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SUNDAY RESET: journaling, prepping and relaxing

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why is Sunday the best day to reset?” There are a few reasons, but the primary one is that it begins a new week. This means it doesn’t matter if the week prior was good or bad; it’s a chance to start over completely.

Of course, if it was a good week, that will motivate you to keep the streak going. However, if it was terrible, you could move on and let go.

That’s the mindset I had to get myself into this year, specifically. A lot can impede growth, and being unable to let things go is one of them. Sundays are the PERFECT time (at least for me) to prepare for the new week ahead.

So, how do I reset on Sundays? Easy. I journal, prep and relax.

Journaling (Oh, how I love to write.)

It’s something about hearing ink glide across a nice crisp sheet of paper in a journal. I usually write the date at the top of the page, so when I re-read my journal, seeing how far I’ve come will be more satisfying.

I write about how I feel, my weekly goals and more. Reminder: Refrain from cramming a lot into your journal. Take it week by week, you’ll accomplish goals faster, and life will be less stressful.

Prepping (Let’s put the action to the word.)

Prepping can be a lot of different things. You can prepare your food for the week, outfits, social content, etc… For me, it’s getting organized. I prep specific content ideas (personal and work-related) and more.

Relaxing (The most vital of the three.)

Weekends are for fun and relaxation. You work the entire week and only have two days to get your energy back. I like to watch a movie, binge my favorite comfort shows, cook, bake, etc… Relaxing is excellent for your mind and body.

What do you do to reset on Sundays?

How To Speak Positivity Into Your Life

There are many ways how to speak positivity into your life. But, I will tell you two simple ways that consist of little to no effort, and you can do it every day.

It might sound hard to believe, but I spoke a lot of negative energy into my life when I was younger. Of course, this damaged my mindset. I was still excelling in school, but personally, my confidence was at an all-time low.

I used to talk down on how I looked, talked, and even walked. If something good would happen, I’d look at the accomplishment as I need to work harder. Terrible.

This mindset eventually took over my life, and although I was working hard to achieve my goals, things started to halt. The accomplishments were slowing down, and I knew I wanted to improve my life. Not only for me but for my family too.

So, I began doing these two things to speak good energy into my life: I consistently wrote in a journal, and I became more grateful for the many blessings I received.

How To Speak Positivity Into Your Life
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How To Speak Positivity Into Your Life

Purchase a journal, and write in it faithfully.

I’ve always loved writing because I grew up extremely coy, so it was my favorite form of communication. It’s also why I chose to be a journalist and digital content producer. But, once I started using this method to speak good energy into my life, my entire mindset improved.

I began writing down my goals, affirmations, and everything I’m grateful for. Instead of beating myself up when things didn’t go my way, I chose to start looking at rejection as a sign that something bigger was coming.

Be grateful for any and everything.

There’s so much to be grateful for if you sit and think. If you have clean water, be thankful. If you have somewhere to lay your head, be thankful. I had to remind myself that although I grew up not having many resources, I had a lot to be grateful for.

Once I started being more grateful, I started becoming happier with myself.

5 Reasons Why You Should Rest EVERY Weekend

What are you doing this weekend? Resting? If not, we need to talk. Because now I have to rant to you about five reasons why you should rest EVERY weekend.

It doesn’t take a lot for our bodies to shut down completely. You may think you have a high tolerance for overworking, but your body says otherwise. How does your body feel when you just finished working a 12 hour day, five days a week, while standing the entire shift? I felt like my legs were about to fall off from someone who had done this in the past.

No, you know what? My legs were in pain so bad that I could not walk anywhere but from my bathroom back to my room. My mom and sister had to cook my food and bring it to me (forever grateful for them, by the way.) I never wanted to feel that type of pain again.

After experiencing that, I vowed never to overwork my body, especially on the weekends.

Still, feel the urge to overwork? I have five reasons you shouldn’t, especially on the weekends. You might ask, why the weekends? It’s usually the time people have off from work. You should never strain your body anytime, but at least allow yourself two days or more to unwind.

5 reasons why you should rest every weekend
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5 Reasons Why You Should Rest Every Weekend

  1. Your body is not a robot. We can’t easily replace parts of our body when worn out. There are no stores to go to if you broke your back consistently lifting heavy boxes. If you overwork yourself consistently, you’ll end up sick.
  2. Your mind deserves a break. Have you ever thought so hard that your head started to hurt? Sometimes our minds want to relax and not deal with complex thoughts every day.
  3. It’s time to start living. Are you alive? Yes. But, are you living? No. We only get one chance to live. Why spend 90 percent of your life wearing and tearing your body down 24/7?
  4. Self-care is vital. Self-care might be the word of the decade, but it’s imperative to make time to cater to your mind and body.
  5. JUST DO IT. If the first four reasons weren’t good enough for you to rest, be like Nike and just do it. Do something for yourself for once.

We all need to take better care of our bodies, it might not be the easiest thing to do, but we can start by resting when we can, especially on the weekends.

For more in-depth reasons why you should relax, check out this article.

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How To Improve Your Time Management Skills

If you want to start prospering, you must improve your time management skills. This might seem like an annoying topic, but I promise, managing your time will increase productivity.

Have you ever felt highly stressed? So, noted that you sit and decide not to do anything on your to-do list because the thought stresses you even more? Then, you wait until the last minute to start. Now, you’re rushing to finish everything. I’m here to tell you that we’ve all been there.

You need to find a process that works for you. One that allows you to get everything done in a timely matter. Some people might say:

What is time management?

“The process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity”

There are many ways to improve this skill, but here is a method that works for me.

What You Need To Improve Your Time Management Skills

How To Improve Your Time Management Skills

Improve Your Effectiveness

  • Write down a list of things you need to do. (It’s always best to see, in order, everything that needs to be done.)
  • Write a due date next to the item. Starting with the closest date to furthest. (It’s always best to do things in whatever order makes sense to you, but if there’s a due date, start with the activity that’s closer to being due.)
  • Pick the first two to three things on your list to get started with.
  • Figure out how much time you want to spend on each. 30 mins to an hour works best for me. (Of course, it depends on how big the project is, but always map out how much time needs to be spent on one project.)
  • Do this daily or weekly, and you’ll feel less overwhelmed. (Not only that, but you’ll also have more energy to finish your entire list and put more effort into completing each item successfully.

Try out this process, and let me know if it works!

Here’s How to Handle Rejection | Think Positive

Being rejected is one of the most painful feelings in the world. But, instead of moping around, here’s how to handle rejection.

As someone whose been rejected plenty of times, the feeling sucks. However, life is not an easy race to the finish line. Things will not always go as planned, and it’ll feel like the end of the world, but I promise you— it’s not. To improve our lives, we must be able to handle rejection. No matter what industry you’re in or who you want to be with, having tough skin is mandatory. And this doesn’t mean not showing how you feel, such as disappointment when you don’t secure a job position you longed for or being sad because someone you wanted doesn’t want you. It’s about using that rejection to boost your confidence, grab yourself by the bootstrap, and look for something better. So, let’s get into these ways to look at the bright side of rejection

Here’s How to handle rejection

Here's How To Handle Rejection/ ways to handle rejection
Source: The Random Vibez
  • You possibly dodged a bullet.

Sometimes we don’t get what we want because it’s not what we need. The job position, company environment, or person you wanted could result in toxic energy. Even if that’s not the case, something wasn’t right in that situation, and God/the universe pushed you away from it.

  • There’s something bigger and better coming.

You probably didn’t get the position and/or the lover because you deserve better. You most likely limited yourself to a box, and rejection was the only way for you to comprehend your worth. There’s a saying that says: ‘A thousand No’s is just a start to the right Yes.’ One day you’ll get a position that’s worth more. One day you’ll get someone that worships the ground you walk on. Something bigger and better is coming.

  • Honestly, it’s their lost.

Whether the rejection was in the form of a call or email, look at how great you are… it’s their loss. You have every right to feel like the best person in the world. If the job or person you wanted couldn’t see how wonderful you are, let it go. Learn and move past it. There’s a company or a significant other that’ll love and appreciate you.

When you think of ways to handle rejection, remember that this is just a bump in the road. A smooth street is coming!

Need a little more positivity? Read this post.

Four Affordable Self-Care Ideas For March

Here are four affordable and free self-care ideas for March. We’re pampering ourselves in the best, least expensive way possible.

For a very long time, when I heard the word self-care, I thought it had a lot to do with pampering yourself with whatever expensive item your heart desires. It’s all we see on social media, especially on TikTok, for example. We see young women and men taking a stroll through designer stores, paying thousands on self-maintenance, and more calling it their self-care days.

Honestly, this sounds like a dream, and I believe everyone should experience this kind of self-care, but in reality, if you have little money or are on a budget, it’s hard. So, I curated this list of four ideas for my written self-care series that’ll leave you and your pockets happy.

Four Afforable Self-Care Ideas

Four Affordable and Free Self-Care Ideas

Bubble Baths in the morning and at night.

When was the last time you’ve made yourself a nice, warm bubble bath? We work hard–a little too hard sometimes– and that takes a toll on our bodies. Bubble baths are relaxing, and they’re a great way to start and end your night. You’re probably thinking, ‘Lashaunta, how is this self-care?’. Well, self-care consists of taking care of your mind and body. Imagine a bubble bath surrounded by your favorite scented candles, with optional rose petals, music, and a glass of wine. You can even add bath salt or whatever will make your mind and body feel at ease. And the best thing about this is baths are a free self-care idea!

At-home Spa day full of facials.

We wash our faces every day but turn it into an at-home spa experience as an inexpensive self-care idea. Buy a nice bath towel, your favorite color to make this even more personalized, and a hair towel to match. I’ve seen many at Walmart, Target, and Amazon for under $20. With the facial cleansers you have at home, play your favorite music and massage your face. There are many calming tutorials on youtube to make yourself feel like a spa pro.

Make a five-star, candle-lit dinner for one.

Having dinner alone is not the end of the world. We need to start being comfortable with enjoying our own company, so we won’t have to depend on the energy of others even if we’ve met the love of our lives. Download the tasty app, my favorite food recipe app, or go on youtube and find a nice dinner to make. Since it’s dinner for one, you probably won’t spend much on ingredients, especially if you shop at Aldi, Petes, Kroger, or Trader Joe’s, which have excellent prices. Don’t forget your candles and of course, a lovely dress.

Night drives around the city with a playlist to live for.

Whether you live in a city or not, night drives are a relaxing way to clear your mind. Remember, self-care consists of taking care of your mind and body. We feel happier and accessible when listening to music, especially our favorite tunes. While you’re enjoying the beautiful scenery as your hair blows with the wind, sing your heart out and enjoy the thrill. Put on a mini-concert, if you will.

There you have it, folks, four affordable self-care ideas for March and beyond. What do your self-care days look like? Let me know!

Dwell On The Past? Here’s Why I Choose Not To

We all have times when we sit and overthink things we can no longer change. I’m choosing not to dwell on the past.

It’s a new day, which means another chance to make better decisions. Recently, I decided not to dwell on the past–not just for my mental health–but also for those around me. Maybe it’s just me, but I become overwhelmed with many emotions when I overthink. From angry to sad, these emotions prevent me from being productive, which interferes with improving my life. Of course, sometimes the past motivates us to do better, but it can also break us down mentally.

There are many reasons to let the past stay behind, but here are three reasons why I’m letting go.

3 Reasons Not To Dwell On The Past

Dwell on the Past

I can’t go back in time.

There’s no way I can go back to the past and change the decisions I’ve made. So why am I putting myself in a pit of depression, constantly thinking about it? What happened is done. I can’t go back in time and tell my younger self what I’ve learned today. I can only take this new knowledge and use it to make my life better than before.

It causes a lot of overthinking.

Overthinking does nothing but damage to a mind trying to heal. When I overthink, my brain starts to hurt, and it causes damage to the strength I built to get over all of those past events and situations.

If I want to grow, I have to let go of things.

The best part of growing is that we see a new light. We can laugh at the hurt and weakness we once felt before because we’re so secure and happy that it doesn’t bother us. But, you can’t expect to grow if you continue to hold on to things that once broke you.

Please, let’s all go and be great. Make your past self jealous.

I Took a Social Media Detox, Here’s What I Learned

There’s a lot we can gain by being on social media. However, there are a lot of social media detox benefits.

Recently, I took a few days away from social media. What exactly does this mean? Well, I didn’t open the apps of Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, which are my usual go-to instant social platforms. Instead, I used the time I would spend on each app working on my brand, resting, and finding out what needs to go in my life.

Why did I take a social media detox?

If you have an iPhone, there’s a recent feature added that gives you a phone usage report. I noticed a massive increase in my time on my device, and the leading apps I spent my time on was social media platforms. Honestly, the percentage of time spent on each app was embarrassing. Yes, since my career is in media, I spend a lot of time on social media looking for news stories, engaging in content discussion, etc. And, I could’ve used this as an excuse for the amount of time spent. But, being honest with yourself is a part of growing. So, I knew I had a real issue.

Since I intend on improving my life this year, I was aware that this detox was imperative, and I was ready to make a change.

social media detox
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Here’s what I learned during my social media detox

I regained the urge to go out and have fun.

In just those few days, I felt the urge to go out into the real world and enjoy the beautiful streets of my city. Social media took up a lot of my time, which eventually made me lazy. I didn’t want to go anywhere after finishing my homework or articles, but somehow I found the strength to tweet an unhealthy amount of times.

I love baking as a hobby.

My sister and I went to the grocery store with my new spare time and purchased every ingredient we needed for making cookies from scratch. We even ordered custom aprons with our names on them. It was a breath of fresh air and an excellent way to bond with my sister. We’re planning to bake often!

I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes.

As a graduate student and journalist, the most accessible food option is fast food or something quickly put in the microwave. But, since I had some time to spare, I found myself on tasty searching up dinner recipes and cooking with my family.

This social media detox was well needed, and I plan on taking one often to enjoy real life more. What are your thoughts on social media detoxes?

Hey, you made it this far. Check out 5 Things To Do Instead of Being on Your Device

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Here’s How I Plan to Improve My life in 2022

It’s the second month of the new year, and I still want nothing more than to improve my life in 2022.

Before the year started, I promised myself that 2022 was going to be MY year. Yes, everyone says this. Yes, I said the same thing about 2021. But, you know that feeling of elevation? I’ve been experiencing this since the year started. It might be my determination to make this year better than the last, or I could be in the process of elevating.

Whatever’s the case, it has me even more pumped to see what I can accomplish. Since I’m excited about the future, I’ve decided to share three ways I plan to improve my life in 2022. I hope this can help my readers or people just visiting prepare themselves to spread their wings and soar.

My 3 Way Journey to Improvement

Ways to improve your life in 2022
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No more sleepless, burnout nights

Nothing prevented me from accomplishing my goals more than sleepless, burnout nights. We’ve all watched success stories of individuals who do nothing but work, work, and work. They preach about how they’ve gone days without sleep to perfect a launch or create content. To improve my life, I choose not to glamourize the ‘all work, no play’ mindset. I’m human, and I need sleep–of course. But, I also need time to relax and have fun. I don’t want to overwork myself and not enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Write/Plan… Organization Matters

This is a very imperative way to improve your life. In 2021, I did not write and plan out my content, organize homework assignments or digital content. This is a significant reason I did not accomplish a lot of my goals last year. Since I started mapping things out–from articles to content– I’ve seen an increase in my consistency. When I write something down, it’s easier for me to complete it and check off my list when I can see it… crazy. Sidenote: I’m currently writing this post at 11 pm. 2021 Lashaunta would’ve never done this!

Morning Affirmations? Yes, please.

Okay, I started getting into affirmations in 2021, but I’ve been deep into it this year. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you’ll know that I’d talk negatively about myself when I was younger. And, of course, this is far from a confidence booster. However, now that I’m in my 20’s, I want to love myself more than anyone. Because if I love myself, I can love others properly. Writing and saying morning affirmations set the tone for the day. I always feel like I’m important in this world because I am– and you are too.

How are you improving your life in 2022? We have so much time to get things started.

Hey, you made it this far! Check out. So, you failed? Here’s How To Recharge

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So, you failed? Here’s How To Recharge

So, you failed. But, guess what? There’s only one way to go once you hit the bottom, and that’s to the top!

We need to get into the habit of turning failure into knowledge. We can not win every game, but we’re winning in life if we try and learn from our mistakes. This is easier said than done, and of course, you’re going to feel some way if you take a loss. However, it’s the way you react to the loss that dictates whether you’re going to bounce back or let it control you. If you consistently blame others for not winning, you have a long route ahead of you.

So, you failed?
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Take accountability for your failure.

When you take a loss, always take accountability. This is your life, and you’re the main character. Everyone else has supporting roles or are extras. You’re the only person with the power to allow yourself to take chances. When you take a chance, you’re making yourself vulnerable to losing. Do not lash out and make a social media post whenever that happens.

Don’t blame your family and friends for not helping you, even if it’s true. Just take accountability, turn it into a lesson and prepare for your win with the knowledge you just gained. Sometimes we don’t give things our all. Life can be wild, and we tend to handle a plethora of things at once with no structure. Sometimes we do everything we can, and we still lose. This is the universe telling you that it’s not your time, or this is not the route for you. Again, take accountability and turn it into a lesson. Most importantly, cut yourself some slack.

Always make your past self jealous.

You allowed yourself to take a chance, and you deserve to be proud of that no matter the outcome. Your determination to succeed proves that you’ve grown and are a better person than your past self. You lost, so what! At least you put effort into improving and took on the challenge. Compare your mindset now to how it was five years ago. Your past self wishes they had the confidence you have now.

So, you failed? Okay. Victory feels so much better when you’ve bounced back from failure.

To learn more about Lashaunta Shanese, visit her website.

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