#I’ve been eating about 1 meal a day and sleeping a lot. this is the worst my body has ever been. I feel like I’m just waiting to die.

[floral-hex]

woke up at 4am feeling the weight of my life crushing me, so I’ve been sitting out in my car for the last couple of hours because I just need. to. be. somewhere else.

[milkoomi]

₊˚⊹ ᰔ a guide to preparing for a new semester ᝰ.ᐟ

part two

previous

i wanted to add a few more tips from the previous post i made for this! it won’t be an entire series, but i got to thinking and realized there are other things i wanted to discuss!

let’s begin !!

ᝰ.ᐟ sleep schedule

it’s extremely important to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. i feel like this idea of pulling all-nighters and doing these extreme study sessions are almost glorified amongst students. everyone dreams of being the “perfect” or best academic weapon, but let’s be honest here: sacrificing your sleep— your health— will only make you sacrifice your grades.

there are countless studies out there that show the importance of sleep, so please make sure you’re getting a good amount of rest! your brain needs to recharge just as the rest of your body does! matter of fact, your body can’t function unless your brain has the energy to provide that functionality.

creating a sleep schedule

go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. i created this post on getting better sleep & creating a good nightly routine! i always try to be in bed and asleep by 10:30pm and wake up at 6:30am. not only do i get my desired 8 hours, but it helps me maintain my routine!

no screen time 1 hour before bed. i mentioned this in the post i liked previously, but it’s seriously so important to stay off your phone when you’re trying to go to sleep. i stop using my phone around 8:30-9pm and ever since doing so I’ve gotten much better sleep and it’s been easier for me to fall asleep!

ᝰ.ᐟ fuel your mind

this point i’m about to make is purely my own opinion and what has genuinely helped me just get through my day, but: eat breakfast. i am a firm believer of “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” because there were days i didn’t have breakfast and i felt dead inside. like seriously! without that nutritional energy that my body and my brain needed, i just felt so lethargic and exhausted.

i know a lot of people tend to skip breakfast, but even as your day progresses it’s important to make sure you get that brain food in your system. whether it’s a good snack or a great meal, make sure you have something in your system!

juno’s fav breakfast meals

oatmeal with slices of banana!! i usually have the Quaker brand (the maple & brown sugar is my favorite) and then i just add some banana slices! really quick and easy, but still something filling and nutritional!

avocado on naan bread!! i usually make this when i have more time in the mornings just because i like to add either a fried egg or some bits of bacon on my little breakfast sandwich! you can also substitute the naan bread with a bagel! i also like to spread a little bit of cream cheese on the bread!

yogurt and granola!! this is another quick & easy breakfast option i love! i use just about any yogurt that i might have in my fridge and then i add granola! i’ll also add any fruit that i’m feeling that day (especially if the yogurt i have is just plain)!

ᝰ.ᐟ change your mindset

i know a lot of have had this mindset of “i have to go to school/to study” but instead we should have a mindset of “i get to go to school/to study!”

when we view school or studying as a chore, our mindset can quickly change into something that doesn’t motivate us and that makes us hesitant to focus our minds on our academics. getting to have an education is a privilege and we have to treat it as such. we’re lucky enough to be able to attend school/college/university, so we have to make our time learning and studying worth it.

when you think of school/studying, think to yourself how blessed you are to be able to take the time you have and put it towards your education! change your mindset so that you feel motivated to be in school and to study!

ᝰ.ᐟ final notes

how you treat yourself and your health and how you view school can either make or break you during this new semester. so, i’m going to repeat myself once again: take care of yourself! your health, your mental well-being, and your mind all need to be taken care of if you want to excel during this semester and throughout your academic career! you also have to remain positive, burn out and frustrations with your education are very real things, but you have to make sure you’re able to pick yourself back up when things start going south. i truly hope this new semester for those of you still in school is a great one! always do your best because your best is enough and always remember to take good care of yourself and be kind to yourself!

with lots of love, juno 🌷

[sugurizz]

𝐒𝐌𝐔𝐓/𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐖 +𝟏𝟖 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐍𝐈!!

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ── Bby Boo Joo is a M E N A C E but I know a lot of us noticed him being all soft and tender (like 1% of the time) but oh well, I can work with that 💪🏼. So here’s some of the ways Jaekyung expresses his…feelings? Ig. kinda his love language.. in a way 💕…

𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐒𝐊.

Also thanks for the inspo and sorry ik this ask was sent long ago 🤧. U can call me Hana but I’ve been thinking about Yuna as a new alias…idk.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: established relationship, Physiotherapist F! Reader, shared house, implied power dynamics, hints at sex/ SEXUAL content.

Living in Jaekyung’s penthouse sure made life easier for both of you. It slowly aquainted you to each other, bodies and minds. You slowly got used to his mannerisms, little habits and his little pet-peeves. The sense of pride it gave you to feel like you knew him more than anybody else sure gave you a tiny ego boost. especially him desiring you whenever his body needs it…

♥︎──♥︎ He checks on you randomly. Casually pretending to walk by your room and just making sure you’re there. He does it almost whenever he’s home with you. Sometimes getting a bit sly with it so you don’t really notice him. But you slowly learned it was his way of checking up on you, making sure you’re around him -you know- just in case…

♥︎──♥︎ He hates you not being home, especially when he’s back from overtime training. Whenever he’s feeling stressed, uneasy or just in a sour mood, he’d rather you be around him or at least somewhere he knows.

He made it obvious the one day you were away til a late hour at night. He came home from his evening workout, didn’t find you there and instantly texted you.

‘I’m home. need you to check on my shoulder.’

♥︎──♥︎ He always complains about his feather-light sleep, but snoozes like a baby whenever you’re in his bed. The nights before his matches are surprisingly best for him. He gets the best sleeping quality after he pounds the juices out your poor pussy. He wakes up before you for sure, but his cute disheveled morning hairs are sure proof of a healthy healthy nap.

♥︎──♥︎ He likes it better when you make the food. His cocky ass always claims he’s fine making it himself but eats twice the amount whenever it’s you cooking his meals. He’d pretend he’s tired and not in the mood whenever he craves your cooking cause…his ass can’t simply ask for something lol. Yet he gets all giddy and blushy when his fav smoked eel dish is ready.

♥︎──♥︎ He hates to see you in any pain. Always saying it’s just for himself though…You know, just because he wants you always safe and ready to keep him in peak condition. and NOT because he actually cares or anything.

Yet why does he still gets annoyed at you getting the slightest scratch? He frowns when he notices you wearing band-aids, having a bruise or even some random shallow cuts on your hands and he’d instantly grab your arm, staring into your eyes and asking you how’d you get the injury.

♥︎──♥︎ He likes randomly noticing you…*ahem* underclothed. booty shorts definitely trigger his inner perv. He stares at your ass when you’re standing in the bathroom, doing your skincare freshly out of a quick nighty shower. So damn shameless when he stares. Almost undressing you with the raven eyes and thick lashes. So annoying…

You usually end up taking another shower that same night, only with his thick cum flowing down your thigh the second time :3

♥︎──♥︎ He can sense whenever you’re feeling down…IRONICALLY? Sounds like a joke with Jaekyung being the dick he is LOL but trust me on this one.

He almost has a sixth sense whenever you’re sad, scared, stressed out or just if something inconvenient happens to you in general. He’d never admit it -obviously- but it bugs him if he ever caught you teary-eyed. It gets him uneasy and you can tell when his mood sometimes matches yours..

Uhhh smells like love in here *insert Jaekyung stuffing his nose with toilet paper scraps*

♥︎──♥︎ He hates when you struggle to do something by yourself instead of asking him for help. (paying bills, dealing with packages, paperwork etc…) Says they’re just ‘bs problems’ and he can solve them for you much quicker and better than you could. He’d do it himself or even pays someone to do it instead.

Besides, he’s not kidding when he says he wants all your focus on him so he’d rather everything around you gets taken care of just so you can be there for him at all times.

♥︎──♥︎ He doesn’t mind your outside life but would definitely notice when you’re all cute and dolled-up for some reason.

It’s not only about the dolly looks to be fair. He’d bend you over the kitchen counter in your stained apron and fuck you dumb or suck your tits in your goofy pattern pjs on one of his long sleepless nights…

But the time he notices you spraying your cherry fragance in the bathroom, your perky breasts sticking shyly through your dress and a shiny jewel dangling from your ankle bracelet always gets him tight in his boxers.

He walks in with his glossy eyes, same naugthy grin you see when he’s in that mood..

‘Tomorrow’s my back check-up. Better not be late.’ He steps behind you, arms lazily crossed above his chest.

You nodded and made your way through the entrance, catching a honeyed voice behind you.

‘Hey Doc. I’ll drop you by'...

…His white McLaren got you there way ahead of time. so ahead that you ended up clawing at the door close to you, the little ankle bracelet jiggling over Jaekyung’s back and your shaky arms wrapped shut around his shoulders. Begging him to let you cum in fear of missing on your little night out...

[izu]

hey just wanna say that i LOVE your art!!! i’ve seen you on twitter and ugh just can’t get enough of it! also do you happen to have some johnshi headcannons?? cuz if you do i would like to see them all!! :3

thank you so much!!! i hope to draw more.... also get ready bc i have way too many headcanons and this'll probably be super long winded unfortunately . this isn't all of it but its most of it

- kenshi is a heavy sleeper. after moving in with johnny post-tournament he begins to unwind from his former unhealthy schedule that was supported by his yakuza lifestyle. johnny wakes up at 5 am to work out until lunch, and kenshi sleeps in til like noon or 1. johnny thinks its cute

- they either own a fuck ton of cats or ferrets. johnny seems like a ferret guy to me

- they like watching director's cuts of movies instead of actual movies because kenshi can actually understand a little more of whats happening while the directors explain certain scenes and go into depth about the composition and art direction. its a win win situation for both of them

- johnny actually reads a ton of books, but is embarrassed about it. leftovers from being a ""nerd"" in high school. kenshi thinks its adorable and he likes hearing johnny retell the book plot and express his exasperation with it unfolding as he reads

- johnny has a sweet tooth and kenshi has a more refined palette, he will try anything johnny sets in front of him though, even if he isnt much of a sweets guy

- on that same note, johnny is very good at cooking! every other night he plans a meal for them, and it's almost always a winner. lots of japanese style dishes (took some trial and error on johnny's part) because he wants to impress kenshi

- they go to red carpet events together after a couple of years of dating, but for a while they pretended (to the press, too) that kenshi was his newest bodyguard. rumors spread fast though and it ended up being a perfect time to let johnny come out publicly as bi

- kenshi's parents are actually very very supportive. i think he'd be nervous at first but his mom thinks johnny is very handsome and his father agrees its a good change for their family. kenshi has two sisters who absolutely raise hell over kenshi nabbing a sexy gaijin star and he is very embarrassed about it. much to johnny's delight

- they spend every weekend on the balcony of johnny's new loft in his jacuzzi just talking and being sappy. kenshi genuinely gets a lil upset when things come up and they miss their date nights

- everytime kenshi returns to the states after visiting home johnny makes a big scene at the airport. lunging at him, crying sobbing

- kenshi proposes first, but johnny had been nervously trying to wait for a good time to do it himself. one upped. he is still very upset about this well into their marriage as old yaois

- kenshi is the top 👍 i think we all knew this but still

- even if he doesn't need it, its sort of a ritual between them so they never stopped; johnny is still kenshi's sight dog when they go out and he doesn't feel like relying on sento.

- sento's ancestors like johnny a lot and kept being annoying about kenshi needing to get hitched already hskw7kejej

- kenshi is achillean, gay. always has been. his arrangement with suchin was. arranged. and she was his lesbian beard for a while. the two are very very close and she visits their home often. johnny is trans and bisexual, but he's only out about being bi.

- johnny tends to have a really shitty sleep cycle, light sleeper, easily thrown into insomnia, the busy street life can really fuck up his routine when hes already had a terrible day. which ends up with the both of them on the couch, talking, watching a show, kenshi with his head on johnny's shoulder. they fall asleep like that 7 times outta 10

- the older they get the sappier and grosser they get . everyone who knows them hates their gay asses . jax and sonya included

- also they both get dad bods when they get older bc of all the good eating. neither are insecure about it. its hot

- kenshi is undeniably the spoiled one. gifts, fancy dinner dates, unrelenting affection and praise. he starts believing he deserves good things, that he is loved, solely by johnny's persistence with showing him instead of telling him

- cris ends up being their friend again after a while. i just dont like the cris villainization when its contrasted with johnshi support. she had her reasons to be upset at her alcoholic, spending-addicted husband, y'all

- johnny like action/sci fi movies. kenshi likes romcoms.

- they host parties. they're awesome parties.

[weird-arcanefangirl]

Rainy Days

TW:signs of depression, blood(described), wounds and later chapters WILL discuss suicide and self harm. If you are triggered by these themes do not read this. I will make happier stories

I do not relate to this, and this might not be accurate. My grammar and writing abilities aren’t good, please correct me or give me constructive criticism ❤️ also, this story was !!!PERFECTED!!! with AI, I wrote it myself, everything, but because I’m German and my whole family doesn’t know much English, this is one of my only options. I have the original where I wrote it into my notebook and made notes for myself and I still have it in it’s earlier stages (I already wrote much more when I was younger, my grammar was pretty bad tho) if anyone wants proof (the notebook) I’ll release it on @toulouseradiosilence <3

enjoy!

Chapter 1: Rose

I wake up to the sound of rain pouring onto the roof. The first thing I do after lying on my side for another 5 minutes is to look at the alarm clock. The time it’s displaying is barely visible, yesterday’s meal is standing in front of it. Would you call that dinner or breakfast? It was at about 4AM, so I’m not really sure, but it also does not matter, so I shove the leftover ramenbox and cheap diet lemonade off of the bedside table. The bottle shatters on the floor, startling me. Besides the cars, rain and airplanes outside this is the first noise I’ve heard today, and probably one of the ones I will hear. I finally look at the time. 10:30 AM. I’m not late to anything, I haven’t been late to anything in months.. or years. Because there is nothing to be late to. Nobody needs me, I’m not part of this “system”. And I think that’s not as bad someone would expect. I don’t have any responsibilities whatsoever. I don’t have to take part in this society, I can do whatever I want. And I choose to lay in my bed, draw or sleep. I have food in my storage (ramen, diet lemonade/ water). Sometimes I crave foods I used to eat when I was younger, but it’s certainly not worth going to the store for. Some days I eat a lot, some I don’t eat at all. Most days, actually. Some days I don’t get out of bed and some I don’t even wake up. Others I don’t sleep. Sometimes I look at drawings or other posts on tumblr. That’s all I really do. Sometimes I think about signing up and posting my drawings, but I’m not good with social stuff and this is too social for me in many ways, so I don’t. I have to go to the toilet, which is pretty unusual for me, considering i barely drink anything. I don’t want to get up though, so I continue lying in my bed for another 20 minutes, until I feel too uncomfortable. I sit up and put my feet into the ground. Something sharp cuts into one of them. I don’t do anything; I don’t even look down to see what just hurt my foot. Another minute of just sitting there and staring goes by until I decide to check. A piece of a broken diet lemonade bottle. I stand up and shove the trash under my bed, I didn’t remove the shard. I start walking. The cut stings. I really do not care though. Dragging myself into the bathroom, I push the door open and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, but I quickly look away. I sit down onto the toilet and.. pee.. yeah, I pee. Afterwards I continue sitting on the toilet and my eyes trail along the way I was walking on, from the toilet to to the door. The door is open. I live alone. There’s a trail of blood on the floor. What? Oh. It’s my blood. Wait, yeah, of course it is. Who else’s would it be? I put my leg into the other to look at my foot. The shard is still in there. I actually kind of panic because it looks really, really bad. Almost my whole foot is cut open. And THAT is a reason to stay in bed all day (as if I wouldn’t do that anyway.. but now I have an excuse, I guess.) I limp over to my bed, but before laying down I check whether I still have some water. Luckily, I do. So I let myself fall onto the bed back first, take a chug of water and start to sleep.

Next chapter will probably release next week❤️

omg I just read through it and the amount of typos I made?? Guys pls tell me if there are mistakes this is embarrassing 💀😭

Also I hate the pace, its so fast…

[actuallyadhd]

Hello, I know you haven't posted in a while so I understand if you don't reply to this, but I could definitely use some advice.

I haven't gotten round to getting tested for ADHD, but I have a lot of the symptoms. I really struggle to sit still, I often blurt things out and interrupt people, I can't seem to remember basically anything, I get way too emotional over small things, and more.

The thing is, these symptoms seem to be getting progressively worse. I will hear something and then completely forget what I heard minutes after, forget what I'm talking about mid conversation, haven't gone to sleep on time because I've been pacing in my room and throwing a bouncy ball and eventually scrolling on my phone in bed because I can't get to sleep, I'm late a lot more than usual (I have to go out tomorrow and I'm hoping I'll get up on time, alarms don't work).

But the biggest thing is this: I keep stopping and starting things. I have loads of sideblogs I haven't posted on for days because I started them with huge passion and then either got bored or forgot about them (or both.) I've been thinking about starting a new ask blog, but at the same time I know I won't come back to it.

Do you have any advice for how to manage this?

Sent August 1, 2024

It sounds like things are cascading, which can be super overwhelming.

I always start with what I call The Big Four: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress. If any one of these is out of whack, everything gets harder. This is true for non-ADHDers as well, but for us it’s more important because of how our brains work.

So, first, think about how you’ve been eating lately. Are you getting enough protein? Brains run on glucose, so carbs are also necessary, but aiming for whole grains and the like is better for long-term functioning. Are you eating *enough*? As in, do you forget to eat meals? Do you snack a lot, and if you do, are you going for quick sugar hits?

Next up is exercise. Regular movement is important. Taking active breaks when you get distracted can help to reset your brain so you can focus again when you come back. Exercise also adds endorphins, which boost your mood and can help increase energy and focus for longer. These effects build up over time, so you won’t see results right away, but if you can make it happen there will be benefits!

As for sleep, you’ve noted that you’re struggling to fall asleep. That’s a really common thing for ADHDers, and we have loads of suggestions here to help. Some of the best ideas I’ve seen include listening to podcasts or watching ASMR videos, white noise machines or a fan, reading a book (not an e-book unless your e-reader doesn’t use blue light), or doing some kind of a puzzle book in bed.

Stress can be really hard to manage, especially if anything else is off since that adds to your stress. The best way to handle this is to have a set time each day where you do something fun and relaxing.

You may find that this doesn’t quite hit the spot. So I have a couple more things to look into.

First, it’s pretty normal for us to run into problems when our responsibilities increase. More responsibility means more load on our executive functions, so things start falling apart a bit as we struggle to find a way to make everything happen. Change is hard!

Second, our age and hormones can have an impact on things. If you menstruate, estrogen levels have a huge impact on functioning. It is a very important part of the brain’s glucose delivery system, so when estrogen is low so is glucose. (There are other ways glucose gets to the brain, estrogen is just the most efficient.)

As for age, when you hit certain ages (early childhood and puberty are best known) your brain makes a ton of new connections, and that can make a lot of things harder that weren’t before. This is because your brain is dedicating itself to other things, and often those “lost” skills return once it’s done with the stage.

So think about all of these things and consider whether one or more might be affecting you. Once you know what’s going on, it will be easier to figure out how to deal with it.

Followers, do you have any ideas for managing these issues? Please share!

-J

[femmefatalevibe]

hey babe! I was wondering if you have tips on body dysmorphia and self care/love? I’ve been dealing with it a lot and it rlly sucks, and I was wondering if you had advice?

Hi love! Here are my tips:

Accept where you are as a starting point, not a final destination

Consider what your (realistic) ideal body is and the habits this person would have

Write a list of these habits (dos and don'ts style) and start implementing one "do" and one "don't" every week. Habit stack until they feel natural and intuitive to you (some dos: drink 4 large cups of water daily, have some green vegetables with 2 meals per day, don't drink soda during the work week; some don'ts: skipping meals, having more than 1 processed food per day during the work week, etc.)

Treat yourself like you have your goal body ––eat, exercise, sleep, and talk to yourself the way you would if you had this body staring back at you in the mirror

Find physical traits you genuinely love about yourself––even if it's eyes, hair, lips, etc.

Put yourself together in ways that make you feel best––outfit, hair, makeup, nails, perfume, skincare, etc.

Hope this helps xx

[gaywattpadstorykid]

Rainy Days

TW:signs of depression, blood(described), wounds and later chapters WILL discuss suicide and self harm. If you are triggered by these themes do not read this. I will make happier stories

I do not relate to this, and this might not be accurate. My grammar and writing abilities aren’t good, please correct me or give me constructive criticism ❤️ also, this story was PERFECTED!!! With AI, I wrote it myself, everything, but because I’m German and my whole family doesn’t know much English, this is one of my only options. I have the original where I wrote it into my notebook and made notes for myself and I still have it in it’s earlier stages (I already wrote much more when I was younger, my grammar was pretty bad tho) if anyone wants proof (the notebook) I’ll release it on @toulouseradiosilence <3

enjoy!

Chapter 1: Rose

I wake up to the sound of rain pouring onto the roof. The first thing I do after lying on my side for another 5 minutes is to look at the alarm clock. The time it’s displaying is barely visible, yesterday’s meal is standing in front of it. Would you call that dinner or breakfast? It was at about 4AM, so I’m not really sure, but it also does not matter, so I shove the leftover ramenbox and cheap diet lemonade off of the bedside table. The bottle shatters on the floor, startling me. Besides the cars, rain and airplanes outside this is the first noise I’ve heard today, and probably one of the ones I will hear. I finally look at the time. 10:30 AM. I’m not late to anything, I haven’t been late to anything in months.. or years. Because there is nothing to be late to. Nobody needs me, I’m not part of this “system”. And I think that’s not as bad someone would expect. I don’t have any responsibilities whatsoever. I don’t have to take part in this society, I can do whatever I want. And I choose to lay in my bed, draw or sleep. I have food in my storage (ramen, diet lemonade/ water). Sometimes I crave foods I used to eat when I was younger, but it’s certainly not worth going to the store for. Some days I eat a lot, some I don’t eat at all. Most days, actually. Some days I don’t get out of bed and some I don’t even wake up. Others I don’t sleep. Sometimes I look at drawings or other posts on tumblr. That’s all I really do. Sometimes I think about signing up and posting my drawings, but I’m not good with social stuff and this is too social for me in many ways, so I don’t. I have to go to the toilet, which is pretty unusual for me, considering i barely drink anything. I don’t want to get up though, so I continue lying in my bed for another 20 minutes, until I feel too uncomfortable. I sit up and put my feet onto the ground. Something sharps cuts into one of them. I don’t do anything; I don’t even look down to see what just hurt my foot. Another minute of just sitting there and staring goes by until I decide to check. A piece of a broken diet lemonade bottle. I stand up and shove the trash under my bed, I didn’t remove the shard. I start walking. The cut stings. I really do not care though. Dragging myself into the bathroom, I push the door open and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, but I quickly look away. I sit down onto the toilet and.. pee.. yeah, I pee. Afterwards I continue sitting on the toilet and my eyes trail along the way I was walking on, from the toilet to to the door. The door is open. I live alone. There’s a trail of blood on the floor. What? Oh. It’s my blood. Wait, yeah, of course it is. Who else’s would it be? I put my leg into the other to look at my foot. The shard is still in there. I actually kind of panic because it looks really, really bad. Almost my whole foot is cut open. And THAT is a reason to stay in bed all day (as if I wouldn’t do that anyway.. but now I have an excuse, I guess.) I limp over to my bed, but before laying down I check whether I still have some water. Luckily, I do. So I let myself fall onto the bed back first, take a chug of water and start to sleep.

Next chapter will probably release next week❤️

[selfcareandsippycups]

10 Self-Care Tips for First-Time Parents: Taking Care of Yourself While Navigating the New Life

Becoming a mom for the first time was honestly wild—it’s a beautiful, chaotic, and transformative experience all at once. One minute you’re marveling at the tiny human you created, and the next, you’re trying to figure out how to juggle everything while barely getting any sleep. It’s a lot, and if you’re like me, you probably thought you’d have it all together right away. Spoiler alert: you won’t, and that’s okay!

What’s often the first thing to go out the window when you become a new parent? Yourself. It’s easy to get lost in baby bottles, diaper changes, and the never-ending to-do lists. But here’s the thing: self-care is essential—and I mean essential. You can’t be the best version of yourself for your baby if you’re running on empty. So, here are 10 self-care tips I’ve learned (often the hard way!) to help you take care of you while navigating the wild ride of new motherhood.

1. Rest When You Can (Yes, Even if It’s Just a Little)

Let’s talk about sleep—or, should I say, the lack of it? Newborns are notorious for their irregular sleep patterns, and you might be surviving on little to no sleep at all. I get it. But trust me, rest is your friend. Even if you’re just napping for 20 minutes when your baby naps, take it. Don’t feel guilty about it. Your body needs that downtime to heal and recharge. And yes, it can feel impossible to fall asleep with the mountain of things you need to do, but the truth is, you need that rest to keep going.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help (You Deserve It)

It’s so easy to feel like you have to do it all yourself as a new parent, but no one can do it alone. Ask for help. Whether it’s asking your partner to take over a nighttime feeding or having your mom to watch baby as you get a few winks of sleep in, it’s okay to lean on others. People want to help, and you deserve to have support. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength and self-awareness. Trust me, taking breaks will make you feel more energized and less overwhelmed.

3. Fuel Your Body with Good Food & Hydration

So often, we forget to eat or drink when we’re wrapped up in baby care. I’ve been often guilty of going without eating because I was too busy making sure the baby was fed and happy. Don’t skip meals! Eating nutrient-rich food helps keep your energy up and supports your body, especially if you’re breastfeeding. And water, mom—drink it! Hydration is key, not just for milk production but also for keeping you feeling like a human being. Healthy snacks that you can grab throughout the day are also a great option.

4. Move Your Body (Even If It’s Just a Little)

When you’re ready, try to fit in some gentle movement, even if it’s just a walk around the block with the stroller. After you’ve gotten your doctor’s okay, light exercise can boost your mood, reduce stress, and help with postpartum recovery. I started with walks during the early morning hours, and it honestly did wonders for my mental health. A little movement every day can make a huge difference in how you feel.

5. Carve Out “Me Time”—Even for Just 10 Minutes

I know, “me time” can seem like a joke when you’ve got a baby who needs constant attention. But making time for yourself is extremely important when it comes to just giving your mind a chance to breathe. Whether it’s reading a chapter of a book, scrolling through Instagram or TikTok for a few minutes, or enjoying a cup of coffee in silence (if you’re lucky enough for that!), these little breaks are more than just a treat—they’re essential for your mental health. I’ve learned that even just a few moments of peace can help me reset for the day ahead.

6. Connect with Other Parents (Trust Me, You’re Not Alone)

Motherhood can feel lonely, especially when you’re still figuring things out. I can’t tell you how much connecting with other moms has helped me. Whether it’s chatting with someone in a new parents group or texting a friend who’s going through the same things, having someone to vent to or share your experiences with is so healing. If you’re feeling isolated, don’t hesitate to reach out—there are so many others who get it.

7. Mindfulness: Slow Down and Breathe

I used to feel like I had to do everything perfectly and at lightning speed. But what I’ve learned is that sometimes, just taking a deep breath and being in the moment makes all the difference. Mindfulness doesn’t have to be some complicated thing. It can be as simple as closing your eyes for a minute and breathing deeply or paying attention to how your body feels in the present. These moments of calmness can help reset your mental state and reduce anxiety.

8. Let Go of Perfection (It’s Not Real Anyway)

I’ll be honest: the whole “perfect mom” thing? It’s a myth. And once I let go of that expectation, I felt so much better. The laundry will pile up, the house won’t always be spotless, and sometimes, you’ll still be in your pajamas all day. And that’s okay! The truth is, you don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be there for your baby and take care of yourself. Progress over perfection, always.

9. Take Care of Your Mental Health

It’s so easy to brush off mental health when you’re busy taking care of everyone else. But your mental health matters. The ups and downs of postpartum emotions are real, and if you’re feeling consistently down, anxious, or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist or counselor. I wish I had known earlier that it’s okay to ask for help when your mental health isn’t where it needs to be. Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body.

10. Nurture Your Relationship with Your Partner

After bringing a baby into the world, it’s easy to feel like your relationship with your partner gets pushed aside. But trust me, nurturing that bond is crucial. Even if it’s just sharing a quiet moment together or talking about something other than the baby, staying connected will help you both feel supported and loved. Little gestures like a hug, a quick text, or a date night (even if it’s at home with takeout) can keep the spark alive during this busy time.

Becoming a parent for the first time is one of the most beautiful, chaotic, and rewarding things you’ll ever do. But you have to remember that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Your baby needs you to be happy, healthy, and whole, and that starts with you. So take a deep breath, let go of the pressure to be perfect, and embrace the journey. You’ve got this.

What’s your favorite self-care tip as a new parent? I’d love to hear it! Let’s share and support each other on this amazing ride.

[marointhemoon]

the evil, it spread like a fever ahead

In which recovery requires reconciliation of old methods. A trio of vignettes based around T’Pol’s emotion acquisition arc. For @marchwhumpness, day 1: "I'm fine."

Length: 2,327 words

This work is also available on AO3.

The doorchime rings.

Her meditation interrupted, T’Pol opens her eyes.

The number of people who could be stepping through is already very finite, but in light of recent events, “very finite” is really just one.

“Come in,” she says. No use in creating more suspicion than already exists.

The door slides open.

The approaching footsteps are slow and cautious, as though trying not to frighten her off. “I’m sorry to bother you,” greets a low drawl, as though their entry—his entry—warrants an apology. “I’m having a little trouble falling asleep. I think my insomnia’s come back.”

T’Pol doesn’t turn around. “You’re here for neuropressure.”

“It's been weeks since our last session." There's a brief pause. "We've all been under a lot of stress lately. I thought it might do us both some good.”

There it is: the offer of intimacy. A dull, cold ache sits low in her belly, endeavoring to make itself impossible to ignore, but she wills her voice to be even. “I think we should discontinue these treatments.”

“Why?” He doesn’t sound hurt—the only emotion T’Pol can hear in his voice is confusion.

“You’ve become quite skilled with the postures I’ve shown you. Her voice falters as she says it, and she’s immediately trying to put her composure back together.

It’s a subpar excuse, anyway; clearly, it’s blatant enough for him to point out. “You told me it takes years to master neuropressure—I'm not that quick a study.”

“I’ve taught you all I can,” she insists, her voice sounding even worse. She grits her teeth, putting her focus toward steadying her breathing. If her predictive abilities are to be trusted, Trip’s next words will be something to the effect of, “Well… good night.” At that point, he will leave, and they won’t speak of this or anything like it for a month or so. Their relationship will remain—to the extent that a relationship with Trip Tucker can be—distant and unemotional.

Then again, it would seem the trellium has affected her pattern-recognition abilities more than she had anticipated. Trip sighs briefly, crosses the room, and sits down across from her, cross-legged. Despite looking at her with a tenderness that’s been absent from his eyes for some time, his eyes still manage to pierce her. “Truth is, I’m sleeping fine. I didn’t come for neuropressure. I came because I’m worried about you.” The last few words are pointed, almost, as if each has its own significance.

It shouldn’t surprise her, knowing how prone to emotion he is, but the shock and revulsion roil through her all the same. She can’t keep the former out of her eyes. With great difficulty, T’Pol keeps the latter out of her voice. “Worried?”

“You've been keepin’ to yourself a lot lately,” he elaborates, raising an eyebrow, “e’en more than usual.” She looks down, avoiding that knowing look in his eyes. “You spend every free moment in your quarters… hell, you even asked Chef to bring your meals here.” 

“The mess hall is heavily damaged,” she retorts. “Where do you suggest I eat?”

“Come on.” There's the barest hint of exasperation in his voice, but he says the words gently enough to make T’Pol’s stomach flip again. “You've got to admit… you've been avoiding me ever since the two of us…” Trip blushes a little, an embarrassed little grin tugging at his lips. “You know, when we…”

It takes every available ounce of strength not to snap at him. “Had sexual relations.”

“Wow, it’s real romantic when you put it that way,” he teases, smiling a bit more genuinely now. His lips twitch with the effort not to laugh outright.

“I told you,” she reminds him, trying not to roll her eyes. “What happened was an exploration, not the prelude to an… intimate relationship.”

He rolls his eyes hard enough for the both of them. “I never said I wanted a relationship!”

“Neither did I,” she answers coldly, more so than she intends.

There’s a pause—an impasse. Trip stares at her, his tongue digging into his cheek. She can’t look at him anymore—she stares a hole into the center of his right pectoral muscle. The thought is only in her head for a moment: the warmth of it against her ears, his heartbeat thrumming through them.

“You helped me get through a rough patch,” he presses, reluctant as ever to let her ruminate in front of him, “and I’m grateful.” The last word is heavy, perhaps with a little more than mere emphasis. “I just stopped by to see if I could return the favor.”

“I appreciate your concern,” she starts, trying to ignore her throat starting to close again. “But I'm fine.”

She can see it in the way his eyes soften again: he heard her voice break, as well. For one more frustrated moment, he looks at her, tired and exasperated and prepared to stay as long as he needs to for her to break.

And then, he doesn’t. He just nods, rises to his feet, and leaves.

T’Pol focuses on pretending she can breathe; it's no easier than it was before he entered.

The Kir’Shara is interesting in the extreme—at least, that’s what T’Pol assures herself.

It isn’t as though it's entirely dishonest. Surak’s teachings, as they’re written here, are diametrically opposed to the Vulcan on which T’Pol spent the first sixty years of her life. As T’Pau and the transitory government make their progress, there’s no doubt that the Vulcan to which she will return will be as unrecognizable as the day she returned to marry Koss.

Then again, some things never change: the mess hall is empty and quiet—until it isn’t.

To Trip’s credit, his footsteps are less reticent this time as they approach from behind. He comes into view from her right, holding a mug—knowing him, the contained drink is no weaker than coffee. “Feel like some company?” he asks, as though he's here by coincidence. T’Pol gestures for him to sit. He does, still unsmiling but less solemn than the last time they spoke in her quarters.

“We haven't talked much since Vulcan,” he says benignly. “How’re you holding up?”

“I'm fine.” At least it's a half-truth this time.

"I've been seeing you by yourself a lot," he says. He’s less openly concerned now, as well: it could either be an explanation or an accusation.

“I'm reading the Kir'Shara,” she answers, deciding to interpret it as both. She even tips her PADD in his direction, for all that he can see it. His eyes remain fixed on the table, as if attempting to disassemble it with his mind.

“How is it?” Wherever else his focus is, he manages to sound genuinely interested.

She hesitates, even so. It’s not the blasphemy that the High Council made it out to be, but the rising shame and anxiety are present nonetheless. She settles for non-description: “Interesting.”

His eyes flick up to her face again and narrow slightly. “Interesting?”

“Extremely,” she insists, entirely unconvincingly. Evidently, her powers of suppression have still not managed to return in full.

Seeming to recognize her demeanor for what it is, Trip cuts to the chase, scrubbing his hand over his mouth. “Look, I know what you're going through. Losing a family member, it's the toughest thing there is.”

“I see no point in discussing it," she counters easily. "It's in the past.” Progress, at least: her voice doesn’t crack.

He breathes out an incredulous, stricken half-laugh. “Your mother died a week ago.”

“Talking won't change that.”

“It may change the way you feel about it,” he pushes.

“I don't feel anything about it.”

Trip huffs. “You can tell yourself that.”

She cuts him off before he can start the "but" portion of that sentence. “It's the truth.”

He sighs minutely, exasperated. “You know, when Lizzie died, there were times I wanted to just close up, retreat inside myself—”

“Trip, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it's not necessary.”

Trip shakes his head a little, as though the movement of his head will help him process the thought faster. “You're fine?” He seems to ask it like he might actually believe her.

She nods anyway. The lie is easier to swallow than it used to be.

Trip gives a nod of his own. “Well, if you ever do want to talk, let me know.” Apparently, he’s less persistent than he used to be, as well. She isn’t sure whether that can be considered a good thing. Still, she manages a tiny nod. Taking the hint, he offers a soft, “I'll see you,” before he rises and leaves, mug in hand.

She takes a slow breath. He's trying—she knows he is. In her defense, so is she.

But she will not crush him under the weight of Vulcan grief.

She owes him that much.

Terra Prime is no more.

John Paxton will likely spend the remainder of his life in prison.

Earth is safe again.

Enterprise is safe again.

Trip is safe again.

All of it matters—yet, none of it matters.

Elizabeth is dead.

Her daughter’s death is not the shock that her mother’s was. In many ways, the two were alike: both affected for the worse by a greater desire to alter the status quo. Both victims of circumstance, both casualties in cultural wars that, ultimately, had nothing to do with them.

But the difference is not truly that straightforward. Her mother knew what she was doing, and she knew the risks inherent to it. She was a pawn, in the end, but she chose to fight on behalf of the Syrannites. Whatever T’Pol’s role was in ending her career at the Science Academy, she had had the career to begin with, and she had made the choice to go against the High Command in the aftermath. She had had her choices, such as they were. 

There were no choices for Elizabeth to make. Even if she hadn’t been the product of ordinary childbirth, she had not chosen to be born. She had not been consulted as to whether she wanted to be a pawn—a symbol, more precisely—in the workings of an attempted genocide. She had not chosen to fight for the right for humans and aliens to coexist, and she certainly hadn't chosen to die for it.

Elizabeth was an infant: hers and Trip's, if only for a few short days.

Perhaps it’s symbolic in itself that she’s meditating on the notion, IDIC clutched in hand, as the doorchime rings. She doesn’t quite hear herself say, “Come in.”

It isn’t as though she and Trip ever truly separated, if the continued presence of their mental link is any indication. Perhaps that's how she knows it's him, long before she hears a single footstep.

"The, um... delegates at the conference," he starts, his voice tight, "they've, ah... asked about the service for, um…" Barely, he manages to say her name: "...for Elizabeth. They want to attend."

"She was important," she affirms, because she was. Both Elizabeths were.

Trip takes a ragged breath. "There's something else: I spoke with Phlox." He sniffles, before crossing the room and sitting next to her. If her inability to look at him offends him, he doesn't point it out. "Turns out there was a… a flaw in the technique that... Paxton's doctors used in the cloning process."

By the force of nothing weaker than a miracle, she manages to look at him. The number of things this could mean is already very finite, but in light of recent events, “very finite” is really just one.

"Human DNA and Vulcan DNA… Phlox says there's no medical reason w-why they can't combine."

Her unseeing eyes dart around the space as she tries to blink. "So,” he continues, struggling himself, “if a Vulcan… and a h-human… ever decided to have a child…" The Vulcan mind is a fortress containing an unstoppable force of nature, and T'Pol's is no different. But, it doesn't matter—the conclusion is clear, long before Trip says a single broken word: there is no reason to counter the notion that—"it'd probably be okay."

A few more tears stream down Trip's face; she can see it out of the corner of her eye. Still, he manages a, "That's sort of comforting," as though it's anything other than a bid for support.

There are many differences in anatomy between humans and Vulcans—some are immediately visible, while others are only visible to those with that breadth of knowledge. Those without that knowledge are bound to make assumptions: one of these is that a Vulcan's ears are the most sensitive part of their body. While not entirely false—the sharper hearing can attest to that point—this is not entirely true, either. In reality, the most sensitive parts of a Vulcan's body are their hands. They are the centre of a Vulcan's telepathic perception and, in many cases, the centre of their physical strength.

To be touched by Vulcan hands is to have access to—and be accessed by—an intimacy that exceeds the capabilities of any human and is nearly impossible to earn. If not outright inferior in every meaningful way, humans are incapable of that level of connection and therefore lacking a layer of perception altogether. At least, that's what T'Pol always heard during her time with the High Command.

All of it matters—yet, none of it matters.

This is not the first time T'Pol has gone against the High Command and Vulcan sensibilities; her continued presence on Enterprise can attest to that, if not her marriage to Koss, or her mother's alignment with the Syrrannites, or her own. All of those decisions were easy, in the grand scheme of things. They were each, put plainly, the right thing to do.

In this moment, and in the many moments that follow, taking and holding Trip's hand is no different.

Today's theme: Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens

(YouTube link || Spotify link)

If you've heard this song already, you know how unrepentantly devastating it is. I first heard the song in full shortly after my first watch of Terra Prime (smart move, I know), and I couldn't help but connect it to what Phlox says to Archer at the very end of the episode:

When you invited me to join this crew, I thought it would be an interesting diversion for a few months. Some time away from the complications of family—which, on Denobula, can be extremely complicated. I didn't expect to gain another family. It hurts as if she were my own child. Make something good come from this, Captain.

Cue several hours of the song echoing through my head as I thought through the emotional damage of that episode (and cried about it a LOT).

But, like the relationship between Trip and T'Pol, "Fourth of July" is a conversation—in this case, between Sufjan and his mother, who is rapidly dying in the hospital of stomach cancer. Without doing a straight-up deep dive into the lyrics (not useful, and also the Genius page does it better), it's a relatively straightforward progression from point A to an inevitable point B. In one case, allowing oneself the vulnerability to not only confront their grief but share it with someone else. In the other, enduring the death of a not-so-close family member and figuring out what the fuck to do with all of the associated emotions.

What made me select "Fourth of July" and not any one of the several other songs I had in mind was the last verse:

"Shall we look at the moon, my little loon? Why do you cry? Make the most of your life, while it is rife While it is light Well, you do enough talk My little hawk, why do you cry? Tell me, what did you learn from the Tillamook burn? Or the Fourth of July? We're all gonna die"   We're all gonna die (x7)

The message: make the most of your life while you're able, because ultimately, you—and everyone you know—are going to die. It's an extremely confronting message, and while it's not made explicit in canon that T'Pol is grappling with it, it's not that much of a stretch, either. By 4x21, T'Pol has lost nearly everyone that meant anything to the life she spent her first 66/67 years living: her career, her grasp on her emotions, her mother, her husband, her old way of viewing the Vulcan way of life, and now her daughter. I obviously don't mean to suggest that these are all the same type of grief, or even of the same intensity, but when you've essentially lost everything that tied you to a certain stage of life, you're bound to be confronted with a seismic shift in your priorities. I can't help but suspect that that had some bearing on T'Pol's decision to not only work things out with Trip, but to continue to be with him.

While "Fourth of July" most strongly applies to the end of Terra Prime, the conversations in E² and Daedalus are central building blocks to what happens in those last three minutes.

[pedripics]

Pedri about the day to day life during the world cup, bets and the player that surprised him the most

ERIC: What do you do all day? You know from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. PEDRI: Let’s see. We wake up and go have breakfast. ERIC: Because I’ve been told that the days are pretty strict/ hard around here. PEDRI: Not for me honestly. I mean it’s true that you wake up, eat breakfast and if you’re late, for any meal, you will get a fine. For everything, if you arrive late. If you’re not on time, fined. Afterwards, we have an hour or so for training. That’s normally just a warm-up and some training. After the meal, there's an hour or so where we sometimes go to the pool or play ping pong or something like that to pass time. After that, we eat. Again, if you arrive late, you get a fine. ERIC: And what do you get to eat here? Croquettes? PEDRI: I wish they would let me eat croquettes. JAVI: Croquettes from mum. PEDRI: They won’t let me. JAVI: Fer [Pedri’s brother] told us he was going to bring us some to practice one day. He never did. PEDRI: He never goes anymore. Probably won’t go so he doesn’t have to bring you any croquettes. But yeah, in the afternoons. I always sleep a lot, take a nap or I play on the PlayStation. Depends on the day and how I wake up. Almost all our afternoons are free, so yeah you can do whatever you wanna do.

ERIC: I’ve heard Lucho [Luis Enrique] say something about a prediction bet for the World Cup on stream. JAVI: What’s the bet about? Spill the tea. What’s going on there? Why is Gavi first? What has he done that you haven’t? PEDRI: I don’t know what he put. I think he’s just guessed and had good luck because it’s rare that Gavi has something right. But honestly, I’m very bad. Like literally, I am last. There are like thirty people, the prediction bet is of all the World Cup results. You write down your result and a 1, 2, or X. Like the Quiniela [Spanish football betting pool]. If you guess the result correctly, you get 2 points; if you guess the symbol, 1 point. And I am last. ERIC: And Gavi is first? PEDRI: That’s the worst. Yes, Gavi is first and Nico is second at the moment, I think.

JAVI: What player that you’ve played against in the World Cup -  Musiala doesn’t count because everyone said Musiala. Have you met/ seen one player – you’ve played many matches – where you’ve said ‘oof this guy, this kid, is pretty good’? PEDRI: One I’ve seen or played against? JAVI: Doesn't matter. PEDRI: One I’ve seen who surprised me is the one from Ecuador – Moisés Caicedo.

[bobbyfloyd]

Do you mind sharing your weight loss tips? I’ve been struggling to try to lose weight

i am no expert whatsoever but what’s working for me personally is walking/jogging everyday, getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night if i can, eating smaller portions, upping my protein intake so i’m more satiated after meals (i try to eat at least 100g of protein a day, or 30+ grams a meal), and eating less sugar (meaning foods with added/processed sugar). i still have sugar when i want but i don’t go overboard like i used to.

i go for a three mile walk everyday if i can, which takes me about 50 minutes to an hour depending on how fast i’m walking. i’ve also been running periodically during my walks. nothing too intense, just a jog but it gets my heart rate up. if i don’t have time for 3 miles i just do 1 mile. as long as i get my body moving for at least 30 minutes a day i’m good. if you can’t go for walks outside and don’t have access to a treadmill i recommend growwithjo’s walking workouts, she has lots of fun indoor stuff you can do (and you don’t need any equipment either). her workouts have been the only ones i’ve actually enjoyed doing.

i also have an apple watch which helps me track my steps and workouts and that’s been huge for me, it motivates me to close my move ring every single day. any kind of fitness tracker will do. you can just use your phone to track your steps as well. i try to hit 10k steps a day.

the best thing for me was starting out slow. i told myself i would walk 30 minutes everyday for 20 days. when i proved to myself i could do that i then decided to add 30 more minutes to that and take an hour walk everyday. as far as food/drink consumption, i told myself that i would stop going out for coffee so much. now i only go once a week, if that. then i told myself i could eat the foods i wanted, just smaller portions, and i had to supplement more protein. little changes like that have been super helpful for me. i didn’t start all at once, i’ve been doing things gradually and it’s really been helpful. usually i just get overwhelmed every time i try to take control of my health but now i feel like i’m getting the hang of it little by little.

most importantly, be patient with yourself and your body. you might not see any results for a while but don’t give up. i tell myself even if i don’t lose weight, i’m still moving my body every day and that’s what’s most important.

[sneakers-and-shakes]

Reconnecting With Yourself

I’ve been feeling pretty disconnected from myself lately and haven’t been loving myself to the best of my ability. This inner separation ended up making my anxiety worse and the small things I could normally brush off were getting to me a lot more.

So I set off on a self-love mission. Much like a glow-up week, I’ve been trying to focus my actions on self-care in many different ways. The goal is to relieve my anxiety and reconnect with myself. So today I decided to share my journey and what has helped me!

My body:

Before I could even begin to sort out my life or emotions I really needed to take care of my body. And by that I mean 10 hours of sleep and eating full meals. 

Getting proper rest especially was an essential step for me, I physically felt better which allowed me the brainpower to focus on my emotions.

External Stressors:

There are many different ways to help de-stress and relieve anxiety, especially for things out of our control. Personally, going to the beach helps me put things into perspective. It visually shows me the vastness of the world and how little these problems matter when put in the context of the seemingly never-ending water.

It’s easier to let the waves wash the stress away, so I made the most of this last bit of summer and had a proper beach day in the water.

I think the main takeaway is, even if it’s not the beach, to be outside in nature. You could go on a walk through a forest trail or a run through your neighborhood. Whatever way you can be outside, even if it’s sitting on a bench in a park.

Being in nature helps ease your mind from human-made problems and can help shed some perspective on them when you’re amongst the part of the world that is not affected by your stressors.

Internal Reflection:

Once the external stuff isn’t bugging you as much, you’re left with yourself and that’s where self-love can get deep. 

Usually, it helps to talk things out with someone if you’re having problems, either with them or in general. Journaling is simply a conversation with yourself.

I came up with a Self-Love Countdown, which are 5 questions to start the conversation with yourself about loving and accepting who you are.

The prompts are:

5 Things that bring you joy

4 Accomplishments

3 Parts of your physical appearance that you like

2 Favorite personality traits

1 Thing you love about yourself

This is by no means a comprehensive list and you can find a lot more self-love/self-reflection journal prompts out there but this was a good jumping off point for me.

I also think it’s important to remind yourself just how far you’ve come. I did this by going down memory lane and listing out all the things I had hoped to one day do and then listing all the things that I have done. It reminded me of just how much I’ve accomplished and how much growth I’ve made (especially when comparing how I was back in high school).

You need to give yourself credit for your growth, even if you feel like you’re stepping backwards, growth is not something that can be taken away from you. Always remember that.

A Date With Yourself:

An important part of self-love and reconnecting with yourself is being able to spend time with yourself. Take yourself out on a date and romanticize your life.

And while you’re out, do things that make you happy. Maybe reconnect with a hobby you haven’t done in a while, or go somewhere you like but haven’t been to recently. The goal is to generate joy when you're with just you.

I went to a cafe and sat by the window and wrote for a while. It was peaceful and aesthetic and it felt good to focus on writing since it made me feel extra productive.

You can even journal on your date with yourself as a way to have a conversation. (The way you would if you were on a date with another person.)

Physical Appearance:

It also helps to dress up nicely and feel good about how you look since that will reflect internally as well. Wear clothes that make you feel your best and this might. 

This also may be a good time to do a face mask, get a haircut, do your nails or the other hygiene related things we do not just to take care of ourselves but also to feel good.

Of course you can work out, but only if that’s something you enjoy doing. Throughout this process you have to handle yourself with grace and care and specifically focus on doing the things that bring you joy and happiness.

I ended up getting highlights again after a while of not having them and made an effort to wear the dresses I felt prettiest in.

Physical Space:

As a really organized person my physical space also made a difference. I went through and did a deep clean of my room which made me feel a lot better as well. Having your immediate spaces be clean and put together helps your mind to feel more put together too.

-.-

With all of these things working together, I feel like I’m at a much better place now than I was before. I feel more reconnected with myself and better suited to handle the problems that might come my way.

Remember that this isn’t as straightforward of a process as the way I outlined it. I did these all in different orders over the course of multiple days spanning a week and a half (and not without stumbling blocks either). As long as you’re trying to do these things with intention, you can slowly work your way up.

I hope this helps in your reconnecting with yourself journey, I’d love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!

[ciaossu-imagines]

Hey! The prompts you have provided have made it easy for me to request something. So, if i’m going to choose, can you do Prompt No. 1 with Miura Haru?

Yay! I’m so glad the prompts proved useful to people and I can definitely do this for you! Thanks so much for the request and I hope you enjoy, anon dear!

What’s their go-to fifteen minute meal?

Haru actually really does value eating well and staying pretty healthy and she doesn’t usually just end up going the grab and go route with food. If she was really hungry and was running short on time to make something, I think she’d end up replacing a meal with cake from a bakery or grabbing a gas-station bento, which I see as her other guilty pleasure.

How would they describe their perfect vacation?

Romantic. Haru is all about the romance and the atmosphere while travelling and I think Paris, as the so-called ‘city of love’ would appeal to her, though she’d really love the idea of a beach vacation and walking along the sand at sunset with someone special.

What’s the most read book on their bookshelf?

I think a lot of Haru’s reading is done for school and she keeps all her old textbooks to reread. However, I also think she has a lot of poetry books, particularly romantic haikus, and she has at least one or two books on astrology and blood type personalities, things along those lines.

If they had to describe themselves as a type of shoe, which type would they choose? Why?

I think, as a shoe, Haru would best be described as a colourfully printed or patterned sneaker, something fun and whimsical but comfortable and practical.

What song would they choose as their theme song?

I don’t know why but I’ve always kind of associated Ash Koley’s Apple of My Eye with Haru, so it’s the one I’m going to have to go with.

What’s the oldest item in their refrigerator?

Haru’s a pretty neat person. It comes from her mother, who kept their house clean and neat and organized, so I do see her as someone who cleans out their fridge of expired or nearing expiration date products at least once a month. The oldest product is probably a bottle of soy sauce, though it’s still well within it’s expiration cycle.

Do they have an emergency treat (ice cream, cookies, candy, etc.) hidden somewhere in their kitchen for bad days? What is it?

Because she does her best to stay healthy and watch her weight, Haru doesn’t keep treats in the house. She knows that she has a huge sweet tooth, and very little willpower and self-control when it comes to not indulging in treats. If she has them in the house, she’ll sit down and eat them, so she doesn’t keep emergency treats in the house, though she will occasionally stop and buy a piece of cake or some sort of sweet pastry if her day’s been really rough.

What’s their weirdest bedtime ritual?

While not exactly weird, Haru does keep a diary and she can’t go to bed until she writes in it. Her mind just won’t settle down to sleep until she’s written out all of her thoughts into the diary.

Who/what is the one thing that can make them smile no matter how terrible their day has been?

Tsuna can definitely make her do that, but so can all her other friends, like Kyoko or Lambo and I-Pin. Tsuna, though, is the one she really focuses on to get through really bad days. If she gets through this or that hard thing, she’s sure Tsuna would be really proud of her and she uses that as motivation.

Where do they go when they need some time alone?

I think Haru’s room has really always been her sanctuary. Her parents let her decorate it exactly how she wanted, it has all her favourite things and when she just needs to detach from the world, she’ll shut off her phone and hide behind her closed bedroom door and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist.

What’s one conspiracy theory that they secretly agree with?

Haru, for as spacey and as weird as she can be, doesn’t buy into a lot of conspiracy theories. Her father is a very practical man, who always taught her to not blindly trust in anything that couldn’t be proven…that being said, she does buy into any theories related to secret societies though, as she finds the very thought romantic and dangerous and thrilling.

Who’s the person they most want to tell when they hear a funny joke?

She always tells Tsuna or Lambo the funny jokes she discovers first. Tsuna doesn’t always laugh, which bums her out sometimes (though she just challenges herself to find a funnier joke), but Lambo always laughs at her jokes and it makes her feel really funny and cool and happy.

What’s the first section of the newspaper (or online news source) that they check each day?

She checks her horoscope first and then that of all her friends. She’ll send them little texts telling them what her horoscope site of choice says that their days will contain before flipping to the fashion section or advice columns.

Who would they call to bail them out of jail? Bonus points if you describe why they were arrested!

She would either call Tsuna or Bianchi, depending on how embarrassing whatever got her tossed into jail was. She doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of Tsuna too much, so anything really major or really bad would definitely warrant an immediate call to Bianchi, who Haru really does admire and trust.

What’s the one scent that most reminds them of home?

It’s cherry blossoms. She has so many great memories, right from the time she was really young and went to watch them with her parents, throughout all her life, of watching the cherry blossoms with others and creating precious moments with people she cared about or loved during that part of her life.

What do they consider their greatest achievement?

Honestly, I don’t see Haru as considering herself as someone who has reached their greatest achievement. I do see her as a very hard-working girl, with big dreams, and pretty solid goals that she’s always working to achieve, but I do think she’s not at the point where she feels she’s achieved any of them yet.

How much time do they spend on the internet each day?

Haru doesn’t use the internet a lot. She texts to talk to people and prefers paper-based books for research whenever possible. Sure, she might fiddle around on the internet here or there, but I don’t see it as being more than an hour a day, when averaged out when the week is done.

What’s their go-to procrastination activity?

Haru daydreams. She’s very creative and imaginative, and she can easily get swept away in wild stories she makes up or drawn into plans for new costumes or outfits or games and she definitely does use those fantasies to space out and procrastinate.

If someone were to make a movie of their life, who would they want to play them?

I’m sorry for cheating here, but I really do think Seira Nagashima was such a great choice for Haru in the stage play, and that’s who I’m going to go with.

Is there a number in their phone that they should definitely delete but just can’t seem to erase?

Haru used to have a best friend growing up, right from preschool to late elementary school. However, the two girls had a huge fight and stopped talking to each other in late elementary school…but Haru still can’t bring herself to delete the girl’s number and puts it into every new phone she gets, just as a force of habit.

[elaine-abroad]

Volume 1: The Arrival

The Flight

If you’re reading this, you probably already know me and my situation. I’m Elaine and I’m studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea for the next four weeks. It’s strange to think that a whole study abroad trip can even fit into one month, but regardless I’m excited to see what Seoul has for me.

This past week before takeoff felt too short as I continuously told my mom that I wanted more time to mentally prepare for the journey. I also procrastinated on packing a little bit in favor of one last hoorah with my closest friends. I know that I’m acting like I’ll be gone a long time, but a month in a country I’ve never been to IS a long time to me.

I was full of nerves the morning of – I woke up earlier than I had to and didn’t speak on the car ride to the airport. I’ve been on plane trips many times before, but I always get anxious and have to run through the steps. This time was a little more stressful because it was my first time flying internationally alone. I made it on with plenty of time to spare so that was good. There was one thing that dampened my spirits a bit throughout the day though. There was a girl from my school’s program that was supposed to land at the same time as me. We were going to explore the airport and split a hotel room together. It was just my luck when she told me she missed her flight, booked another flight that was due to land the next morning, missed the second flight to Incheon after a connecting flight was delayed or something, and was due to land around 5 pm the next day. It made me nervous thinking about finding things on my own, but I had to move on.

The plane’s “amenities” if you will were nothing like I’ve seen before. They had given us each a cheap pillow and blanket as they do on any international flight, but we also received cheap headphones, a full-sized water bottle (not those mini baby ones other planes have – a full one), and foldable hotel slippers to wear. Each chair had a screen to watch movies on and there was even a remote control for the screen. One push of a button and the whole thing came out. They had an area to plug in a charger and they even had a little knob to hang clothes on. It was crazy.

Interesting chair set up + views from the window shortly after take-off

The part I was most excited for was the meals. I’ve seen and heard from social media that planes to Korea had ACTUAL food that also looked good. My past experiences with United Airlines’ food weren’t even up for comparison. My mom would gobble that stuff up every time (I don’t know how), but my brother and I would rather starve than touch it. Anyways, let me just tell you I was not disappointed. When it was time for the first meal, I was elated that bibimbap was even an option. Of course, I had to get that over some ordinary teriyaki chicken. I was pleasantly surprised with the presentation of it all too. I was expecting some hastily thrown together bowl with nothing else, but I also haven’t had plane food in a good couple of years, so I forgot the meals usually came with sides. It even came with Korean Airline branded gochujang tubes and sesame oil packets which was insane. I ate it all.

Meal 1: bibimbap, miso soup, “spicy” pickles, oranges, Sprite

The next meal came in the middle of “sleep time” where all the lights were off for a few hours.

For the first two meals I kept thinking to myself, “How do they know exactly when I’m hungry?” Because both times I’ve been hungry, and they've almost answered my call. However, as the third time came around, I felt a lot fuller than I wanted to be. I still tried to eat it, albeit a little forcefully, but I knew I would have regretted it later if I didn’t. Plus, I wanted to get through the main dish to eat the carrot cake. Unfortunately, by the time I reached the cake, I was no longer in the mood with my tummy full and all. It was a sad moment because if you know me, you know that I have a sweet tooth.

Meal 3: beef with rice + veg, bread roll, caprese salad, carrot cake. Meal 2 not pictured but consisted of a ham and cheese hot pocket and a mini ham, cheese, lettuce sandwich

As for the plane ride itself, it was not that bad and was more tolerable than my usual five-hour flights to Michigan. Maybe it was because we got food and I slept better with the window seat (I usually sit in the aisle). I did kind of feel bad for the people who sat next to me as I unfortunately had to get up three times. My Korean friend told me not to sleep on the flight because of the time difference when I land or whatever, but I didn’t know what else to do on a 12 hour flight.

Views from window shortly before landing

The airport was a lot more straightforward than I imagined. I was worried I would get lost, but now I realize English signs and directions are a must since it’s literally an airport with tons of foreigners. At this point, everything kind of caught up to me and I just wanted to crash at my hotel. Everything was fine and dandy except there was no toilet in my actual room which meant I had to share with everyone else and my shower wouldn’t work. Maybe it did work and I just didn’t know how to use it because it took me a while to orient myself in the shared bathroom where there was no light switch and I had to press buttons to open the door. I ended up hitting the hay around 9 pm and woke every few hours until I left shortly before 8 am.

Views from above baggage claim and an inside look at my room at the Darakhyu capsule hotel in Incheon airport.

I booked a bus ride for the morning and luckily another girl from STAMPS was able to join me after taking a shuttle from her hotel. She brought two of her friends who were also going to be participating in a program at Yonsei University, the school right across the street from us. The guy who took our tickets was kind of scary as he yelled at us in Korean, asking where we were going. One thing I noticed since the plane ride was that the people here just assume I can speak Korean. It’s probably because I’m clearly Asian, but the flight attendants, customs people, hotel front desk, and café cashiers so far have approached me with Korean. It was kind of funny because the flight attendants would speak perfect English to the obvious white people and then ask me stuff in Korean. Anyways, the bus layout was pretty cool and different – super spacious. M Bus could never.

Bus interior. Fun fact: these two girls got off the same stop as us and were also attending Ewha for the summer

It was quite the journey to get settled (imagine carrying 2 backpacks and 3 suitcases up/down hill-y streets and stairs while battling the raging hot sun). We managed though. My room was nice too and I had it all to myself. I raised my brow at the showerhead, sink, and toilet all being in the same room, but it actually wasn’t too hard after taking one. Each room has a mini fridge and AC which definitely beats life at Bursley (dorm at UM that has no AC and all sorts of problems) last summer.

Extra pillow, pillowcase, sheet, and blanket not pictured. Each room has a balcony

The girl I arrived with, Alyssa, has a roommate (I didn’t hear her name that clearly, but it sounded like ‘Zeda’ so I’m just going to refer to her as that until it’s further clarified), and the roommate’s friend Deborah from their school in Massachusetts when out for lunch and a walk through the nearby streets. I was not expecting Zeda to whip out full on Korean when we struggled to order. Apparently, she took 4 semesters of Korean, and she could speak and read it decently. Deborah also knew quite a few words and could read it as well. Anyways the food was really good and pretty cheap – as well as a lot of things here. I literally bought 12 rolls of toilet paper for 5000 won which converts to less than 4 USD. So good news: I can buy gifts for people without too much caution because everything is so much cheaper here.

Soup dumplings, jajangmyeon, and these spicy seafood noodles

Long story short: the food was good, and we were all happy. We did some more walking and went shopping for dorm essentials at Daiso. Since arriving, I have seen an insane number of Daiso stores in Seoul which is kind of mind-boggling. There’s even one in the subway station near the school I’m staying at.

Despite the temperature being a whopping 93 degrees, we decided to take a little tour around the school. I quite like the simplicity of the campus – the buildings all look pretty much the same and it feels like a little town. The buildings remind me of the Ross (business school) buildings at UM. They’re all a light gray with stones/bricks, and the lush, green vegetation really makes the scene pop. It’s so fresh looking unlike in California where we have droughts and “brown is the new green”.

Views from the frontish part of the school

We didn’t make it far because of how physically taxing the walk was. Between the heat, humidity, and the fact that the school is built on hills of uneven roads, we were beat. We ended the journey with the very first building built at Ewha.

First building ever built at Ewha

To cool off, we visited our first café. I’ve decided to start a collection of those cup sleeves because they’re cute here.

Peach iced tea!

We all went back to our rooms to reset, but a few hours later, Alyssa and I were ready to roam the streets again. We ate at a fast-food place called Lotteria. Think of any place that sells typical burgers and fries, but times twenty. The food took a little longer than expected to come out, but we were joking how that’s how you knew they actually cook their food. Anyways, we were so surprised with the menu because of all the different options that American fast-food places never offered.

I got this mozzarella bacon burger which was absolutely insane because they literally fried like a puck of mozzarella and shoved it inside. Definitely not healthy, but really good.

The mozzarella puck is bigger than the patty. Also, the ice cream was super good too

To end the first night, we went into several cute shops with all sorts of accessories and items. I didn’t get anything, but I’ll definitely be back before the end of the program

ARTBOX interior

The First Day…Kind Of

The next morning, Alyssa, Zeda, and I went for a brisk walk to find breakfast of some sort before the Welcoming Ceremony. They were going to provide lunch, so we didn’t end up getting anything.

Quick street view

At the main gate, there’s this building structure called the ECC. In comparison to UM, think Pierpont/The Union. There are two sides made up of multiple floors. Within the building, there are food stores, a convenience store, a bank, coffee shops/cafes, a gift shop (Ewha’s version of MDen), classrooms, the office for international students, and areas for study. The path is dug out so that the greenery lays on ground level. It’s kind of hard to explain and imagine because you can access different parts of the building because it’s all built on uneven land.

Front and back of ECC

There were a lot of students at the welcoming ceremony – so many that they didn’t have enough chairs for them at first. We were given folders of information and even got a free pen and T-shirt (for field trip wear).

Welcoming Ceremony

The free lunch given was a free coupon for the cafeteria. I was pleasantly surprised with how good the food was and helped myself.

Purple rice, green onion hot spicy meat stew, cubed radish kimchi, meatballs with onions, cucumbers, apple + pineapple fruit salad, yogurt drink, seaweed, and a lemon tea drink

I ended up making my first purchase at the school’s convenience store for dinner where I got some munchies.

Kimbap and banana milk

There were a lot of options, and I was eyeing the bagged drink section. I have seen too many TikToks showing people in Korean convenience stores grabbing a pre-filled cup of ice and then a drink of their choice, and basically creating their own concoction.

Drinks galore

This is the end of the first volume. Stay tuned for my first full week in Seoul.

Spoiler: there were a lot of ups and downs.

-Elaine

[la-principessa-nuova]

week 1 on my adhd meds felt like i kind of understood what was happening

week 2 i’m just so confused what’s even happening

like i stayed up really late twice in a row and i’m not sure how much or in what way the meds might have contributed to that happening

and then i felt so tired the next day it was really hard to judge much but that’s just from lack of sleep

then i went to bed normal time the next night

but somehow slept through all of my alarms and woke up at 10:30 and ran upstairs for work still half asleep

and nobody said anything about it or asked when i joined the meeting 30 minutes late so 🤷‍♀️ but maybe i just lucked out bc most of the team was out today so things were a little weird anyway

and then i was really easily distracted today because there was this one thing that was really bugging me about the code i was working on that i kept looking into instead of doing what i was supposed to

but then it turned out i uncovered a pretty major issue so idk maybe that was actually a normal thing to get caught up on

but i was like dead tired after work and went straight to lay down in bed but then something happened and my parents needed me to watch the dog so i went and got her and i was feeling a bit more awake by then after getting a break from work

and then i organized my pins and ate dinner but now im so tired again

which is normal and good to be tired at this time i guess but i need to get ready for bed if im doing that now

and also like i’ve been eating way less

which i can certainly afford to

but i think that’s from a thing my therapist suggested

and it basically has completely changed my relationship with food

but i just like feel so thrown off my game

and like who’s life am i even living?

idk

but i make meals and sit down at the table to eat now

and i like it, it turns out

eating is way more enjoyable when you focus on it and take your time

instead of rushing to inhale a frozen pizza so you can use your lunch break to scroll tumblr

i’ve learned a lot about dissociation this week, especially depersonalization, partially from reading about it and partially from hands on experience

and today i did not take care of myself

after running upstairs late to work and demoing what i did yesterday when i worked a little late to the people who needed to see what i did, i went downstairs to use the bathroom, brush my teeth, etc.

i should have just taken an early lunch, but i decided to try finishing that work first so someone who needed my changes to do their work could have it ready.

but i should have brought up a drink, and i didn’t. so after finishing the one i poured last night and brought up with me in the morning, i had nothing all day.

and then i just forgot to go to lunch, and i worked until after 6.

btw i’m supposed to work 9-5 (mostly flexible but i have a meeting at 10 every day), but this week i worked 9:30-9:30, 9:30-6, 10-4, 9:30-6, and 10:30-6.

Part of that was not respecting my own needs over other people’s and pushing while burnt out to get something done that somebody else is waiting on, and part of it was just hyperfocusing on something interesting at the end of the day and suddenly realizing it’s late and I feel so tired I’m not sure I can handle the stairs, sometimes at the same time.

so i found myself at the end of the day having not eaten or drinken anything all day aside from the rest of my water from last night, until i cracked open a can of soda at like 7pm, which i drank over the course of like 2 hours.

so at like 9:30 i had only had that to drink, and i’d eaten some trail mix at some point between work and then, and i still felt all out of sorts

and then i had a very small dinner (not like intentionally trying to eat a small dinner, i just made something small just to get some vegetables in and then after eating it i was like “i guess i’m done eating now”)

and now i’m laying in bed typing this feeling really tired and wanting to just roll over and sleep but i do need to least take my meds and brush my teeth and hopefully have the energy to shower after that

and then i should go to sleep but im like so likely to suddenly be awake