Courage, Dear Heart

9/20/21 | 1/100 Days of Productivity

✨welcome back✨

Hello everyone! It has been a bit since I've posted, but I intend to stay! I am starting over, because I do want to work towards 100 days of consistent posts. I have started the semester off with an abundance of creative energy: I have a job with the newspaper as the media manager and photographer, and I'm taking classes that I truly love. I'm only in the second full week of classes, but I feel like I am starting to develop a sort of routine—or at least I was until my apartment completely flooded, and I had to temporarily move to another one. It is all getting resolved though! Since then, I've been spending most of my time in my office space that I get to use for the newspaper (pictured here). It is so cozy, and I get a whole lot done.

Today I...

got up early to print out sheet music

prepped for my children's lit class

attended my meeting for the newspaper

recorded a violin piece for my choir director

read a bit of The Secret History by Donna Tartt

planned the next few days of schoolwork

I hope the start of your semester is going well!

5/24/2021 | 25/100 Days of Productivity

✨the academic slump has ended✨

It has been a bit. The year ended, I moved back home, and I immediately started summer classes. After that, I experienced some of the most intense burnout I could ever imagine. I did get straight A's this past semester though! Luckily, I've been able to get some rest and I am now able to enjoy my summer vacation. I still want to keep posting though because there are a lot of creative projects I want to work on this summer. I'm thinking of possibly starting 100 days of creativity? We shall see.

Today I...

woke up at a reasonable time

drew a bit

went on a 3 mile run

started self -teaching myself photoshop skills for an upcoming job

read a bit of The Secret History by Donna Tartt

beat my partner at an Apple Watch activity competition

4/7/2021 | 24/100 Days of Productivity

✨and the sun makes its slow return✨

Wow! It has been a month since I have posted, but let me just say that this last little bit has been incredibly draining. Recently, I have been feeling weary to my core and unwilling to complete the simplest tasks. I always start to feel run down at the end of the semester before getting a second wind that is able to carry me through finals. I have my major projects due these next couple of weeks, but I feel a lot better about completing them than I did a few days ago.

Getting out of my slump has meant simply cleaning my apartment, and taking better care of myself. If you've been feeling weary as well, know that the hardest part of getting out of it is deciding to push forward. I believe in you.

Today I...

worked out

had a meeting with my professor about my paper

cleaned my apartment

read Return of The King

contacted my group about our group project

Let me know if you've been seeing any cherry blossoms blooming! They are my absolute favorite :)

3/19/2021 | 23/100 Days of Productivity

✨cozy day✨

Today was a really cold and cloudy day, but it has followed many days of unexpected sun so I decided to try and appreciate it. It was soo nice to stay inside, bundle up, and listen to the rainfall. I expected to wake up and feel super productive, but my body wanted to rest and so I decided to listen to it. I also drank a lot more water than usual and I felt really great by the end of the day!

Today I...

went to my library shift 

cleaned my apartment 

practiced piano 

read for my lit and spirit class

planned out my research paper 

read a little bit of Return Of The King for my lit class

3/16/2021 | 22/100 Days of Productivity

✨habits✨

I have had a hard time staying on top of my daily goals lately. I took a look at what I’ve changed, and I’ve been staying up later, eating worse, and not writing down tasks I would like to complete. All of that contributed to me feeling sluggish and unmotivated. This week, I’ve been patient with myself in getting back on track, and I am feeling sooo muchh better. Grace is they key, and so is listening to my body. 

Today I...

worked out

worked on excel content for my business class 

did dishes

made a yummy lunch with lots of greens 

read some of Return of The King for my lit class

cleaned up my apartment 

took the night off and made some yogurt bark with berries

3/9/2021 | 22/100 Days of Productivity

✨getting back on track✨

Last week I was definitely recovering from the week before. Midterms hit me harder than ever this year, and I needed some time to recuperate. I decided that I would rebuild my habits this week (slowly but surely), and this Monday went really well! I went to the gym for the first time all year since I learned that they only let very few people in who book in advance. It felt sooo nice to work out outside my apartment. 

Today I...

worked out

washed dishes 

cleaned my apartment 

finished a book for a lit class

studied extensively  for my excel class 

I hope you all are getting enough sleep! 

~ MacKenna

3/1/2021 | 20/100 Days of Productivity 

✨fell off the wagon, but I’m hopping back on✨

Well, it seems that it has almost been a month since I Iast tracked my progress. Reading break hit, and then the worst midterm season of my life happened. I let go of some of my daily habits that I worked hard to build, but I’m not gonna let it stop me from trying again. I’m continuing on with 100DOP rather than starting from scratch because I think progress should entail picking up where you left off, rather than starting from square one. 

Today I... 

had my library shift 

practiced for my vocal lesson

read for one of my lit classes 

did dishes

made dinner 

don’t let mid-semester fatigue get you down, friends! 

~ MacKenna 

2/11/2021 | 19/100 Days of Productivity 

✨Midterm Season✨

Today was an exhausting, yet lovely last day before break. It was also very windy outside, so it has been nice to bundle up all day. 

Today I...

had my library shift

met with my research project group

did readings for English 

packed for Calgary

worked on my Wordpress blog 

cleaned my apartment 

I have a paper due tomorrow night and I’ll be traveling tomorrow so wish me luck!! Hopefully I can get it done on the flight. 

~ MacKenna 

2/10/2021 | 18/100 Days of Productivity 

✨reading while it snows is magic✨

I went to the student commons to finish a book, and start a new one and it was snowing! Snow isn’t on the forecast till Friday so we were all pleasantly surprised. 

I can feel the fatigue kicking in. Break cannot come soon enough. I just hope I can finish my paper before it starts so that I can relax. Today I…

worked out

finished Cannery Row

started Gaudy Night

worked on a creative writing response

looked at the second round of edits for my newspaper article

edited some photos for a photography portfolio 

worked on a job application 

As a Californian, I sincerely apologize for romanticizing the snow. It will never not be magical to me. 

2/6/2021 | 16/100 Days of Productivity 

✨May have taken a couple of days off, but who’s perfect, right?✨

These last few days have ended in fairly late nights. I have been reading practically non-stop, and last night my friend and I made a bunch of blue food and watched The Lightening Thief and cringed at its inaccuracy. It was marvelous. 

Today I...

deep cleaned my entire apartment 

went on a nice long walk in the sunshine

looked at job applications

emailed someone about a job position

wrote my blog post

edited, and posted my blog post

Happy weekend, all!

~ MacKenna

2/2/2021 | 15/100 Days of Productivity 

✨Studying somewhere with lots of windows at night is ideal. I love how contemplative I feel after the sun sets. ✨

Today was full of I-don’t-want-to-do-this-but-I-know-that-I-should moments. I was able to get everything done though! It is incredibly rewarding. My first year, I could hardly get anything done when I would plan to. It’s nice to see some growth since then. 

I got my first grade back today! I always find that I overthink the first writing assignment of the semester. It feels good now that it’s over with. 

Today I...

worked out

learned new excel content 

reviewed excel content

did readings for my lit class

practiced my aria 

sent some emails

studied for my business class

made two creative meals from random fridge leftovers 

Do you have any tips for how to get things done when those tasks are the last things you want to do? I’m still figuring that out. 

~ MacKenna

2/1/2021 | 14/100 Days of Productivity 

We survived January! A draining month, I must say; however, I implemented some helpful habits that have been carrying me through ✨

Today it rained the entire day. It was pouring, so I didn’t listen to any white noise while reading while I usually do. It was lovely. 

I set app limits for socials on my phone (to the point where my friend has to enter a password that I don’t know in order to give me more time) and today is the first day that I haven’t used up the entire hour! It is really nice to be more present, and I might even make the limit 45 minutes? I highly recommend it. 

Today I...

woke up at 6:30 

worked out

went to my library shift (my supervisor worked me pretty hard today)

read a lot and finished a book (4/25 books completed for the year yaaay) 

went to the library and learned new content for my excel class 

practiced my aria 

If you have a cat, please give them lots of pets for me! I wish I could’ve brought my Elliott back to Canada 🐈 

~ MacKenna

1/31/2021 | 13/100 Days of Productivity 

✨A rainy Sunday makes for perfect reading ambiance ✨

Today was quite a slow, yet productive Sunday. Sundays can be the best mental resets if you allow them to be. Today involved a lot of cleaning, and several hours spent at a coffee shop. 

I went over the goals I had set for January, and let me just say that I’ve reached all of them! I never thought I could be a goal oriented person, but here we are. My goals weren’t that ambitious—one of them was just to be able to get up at 6:30 by the fourth week; however, these little lifestyle changes that I’ve made have definitely contributed to my overall well-being and level of motivation. I’m excited to set new—potentially more ambitious goals for February!

Today I...

Worked out

Cleaned and deep cleaned my apartment 

Made lunch

Went to a coffee shop

Read for one of my lit classes 

Updated my weekly tasks in my notion

Did my monthly recap

Journaled 

Have a wonderful week!

1/29/2021 | 12/100 Days of Productivity 

Today was my not-so-busy day. I only had my vocal lesson and choir. My car died before I could drive to my lesson, so a friend had to drive me. I think that put a damper on my productivity for the rest of my day. 

Exciting news! I got a pitch approved for an article for my university’s newspaper. The section editor really loves my idea and is excited for me to write it and start the editing process. I’m happy to finally be submitting my first piece! 

Today I...

Worked out

Emailed the section editor

Practiced for my vocal lesson

Made a yummy lunch with lots of greens 

Started doing research for my article

Did my half-hour of reading for fun

Have a restful weekend! 

1/28/2021 | 11/100 Days of Productivity 

Today was my busy day: three classes and a library shift. Because of this, I decided to take today easy to avoid burnout. I realized this allowed me to be more engaged in my classes, and to take really good notes! Getting rest when you need it is important, friends. 

I love spending time in the stacks of the library. Even if I’m just shelving or doing inventory, being alone amongst books is the most comforting feeling. The stacks are only accessible by the staff and the library assistants right now and makes me sad that the people who love to browse for books just for the sake of it are restricted to placing holds online. 

Today I didn't do a whole lot study-wise, but I..

worked out

went to my library shift

did my half hour of reading while there 

picked up a package 

went on a walk (had to get that sunshine in to avoid that Pacific Northwest seasonal depression) 

watched  The Princess Bride with my partner over FaceTime 

I am happy Friday is almost here