How To Beat Procrastination

Hello everyone,

As you can see from both my title and the picture above, today I come to talk to you about procrastination. You would be lying if you said you don't procrastinate. We all do it, even if we may not realize it. For example, right now I'm procrastinating getting some History done by writing this post. So really, I can't yell at you for doing it. I do, however, have a lot of experience in trying to not procrastinate, so hopefully my tips might help out some of you folks. 

 1. Be Comfortable 

I am home schooled, (I take private school classes twice a week.) so I am mostly doing school at home which gives me the freedom to wear whatever I want. Normally, I like to change out of my PJ's just so I'm not tempted to fall back asleep again, but I still like to stay comfortable. It is so hard for me to focus in stiff clothes and when my hair is falling into my face, so I like to wear baggy sweater/T-shirts, leggings/jeggings, and tie my hair up. 

2. Stay Hydrated 

This is one of my favorites. If you entered my room, you would find about 2-3 water bottles, 2 glasses, and at least 1 tumbler laying around..possibly some coffee mugs too. I am always drinking some sort of water mixture, tea, coffee, or smoothie. Mostly though, I add lemon into my water. Lemon is known to help you be more alert and stimulate memory. It really does help me focus, plus it tastes super good! 

3. Don't Study in Bed

I don't care how cute your bed is, if it's made, if it is comfortable, don't do it! You get twice as much work done when you are doing it on a desk or a table. Your bed is for sleeping and your body knows that, so you will automatically be less focused and become drowsy. I highly suggest you find a nice place where you can mainly just focus on school that works for you, and leave you bed for resting and watching Netflix. 

4. Keep Your Work Space Clean 

This is another huge one! Maybe it works for you, but for most people it is difficult to get things done when everything is messy and unorganized. A cluttered desk makes for slow work, so take some time to organize everything in a practical way that will cause you to be more efficient. I have a small shelf to keep my books in; jars for my pens, highlighters, and pencils; and bins for my art supplies and folders. It is helpful to have a clearer desk and a designated place for everything.  

5.Eliminate Distractions

If we're all being honest here, whenever we try to get anything done, we look at our phones every 5 minutes...which then lead to 30 minutes and before we know it we've watched 11 YouTube videos and spammed our Pinterest followers with pins. Save yourself from that black hole, turn your phone off and take it to another room. Focus on the task that is before you and save phone time for later, you will get so much more done!

 6. Listen to Music

Okay, so this one depends on the person. If you can't focus with music, do listen to it! I love listening to music while I do school, though! Depending on the subject, I will change my music to fit what I'm doing. When I'm reading, I listen to classical. When I'm writing, I listen to music I can sing along with. When I'm working on math, I listen to music that pumps me up so I don't fall asleep. Just figure out what works best for you. 

7. Make Lists

So if you've read some of my last posts, you know I love To-Do lists, especially when they're in fun colors. Plan out what you need to get done by importance, how you're going to finish it, and when it needs to be completed. It's good to have a visual reminder of what you need to get done. Plus, whenever you check things off, it motivates you to do more so you can check off even more things. I've gotten so much done just because of that weirdly satisfying feeling I get. 

8. Take Breaks 

So I know I said before to keep distractions away from you, but it is good to take 5-10 minute breaks every hour or so. This helps you to look forward to something and not feel as if you've been working for hours. You can check your phone, read a couple blog posts, watch a YouTube video, read a chapter in your favorite book, whatever you want! Just make sure not to take too long of breaks. ;)

9. Work With Others

I love doing homework and studying with friends! Sometimes we will get together at each others houses, or we'll go out to coffee. It's nice because if one of us is stuck, another one might not be, or we'll help each other edit different papers. It's just great to have a friend to help motivate you and get it finished. Just make sure to do at least some work and not talk the entire time. 

10. Just Do It

All photos via Unsplash

Totally copying Nike here, but seriously, just do it! You can search google for hundreds of tips on how to get things done, but in the end, you're the only one with the power to motivate yourself to actually get it finished, so do it! Not everything in this world is fun, but we've just got to suck it up and do it anyway. So stop reading my blog and start on whatever project you need to get done. Trust me, once you're finished you will be so relieved! 

How do you beat procrastination? Any tips that I didn't include? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I hope you have a productive day,

Elizabeth 

Embracing the Pain // Four Years

Hello everyone, 

Today it's been four years. 

Four years since the first man I ever loved passed into the arms of Jesus.

I normally don't write heavy blog posts, and by no means do I want attention or pity; I just wanted to talk about this day, and my blog seemed like a good place to do that. 

As a child, I grew up in a Christian home. I attended church and AWANA weekly, read my Bible and said my prayers, and truly did believe God created this earth and Christ died for us. But I had it easy! My parents were amazing and so loving, my brothers and I got along well and did all sorts of fun things together, I had good friends, a beautiful place to live, food and water, clothing. My life was great! I think I really took it for granted.

On February 4th, 2010, my dad was diagnosed with AML (Acute myeloid leukemia) Cancer had invaded my father's body and I was terrified. Months of treatment, hospital visits, tears, cafeteria food, and waiting began. Every day was filled with new hope, and new terror. But as the months dragged on, that hope began to dwindle, and on March 19th, 2011, my dad took his last breath. 

I often try to reflect on what it was like before this awful surprise hit my family. 

I remember how, whenever I went bowling, my dad would try to teach me all these techniques on how to bowl better. Our favorite one was to puff air out of our mouths in hope it would push the ball along and get me a strike. I don't know if it ever worked, but I sure used to get a lot more strikes with dad around. 

I remember looking out my window and seeing my dad walking around in his red and black plaid shirt and cowboy hat. He was always chopping wood or working on something else around the house. It is so weird how the things you miss most are the little things.

I remember his giant bear hugs, the way his whiskers felt on my cheek when he kissed me goodnight, all the conversations we had on our father-daughter dates. I remember the love that sparkled in his eyes when he was around us, the way he looked at my mom with such deep affection, his quiet guitar strumming as we tried to fall asleep. 

To be honest, though, I don't like trying to remember all the good things, because before I can focus on all the wonderful memories, my mind goes to death. 

Pain, tears, death. That's what I remember most.

I remember countless visits to the hospital and it becoming my second home. I remember seeing my dad always sleeping because he was in such serious pain. I remember crying almost every day because everything that was happening was so unfair. I remember the evening before my dad died, not wanting to let go. I remember people's look of pity at the funeral while I held to my eldest brother’s shirt, bawling into his chest. 

Remembering these things brings me pain, so I try not to remember them. I attempt to block out the most life-changing event that ever happened to me, and sometimes, I succeed.

I succeed at blowing out all of the bad memories, but along with the bad memories go the good memories, so I'm left with either embracing the pain or forgetting everything all together.

My dad doesn't deserve that! 

He deserves to be remembered for how loving he was. For what an amazing father he was to us kids. He deserves to be remembered for how sacrificial he was--working day in and day out just for my family! Even when he was sick, he would try to get things done around the house. He deserves to be remembered as an inspiration. No one has inspired me more than my father. He loved and served Christ through his entire walk with cancer and modeled so much faith to us kids. 

My dad doesn't deserve to be forgotten just because I don't want to remember the pain.

The thing is, pain is a part of life. It doesn't matter who you are, you're going to go through something that is tough, no matter what. We live in a fallen, broken world where pain and suffering have infested themselves everywhere. Even so, I know God is in the midst of it, ready to come alongside of us and carry us through all of life's hardships. 

So in the end, I want to embrace the pain. I know that someday I will be reunited with my dad, and that brings me hope! I don't need to be afraid to face the pain of the past, for Christ is there to comfort me through whatever comes my way.

"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

    Whose confidence is in him.

 They will be like a tree planted by the water

    That sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

    Its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

    And never fails to bear fruit."

-Jeremiah 17:7-8

With much love,

Elizabeth

Casual Outfit // Hanging Out With Elissa

Hello everyone,

Today I come to you with a casual outfit/pleading post. It's been a hectic week and I am honestly in a huge blogging rut. I don't know what to post or write and I don't have anything planned or a draft to work on. I've come back to this empty page a couple time this week, but nothing has really come to me. What would you all like to see and read? I need some suggestions so leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail. I would be much obliged! 

Last weekend I got to hangout with Elissa from Letters to Jayna. (Go check her out!) We walked around her town for a little while and she wanted to snap some pictures. Naturally, I modeled because of my extreme talents of being comfortable around a camera and posing with gusto (NOT). It was really fun though, and I always love spending time with Elissa. She sent me these pictures today so I thought why not share them with you all. 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,

Elizabeth

Restore Your Joy In Me // The Gospel

Hello friends,

Taking things for granted, we all do it! We all do it way more then we should. I often try to reflect on life and all that I have, yet there are so many every day things I don't think about, but if I didn't have, my life would be so completely different then it is now. I am sure you can all relate with that! It is something I hate that I do and wish so badly that I wouldn't, yet I do over and over again. It is angering! Why can't I change and be appreciative for all that I have and was so lovingly given without doing anything of worth? 

I think one of the biggest struggles I have is taking the gospel for granted. You can choose to disagree and say that you would never do such a thing, but think about it. For me, I have grown up in a christian family. I read my bible almost everyday, go to church and work in Sunday school, I use to attend AWANA and now attend a private christian school for homeschoolers. I think I know it all! The gospel is something I hear hundreds of times I know the story by heart and could quote quite a few verses along with it, but somewhere along the way, I forgot what I am actually preaching.

I am preaching a story of love and sacrifice. Love and sacrifice for me, for you, for everyone! Yet, I am being blinded by my own cockiness and so called knowledge of it, and forget the real meaning of it.

Us Christians often do this! We know all about the bible and what it has to teach. Whenever the preacher starts talking about how Christ died for us, we begin to mouth along not realizing the pure joy and excitement is should be giving us. 

This is wrong.

Christ, the perfect son of God, who, I will say again, was perfect, died for us. Why? Because He had an unending, unobtainable, unstoppable love for us. For all of us. Every single one of us filthy humans who can never seem to get anything right. He was Sacrificed so we could have a relationship with Him. How can I just skip over that? How can I not be full of joy, and sorrow, for all that He has done for me? I am so ashamed.

Lord, restore the joy of your salvation within me and help me never take this amazing love you have for me for granted.

With love,

Elizabeth

Dried Puddles

Photo via Unsplash

tears splash on the bathroom tile.

drip drop, drip drop

they roll down my cheeks

and form a puddle at my feet.

standing in that place was like drowning.

there were voices i couldn't control.

no one would pull me back up,

i was pushed down deeper and deeper.

lies, gossip, ugly words,

those are not what defined me.

beauty is being yourself wholeheartedly

strength is pushing through life’s hardships.

the tears are dry now

and my puddle is no more.

for i have something even better,

God’s love shines in my soul.

Coffee Dates // Favorite Places

Dress/Forever 21. Cardigan/Plato's Closet. Leggings/Target. Boots/Ross. Scarf/Fred Meyer. Belt/Stiches. Purse/Gift. 

Hello everyone,

I bring you another outfit post! I wore this yesterday to church and then walking around in Bellingham. My friend Chloe and I walked on the board walk and then got some coffee and food at Woods Coffee, a super awesome coffee chain. It is kind of like Starbucks, but better. We had a nice little chat about summer and how we want to spend it. I love talking with Chloe, she is so sweet, funny, and has a great heart! It is always a pleasure hanging with her, plus she is a great photographer. We're hoping to come back sometime in the summer to have a picnic at the park near by, swim, and do some shopping at all the cute stores Bellingham has. This is one of my favorite places to visit so you will see it on the blog again, I can guarantee it! 

What did you do this weekend? What are some of your favorite places near you?

With love,

Elizabeth