How to Commit to a New Habit

Good morning, all! How are you today? I apologize for missing last week's post. I had wanted to write about the things I'd learned while working in food service, but unfortunately I was having trouble finding the right words. So I'm going to think that post over a little more before publishing it.

Today, I want to talk about taking chances--stepping out of your comfort zone. I don't know if it's just that I've had a lot of spare time this summer that I've been inspired to try all sorts of new things or if I'm inspired because the new school year is about to begin. Maybe part of it is that since this summer's series was more reflective side, it's time for a bit of a change to take up a challenge to do something spontaneous!

Sometimes, when I tell people, "Yeah, I do [insert whatever hobby here]," they say "I've always wanted to do that." I don't know if that's another way of saying that [whatever hobby] is super cool, but when I hear those words, I just want to ask: "Well, why don't you?"

There are also times when I think of something that I've always wanted to do but then have to ask myself, "Well, what's been holding you back?"

Some of these things for me include reading the Bible consistently and vlogging. For me, it usually isn't that hard to step out of my comfort zone and try learning something new. Starting things is pretty simple, as is outlined in a previous post "Take This Summer to Learn Something New." But sticking to those things would be the greater part of the challenge.

Did you guys know that I have a vlog channel? Last week, I posted a vlog briefly describing the 365-Day Bible Reading Plan that I've started, and I thought that my experiences trying to get into reading the Bible would be applicable to today's discussion.

(Here is a link to the reading plan that I've been using, and it's been absolutely great: Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers.)

I'm on my 19th day so far and I've found that every time is still fresh and interesting; this reading plan is certainly a helpful guide for getting into a good habit of exploring the Bible.

But, here's a question I had to ask myself: Why is this time around going so much better than all the previous times I'd attempted? Surely it isn't just the simple reading guide--as great as it may be--that's doing all the work!

So immediately, my thoughts went to something that I'd changed this time around. What helps the most is that I've been journaling with a special friend through Google Docs. On it, we write down our comments, highlights, and questions, and respond to each other's notes. It's been a great way to hold ourselves accountable--plus, sharing insights with each other makes the experience more exciting. We also gain each other's insights, which is very valuable to me.

And then, that made me realize that journaling and collaborating on a resolution with friends or family is a great way to stick to forming a new habit. Journaling if valuable because it holds you accountable to yourself. Writing will often make an abstract idea more concrete, so it will help organize thoughts and remind you of how much progress you've made.

Working with others is also beneficial because of reasons listed above--fresh perspectives, another level of accountability, and external sources of inspiration. Why not combine these two effective ways of sticking to a new habit?

The nice thing is that with Internet access, it's so easy to work with others to form healthy habits and try new things together that you don't even have to communicate face-to-face!

There are several methods for journaling collaboratively. I think that the easiest and neatest method would be sharing a Google Doc. Another good way would be to start a blog or vlog if you would like to share your progress with more people.

So next time you want to establish a new, healthy habit or rid yourself of a destructive old one, start by getting a couple friends involved and remember to write things down!

Good luck, and smile on,
-Riley XO

5 Ways to Deal with Stress

Greetings, everyone. July is already here, and although there is still quite a bit of summer left, I've already found myself preoccupied with making arrangements for this coming school year. I suddenly began making a small hill of stress as I began piling up my plate with more challenging classes, finding a position working in a health psychology lab, taking a leadership role in the university's neuroscience club, and landing a new job. I am so ecstatic to be starting each of these new things, but as I begin to think about my leisurely schedule freshman year, I feel this little shadow of anxiety and doubt creep on when I consider what it could be like participating in these activities in addition to my previous routine of taekwondo training, writing, music, and chilling with friends...

But I guess, being a workaholic of sorts, this coming school year's schedule isn't what concerns me the most. 

No, it's thinking about how expensive medical school will be in the (relatively) very far future. 

...Say what?

So, yeah. I've just realized that I am experiencing some anxiety.

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And I can be sure that many of you out there are facing it, or will be facing it soon. (If my list stirred any stress in my fellow students out there, I'm so sorry!) Some of my friends are taking on the responsibilities of owning apartments for the first time, some have just started new jobs, some are getting ready to apply to college, some are moving out of home. Most are looking at major changes in their lives. Are you experiencing or anticipating change right now? 

Often, change (even just thinking about change) brings on some anxiety. Of course, how you feel depends on both your situation and personality, but here are my top five methods to mitigate the stress; I hope one, two, three, or all of them will work for you! 

1. Don't worry about tomorrow. This may sound a bit cliche, but cliches do exist for a reason. (Is it cliche to say that too?) If you just focus on what you can do today, and then do your best to finish all of those things with as much energy you can muster now, trust God and yourself that tomorrow will also be a good and productive day. 
2. Remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing. The end result should ultimately be because it makes either you or another person happy. Stressed about an internship? You'll need that internship to ensure a good job to be able to take care of yourself and your family. Nervous about moving out? You need to do it so that you can find your independence, your freedom. 
3. Focus on the positives. Hopefully, this will tie into #2 at least a little bit because if your reasons for doing something are all negative, is there really a point in doing it? But now try extending that aura of goodness to the rest of the change occurring in your life. These new challenges and experiences are opportunities to learn and grow. Focus on the lessons you'll learn, the friendships you'll form, the character you'll develop, and the new memories you'll make each day as change takes place. 
4. Get active. Those of you who've been with me for a while now may have seen this one coming, but there are few things that center and calm me as well as physical activity. I've done a variety of exercise, from high intensity running and circuits--to relaxing, meditative yoga. No matter what form the activity may take, try dedicating a couple hours a week to it and see how much it'll improve your determination and focus in all aspects of life!
5. Remember this blog's title. Don't underestimate the power of your smile! Seriously, just smile for a second. Now hold it for five seconds: one, two, three...four...and five! How do you feel? 

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How do you deal with stress? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to share and subscribe!

Smile on,

-Riley XO

How to Make Hard Choices

Hello there! I seem to have a lot of spare time this week, so what better way to spend it than sharing new things with you? This TED video came out a little while ago, but I watched it just recently and couldn't help but marvel at how profound and insightful it is. Ruth Chang is a philosopher who presents a compelling explanation about hard choices.

I don't know what the decision-making process is for you guys, but I personally draw upon two primary sources for information as I think through a hard choice: the heart and the mind. Psychologists probably have different terms for these, but basically the heart represents that gut feeling--instinctual, but often reckless voice. The mind, on the flip side, often mulls over the facts, weighs pros and cons, and is the voice of reason.

For me, my hardest choices come around when the two voices give me conflicting conclusions, or when one of them doesn't know what to say. Furthermore, as Chang says, the mind can compile lists of information that in the end don't amount to very much. What should I listen to, the heart or the mind?

The way I see it, the mind finds reasons for making a choice. But the heart creates reasons as you make the choice.

So, when faced with a tough decision, follow your heart. Because preserving life, love, and joy are far more important than what the data say.

Smile on,
-Riley XO

Take This Summer to Learn Something New

Greetings, person of the Internet! How have you been lately? My life's been good and fairly fun this past week. Just trying to take each day as a blessing and enjoy myself. You may have known this, but I started a blog series that is like a book club on John C. Maxwell's Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Learn. Reading this has been inspiring me to start learning and letting go of the bad things that have happened in the past. I thought that Chapter 6 on hope really helped stir what needed to be moved inside of my heart.

Do you have that one thing on your list that you've always wanted to do? Some people want to learn how to knit/crochet, some want to learn a new instrument, some want to read the Bible all the way though, and there are others who want to learn how to dance, paint, or train to run. That one thing for me is learning yoga. I think I can be a pretty high-strung person at times, so I've found myself wanting to try learning a new, fun way to exercise that also contains some meditative qualities to help the soul. What's that thing for you?

My challenge for you this fine summer of 2014 is to do that thing that's at the top of your list of things to learn. If you don't find time to try it now, when will you ever get the chance to? There is no better day than today!

Need a little help with finding the motivation to do this? Grab a pen and this month's page in a calendar and follow these steps:

1. Write down your goal and why you want to reach it at the top of the page.
2. Check out your schedule. Where are some open spots, and what rearrangements can you make for trying this new thing? 
3. Make a plan. How are you going to learn this? Take a class to get started, or you can do what I've been doing with yoga, which is following some videos on YouTube. The Internet is a great place to find inspiration, and it also contains a ton of resources available to you--so take advantage of it all!
4. Write down the days on which you'll work on this new activity. It doesn't have to be a daily thing. Maybe you only have one or two days a week that are available. Whatever there is, use it for something productive and fun!

What are you going to learn this summer? Let me know in the comments below!

Smile on,
-Riley XO

mkalty.org

No Mirrors Challenge!

Greetings, person of the Internet! A while ago, my Genders Studies professor encouraged us to go without either technology or mirrors for a week. Since staying in contact with my friends and family was important to me, I chose to forgo looking at my reflection. It sounds sort of silly at first, I know. But in the end, I ended up taking a lot more out of it than I expected to. It was surprising how much I look at my own reflection and how difficult it turned out to be! Today, I will be sharing some of the takeaways I got from this experience. (Warning: At the end, you too will be challenged to try a mirror fast.)

truthinwords.wordpress.com

To be honest, I didn't think that living without mirrors would be very difficult for me. I believe myself to focus on seeing inner beauty of the people around me, and since I try consistently to see beyond the physical appearance, this challenge seemed like cakewalk. Sure, it would be kind of awkward when I couldn't look straight forward while brushing my teeth or washing my hands, but it really was only a couple minutes of the day. When talking to my other classmates about how they coped with the mirror challenge, my reliance on mirrors was definitely not the same as theirs. I was literally shocked to hear that some girls would refuse to even leave the dorms when they felt like they could not control and monitor their own appearance. Soon after the first day, however, I started experiencing some version of stress over the challenge.

It wasn't only mirrors that I was supposed to avoid looking at, but pretty much everything that could give me a glimpse of my physical appearance: polished glass, computer/phone screens, windows, clear pools of water, etc.

Something inside of me changed. I felt out of sync with myself because I just didn't have any feedback about what I looked like. Mirrors helped me regulate what was going on in my body all the time. "You have some dark circles; a nap wouldn't be a bad idea. You look a little pale; let's get some juice," I would often say to myself as I washed my hands. It's easier to know how you feel when you can visualize how it is affecting you. Without this sort of sense of self-monitoring, I felt out of touch with myself. Isn't it strange how that turned out?

When I needed to avoid mirrors, I started to realize how often I look at myself, too. Even if it's merely a passing glance at my reflection on a shiny black car, I get a sense of self-affirmation when I see my reflection. I tell myself that I'm beautiful. I smile at myself on nice days and give myself pep-talks on hard ones. Treating yourself well is a must, and I hadn't realized until this mirror challenge that looking at yourself and knowing yourself goes into treating yourself well.

I've also learned to focus on looking at the right things. American society is so preoccupied with looks and appearances; a lot of people look in the mirror, but instead of seeing beauty and the capacity to create and love, see fine lines, wrinkles, flaws.

So, now that I am able to look at my reflection again, I feel very blessed to know what I look like and have started to love my facial features and expressions more than before. I don't mean it in a vain way--I mean it in the healthy way. (Would you rather go through life filled with self-loathing, or with a sense of sound self-love?) I think that, especially in this culture that we exist in, it is helpful to take away something first in order to appreciate it more later.

And now I encourage you, dear reader, to try it. Can you make it through a week without looking at your own reflection? How do you think mirrors have impacted your life? What will you learn?

If you do the mirrors challenge and reflect on it on your own blog, please share the link to your post in the comments below. And if you have any initial thoughts about what I've shared with you today, please let me know about them as well. Your opinions are so valuable to me!

Take care,
-Riley XO

Words of Kindness

Hello hello! How has yours been? Mine has personally been pretty busy and good. I've just been training, doing some community service, and studying for the most part. What is your favorite part of this past week? Let me know in the comments below!

So this morning I was struggling to wake up when I saw that I had gotten a new text from a friend. It said:

Hey, I just wanted to tell you: you are an exceptionally nice girl. I never even had to question whether you would be there for me if I was feeling lonely, and you always had a cheerful attitude to brighten anyone's day when I saw you. You are very faithful, and regardless of different beliefs or traditions, I think God will do amazing things with your life. But most of all I wanted to remind you that you are loved above all things because you are loved by He who created all things. God bless, Riley.

Usually the texts I get are short and I tend to take them for granted, but there was just something about this text that was encouraging and sincere, and it really gave my day a good start.

Kind words mean a lot to people, guys--infinitely more than we may think. This week, I want to challenge you guys to write one or two long, sincere texts that carry inspirational and/or meaningful messages to some of the people that mean the most to you. Thank people for the difference they've made in your life, and something as simple as that will make a difference in their lives too. We never know when someone may need some extra love or joy, so just take a little bit of time to spread these!

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Take care,
-Riley XO

What Would You Do?

Hello there, are you doing well? Thanks for visiting, and just for a little bit of background: I had this faith-based experience last Thursday. I can't say that I am the strongest Christian (or am even a strong Christian, for that matter), but this little anecdote just really resonated with me and I wanted to share it with you because it presents a challenge for Christians fairly well and I thought it was pretty cool. I'm a part of the Navigators, which under my interpretation is basically a Christian ministry that is focused on sharing God's love with others. The Navigators have a presence on campus, and I attend their Bible study groups and enjoy listening to some of their talks.

Today, I just wanted to share with you about the last session I attended with the Navigators. The topic was basically on being a laborer for Christ, but the speaker surprised us with a common topic that I hadn't seen framed in this manner before.

He asked: "What would you do if Jesus walked right through there and came to this room, right at this very moment?"

This wasn't a rhetorical question, though. He wanted answers. What would you do if Jesus came for a visit? I thought that I would be absolutely shocked, and then fall down to my knees. It sounds somewhat dramatic, but I feel like it's actually the opposite... These actions reflect my brain drawing a complete blank.

Then, the speaker continued on with his hypothetical situation. "Let's say that Jesus walks up to Taylor and says, 'Hey, how you doing, Taylor? I haven't seen you in a while. I was thinking maybe I could buy you some coffee tomorrow morning so we could catch up. Would you like to meet at Starbucks before your classes?' What would you to say to that, Taylor?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Taylor.

What would you do the next day when you saw Taylor after lunch? What would you ask her?

But he wasn't done with this little string of situations and questions yet. "What if the next day, you see Taylor at the dining hall, and ask 'How was it? What did he say? What was he like?' but then Taylor says, 'You know, I was really looking forward to it, but I forgot to set my alarm last night and overslept... Then when I got up, it was already time for class so I just couldn't make it.'"

An awkward silence fell around the room.

He captured the thoughts that were running through most of our minds. "What were you thinking? How could you do that? What's wrong with you?!"

"But you know what," he continued. "This is happening to us. Don't you see that God is inviting you to listen to him every morning? All you have to do is open his Word, and discover all he has to say."

Now is the chance to open up your Bible and spend some quality time with Jesus, the best friend a guy or girl could ever have. I hope this post challenges you to remember that meeting with God doesn't have to be taken for granted.

Take care,
-Riley XO

theheartofpastormatt.wordpress.com 

Are You Suffering?

Dear Friend,

How are you today? No, really. Is everything okay? Are you going through something hard? Well, times can be rough. I can't quite say that I know what you're going through, but I know just as well as anyone what suffering feels like. 

To me, suffering usually feels a lot like nobody understands, that nothing can make things better. Like there is darkness wrapping itself around me and all I can do is let it stay. 

Saying that it is difficult to deal with death, natural disasters, rape, eating disorders, illness, lies, etc. is a major understatement. How are we supposed to look at suffering? How do we explain it? Can we explain it?

People's reactions to your suffering vary depending on what their core beliefs are. They say, "You're going through this because it'll make you stronger in the end." Or, "Don't worry, it'll work out later." Sometimes an "It's okay" even when things are clearly not okay.

And then there's the Bible. 

Paul says that he rejoices in suffering (Romans 5).

The other night at Bible study, we were taking a look at John 11, which is the account of Lazarus. 

Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus came. There was weeping on this day because in Jewish tradition, four days after someone's passing signified that his/her soul had passed to the next life. Can you relate to the grief? Knowing that a loved one is gone forever... I think that this kind of sadness is, in a sense, greater than if I had died in the other person's place.

Why would Jesus allow Lazarus to die? He had loved him--why would he allow the death to occur and allow the suffering to happen?

Could it be that he allowed Lazarus to die so that he could raise him from the dead?

God's Word tells us that his glory is manifested through our weaknesses. The suffering that we go through--his glory can shine brighter and stronger than all of it.

God's love is essential to human life, and that is why our lowest points can sometimes be the most important points of our lives, because those moments are when we experience the greatest potential for letting his love shine through.

Take care,
-Riley XO

Image from Quorri Scharmyn

Top 5 Tips for Sticking to Those Resolutions

Happy New Year! I know I haven't blogged in a while, but with the holidays and personal things I didn't find as much time this winter break to write. I'm sure you guys understand though! It feels great to be back and I have some new ideas for this blog that came with the new year so I look forward to writing to you guys again.

So, I am one of the people who like making resolutions (whether it is a new year or not) because setting goals for myself and being able to see progress towards them helps give me a sense of fulfillment or accomplishment. When my cousin gave me a weekly planner last year for Christmas, my resolution(s) for 2013 was to use it (and to get to college in one piece). Journaling was something I'd stopped since I started blogging and writing stories, but the planner was a good way for me to reflect on my day. So every night, I'd take 5 minutes out to calm down and jot down little events of what had occurred and give thanks for the blessings I had in my life. It didn't seem like an exciting resolution when I made it, but it turned out to make a big difference in my life.

This year, I have quite a few more resolutions:

• Make YouTube videos. [I've been wanting to do this one for three months now, and I'd tried to get started by reading The Little Prince last November. Then I realized that I don't like reading out loud and wanted to find something more, well, me. So I'm going to start with simple vlogs about my life and see if I have time to sit down and make fancier videos in the future.]
• Crochet many hats. 
• Do more community service.
• Start the "Dear Friend" posts on this blog.

What are your resolutions for 2014? Tell me about them in the comments below!

If you don't have a resolution, here is a video that might help you find one:

It seems like many people often set great goals but then end up abandoning them before springtime even comes. But this is the year to succeed! Here are some tips to help you keep on track for your goals of the year.

1. Make it interesting. A common resolution that people set is to go to the gym more. And although this is a really good goal, people still fail to keep going to the gym steadily through the year. So, instead of resolving to just "be more active," try telling yourself instead that you resolve to run a marathon (a little more than 26 miles) by the end of the year or even by the summer of next, or perhaps to learn a new sport. Each of these resolutions involve doing a lot of the same things (eating healthier, cardio and strength training, etc.) but learning how to dance would be a lot easier to do because it's fresh, interesting, and new.
2. Remind yourself how it benefits you. Think of your resolution as a gift to yourself. Sometimes in the short run, it might be difficult to keep going toward your goal, but the benefits are mostly long-term. So think of those long-term benefits!
3. Track your progress. Use a calendar to highlight the successes and failures that may come with your resolution. This way, you can be aware of all the progress you've made.
4. Don't give up when you fail. Remember that there are 365 days in a year--so don't let one day of missing out affect the entire year. If you don't have time today, just remember that tomorrow is a new day.
5. Get some friends involved. Tell your friends about your resolution and give them updates every now and then of how things are going so that you'll have their support. Things are a lot harder to do when you're on your own, so get others involved and enjoy the process that comes with your resolution.

I hope you enjoyed this overdue post and will see you next week!

Take care,

-Riley XO

Commemorating Hope

Hello there. I can only imagine how many people in the blogsphere are talking about this day, but I have some words that I'd like to share with you, so thank you for visiting and taking the time to read this. 

As some of you may know, I visited New York City last June. The city left me wide-eyed and amazed. Broadway shows, the dazzling lights of Times Square, outstanding pizza, Chinatown, the Empire State Building... Each of these parts of New York, so beautiful and fantastic in its own way.

The most memorable part of my trip, however, was visiting the 9/11 Memorial. The memorial itself is an impressive sight, a work of art, giving tribute to families, friends, and strangers. However, it's the stories that made the experience so impactful.

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While being there, I heard several stories that just tear at my heartstrings. If you ever meet somebody who was in the city at the time, ask them to share their story, or take some time to think about these stories, to remember the grief that Americans everywhere experienced--then you'll know what I'm feeling right now.

Even as they stood in the ashes, they didn't give up. Instead, they did the exact opposite, comforting each other, networking, struggling to stand when there was so much weighing down. When so much was lost, people took what they still had and shared it with each other: hope.

Hope is one of the most powerful things in this world, and I could even argue that at times it is stronger than love. Hope is what causes people kneeling at the bottom of a dark pit of despair to just look up and see the light that is there, far but attainable.

The Survivor Tree
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Today, I challenge you to listen to stories, to share hope, and inspire love and gratitude in the people around you. Start by telling your friends and family how much they mean to you, and let it blossom from there.

Keep hope sacred.

Open up your heart, and let it take over you.

And have a blessed day,
-Riley XO

My Black Belt Test

Hello everybody! Today I wanted to share what is potentially the biggest day of my summer with you. I actually tested for my black belt last Saturday. It was a very emotional time for me because I didn't really realize how quickly this summer has flown until Friday afternoon. All the way through the season of working, spending time with friends, and blogging--the black belt test just seemed to be something so far away.

(I have a couple of pictures here on the blog. Sorry about the poor quality--they were taken on my sister's phone and I am too lazy to edit them. The sun coming in through the windows makes the lighting look really funky, but it doesn't bother me enough to fix it.)

Tae kwon do has been a major part of my life for about two-and-a-half years now. It's my primary form of exercise, and I love it because I've made such wonderful friends from the school. Plus, it provides an outlet for stress relief when I needed a break from school. Each school has its own methods and philosophies, but I recommend practicing martial arts to pretty much every teenager I meet. Ever since I started, my sense of self-confidence has really grown stronger, and going to practice tae kwon do has usually been the best part of each day, both during school and in the summer.

The test started with an hour-long meditation. Then, we proceeded to execute all the forms, basic motions, sparring techniques, nun-chuck routines, kicks, board breaking, and exercises. The entire test was approximately four hours long, so I had a bottle of Gatorade in handy since I have low blood sugar and pressure.

Even though I'm still sore while writing this, the whole thing seems surreal, a blur. My black belt is sitting on my counter and it definitely has my Korean name on it, but it's hard to grasp the fact that I earned it. I don't know--I guess I never really saw myself coming this far.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to everyone who's supported me through this whole process. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without my family and friends. Actually, if it weren't for them I'd probably have spent this whole summer wasting away at work in that fast food restaurant. I'm not going to mention any specific people because if they're reading this, they know who they are.

I also want to thank my friends (who sat through the entire four hours!) for not giving me a hard time about me crying at the end of the test. I was physically exhausted and then got really emotional when Master Park asked me to give a speech to my parents since the time left with them is becoming shorter and shorter. I was again reminded how blessed I am to have my parents in my life--I can never fully repay them for all they have done for me.

Finally, I thank you for reading through this entire post! It isn't even close to describing all of the emotions I experienced while receiving my black belt, and it doesn't include all of the details of the test, but this post is just one way for you to get to know me better. I'm not sure if I've mentioned tae kwon do on this blog before or not, but it occupies a precious place in my heart.

That's what I've been up to lately--what have you been doing all summer? Did you spend a lot of time with your friends? Did you travel? Try anything new? What's your best memory? Please share in the comments below!

Coming up on this blog, I'm going to be wrapping up the series Get Ready For College With Me and take a whack at writing a beauty post. My take on beauty focuses a lot more on inner beauty and being healthy, but I do have a couple of tips that are helpful for fellow students out there who don't have a lot of time to devote to pampering their skin and/or hair but still care about such things.

If there's anything else you'd like me to blog about, please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at smilesnomatter@gmail.com. Otherwise, I have a lot of inspirational quotes, thoughts, and pictures in store for you all as well :)

Take care,
-Riley XO

Get Ready for College With Me: Extracurricular Activities

Welcome back to my blog! In the last post of this series Get Ready for College With Me, I talked a bit about taking AP classes, which you can find by clicking here. So today I want to discuss extracurricular activities and give general advice to high schoolers who are juggling several activities or want to be more involved.

Being involved in extracurricular activities is important for getting into college. But the beauty of it is that unlike taking challenging classes and doing well in those (there is a set number of classes offered after all), the choices that are available for these extracurriculars are unlimited.

The options vary because people vary--we have differing passions. So with that in mind, it's important to spend your time doing what you love.

Keeping in mind my advice from the post regarding AP classes and that you should definitely take as many as you can possibly handle, let's put a couple of things into perspective.

There are 24 hours in a day, and the average student requires 7-8 hours in order to function healthily. So if we factor in sleep, breakfast, and dinner, that leaves us with about 15 hours. School lasts for about 7 hours, and homework takes an average of 3. Which leaves us with roughly 5 hours to do whatever we want every day.

What do we do with these 5 hours?

Quick Tip: Count your hours! I often hear people saying that they didn't have enough time to do an important project--but how come these individuals are the only few out of the entire class who doesn't finish the project in the given time frame? Personal problems are sometimes the reason and are acceptable, but those are usually rare. Usually, the problem is that these people haven't put into perspective their time frames and haven't paced themselves properly. You could accomplish a ton in five hours, but it's also the length of two movies, so manage your time wisely.

Well, I made a resume of my high school activities for some college and scholarship applications, and here is a list of a few of the major things I included:

• Community service (through church, hospital, and the library)
• National Honor Society and Tri-M (which is the music honor society)
• Part-time job at a fast food restaurant
• Orchestra
• Tae Kwon Do
• Wrote a blog

My schedule changed constantly. If I happened to have a lot of homework a certain night, I would shave down the time I spent practicing the violin or sometimes had to skip Tae Kwon Do. Or when I started dating, I wrote less so that I could spend more time with him. On a couple of occasions, I had to drop everything in order to cover a shift at work. With orchestra there are chair challenges and concerts. With soccer there are games that may or may not be far away. So how can a teenager successfully handle this fluid, sporadic schedule?

My simple answer: Prioritization.

School always came first for me. If maintaining high grades is important to you, then you should naturally spend more time studying and thoroughly understanding the material. (And high grades are extremely important for anyone who wants to go to college--transcripts are usually the first or second things that college admissions look at--and will also help with landing scholarships.) My schedule every day was for the most part structured around how much homework I would have every night.

Next, since fitness is important to me, I usually locked in the 1.5 hours for Tae Kwon Do. Writing took slight priority over playing the violin, so if I was done with homework I would usually blog upon returning from Tae Kwon Do, practicing during breaks.

Likewise, my advice is to make a list of your activities and set them into levels. What are the things that you cannot live without doing? How much time do you spend on TV or surfing the web? What could you do instead?

Moving off of those thoughts, here are is some advice from my ever-so-eloquent Astronomy teacher: "Get good at something." In other words, don't just be a member that shows up to six different clubs and contributes the bare minimum just to impress college. Rather, invest your time into one or two clubs that actually interest you and use that interest to excel at it. Foster some passion. Run to be a president, VP, secretary, or treasurer of the club.

Do something that you love enough to put in a ton of energy. This is what defines you. If you're an athlete, compete on the varsity team, volunteer in a sports camp for kids during the summer, and support other teams in your school by attending fund raisers. If you're a bookworm, join the lit mag, yearbook, or newspaper staff. If you like experiments, join the Science Olympiad. If you like working with people, do some service, join FBLA, Speech and Debate, or Student Council. If you work, talk to your coworkers and/or customers--care more about them, relate to them. Or if you have an odd hobby and like making crafts, make them and sign up for shows, go to craft shows, maybe even start a business.

The possibilities are endless, and if you use those five hours to the fullest, then you really improve your level of happiness because you are literally living your passion.

So here's a question: What if you don't know what your passion is yet?

To be honest, I was one of those people during my freshman and sophomore years of high school. My best advice is to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Two years ago, I would never have dreamed of doing tae kwon do, and look at me now--I'll be testing for my black belt in less than two weeks!

Good luck with the rest of high school, and have lots of fun with these years too!

Take care,
-Riley XO

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The next post in this series will include my advice concerning college apps and standardized tests. It will be coming out this Saturday morning, so check it out when you have time! When the series is complete in a week or so, I'll go back to posting little snippets of inspiration--I already have many ideas in store for you guys. Please follow this blog by email, Bloglovin', or RSS so that you can be alerted when new content is posted. I'm also a part of several blogging communities, and the badges can be found on the About page. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day!

Submerged in Happiness Day One: 5 People

Good morning (or night, wherever you may be)! I follow a page called Quote of the Day on Facebook. They provide some witty lines and amusing quips that are easy to remember, and recently they started adding an artistic element to their quotations. I found this one striking:

 

With it being the last summer of high school and upon turning eighteen a couple weeks ago, I've been spending some precious time with the people who have meant the most to me. So the first thing I thought of when I saw this quotation was my group of best friends that I've been with since grade school. (There are five of us.)

The other night, we put on makeup and prom dresses, snapped way too many pictures, and then slipped into some summer dresses to go to a splendid fondue restaurant. These four girls are such a blessing--I cannot express fully enough how much I love them.

What makes our friendship so strong is that we are accepting. We ultimately love unconditionally despite flaws, distance, or fights. Basically, as a group, we make great memories, support one another, and laugh without end.

I don't believe that we can really choose who we spend the most time with because God has a plan which includes who we end up seeing day in and day out. However, I do agree that the traits of the people who are closest to your heart will influence your actions.

I remember that one of my very dear friends was a pessimist, but the more and more time I spent talking with him, my own heart began to grow darker, more egocentric. During that period, I didn't realize this, but while I was with my other friends I began to notice that this was happening.

So, guys, learn that others' beliefs start to become your own, especially if those people are closest to you.

I thought of two quotations that, when put together with the quote of the day above, form a powerful, powerful message--so powerful that I've written "powerful" four times already!

Firstly, here are the lyrics of a little sing-along piece I learned as Little Riley:

Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down in love so be careful little eyes what you see.
(It also repeats with "little ears what you hear" and "little lips what you say.")

And secondly, Gandhi's famous words are:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”  

It is so important to be wary of what is going into your mind and shaping your beliefs, because that is what becomes a quintessential part of you.

I think that what's most important is submerging yourself with positivity in order to unlock the full potential inside. Love the people who say "It is possible," ones who walk around with a smile, ones who support and see the value inside of you. As you are submerged with people like this, you'll also start to behave prosocially, which is synonymous with leading a fulfilling, happy life.

I'll be hosting a mini-series on this blog this week consisting of three posts that address what sort of things you can submerge yourself in with the goal of smiling no matter.

For Day One today, just take some time to think about who your closest friends are, why you love them, and what you do for each other. Think about your family--all that your parents have taught you, all the camaraderie you share with any siblings or cousins. And finally, take a brief moment to talk to them. Thank them for everything they've been through with you; they have played a vital role in shaping you to be the person you are now, after all.

I'm going to challenge myself and you to thank five people (in addition to family) for shaping the beliefs engrained within my heart and pushing me along the path to where I am today.

Take care!
-Riley XO

7 Things To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

Hello everybody! Fancy seeing you here again. Have you ever had a day off and just wanted to spend it by yourself? Alone time is great--it can be so relaxing and spiritual if spent well. But sometimes I find that when I have such "alone time," I end up sitting in front of the TV for a few hours too long. It almost inspires a sense of guilt in me, because watching TV stimulates even less of your brain than sleep does! While it's a nice break every-so-often, it's not an ideal way to spend a lot of time doing, right?

Well, here is a brainstorm of quick, doable ideas that you can use if you're bored and would like to spice up your day. Enjoy!

1. Call up an old friend. Remember those good ol' days in high school (or middle school, depending on your age)? Well, contact your friends! Just talk to them, ask them what they've been up to, wish them a good day. Maybe you could even schedule a fun time with a couple of these friends to reconnect. Here is a quick list of 8 things you could do!
2. Lose yourself with a pen and paper. Okay, this one's easy for me to say because I love writing and try to do it every day. Writing is cathartic. It helps you sort through your thoughts, channel emotions, and gets those juices in your head flowing. I recommend writing a journal entry, poem, or short story. But if writing isn't your "thing," you could always try drawing something too. :)
3. Go for a walk. Just be one with your environment. Enjoy the sky, the grass, and buildings around you. If you happen to have a dog, walks are all the more fun--Blizzard (my little doggie) loves going to the park, and seeing him that happy brightens my day.
4. Start a 30-Day Challenge. Not a bad way to fill up some of that spare time. Watch this video for a bit of inspiration to start a new habit or end a bad one:
   
   
   
5. Try a work-out challenge. I have been trying to conquer the "Abs on Fire" workout by Blogilates. My results are embarrassing (mostly consists of me rolling around the floor in pain while she continues on her happy way), so that's why I like to do this on my own.
6. Learn something new. Watch a couple videos on iTunes U (right now I'm watching a series of lectures on personal finance...boring, but helpful), or I also like Vsauce on YouTube for little interesting tidbits.
7. Treat yourself. Go out and buy some frozen yogurt or try a simple new recipe that's sweet and delicious. Here's a bit from Blogilates again:

So there is a simple list of possible activities you can do when you are completely at a loss. If you have any fun ideas, please feel free to share by clicking on the comment bubble at the top of this post!

Have a great day, and take care!
-Riley XO

Nice For No Reason

Hello everybody! Happy (late) Tuesday!

Quick shout-out to all the dads out there: Thank you for being such a major part of your kids' lives, and may God bless you as you continue to provide and protect your families. Also, good luck!

Well, today was incredibly busy. I had a five-hour shift at work and was surprised when my manager left me in charge of the store. Then I remembered that I'm eighteen now. My birthday was this past week, and I've celebrated it with a group of close friends and my family. It is so surreal--and suddenly here I am, getting ready for college!

As an entering freshman who is more than a little anxious about registering for classes this semester, I've spent some time on YouTube trying to take my mind off the stress. I am currently subscribed to Carrie Hope Fletcher, and just recently she posted this video:

This is a challenge I am taking upon myself, and let's see if you are up to it too!

I remember that once my friend also did a similar act of random kindness in our high school, touching the lives of the 2,000 or so kids that were in the building. It took a lot of writing and notes, but just seeing the morale of the school brighten up that Thursday morning made those hours spent on these little messages was beyond worthwhile.

Here's my idea for fellow incoming freshman--whatever university/college you may be going to. After the first two weeks of school, get a pack of sticky notes, write those nice messages, quotes, or pictures on them, leave them around your dorm, or campus, and just smile knowing that you may have brightened someone's day. Then, post them with the tag @TheHopefulNotes.

So if you're ever bored this summer, just find a pack of sticky notes and start writing positive thoughts. They could brighten someone's day in the future!

I'm planning to do this myself, and I hope you'll step up to Carrie's challenge as well!

Take care,
-Riley XO