work hard, be happy

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OfpKA6b2_Y)

Hello all! I’m so sorry for falling off in the past few months, I had a few my own challenges with mental health and school work but I have exciting news! 

If you like my content here (lifestyle, college, organization, fitness) I have created a youtube channel to be my new hub for my content so I will be stopping posting on this blog/using it specifically to promote those videos.

My channel is linked here: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fchannel%2FUCedw3abEXIiINcaphPY-IFw&e=ATM8e5UQduO9ZnJUD_uHEWogMY4hDDeMv0c4h7wdMbXSkXNaOTJdEIL5HelomCjVI6DH9kz5bEbfgVU8

My Instagram for the channel is @jesspalmisanoyt 

April Bullet Journal Spreads

Hi guys, I’m keeping up with my bullet journaling as a way of reflection, not daily or weekly academic planning. I’ll have my pens and bullet journal linked below!

-Title page. I decided to go for a cliche this month and play around with a rain theme and lots of blues and purples. I put a quote on the side because I wanted to start my functional spreads on the left side of the page

-Mood Tracker/Habit Tracker. This is something to keep me on track. For the moods, I did little raindrops so I can reflect on each day and how I really felt about it. In my habit tracker, I did working out, eating healthy, hydration, reading, sleeping 7 hours, and positivity which are habits that connect to my overall goals seen later.

-Little Bits of Sunshine. I thought since I’m doing a rain theme this would be cute, so I’ll be using this as my gratitude journal and reflection throughout the month. 

-Brainstorm. Get it because it’s a rain theme, hah! Anyways this is my keep all for lists and ideas I come across, for example, I started a spring cleaning to do list. 

-April Goals. These goals stay fairly consistent with the resolutions I reflected on as well as the goals I noted last month. A big one for me is the spending because I did not do so hot with this last month.

-Spending tracker. I didn’t want to put a budget because I’m not sure what I’ll be doing and how much money is coming in since I am a student and I don’t have a steady income, so I thought this would be better to just make sure I’m aware of where my money is going, again emphasizing my major goal.

That’s all for my spreads this month. Let me know if bullet journal content is something you’d like to see!

Bullet journal: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Y3N8NN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi Y’all, sorry this is a few hours late, I’ve been a little behind and overwhelmed. It is that kind of the semester, so I did what I had to do for my own sanity. Today, I’ll be going over my April goals. As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome!

-Be healthy and balanced. This means keeping on track with my fitness and diet, something I did okay in this front for March, but I would love to continue to grow and make progress.

-Take time for yourself. Relaxation and knowing when to say no is important, especially in this season with finals and large assignments approaching.

-Focus on grades/studying for finals. This is very important to me, and this semester has been a lot more work and much more difficult than the first semester. 

-Mindful spending. After looking back at my March spending tracker, I discovered how much I spent money, especially on eating out. I really want to spend less and save more this month.

-Do what makes you happy. All in all, I want to do what I need to do for me, whether that be going out, staying in, or a balance of both. I’m learning that I don’t owe people anything, only myself.

Hi Y’all, I can’t believe it’s almost April, this year is really flying by! As always let me know what you want to see! Here’s a little reflection on the steps I’ve taken towards my goals.

-Be more healthy and balanced. This is one I’m fairly proud of. I’ve gone to the gym 4-5 days a week every week this month, and I can really feel myself getting stronger. I’ve also done a better job being mindful about the food I’m eating.

-Be more positive. I actually feel like I’ve improved my mindset this month, and something that helped was my mood tracker and gratitude in my bullet journal.

-Mindful spending. Eh, not so much on this one. While I didn’t spend a ton, I was home which means I spent a lot of money on food to catch up with friends.

-Self-care. This is another one I’m proud of. I’ve been good about taking breaks as needed and doing what I can to make myself less stressed meaning getting ahead on work and not procrastinating.

-Pay more attention to art and music. This is a general goal of mine in life is to appreciate more, I’ve been listening to more music and it really helps my mindset.

Hi everyone, happy Tuesday! I have finally decided what courses and times I want for my classes next semester, so I thought I would share the process I went through this semester and last to make my schedule as close to how I want it as usual. 

-Meet with your advisor. This is the time when I suggest finding out what classes you absolutely need to take that semester to fulfill requirements and graduate on schedule. You can also ask their advice on additional electives or what field of electives you should look into.

-View the course catalog. Once you are aware of how much time you have for electives, start looking at descriptions for classes and decide which you may be interested in based on the topic.

-Find out which professors you want to take classes with. I usually do this based on word of mouth as well as using Rate My Professors. Take these opinions with a grain of salt, but it helps to see generally which professor you would most likely prefer before choosing.

-Map out a general schedule. If your school is available on Coursicle, I highly recommend using that website. It has all the sections so it’s easy to make a schedule and a backup and see what fits where without doing so manually.

-Try not to stress too much. There may be a class you can’t get into, but keep an open mind and talk to advisors or professors if you absolutely need a class that semester to fulfill a requirement on time. 

Hey! I would love love LOVE feedback and opinions on the content I post normally and also input on an idea I’ve been having. Should I continue this blog as is, start a youtube channel about life, productivity, etc., or keep up with both!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are extracted from parts of a plant, capturing their scent and unique benefits to a person depending on which oil is extracted. Once extracted, they are distilled and combined with a carrier oil to make them ready to use.

How do essential oils work?

Commonly, essential oils are experienced through aromatherapy, such as an essential oil diffuser. They can also be diluted and rubbed onto the skin. When applied to the skin, the heat causes some of the oil to absorb and also activating the aromas. When such aromas are inhaled in any methods, their properties have been shown to affect the limbic system, which controls emotions, memory, and behavior explaining how each scent takes its effect. Due to the limbic system’s link to memories, scents can trigger certain emotions and magnify their effects.

Specific essential oils and their properties

Frankincense-  Comes from the sap of Frankincense trees. Grounds the energy in a room and provides balance to mind and body, promoting rest.

Lemongrass- Comes from steam distilling Lemongrass blades. Cleanses odors and removes germs, can also soothe an overactive mind.

Peppermint- Comes from leaves of Peppermint. Clears the mind and gives an energized feeling, can also soothe an upset stomach.

Eucalyptus- Comes from leaves of Eucalyptus trees. Inspires clarity, focus, and circulation while relieving stress and easing breathing.

Sweet Orange- Comes from cold pressing sweet oranges. Lifts mood and cleanses odors and germs, strongly connected to motivation.

Tea Tree- Comes from steam distilled Tea Tree leaves. Cleansing properties to skin, germs, and odors. Often used in shampoos and body washes.

Rosemary- Comes from steam distilled Rosemary leaves. Soothes digestion improves memory, inspires sharp thinking and staying awake.

Today’s post hits a little close to heart, I’m someone who likes to hide behind the things I can control and never ask for help, even when the world feels like it’s crumbling around me. I’m saying this for me, for you, and for anyone who needs it.

It’s okay not to be okay.

It’s okay to need help and to ask for it.

It’s okay.

Please take care of yourself, and reach out to a friend or family member if you need to. Feel free to send me a message as well, I can offer as much advice as I have to share.

Drink water, get rest, eat enough, take a break, DO NOT let fear of not being good enough push you over the edge.

As midterms pass and the semester goes on, let yourself be upset and need help, and pick yourself up instead of brushing off the pain.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, even if it can feel impossible.

As you may know, if you’ve read any of my posts about my goals, health and fitness is a big priority of mine this year after falling off at the end of summer. I had trouble in February because I was just not in love with my fitness routine, making me not work out nearly enough. For that reason, I’ve decided to give my tips into getting back in the swing of things and sticking with it.

-Pay attention to what you’re excited to do. I’m not saying that while working out you’ll necessarily be excited the entire time, but you should feel like you’re getting something out of it, especially afterward. It should not feel impossible to get yourself to workout.

-Give it about two weeks to form the habit. At first, no matter what it is, it’s going to feel unnatural and harder to get working out, but after a week or two, it will be a habit and much easier. If it still feels impossible, this should be a hint to change your workout method.

-Find a time that works for you. For me, if I don’t work out in the morning, I know I won’t because I won't have time, want to waste an outfit or have to shower again. Some people love an afternoon workout to break up the day, and some like a night workout before winding down. Test a few different times and find which one works in your schedule and makes you the happiest.

-Have a workout buddy. This helps a lot with credibility, especially for me. If one morning I don’t feel like going and the extra sleep is tempting, having someone to meet makes it harder to skip and keeps me motivated. Even telling people your goals will help you work harder towards them (which is why I started this!)

Hi everyone, I hope midterms aren’t going too terribly and that in general, you’re holding up. Remember to take care of yourself and that one bad grade does not define you! I’m currently on spring break, which is a nice time to relax but also happens to fall in the middle of my midterms. I decided it was fitting to make this post about how to use spring break and still have time to rest.

-SLEEP. If you’re someone like me who has been sacrificing rest in order to get work done or study, this should be the main priority. I’m not saying don't get out of bed, but listen to your body and take care of yourself.

-Catch up on reading. Maybe there’s a novel you bought at the start of the semester that you never had the chance to finish or maybe there are school materials to go over, but curl up with something warm to drink and cross it off your list.

-Start your spring cleaning. Whether you’re at school and your dorm or apartment needs work or maybe tidying up at home so your mind is clear when the semester ends is best, but this small task is productive but won’t fry your brain.

-Study for those midterms/Work on longterm assignments. Not having classes all week is a blessing, one that I choose to use to my advantage and get back on track and possibly even ahead to minimize stress later. Plus extra studying for midterms can’t hurt.

-Spend time with friends/family/pets. A break should be a break, so make sure to see the loved ones you can and let being with people you love recharge you. If you’re busy, this can even be for a quick meal or a group study session.

Hi Y'all, I hope you’re all surviving midterms and staying away from getting sick. Personally, I had to take a sick day a few days ago and I couldn’t help feeling behind and like I needed to be doing something when I really should have let my body rest. So because of that, here is a list of small productive things to do when you’re feeling under the weather. Also PLEASE let me know what content you want to see in the ask section of my blog!

-Computer work from bed. Whether this be answering emails, typing up notes, or editing a paper, do what you feel mentally capable of but still while being cozy and cuddling up with a cup of tea.

-Read. Take feeling a little sick as an excuse to catch up on readings or read something of your own, you’ll feel like you’re doing something but still not have to leave your bed.

-Write your to-do list. Even if you don’t start doing it, just by writing things out it’ll be out of your mind and be one less thing to worry about when you’re ready to begin working.

-Do some simple cleaning. This one is only if you’re feeling up to it, but this is something that always makes me productive but putting in a load of laundry while I’m in bed is much easier for me than going to class or doing difficult homework.

Some other gentle reminders:

-Drink water.

-Eat warm, real food.

-Get some sleep

-Showering may help you feel better.

-It is okay to need a day off.

March Bullet Journal Spreads

Hi guys, this month I’ve decided to start bullet journaling as a way of reflection and only for that for now, not daily or weekly academic planning. Here are my first few spreads, I’ll have my pens and bullet journal linked below!

-Title page. I’m feeling a lot of personal growth coming in March, hence the plant theme throughout and this minimalist title page.

-Mood Tracker/Habit Tracker. This is something to keep me on track. For the moods, I did little leaves so I can reflect on each day and how I really felt about it. In my habit tracker, I did working out, eating healthy, enough water, stretching, reflecting, and positivity which are habits that connect to my overall goals seen later.

-Feelin’ Lucky. I thought since it was March and St.Patrick’s day this would be cute, so I’ll be using this as my gratitude journal and reflection throughout the month. I stole this idea from Caitlin’s Corner on Youtube!

-Check This Out. I feel like I always think of shows, books, movies, and music that I want to look into but I always forget, so this is my own personal reminder and a cute spread in my opinion. 

-March Goals. These goals stay fairly consistent with the resolutions I reflected on, and I hope this journal helps me stay on track with them throughout the semester.

-Spending tracker. I didn’t want to put a budget because I’m not sure what I’ll be doing and how much money is coming in since I am a student and I don’t have a steady income, so I thought this would be better to just make sure I’m aware of where my money is going. 

That’s all for my spreads this month. Let me know if bullet journal content is something you’d like to see!

Bullet journal: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Y3N8NN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1