#this kind of toxic pairing is my bread and butter like truly | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

elsonambulo · 3 years ago

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Thank you for the tag @alienfuckeronmain, this was fun! 💜💜💜

First Ship: Hmm probably Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? I don't really remember, I just know they're one of the first pairings I saw where I actively said, approximately, "Yes, them, they're cute together;" as opposed to just, "Yeah they're the couple I'm supposed to be rooting for so I'm rooting for them."

First OTP: I'm going to define this as the ship that actually got to me enough that I was like, "a tumblr account sounds like a good idea," and that's going to have to be destiel. I related very much to Dean (in large part because of his relationship with Sam, because I also have a sibling that I'm codependent with to the point where I thought Sam and Dean were not at all destructive in what they'd do for each other), and then the angel became my favorite character and I liked the few onscreen interactions I saw (I've seen like. maybe a season's worth of episodes, all scattered) very much and boom. Tumblr account made and also the beginning of my learning everything through tumblr osmosis. 😂

Current favorite ship: Lawrusso. Bread and butter babeyyyy I want those whores to get married in their gis and then rip them off each other.

Your ship since the first minute: Troy and Abed from Community. I first saw clips of them being very gay and I was like, "oh excellent," and then I started watching the show and I saw how they started out and I was like, "OH EXCELLENT SLOW BURN MAYHAPS?" And tbh it kind of is gjjjhg.

Ships you wish had been endgame: Hyde and Jackie from That 70s Show. I love them so much and honestly I think if they had just remained single I could have been ok, but then Jackie ended up with Fez and so naturally I doubled down on my wishes. I am made of spite.

Ship you wish was canon: Hmmm I'm gonna go with Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds. I love the fun, flirty, yet deep and supportive friendship they had, and I would have loved to see how that translated into a romantic relationship. It wouldn't have even needed to be endgame, I just wish we could have had a chance to see it (and I just know they'd be super amicable exes whose friendship is probably even stronger after they break up). Also "baby girl" lives rent free in my head don't @ me.

Ship that most of the fandom hates but you love: I don't think I've ever shipped something the fandom hated actually? Usually I don't even really get into rare pairs, much less something most of the fandom dislikes.

You don't even watch the show, but you ship it: Tom and Greg from Succession. Terrible little men doing their terrible little business and family betrayal things. That's some good shit.

Ship you wish had a different storyline: Finnpoe, not just as a ship but their characters in general. Just. So much missed potential rip. Wish I could live in Oscar Isaac's head because I just know he has thought about what could have been.

Favorite ship that's endgame: Jimmy and Gretchen from You're the Worst. My fail people who somehow make a great couple. My toxic little assholes who deserve nothing except maybe each other and the life they manage to build. They truly are the worst, and not even in an evil way. They're just every day straight up terrible people and I love the ending they got like talk about redefining what love and commitment means to you and your partner. 🤌

Ship you initially didn't think you would get into: Sam and Tory. I think it originally wasnt my cup of tea because I didn't have the full context of their interactions, like at first I thought Tory just hated Sam and truly wanted to kill her, and that only really works for me if its mutual. Then I learned about the whole Miguel thing and the "Sam accusing Tory of stealing" thing and the classism thing and the Aisha of it all and a switch flipped in my head suddenly and I was like 👅👅👅. Also I was devoting most of my brainpower to the adult ships and wasn't sparing much thought to the teenagers, so there's that.

Ship you lost interest in: I don't think I've ever really lost interest in any ships I've had? Like they all have the potential to fully suck me back in. Once they've lived rent free in my head they have a standing invitation to kill me again.

I'll tag @rvspberry, @anicety, @firstgreen, @scaperanya, @trinityofone, and @ceruleangold

#tag game #sleeptalk nonsense

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fiore-rosewood9 · 3 years ago

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♫FrUk :D

Thank you for the ask, I will send a few songs that remind me of fruk, a whole playlist if you may, not only one song. I also touch a few of triggering topics as I explain the nations's personalities and relationships with one another so I apologize in advance if I upset/trigger someone and will put my trigger here - Warning - mentions of abuse, alcoholism, s*exual trauma. Under the explanation there is a playlist of songs that make me think of Ukfr/Fruk, so if anyone gets upset you can feel free to skip my general headcanons about fruk/ukfr relationship dynamics. There are too many songs that make me think of different characters or ships but I collected the ones that make me think the most of them.

I know the original song is by Lady gaga but this version is too sweet and cheesy for me so I chose the rock cover by the group Halestorm since I prefer it, it sounds more genuine and rough and kinda makes me think of the dynamic that ukfr/fruk has, that some people present is as just the enemies to lovers trope or them just fighting which is.....simply unhealthy????? Fruk is much more than that and I wish people would stop seeing it as a two dimensional thing, yeah they do argue on a lot of things and it is not the healthiest dynamic however it does work in my mind because they stick through thin and thick and that requires effort and true love since a lot of people nowdays do not take time to know the other person, they just jump into marriage and have a few divorces and just argue over everything and then separate, fruk is an off and on thing where they break and make. This kind of dedication is hard to find in today's couples. I know they're fictional characters and no one really cares but I practice my psychology skills and my knowledge of people around me, and I sometimes see people with similar or almost the same characters as fictional characters, they may not have all of their hobbies but they do act the same way. And certain pairs, no offence, just make me want to gag my self due to history with bad and toxic fans but if I look at it subjectivly and never encountered mean fans from a certain ship, I would say that they ship simply doesn't work. No ship bashing but as far as I know, people with this kind of personality from this ship that I dislike, and get upset when seeing fan art of, simply just do not get along and had a hard time divorcing, it is not only unhealthy and unbalanced, it is downright abusive because both partners seek control and to have the upper hand and this is not...what romance is about???? It is about two people taking care of each other, understanding personal space and boundaries, lifting each other up and yeah, they will argue a lot, sometimes for small things, sometimes for bigger things, but generally the point of romantic relationships is not someone using you, or abusing you financially and generally being better or bigger than you. This breeds insecurity and jealousy in the other partner and makes them feel inadequate. Usually such problems are not talked over and one of the partners acts passive agressive which is what ultimaltly leads to said divorce. So yeah, people can go away with their (BUT IT IS CUTE, IT IS SO FUCKING CUTE) pairing because real life pairings and how humans communicate and develop friendships and relationships isn't based on what your mind conciders and doesn't concider cute and there are lots of factors on whether relationship will ever happen like common interests, type personality, etc and just block me so I will never hear from them and their childish mindset ever again, which is why I blocked certain tumbrl fan art hetalia accounts who produce art of a pairing I (dislike) lowkey hate, for historical reasons, for manga reasons, for toxic fans who bullied me and made me go on 3 hiatuses reason and ultimatly in real life experience and psychology and how humans and the human mind works and what is healthy and unhealthy reason. Why should I support something where certain people have been hateful towards me and these same people that act like these characters and I know in my life are on bad terms in real life? Why shouldn't I just move on to something more realistic and more healthy, that I have seen that works with humans I know first hand? I am not a clinical psychologist and I have no power or saying in this but I had to write thesis and read books by psycholgists and analyze them in high school and my first year of Uni, in order to pass the year and I have also read reccomended books by a psychologist I went to because I wanted an advice on how to deal with my anxiety and talking to people, because my condition is extremely severe but I honestly feel stuck and try to improve but also feel confused, I sometimes feel like I am not doing enough to

self improve as a human. I sometimes come off as too cold or overly bitter and angry without intending to, and it sucks.

Francis is a really manipulative person and Matthew picked up that from him while part of Alfred's agression doesn't only come from confidence in his own abilities but the fact that England him self is an overly agressive person and is very dominant or at least used to be for a very long time, now he is more mild to keep his gentleman persona but he does suffer from severe anger issues which he hides while Alfred is prone to breaking things and screaming, Arthur is more prone to being rude, sarcastic and generally mean before he loses it. Matthew and Francis do not engage in fight if they can avoid it which is why sometimes people call them cowardly I think? And Matthew is a bit prone to being a codependent people pleaser as far as I see and he seems to have severe anxiety issues. Francis albeit charismatic and beautiful, is deep down in his core lonely.

I think that part of his pervertedness, shocking people with his s*xual humour and all of this sex obsession comes from trauma in his childhood and dressing like a girl. I wouldn't explain what the trauma in question was since it is not canon but I do headcanon that he had s*xual trauma and it is partly why Hungary dressed like a guy. I don't know if this is legit, it is bias from reading too much japanese fan comics relating to hetalia or just general history of humans and how they treated consent and what is moral today, wasn't amoral or against the law a few centuries ago, but I have seen artists touch on it. I think both Arthur and Francis suffer from neglect and they weren't particularly good fathers, in fact no country is, the whole FACE family is dysfunctional and while I love all of them, I kinda pity them. I think Rome was a bit discriminatory mostly towards France and never towards his other children while Arthur had to constantly prove him self and was bullied by his brothers. While other nations have suffered from trauma too (I headcanon that Prussia was burnt on stake and people threw rocks at him due to his albinism and being left handed) something similar happened to Arthur, who I headcanon that he was burnt for being a witch and Francis went a few times through the guillotine, or Arthur still having a bullet scar on his arm from the American revolution or Francis having nightmares from that day where Jeanne was burnt and waking up in his own sweat. Arthur also must suffer from workholism and alcoholism, judging by how much he works and goes to pubs to drink. Everyone chooses their own poison and how to cope with life and many use unhealthy coping mechanisms, hell, even I used unhealthy coping mechanisms a lot in the past and I am not proud of them, in fact, I try to improve.

I can talk about their history and how it relates to their mental health and what scars they have for hours but I would bore you. You came for a song and I am probably boring you so I apologize for writting a lot of words, in advance. I basically think that fruk/ukfr is the ultimate ship for many reasons because they click, I do ship spuk/engita/asakiku and many other things but fruk/ukfr is kinda like butter and bread, it is a great combination. I never said it is 100 percent healthy, however their relationship makes psychological sense and their personalities click. I know people like to present arthur as this dumb tsundere man that blushes and says baka, or he is this garbage rat dad that no one likes or francis is presented or at least used to be this perverted sex machine that touched other countries inappropriatly or at least the 2012-2015 fans saw him this way and while he still has the reputation of a pervert, what many young people in the fandom see as disgusting, I just see as an overly lonely man that just happens to have high libido and copes with it by having casual sex and just has a sex humour, the same way some people have fart jokes humour or darker, more cursed humour, I am really glad that fans mostly left off this whole - Francis is a r**ist and will grope you, in the past, because honestly r**e is not joke and as a character he clearly understands consent and boundaries and I don't think someone like him would do such a thing. Also Greece and Turkey have even higher libido than him and sleep around more, yet he is the ''pervert'', I don't get it??????????? but fruk is just so much more than opposites attract, they have a lot in common so I can't say they're full opposites, no one is truly. I have heard people ask why does anyone ship fruk when it is just opposites attract/enemies to lovers trope and I am honestly confused, because that is extremely rough generalization to say the least, it is like saying - All men/women are the same, it is simply wrong/uncorrect. I think they ''married'' five times - The Treaty of Paris (1657) formed an alliance against Spain. The Anglo-French Alliance (1716–31) formed another alliance against Spain. The Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata (1845-1850). The Anglo-French joint invasion of Qing Dynasty (1856–1860). And the last one which is their official marriage The Entente Cordiale (1904) fought together in both World Wars. As far as I remember Francis tried to marry Arthur but he refused and why he refused is up for subjective opinion but I must write a whole thesis on why Fruk/ukfr works so well and people are not here for that, they're here for the music and I will provide. I also always saw Francis as the more gentle and more submissive partner, I just love to see him drawn in frilly beautiful dresses with bows and stuff and Arthur as the more dominant, I mean as a country he was a powerhouse during the 1600s-1800s and used to be a punkrocker, usually rockers are mentally tough and that man is extremely cunning and witty so...people drawing him as this useless baka uwu overly feminine anorexic boy that looks more like a tween rather than a 23 year old guy just assasinated his character in my opinion and it disturbs me but I am just some awkward human on the internet and no one values my opinion anyway because this is the internet and many people nowdays love to have hot takes and try to gain followers through clickbait stuff which sometimes goes out of control and everything just seems more fake and shallow to me, the more old I get.Okay that was my silly rant no one asked about but I feel really passionate about hetalia and Fruk/Ukfr. Anyway, I apologize again for my long rant and going all over the place, please enjoy this playlist

PLAYLIST WITH SONGS THAT REMIND ME OF FRUK/UKFR

1 - Halestorm - Bad romance - rock cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll4NJs3NBIU

2 - Queen - Somebody to love - lyrics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj69iA_goIk

3 - ABBA - Voulez vous - (I know everyone chooses Waterloo and while waterloo is a fruk theme, I think Voulez vous works too) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwcgMVXuBJc

4 - London beat - I've been thinking about you - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixBryyQSrD8

5 - Santana - Smooth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whgn_iE5uc

6 - George Michael - Careless whisper - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izGwDsrQ1eQ

7 - Robbie Williams - Feel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy4mXZN1Zzk

8 - Michael Buble - Feeling good - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edwsf-8F3sI

9 - Edith Piaf - La vie en rose - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFzViYkZAz4

10 - Chopin - Marriage d'amour (Spring waltz) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFJ7kDva7JE

11 - Vanessa Carlton - A thousand miles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERw2LuU6Jj8

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booksonablog · 5 years ago

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A Fresh Start: Harry Styles Imagine Part 3

You woke up to the alarming sound of your ringtone. You jumped, your arm quickly grabbing the phone to see who decided to disturb your peace. Oh. You blinked. It's the only man you'd probably ever let disturb your slumber.

You cleared your throat before attempting to sound like a Disney princess, "Hello?" You answered.

"Did I wake you?" You could almost hear the cheeky grin on the other line.

"No...I always wake up at-" you peered over to check the time, "9:15am" you breathed, shocked by the digits shown on the hotel alarm.

You could hear Harry's laugh through the phone. "Right, well I was calling to invite you to breakfast. They have an exquisite breakfast menu where I'm staying and the view is just as spectacular, if you'd like to join?"

You were still wrapped up in his voice, the way it sounded a bit raspy in the morning and the way the words tumbled out of his mouth, drenched in his accent. You cleared your throat, his words now forming sentences in your brain, "Yeah, I'd love to." You grinned.

"I'm on my way." He replied, his smile forming in your imagination.

***

After getting dolled up and putting on your best breakfast outfit, Harry had picked you up and took you to where he was staying, which of course, was beautiful. The room was all white and very elegantly cozy.

"This is beautiful." You spoke softly as you walked around in admiration.

"Even better-" Harry began, making his way to the back wall of the room where he opened two tall French doors that lead to a balcony accompanied by breakfast and a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower.

"Oh my gosh - Harry - this is - beautiful." Your eyes sparkled at the sight before you, making Harry beam.

"It's really quite a sight." He smiles at you before pulling out a chair in the balcony, gesturing for you to join him, to which you smiled.

"The food here is very tasty, but based off your previous menus, I ordered a couple things I thought you might like." You smiled at this unimaginable gesture. It made you pause for a moment and wonder what exactly was happening. Before you could further question your present, Harry unveiled different food items he had ordered. Crepes alongside whipped cream, fruit, and nutella, fresh veggie omelets with thick freshly baked bread smothered in butter and crispy bacon with two pitchers of water and orange juice to pair with your delicious feast.

"And of course," he unveiled another silver cap that held 12 different flavored macaroons. "Our favorite." He winked, making you blush. You were truly in awe by the sight, your tummy could not have been more blessed.

"Thank you, this is - I have no words." You chuckled.

"No problem, enjoy." He smiled, making himself a plate.

***

Breakfast was another fairytale to add to your fairytale. The food was delicious, the view was absolutely gorgeous and again, Harry was a great conversationalist. The conversation was light at first, he made jokes, and you soon started talking about travelling and his tour life as well as your life back home as far as family and work. He was very interested in you and while you enjoyed that he wasn't narcissistic, you found yourself holding back and steering the conversation back to him.

After talking about family and what brought him to Paris, the two of you laid on his bed, as if taking a break from Thanksgiving dinner.

"So, a fresh start." He spoke, turning his head towards you.

You turned your head to face him with a confused look.

"What are you starting fresh from?" He asked gently. His voice was so soft, like he was luring you with caution.

"I-" you trailed off. You started to ask yourself if it was a good idea to share the truth, and if it was, how much of it should be told?

"Toxicity." You answered. He kept quiet, signaling for you to continue. "I found myself in a toxic environment-" you looked down to find your fingers fidgeting with eachother. "Well, not so much environment, more so, relationship." There was a quick patch of silence between the two which started to increase your anxiousness.

"Have you ever been in love Harry?" It almost seemed like an ignorant question to ask an artist who's written love songs himself, but the two of you knew what you were really asking - have you ever been heartbroken?

Harry looked up and took a deep breath himself. "Yes. I dated a girl named Julianne between the ending of One Direction and my first album." He stared at the ceiling while he spoke. You were surprised at his openness, sensing he would unravel his history. "It was the type of love that the ending seemed like an utter shock - a wound that just kept growing as you sat there in disbelief." You couldn't have described it better yourself. Harry turned to you and for a moment it was pure eye contact and soul searching.

You wondered if he would tell you more, and if you would tell him more, but you had decided way before any of this that you wouldn't share the mistakes of an ex with a possible newcomer as you found that they would have a perfect guideline on how to take advantage, please and hurt you. For a second, you questioned how Harry fit into all this, did you really see Harry as a potential…"newcomer?"

"You loved him?" He asked rhetorically. You nodded.

"With all my heart." You said, feeling your chest tighten.

He watched your reaction, observing the pain in your face with sympathy.

"I think the worst kind of heartbreak is when someone you love is the one causing the pain," he spoke quietly, "I was once told not to let the love I have for someone blind me from the toxic truth about them. It's one of the most difficult things to practice but I'd rather be healthy and peacefully in love rather than madly, ignorantly in love."

It was your turn to view his expression, which was that of a distant pain, something he moved on from but could never forget, like a photograph.

The rest of the time you two spoke of love, you kept mindful of what you shared but absorbed his words of wisdom and experience. It was calm, comfortable and soothing.

***

You coughed, jolting yourself awake. You looked to your left to see Harry rubbing his eyes and smiling at you, a small chuckle escaping his lips. You blushed and giggled at how you two fallen asleep beside eachother during conversation. It was cute, you thought to yourself.

You sat up and looked off to the balcony, the sky started to darken, pink clouds surrounded the sky. It was a beautiful view you'd never forget.

Harry checked his watch, "C'mon, I wanna take you for a walk somewhere special." You whipped your head towards him and laughed which sounded very much like a scoff, you were just surprised and a bit confused. He sat up and slid his jacket on before glancing at you, making you blush. Adorable, he thought. "C'mon," he smiled, holding his hand out for you to take, "Paris is waiting." He grinned at his smoothness. You smiled back, accepting his hand.

***

The two of you walked beside eachother, hands in your pockets walking down a street. You looked up to see the Eiffel Tower peeking out behind a strip of buildings.

"Look how close the Eiffel Tower is!" You pointed like an excited child.

He smiled at your cheeriness, "It's about to get a lot closer." He hinted with a cheeky smile. You looked at him with excited anticipation, following his lead with a grin plastered on your face.

***

You learn something new everyday, you thought as you and Harry waited for the elevator doors in the Eiffel Tower to close. You knew people had access to the top of the Tower and that there was actually a restaurant inside as well, but it never occurred to you that there was an elevator inside, silly to not have thought about it, but interesting. All walls of the elevator were made of thick glass, kinda like the ones at the zoo back home. But rather than seeing animals on the otherside, your view of the city was progressively getting wider and it was absolutely exquisite. Your eyes were glued to the scenery till you arrived at the top. The top was roomier than you thought but fairly packed with tourists. Harry carefully lead the way to the edge of the Tower where it showed a fenced view of the city below. He tilted his head down a bit and that's when reality bopped you on your little head. You had briefly forgotten his popularity and the likely possibility of fans wanting to take pictures with him, especially in such a popular area. Fortunately, everyone's focus was on the city. You sympathized him, as wonderful as the lifestyle seemed, you recognized the inconvenience it came with.

After weaving through the crowd, the two of you finally made your way to the edge where the wind blew the fresh air of the city through your hair. It was was a stunning view, but more so than anything, you never felt calmer. The noise surrounding you tuned out as you watched the busy streets below. You were at peace.

***

You giggled behind Harry as he ran down the field across the Tower, your hand in his. This is the first time he held your hand, but you were too giggly to fangirl. He eventually stopped at a more secluded spot. He turned to face you, catching his breath and lessening his laughter.

"What are we doing?" You asked, still laughing.

He gestured at the Eiffel Tower in the background, "What do you mean? This is the perfect touristy picture spot!" He joked, whipping out his phone.

You smiled at his wit and secretly also at the fact that he was gonna take the picture on his phone.

He gestured for you to scoot to your right and hold your hand up. "Pretend you're holding it," you laughed and held your hands up so the Tower appeared to be in your hands, "That's it, right there, perrrrfect darlin'." He said in his best french photographer voice. You stuck your tongue out for another picture where you pretended the Tower was an ice cream cone, to which he laughed before snapping the photo. You laughed back before making your way over to him to see the photos. His cologne wafted over your way, he smelled like one of the high end stores you passed by during your stay, it was yummy and made your heart beat faster. The photos were cute and well taken, you smiled at the cute pics and looked up at him who was smiling at his phone screen. He tucked his phone in his pocket, looking up at you, dimples returning on his face.

"I'm starved, you wanna get a bite to eat?"

***

"You're really in the mood for walking today, huh." You joked.

Harry smirked at you. "Getting tired already?"

"Lil bit, lil bit." You teased.

Harry had taken you to a nearby restaurant that had a perfect view of the Tower. You snapped a few pictures of the view after saving the photos from earlier that he had sent you. The menu was fairly fancy, you gathered it was because of the view, but of course, it was quite tasty. The two of you made room for dessert, which was this chocolate mousse cake that you had to resist from licking the plate clean.

Now, the sky had fully dimmed and the two of you were walking past a bridge towards the Eiffel Tower so you can see the lights that decorated it at night.

The two of you had joked and goofed off all the way to the Tower.

"Y/N?" He asked.

"Yes?" You smiled, butterflies making an appearance in your tummy when he said your name.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but since it was brought up earlier, I was curious about your love story."

Your smile faded, and the butterflies turned into anxious moths searching for the light.

"Um," you pushed a strand of hair behind your ear, he noticed, and just before he could apologize and reassure you that you didn't have to discuss it, you decided to tell him your story in so many words. "We hadn't even been together for a year yet... but I thought we would be," he looked at you with full focus as you continued, "I had came out of a really - emotionally abusive relationship before I met him, so I was cautious, we went out for awhile before making it official, that's what I wanted. We turned out to develop a first level friendship and it was - perfect - or close to it. He did a lot of wonderful things and we shared so many fun experiences together, and I was there for him through tough times, but overall, we were a really great couple. My family liked him a whole lot, as did my friends, they were all rooting for him, some even envious. I was happy, and he was too. I loved him so much, truly, deeply." You took a deep breath before continuing. Your pain was now visible and Harry wanted to hold your hand for comfort, but he dismissed it as inappropriate and continued to listen. "During our time, I noticed a few red flags, and at first I was in denial, but eventually I acknowledged them and I would speak up about most of them, but the unchangeable I just kept in the back of my head to deal with for the future. Eventually, our relationship started to deplete as his true colors started to show, arguments started to ensue and - in short, it was just really bad. And once we did break up, I found out within the week of our breakup, he was already on dating apps and seeing some girl." You swallowed and shook your head, ridding yourself of the past. "I thought of him as someone who would never ever hurt me… I was naive."

Harry's heart ached for you, thinking to himself how there are few things more heartbreaking than a woman questioning her self worth after being treated badly by a significant other.

"I'm sorry." Harry finally spoke, partially feeling guilty for bringing lingering feelings up. He can relate to severe heartbreak, and you knew that since this morning.

You laughed and shrugged your shoulders, "It hurts, and it sucks," you swallowed hard, trying not to cry. "But I'm in Paris - with Harry Styles," you smiled back at him, he returned the smile. "And I'm remembering what it's like to be happy."

***

A/N: Julianne is a made up character - just an fyi, not a real lover of his (that I know of.) Also, I'm overwhelmed, in a wonderful way, with how much you guys are enjoying what has turned out to be a series ♡ If you'd like to be added to the Tag List, please lmk, thank you! ♡

Tag List:

@crowdedimagines @itsilvermorny @cali--luxury

#harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #one direction imagine #one direction fanfiction #harry styles x reader

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sarahburness · 7 years ago

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How I Got Stronger and Healthier After Giving Up Animal Products

“Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~Buddha

Not that long ago, I ate meat every single day. Every. Single. Day. For breakfast, I used to have fried eggs with feta or cottage cheese and turkey ham. My lunch consisted of minced beef or chicken with veggies. My dinner was then either leftovers from lunch or more meat/fried eggs/sometimes fish with veggies and cheese.

I followed an intense workout routine, went to the gym five to six times per week to lift weights, and on top of that did another two cardio sessions per week in a beautiful park close to my apartment.

The best I could do for my health, according to my personal trainer, was to stick to a high-protein, low-carb diet with lots of animal protein and avoid refined sugar. That also meant to drink one or two whey shakes per day.

For some people, this might sound exhausting or even brutal. At the time, though, I loved my fitness lifestyle and was proud to be as lean as I was.

For two years, this was my life, until I was offered a job abroad, which I accepted totally thrilled. This new opportunity was so exciting and full of possibilities! Sadly, I had to reduce my workouts and started to lapse when it came to my diet, meaning I ate significantly more carbs than before.

I worked non-stop around the clock. Soon, I started to get sick more often. Despite a job change, things got worse.

There was always something wrong with my body, either infections or injuries, which prevented me then from working out. The lack of exercise in turn led to feeling weaker. On top of that, I had to deal with a very toxic work environment, constant stress, internal gossip, difficult clients, and a lack of professional structure to only name a few unpleasant job-related factors.

Whenever I was feeling slightly better, I used to fall ill again. I started to gain weight and lost muscle mass. It was like a vicious circle with no way out.

The biggest support came from my boyfriend, who was there to take care of me. He was and still is my emotional rock. I don’t know what I would have done without him.

Once you move abroad, your social circle shrinks considerably (at least mine did), thus making it hard to not feel lonely at times. Most of my closest friends who are my social support system live either in my home country or in other parts of the world making it difficult to connect.

This state of mental and physical exhaustion lasted for a year and a half until I found the courage to walk away and quit my job. Once I had done that, I’d gotten rid of one of my biggest stress factors. Finally, I had time to focus on taking care of my health, body, and mind again.

As a documentary lover, I started watching food and health related documentaries. They all had one strong message in common: the promotion of a plant-based diet. According to those documentaries, following a whole-food, plant-based diet solves a lot of environmental and, to my surprise, health issues. I was intrigued!

I had a couple of friends following a plant-based diet already, so the idea wasn’t entirely new to me. A few weeks before quitting my job, I had suffered another internal infection and, therefore, reduced my meat intake to only once a month, following the advice of my gastroenterologist.

Questions started popping up in my mind: What if I could get rid of all infections by cutting out animal products completely? What if my body could recover from all the diseases?

I made my boyfriend watch those documentaries as well. He was shocked about the impact of animal products on our health. It took us a split second to decide that we were more than ready to give the plant-based diet a go!

The change was easier than expected; there was not a lot we had to get rid of in our kitchen and not a lot of new ingredients to buy either. Cooking and preparing healthy dishes has always been one of our favorite hobbies, and having things like quinoa or amaranth in our kitchen has been normal.

I quit drinking milk in 2013 and have loved almond milk since then, (Did you know that humans are the only animal species drinking milk from another animal, though this hormonal drink is only intended for baby calves to grow?)

The only dairy products left in our fridge were five cups of Greek yogurt, a piece of butter, and a variety of cheese. Together with our last organic eggs, everything found a new home in a friend’s kitchen.

Since the change, I feel so much better. It turned out that my new lifestyle wasn’t as complicated and hard to follow as I first imagined it would be. (I have to admit, having a special someone by your side doing the exact same thing makes it a whole lot easier.)

The infections in my body have decreased, and I don’t get sick as easy and often as before. Finally, I’m able to go to the gym to work out again. Not as intense as I used to, but on a regular basis.

I’ve consumed a high amount of animal products in the past, which is kind of the norm in our society. However, triggered by the lack of exercise and paired with a high stress level, it’s likely, that among other things, my high-animal-protein diet led to the many infections, a high level of inflammation, and a variety of illnesses I was struggling with.

The change to a plant-based diet isn’t a magic bullet, but it plays a big part when it comes to living a healthy life, in my opinion.

Sure, there are more things to consider like surrounding yourself with loving and compassionate people, regular exercise, being kind to yourself and others, and practicing gratitude, forgiveness, and mindfulness. Having said that, it would go beyond the scope of my post to delve into those topics.

There’s this cliché and certain image that comes to everyone’s mind as soon as you mention the word “vegan.” Unfortunately, it’s often seen as being difficult or just plain weird.

That’s why one thing has been very important to me right from the start: I don’t want to be defined by the diet I follow. What does that mean? I simply don’t broadcast it and especially don’t use it to strike up a conversation. What I choose to eat and what not is not that big of a deal. Even some of my friends still haven’t noticed yet.

However, when the subject comes up, the questions from friends, family, and sometimes complete strangers are often similar. Some people are really interested in my choice; others judge me for it. That’s the reason I felt compelled to write an honest Q&A, including the challenges I face in my everyday life and the personal benefits of my food choice.

Being vegan and following a healthy whole-food, plant-based diet shouldn’t come with a stigma in our society. Let’s encourage an open, respectful, and honest conversation instead.

Honest Q&A

Why did you change to a vegan diet?

Mostly because of health issues I was facing. I wanted to know if my health would improve with a plant-based diet. The high amount of animal products that our society consumes increases the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes, cancer, strokes and heart attacks. All those diseases run in my family.

What did you have to change in your everyday life?

Not much, since I ate veggies and fruits lately most of the time anyway. I don’t cook with regular cheese or eggs anymore, which was the most difficult part in the beginning, because I truly was a cheese-aholic. There’s a scientific explanation for that, though. Long story short: Cheese triggers the same receptors in our brains as heroin, which is why I never met someone who doesn’t like cheese. Our society is simply addicted to it.

Ok… what documentary did you watch?

The first documentary I watched was Cowspiracy, followed by Food Matters and What the Health? The most comprehensive and objective one, in my opinion, is Forks over Knives. If you’re interested in the topic, I recommend to watch that one first. All documentaries are available on Netflix.

Will you never eat meat again?

I’m not entirely sure about that. Right now, being on a plant-based diet is definitely the right thing for me. However, a certain diet doesn’t mean that you have to be abstinent or else you’ll relapse and you have to start from zero again. Everybody should decide that individually since diets are such a personal topic.

But you’re so limited now! What do you eat? There’s nothing left!

At first glance, it might seem that way, especially if you’re used to eat only animal products. But there’s so much variety in all kind of different cuisines. So here’s what I eat:

Fruits

Vegetables

Whole-food options

This Vegan Food Pyramid breaks it down nicely.

My usual breakfast consists of:

Oatmeal with berries, banana, and almond milk

Or smashed avocado on dark bread

For lunch I often have:

Stir-fried veggies with brown rice or quinoa

Sometimes I order veggie pad thai without any egg

Veggie sushi with brown rice (there are many different options at our local sushi stores)

A yummy salad with steamed vegetables, nuts, avocado, and pomegranate seeds

For dinner, I love to make for example:

Zoodles (zucchini noodles)

Whole-wheat pasta with tomato sauce or pesto

Pineapple curry with dhal

Guacamole with sweet potato fries

A fresh tomato soup

I currently live in the Middle East, so I also indulge in the local cuisine e.g.:

Hummus, one of my favorite dips made of cooked, mashed chickpeas, tahini, and olive oil

Falafel, deep-fried balls made of ground chickpeas

Baba ghanoush, a dip made of grilled eggplants and diced vegetables

Moutabal, another grilled eggplant based dip mixed with tahini

Loubieh bil zeit, green beans in olive oil with ripe cooked tomatoes and garlic cloves

Mouhammara, a spicy paste-like dip consisting of mashed hot peppers, olive oil, and ground walnuts

Alayet banadoura, super yummy sautéed tomatoes stewed with garlic, pine seeds, and olive oil

There’s a ton of plant-based desserts as well that can be made at home easily. If I ever need a sugar fix, I get a piece of 90 percent dark chocolate, which also is vegan.

But what about proteins? You need meat to cover that!

Yep, I get that a lot. While this is wrong, it’s a strong belief in our society. But here’s a thought experiment: Where do the animals that we eat get their protein from? They eat plants; it’s as simple as that. High protein plant sources for example are lentils or edamame.

You can’t eat pizza anymore. Or burgers. Don’t you crave those sometimes?

I do crave pizza and burgers. And I eat them. The funny thing is that I don’t crave the meat or the cheese, but the comforting experience eating with my hands.

There are vegan pizza ordering options or great recipes for easy plant-based pizza dough and vegan cheese. Same thing with burgers: There often are vegan patties available when ordering in. It’s also easy to make them at home e.g. crispy quinoa patties. And yes, they’re really yummy!

Isn’t a plant-based diet expensive?

Surprisingly, it’s not. The most expensive things we used to get at the supermarket were meat and eggs followed by cheese. Now we save up to 30 percent when we do our grocery shopping.

I’m sure you’re not getting all your vitamins and nutrients without animal products.

I hear this often, but it’s not true. A plant-based diet provides a ton of vitamins and minerals. I only take one supplement, which is Vitamin B12. Not only vegetarians and vegans suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency, though, but also people consuming meat. Apart from that, I don’t lack anything.

Sometimes, I read that you have to get Vitamin D supplements as well. Vitamin D however is produced by our own body as soon as our skin gets exposed to the sun and not by eating animal products. Other people believe they need to drink milk in order to get their calcium intake for a healthy bone structure.

Surprisingly, studies confirm that a higher calcium intake leads to weaker bones and a higher amount of bone fractures. If you’re interested in those findings, please read here for further information.

Don’t you miss anything?

Surprisingly, not as much as I thought I would.

What do you miss most?

One of my favorite drinks was Baileys on ice, which I don’t drink anymore. Sometimes I miss that. And chocolate ice-cream.

Are you now also a hippie-kumbaya-singing activist who only showers once a week and chains herself to train tracks?

Okay, I made that one up. But unfortunately that’s the image a lot of people have once you mention being “vegan.” Let’s change that together!

So you don’t eat fish?

No, I also don’t eat fish or seafood anymore. But I do eat sushi stuffed with vegetables and avocado.

Challenges I Face in Everyday Life

Restricted choice of dishes in restaurants. Some restaurants only offer food options with animal products, and every dish contains at least butter or cheese. I only noticed that once I started studying the menu more intensively, and was really in disbelief.

The wait staff gets often confused as soon as you mention “plant-based” or “vegan.” So I usually avoid it whenever I can and order instead the vegetarian option “without [insert animal product].”

Depending on the country you live in, there’s a limited availability of some products. I’ve never seen the vegan Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream, for example, or any vegan cheese options in the U.A.E. In my home country Germany, however, there are even vegan supermarket chains.

Few coffee shops offer milk substitutes like almond and coconut milk. Okay, this is kind of a first-world problem, but I need to get my daily coffee fix. Some coffee shops offer soy milk as the only milk alternative, but I don’t like the taste of it. Also the many controversial studies regarding soy simulating estrogen in our bodies confuse me, so I try to avoid larger amounts like a cup full of soy milk.

Endless discussions with so-called friends or acquaintances who feel entitled to judge my food choices. It saddens me.

Encounters with people who offer their unsolicited advice on how veganism is bad for my health (without having a nutritional background or an interest for healthy diets in general).

I never try to educate people without them asking me first, but rather respect the choices everybody makes. Sadly, I rarely come upon the same behavior. However, if someone is genuinely interested in my choice, I’m happy to tell them about it and share my experience. I strongly believe in the saying ‘live and let live’.

Noticeable Benefits of My Whole-Food and Plant-Based Diet:

I sleep like a baby.

My digestion improved significantly.

My life got simpler. I always read the ingredients table on the food packaging in the past. Most of the time, I was worried about the origin of animal products. Did that hen live in a tiny cage in the midst of her feces? What did she eat and where did she lay her eggs? Does “organic” really mean organic? What about antibiotics? Is that really grass-fed beef?

Since I cut out animal products, I only have to worry about the origin of fruits and veggies. Most of what we buy has organically grown in the U.A.E. or has been imported from Asia. I don’t like the thought of fruits or vegetables being flown around the globe, often only ripening on the plane, so we humans can indulge in whatever is not in season at the moment (or never) in the country we live in.

My skin got a lot better.

I feel healthier and more energized.

I cook and bake more and love it.

Some people claim that going vegan helps with weight loss. I’d say it depends from which weight and lifestyle you’re starting. I didn’t lose any weight, but my weight and body composition are also considered normal. Still, my goal is to fit into my jeans and tight dresses from my lean past with more ease, thus to reduce body fat. The journey is the destination.

We spend less money on grocery shopping.

I believe, that my choice reduces animal cruelty and environmental pollution.

My action alone might not make much of a difference, but the actions of a lot of people do.

Have you ever struggled with your health? What was your approach towards getting better?

About Nina Grey

Nina is the creator of A gorgeous Soul, a mindful lifestyle blog. Do you want to feel less anxious and be healthier and happier within 30 days? Download Nina’s free Mindful Lifestyle Mini Guide and learn how to master your day with more ease and joy within 30 days, even if you've got a soul-sucking job and a demanding or stressful (family) life.

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The post How I Got Stronger and Healthier After Giving Up Animal Products appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

from Tiny Buddha https://tinybuddha.com/blog/got-stronger-healthier-giving-animal-products/

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