. It seemed so magical as I went for it, but I regretted picking it up haha. My hands were sandy and dirty, so I wiped it on my jeans and my lovely boyfriend. As this was going on, I had turned my back to the ocean, which is a no-no considering the last time at the beach we both almost drowned, and that’s when the sea level increased and drenched out shoes. So with our wet and sandy shoes and shells in hand, we started walking away. We ending up seeing all of one bird, who was absolutely adorable. Have you ever seen that Pixar short “Piper”? That’s the kind of bird it was. We tried to follow it because we’re weird, but it flew away. Now that I think about it there were a few crows for some reason. Spooked!


We ended up having breakfast at a little place called DRIFT. We shared an acai bowl and salmon sandwich, both of which were really good. I had never had salmon like that or had the opportunity to try acai despite the craze for both in the recent years.

After brunch, we proceded to Myrtle Beach with the intention of going to their children’s museum. I’m an Illinois girl, so I had high expectations compared to both the Chicago and Indianapolis Children’s Museums. I was disappointed. When we drove up it seemed generally run down and only one story. I’m sure little kids would enjoy it, but I don’t think we would have so we didn’t even get out.

We had seen a pottery sign around the corner, which gave us the idea to go to a pottery painting shop. We ended up going to a place called “Harry the Potter”. We spent around 3 or 4 hours there!! We both decided on mugs that were $20 each. I took the aesthetic route, painting mine with cacti, while the bf ended up on the Spongebob meme route.

After painting, we were literally starving and ended up at Simply Southern Smokehouse. The food was really good and for the price, pretty good too. The owner was active in helping people out and taking their dishes. He was also extremely energetic! EXTREMELY. Birthdays were celebrated with two verses of happy birthday along with a custom balloon hat…no matter your age. He loudly sang “This Little Light of Mine”, clapping his hands hard like he was in church. He even gave a small child a little truck he had. It was in the package like he waited for moments like these to make a child happy. He was sweet and a little crazy, and he made great food.

We went back to the hotel and in the morning it was drizzling and foggy, so when I woke up in the morning attempting to see the sunrise, there really wasn’t anything to see. We left around 11 and had one more stop, the Bagel Dock Cafe. Their cream cheese selection was so beautiful! Strawberry, Sundried Tomato, Scallion, etc. They looked amazing, with fresh ingredients! Too bad I didn’t see the selection until after I finished my order, but there’ll be a next time. Despite that, my bagel was really good. Salmon and cream cheese with tomato and red onions on an everything bagel. Simple and delicious. My bf has a bad habit of picking either something identical or similar to my order, so he got a bacon and cream cheese on an everything bagel. We both admit it was good, but it was bacon. It wasn’t anything new or special, so he ordered The Godfather on Asiago. It contained Ham, Salami, Turkey, and Tomato with cream cheese I believe. It was good. We enjoyed it. 

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t the best, but we still had a really good time. More of our trip was based on food rather than the things we did. We struggle with that part, but then again, it makes everything cheaper for us. We’ll get better at it though.

2018 Goals

My Goals to Kick 2018’s Butt

1. Reach 130 Pounds

Losing weight has been one of my biggest goals in life. I know weight is not everything, but to me, it’s a big part of how I want to live. It isn’t just about the weight, it’s about what comes along with it. Losing weight will make me feel more comfortable in my skin. The measures that I’m going to take to reach this goal will make me healthier. I’m going to drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and get more sleep every night. All of this I know will change my life for the better. Hopefully, not only will I be smaller, but stronger, have healthier skin, more energy, a better memory, and much more.

2. Read at least 12 books besides required material

I use to read so much, but over the years my attention span has shortened, and my enjoyment of books has declined. I couldn’t seem to find books that sparked my interest, or rather I couldn’t get myself to read long enough to spark any investment. I crave books though. They are magical. That was and always will be what books are to me, but I’ve discovered more. More and more I’ve seen the possibilities that can come from reading nonfiction as well. There is more than just fantasy and living in the dreams that stories create, I can really learn things that I can apply to my life to make it better. So here I am ready to start with the first 12 books on this list of 35 Books That Will Make You A Better Person.
Every single day I wake up I feel like a failure. There are plenty reasons as to why I feel like this, but the main one is believing that there must be some shortcut. The thing is, no matter how hard you try to believe that, it won’t become true. Maybe…just maybe a door opens. No. A window. Maybe a window will crack slightly open to success, but the chances of that happening to any of us are virtually slim to none. Sorry to break it to you, but here are a few reasons why success has not yet come to you.

3. Make at least $500 from a new business venture

I have so many business Ideas, but I’m young. I really don’t have enough money to really start a big business venture out of nowhere, but I can start small. $500 of profit isn’t bad for a year.

4. Have at least $5000 in my bank account by the end of the semester

As already stated, I’m a broke college kid. I have goals that need money, including start-ups, getting married, having a child, going to medical school, starting a non-profit, owning a home and a farm. I want to be able to provide, and I will have to with lots of money in the next 5 years. I also want to take a gap year after college, which might consist of a lot of traveling. I’ll be budgeting my money better by keeping up to date with coupons, using apps to help save and keep track of receipts, working more and getting down to business, and putting money into savings.

5. Try/Join at least one new thing

This semester I want to get more involved in something. I really don’t have any good friends back at school. I don’t mind it, but I want to have something that is just mine. I like to be by myself, but It isn’t what I need. Sometimes I drag myself out of the house and actually enjoy it, so if I have something that does this, It’ll be really beneficial for me. So this year I’m joining the boxing club at my university. They have training sessions 2x a week for newbies. It’s $60, so that’ll be an investment in the motivation to keep me going. This will be good for my physical and emotional health. This will be my thing, and maybe I’ll meet some people.

 

I Want to Lose Weight…

….but it’s been years. Years since I first started trying to lose weight. It was August 2009. 8 years ago. I was 11 years old. It might not seem awful if I was extremely overweight and just looking for a way to better myself. If I was fringing upon the decay of my health, but I wasn’t. I was a healthy child, but somehow my new reality was obsession and has been since.

 

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Every once in a while I starve myself. I’ll binge and purge. I’ll get on a health kick, but generally, I’m just always thinking about weight and constantly binging.

Do you know what it feels like to be in such a cycle? It’s an awful feeling to feel like you’re trapped inside yourself. In your wrong self. I don’t want to feel this way anymore. People say love your body, but the thing is I do….kind of. There are times I look at myself, and I feel great. There are times when my stomach hurts from overeating, and I’m okay with that. Sometimes I’m not, and I rid my stomach of it in the bathroom. Sometimes I don’t drink enough water, and I wake up extremely thirsty. Sometimes I walk up a hill and huff and puff, somewhat of an oddity for me. I want that to change. It isn’t just about being small or tiny. It’s about me wanted to feel good in a swimsuit. About me wanting a butt, for aesthetic and health reasons. I want a waist. I want clothes to fit. I want to be healthy.

I’ve always been a fairly healthy person. I ate okay, and I played sports. Now though I hate exercise. I’m lazy and feel like I’m already behind, so what’s the point. It scares me to go to the gym. I don’t wanna be judged. I don’t want to see my fat jiggling. I want to look normal. I want to look powerful, not ditzy.



When I started to try to lose weight in the first place, my diet became good at times and worse at others. The thing is that I never wanted to do it the healthy way. Results were too slow. Weight didn’t drop off. I loved bread too much. I loved desserts too much. I loved food. Food was my comfort. All these years trying the diets and shortcuts have gotten me no where. I’m back at the beginning…farther from the beginning. Very little have I genuinely tried to lose weight healthily, so maybe it’s time.

I think it is. I want to do this.

Madison

3 Reasons Why You Aren’t Succeeding

Before you begin to read any further, I want you to know that success does not come in a heartbeat. I know I know. People say that all the time, but somewhere in you, you like to think that there is a  quick fix for this success bug. I wish.

Every single day I wake up I feel like a failure. There are plenty reasons as to why I feel like this, but the main one is believing that there must be some shortcut. The thing is, no matter how hard you try to believe that, it won’t become true. Maybe…just maybe a door opens. No. A window. Maybe a window will crack slightly open to success, but the chances of that happening to any of us are virtually slim to none. Sorry to break it to you, but here are a few reasons why success has not yet come to you.


Mentality

For one reason or another many of us fail to succeed in following those dreams of ours, but why is that? Why do so many of us dream big only to live a life nowhere near the hopes and dreams of our past? Many say it’s because they’ve faced reality. That being a dreamer and being overly optimistic isn’t how people live. That it isn’t how the bills get paid, and it just isn’t how life works. That being too big of a dreamer is being naive and ignorant to what lays directly in front of you, the fact that the number of people that actually achieve those dreams is slim to none. In the end, reality isn’t the one stopping you from achieving those dreams. It’s you.

Having both low self-confidence and low self-esteem is something that has always been a struggle for me, but I’m working on it. I know that others struggle with this as well, and it’s hard. Most of the time, especially with big dreams, you will be the only one that believes in yourself, but that’s hard to do. It’s hard to believe when you feel so low about yourself, and It’s hard to believe when you’re constantly anxious. It’s hard to believe when you haven’t proved yourself, and It’s hard because it is terrifying. That fear is the biggest commonality between each one of us sitting here right now. Fear will stop people dead in their tracks. Fear will hinder even the strongest people, but you must remember that “bliss is on the other side of fear”. That fear can be overcome. Anything that you put your mind to, can be done. You can do it. You have to push those negative thoughts aside. Push them out. Even if for just a little while.

There is no magic way to do this but to help, make sure you’re taking steps to keep your health well-rounded. Having a good diet, regularly exercising, and drinking plenty of water gives your body energy and releases chemicals your body uses to feel better. Not only should you take care of your body, but also remember to take care of your mind and soul. Do yoga. Meditate. Read a book. Listen to some calming music. Read your bible. Turn your electronics off for a while. Go to church. Do things that ease your mind and encourage productivity and positivity. Without the negative thoughts there is clarity, and in within that clarity, it’s just you and your goals.


   Goals

This brings us to the second reason that you probably aren’t achieving the kind of success that you want. When building something strong and powerful it needs a sturdy and reliable base, so it should be the same for building success. The foundation of success begins with a goal. Whether that goal is big or small, a clear, coherent goal gives your success a focal point. The point at which all your success will spiral and build from. Some people think and decide upon a goal, and it’s easy for them to take the steps necessary to attain them. Not all of us are like that though. We need to have a visual. A guide. A plan. We need accountability. The best way is to create a SMART goal. SMART goals are based on an acronym meaning Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your goals should first be created with something specific mind that you would like to achieve. The next step is that the goal should be measurable in how much, how many, etc. The goals you make should be attainable. Even if they are attainable, but seem overwhelming, it’s always okay to make smaller goals. Next, you should make sure your goals are relevant. Make sure to make goals that are worthwhile and are really what you want. Think about whether you are the one that should really be taking on the task. If you feel the relevance of your goals is good, the last thing you should do is make sure the goal is time bound. Give yourself a date. An amount of time. You will get there. It’s a lot easier when everything is laid out in front of you, and you take your time.  

Another super quick tip about goal-making is once you have your goals set, tell someone. Whether it’s a family member, significant other, or your followers on social media, telling someone will help you stay accountable. Sometimes when you don’t feel like doing something to work towards your goals having someone to push and encourage you makes you want to start working. Not only do they push you to act, they also give you confidence in yourself and your ability to achieve success. Having people that care constantly and genuinely about about you and your goals are like fertilizer to your growth.


Overthinking

Last but not least, you overthink. Like I said before, fear will try to stop you. It’s human nature for change to cause fear, but don’t let yourself get that far. Don’t let fear set in. When an idea and a goal come to mind dive in head first. I’m not saying dive in without any thought. I’m saying that you should act on your dreams as soon as possible before fear sets in. Don’t give those fears time to get into your head. You can do this. So do it.

However, the fear of starting is just half the battle, because during the journey fear will loom. The fear of not knowing how is a big concern of many, but I’m telling you that if you push through you will make it. You will learn. It isn’t only about starting though. You have to follow through and persevere. Making sure your goals are time bound or investing money into your plans definitely help in your efforts to keep on going.

Remember: Success is an investment. You may not see results immediately, but they will come.

Madison