School is in session. This comes with having to pack a lunch (or ordering from the cafeteria). I did not have to pack lunches during virtual school, so, when school started in person this year, I felt a little rusty coming up with ideas for things to pack at first. This post outlines some ideas if you are in the same boat. After all, having a full lunch is important to give your brain power and give you energy to last through the day.
Main Attractions:
The Sides and Snacks:
I hope you enjoyed my tips and ideas for yummy lunches. Let me know what you think, and tell me what you like to have for lunch in the comments. By the way, I have two bonus tips: (1) pack your lunch the night before school so you do not have to rush and prepare it in the morning and (2) if you are looking for a cute lunchbox, Scout bags are my favorite.
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It is hard to believe that it is time to head back to school. Some people have been back for a week or two, and others are just getting ready to start. After last year -- with remote learning, less teacher instruction, minimal student interactions, and the ability to wear pajamas every day to class -- feeling nervous, anxious, or uncertain is to be expected as students hopefully head into a “normal” school experience with daily in-person classes.
The active schedule presents one concern. Many are used to staying home and not seeing lots of people, while also not having much to do. Going to school every day will be a big change and it could feel tiring. That is to be expected. To deal with this, it is important to be compassionate with yourself. When you get home, give yourself a break, whether you choose to watch Netflix, scroll through social media, go for a walk, or do something else that helps you relax. Talking to people -- new and old -- may seem daunting as well. If your social skills feel a little rusty, it is all right. The most important thing to remember, while it may sound cheesy, is to be yourself. Being the authentic, kind person you are is a great way to attract people. Plus, people are in the same boat and are understanding of anything that may seem awkward, unnatural, or out of practice when interacting. Two other potential concerns are finding your way around the building and the increase in rigor from the year prior. To control both of these concerns, note that so many people want to help. Teachers are more than willing to direct students to a class or spend extra time to ensure they understand the material. Ask for help when it is needed and do not be afraid to do so. These concerns are valid and shared by many, which is important to keep in mind. In the beginning, it may be challenging to get back into the swing of what school used to be like, but, after some time adjusting, it will be a great experience. Think about how exciting it will be to see old friends, meet new friends, wave to people in the hallway, and pick fun outfits to wear to class. Good luck during this back to school season. What are you most excited and nervous for? Let me know in the comments. 8/17/2021 2 Comments Fantastic Feel-good quotesSometimes people need a source of motivation or a positive reminder, so I compiled ten quotes to serve this purpose. Taking a quick read through them is an easy way to quickly feel a small boost of happiness. In the comments below, tell me what some of your favorite feel-good quotes are.
Dear Future Madeleine and Real and Relatable Readers:
The day this letter will be posted will be one day away from celebrating the one year anniversary of Real and Relatable. Because of this milestone, I thought it would be fitting to write a letter reflecting on the past year and what is to come. I can then respond to the letter this time next year. First, I am very proud of myself for starting this blog. It was something I wanted to do for a long time, and it is great that I actually did it and stuck with it. Oftentimes, the most difficult thing to do is getting started. I am not sure what the future will hold for the blog as I head into college next fall, but, for now, I look forward to continuing with my Real and Relatable posts. Speaking of college, it is a huge part of my life right now. I am talking with current college students to hear about their experiences as well as writing essays for my applications. The process is quite stressful - there is lots of competition and decisions to be made. It is good to note, however, that this time next year I will be getting ready to go to college. I will have a clear idea of where I am going and what I will do. The application process will be a thing of the past. Other than that, I have my senior year of high school. Unlike others I have heard from, I am not super excited for it. I will be busy with a rigorous course load, but I hope to spend more time with my family. It is crazy to know it is my last “normal” year at home. Of course I also have to bring up the coronavirus - it is a prominent part of everyone’s lives nowadays. There was a solid month where life felt normal after the year and a half of being very cautious about the pandemic. I was vaccinated, my family was eating in restaurants, I was hanging out with my friends inside, and I was volunteering in-person. With the new Delta variant, all of this seems in jeopardy and that is sad. I want to be optimistic, but I feel like things are going to get worse again before they get better. Since the pandemic, I have really enjoyed talking to people. I want to make more of an effort to hang out with my friends, but I have enjoyed talking to strangers too. I went up to a stranger on the beach and asked him about his hat. I walked up to random students on a college campus to ask them questions. I think this is a result of being isolated for so long because of the pandemic and because of my inquisitive nature. I also want to share the current situation with my friends. I do not have many friends at school, which can make it not so fun, but I am very grateful for the few I have. They are so supportive and make high school so much better. My other friends come from my youth group. It is common for seniors to not attend many youth group events, but I hope to stay active. I love the group of girls and being with them makes me so happy. It will be interesting to see if any of these relationship dynamics change next year. This post has turned into a bit of a diary entry. If you read to the end, I hope you were able to connect with something I shared or that it made you think. Looking back at past thoughts is really special, and I would encourage you to write a letter to your future self. Your future self will thank you. All my love, Real and Relatable (Madeleine) Each one of us knows that we have good days and bad days. We have the power to bring wide smiles to the faces of people with whom we interact. A single act of kindness can boost feelings of optimism, positivity, and joy amongst both the giver and receiver. It has the ability to make someone’s day, and possibly even week or month, much better.
Because random acts of kindness are so impactful, I would like to help spread kindness even further and encourage the Real and Relatable family to go out and do some random acts of kindness. We can all contribute to making our communities happier places to be. Below are 10 acts of kindness that I have done or hope to do.
There is so much kindness to go around, and all of us can contribute! What will you do to spread kindness? Let me know in the comments. I hope everyone is having a great summer. Mine has been exciting and busy so far. From past summer experiences, I recall occasionally feeling bored - like I wanted to do something fun, but I was not sure what fun thing I wanted to do. To help beat the boredom this summer, if you are searching for some activities, this list includes things I have done in past summers or things that I hope to do this summer:
What have you been up to this summer? Let me know in the comments below, and share what items from this list you would like to try. Enjoy the sunshine! Summertime is officially here! In my opinion, it is the best time of the year: no school, lounging by the pool, beach trips, adventures, cold treats, and loads of sun. All of this calls for adorable swimsuits. Time to start preparing for that beach body, right? Not quite.
These days, around this time of year especially, emphasis is put on having the perfect body, fit for the beach and swimsuit-ready; perhaps this includes having a large booty, shredded abs, or golden tan. Everyone enjoys feeling confident and looking good, but it is hard to do so when there are various unattainable standards that people believe they need to meet to live it up this summer. With the image of a “perfect” beach body in people’s minds, putting on a bikini, one-piece swimsuit, swim trunks, or any other swimwear can feel deflating. Undoubtedly, many people will be disappointed when they put on their swimsuits because society’s beach body ideals are not realistic. In response to these feelings, I have found there is an easy two-step solution to get the perfect beach body:
These two steps are fool-proof! Now, you may be rolling your eyes because you were expecting something different. The thing is, while these steps might seem cliché or simple, that is all there is to it. It may seem easy for me to write about this and encourage people to put on a bathing suit and automatically feel great, but that has not always been the case. I have personally gone through days where I did not feel confident in a bikini, and it is not possible to just snap your fingers and all the confidence will wash over you. Instead, it is a process of repeating positive thoughts and eliminating negative ones, while knowing in the back of your head that your body is enough as is. I would recommend starting by getting the image you think of when you read or hear the phrase “perfect beach body” out of your mind. Every body is perfect just the way it is. Every person is built differently, which is special! It took me some time to believe this myself, but, once I did, it felt great! I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin. I am built the way I am supposed to be. So are all of you. We should not try to change that - even if social media, television, magazines, advertisements, and celebrities say otherwise. Next, I propose taking a long look at yourself in the mirror. Maybe you do not like the way your tummy rolls when you slouch, or maybe you do not like your broad shoulders, but that is the way you were built! We should work to celebrate instead of hate the things that make our bodies our own. Also, instead of concentrating on what you do not like, focus on what you do like. Your strong legs? The way your nose freckles in the sun? Your bright eyes? Lastly, wear what you feel confident in! Strut your stuff! If you are feeling great, who cares what you wear? Try the high-waisted bikini bottoms, try the strappy one piece, the water shorts, the t-shirt. Wear whatever you want this summer! Love it and rock it! Now, this might sound very motherly or cheesy, but please let me have this moment. Here at Real and Relatable, I will be your hype girl whenever you need it, so...you are incredible just the way you are! Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. It may take some time, but, once you get the right mindset, the clothes to make you feel confident, and a positive attitude, you will get that beach body! After all, what is a beach body anyway? Take your body, put it in a swimsuit, and head to the beach. There you go! You are all set! 6/8/2021 4 Comments The Value of Taking a BreakIn today’s world, people typically go, go, go. I am one of those people. I often feel like I have so many things to do and not enough hours in the day to do them all. After a while, this can be mentally and physically draining. In fact, I am feeling some of that drain right now, and I am looking forward to the summer to have more down time. For right now, I want to discuss breaks and the value there is in taking one.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I took a break from posting Real and Relatable content for about one month. While I very much enjoy posting, I came to realize that I needed to take a break because I was feeling overwhelmed with studying for my AP exams and my commitments to my youth group. It was difficult deciding to do this, but I ultimately decided that it was worth the short term sacrifice for the long term gain. What I mean by that is that I had to take a brief break from one of my commitments, knowing that I would be able to quickly return to what I enjoy doing, so I could focus on timely tasks I knew I would be glad I invested a lot of energy in and what would benefit me in the long run. Now, I am back to posting and it feels so good. Mental health and stress are things that are not always prioritized in society, but I encourage you to honor the signals your body is trying to tell you and take a break when you need it. This break can be from a wide variety of things - such as a friend group, a school club, a sports team, a social media account - whatever applies to you. These breaks might be needed if your friend group is not providing you with a happy environment at the moment, if you have a lot of school and family commitments, or if social media is wasting your time in a toxic manner, to name some examples. It can be difficult putting certain aspects of your life to the side, but I can guarantee it will be worth it. Taking a break could even give you a new burst of energy to tackle the thing from which you are taking a break once you return to it or to appreciate things in a new way. Plus, it has been proven that breaks relieve stress, increase productivity, and allow oneself to recuperate. Now, what should this break you may need to take look like? This may not be the answer that you are looking for: whatever you want and need! For me, my break from posting blog content consisted of putting my phone on do not disturb and fully committing to studying (not much of a break, I know, but it is what I knew I needed for myself). For another type of break I need in the future, it might consist of shutting off my computer and phone and enjoying a day in nature with my family. For someone else, it might consist of taking a month’s break from a club to focus on grades. For another person, a break could be deleting Snapchat for a month. Overall, breaks look different for different people, but they generally serve the same purpose. I encourage you to get in tune with your mental and physical health. Ask yourself this: Do I need a break? If so, honor it! You deserve it, and there is great value in giving yourself time off. There is often a negative connotation with the term “lonely” or the thought of being alone. To this day, when I hear these words, I think they sound sad and like something one would never desire. The truth is, however, I would rather be alone than in bad company. I have learned this throughout my years as a teenager, and coming to this realization makes me more content with how I spend my time alone and makes me enjoy the time spent with good company even more.
Big friend groups are certainly wonderful for some people. I had a big group of friends for a period of time, but I realized that it was not the best group for me. I eventually became distanced from the group, but, prior to the distancing, we had gone on some social outings and I would come home feeling more sad than exhilarated. There were various situations where I would feel left out of conversations and like an outsider to inside jokes. This environment did not make me feel good, and it was then that I realized I would rather be alone than be with people that I did not feel good around. Would not having a friend group feel isolating? It may feel isolating at first, but, once the stigma of being alone is erased, it can be a positive experience. I believe it is important to understand that each individual deserves to be treated with respect, and disrespect should not be tolerated. Social situations or groups that put people down, isolate them, or that are generally unenjoyable should be avoided and abandoned. Almost anything is better than being in a situation where people do not feel good about themselves. Once self-worth is established, it is easier to accept being alone. Each person is his/her own biggest cheerleader, advocate, and supporter. It is important to get comfortable with yourself because you will be with yourself for your entire life and no one else. Additionally, time alone can be enjoyable, as it can be catered to individual needs and desires. For example, the time can be used to meditate, work on a passion project, watch a favorite TV show, or just sit with thoughts. Once unfriendly social situations are rejected and this sense of comfort is established, spending time with people who treat you well and with respect is even more enjoyable. At this point, I enjoy time to myself and do not allow myself to get into social situations where I feel uncomfortable. I would rather be alone than surrounded with people who leave me feeling unhappy. Then, when I am with my friends that make me feel happy and in an environment where we lift each other up, our time together is even more special. Today’s blog post was a little different, as I just wanted to talk about my thoughts on a certain situation, but I hope you enjoyed it. Perhaps you found that this was relatable to you. Have you noticed situations like this in your life? Would you rather be alone than in bad company? Let me know your thoughts on this in the comments. I hope everyone has a great day filled with great company, whether the company is yourself or your wonderful friends. 4/13/2021 2 Comments Battling Bad Body ImageBody image is a topic that is not always discussed in social situations, but it is something with which many people struggle. Having insecurities about one’s body is quite common nowadays, which is not surprising considering society’s focus on the “ideal” body type and the need to look “perfect.” Society is wrong in this regard, as beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes.
Just like many others, I have experienced bad body image thoughts, but, after altering my mindset and perception, I find myself having these thoughts less and less. Working to accept - and potentially love - one’s body, however, is an ongoing process. I am not a body image expert, but I have developed a number of helpful responses to combat negative thoughts when having a bad body image day. Below are my tips to battle bad body image.
I hope you found some of these tips to be helpful. If you are having a bad body image day, I am sorry. I know that they can be really disheartening. I am thinking of you, and I hope there will be more positive days ahead. Here’s to accepting ourselves and going on this body image journey. Cheers! |
AuthorLover of adventures, traveling, family time, fashion, soccer, writing, and more, Madeleine is giving you all the real and relatable content you have been looking for. Archives
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