Hello, It's Hannah

I love when I say I'm going to start blogging again and then I don't have internet for a week. Haha. Anyway, today's post is a little different. It's about me, and what I am. The reason I'm doing this is because for the longest time, there were lots of things about myself I didn't like and refused to accept. I tried to change myself for years and years for a variety of reasons. But just yesterday (yes, actually yesterday), I came to realize there are just some things I will never be. There will be some things I will never do. There will be some things I can't and should not change about myself. And here is a list of those things. I am scatterbrained, and messy. Although I try my very best to be neat and organized, I am naturally very scatterbrained. I get distracted easily. My desk is usually a mess. This is something I can work on, but when I do have my messy moments, and someone points them out, I can't be defensive about it. Accept the moment, mo...

So lately, while I've been scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, I've seen many (far too many) misconceptions about introverts. I see words like "rude","antisocial","shy","no fun", etc. Being an introvert myself, I feel that we are deeply misunderstood by most of society, and these kinds of words don't make me very happy. So I felt the need to clear up some myths about people who classify themselves as introverts, what exactly an introvert is, and how they are different from extroverts. So, here's my anatomy of an introvert. What is an introvert? The dictionary definition of an introvert is "a  person characterized by concern primarily with his or her own thoughts and feelings." Meaning, introverts spend most of their time with themselves, their thoughts, and feelings, and are "energized" by spending time alone.  Introvert Myths 1) All introverts are antisocial This is far from true. Lots of i...

So for those of you who don't know, my family moved into an RV about a month ago. Since then, I've often tempted to stay in the trailer all day and just relax, because it still feels like I'm on vacation and don't need to do anything. However, this proved to be an awful idea and made me 10x lazier. So, for what must be the 100th time, I tried to establish a routine. I have failed at this every single time I've done it, and I didn't understand why until I sat down and really thought about it. I compared my past routines, and every single one had one thing in common: they weren't routines at all. They were schedules. When I woke up late or was busy for most of the day and failed to follow my schedule, I tried a different one. I did this for several years, until recently. I decided that what I needed was a set of things I wanted to do every morning, afternoon, and night, but that's as far as it would go. Not a schedule. Just a list of things I can follow...

Hello, world. I'm back for what must be the 4th or 5th time. I actually have to set an alarm to write blog posts now because I kept forgetting. For three months straight. Anyway, I have spent the last couple months doing several things. First, moving. My family moved into an RV about a month ago and it's been utter chaos since. Second, I ran out of ideas. I had no earthly idea what to post about. I sat in front of a notebook and thought about what to write until I was banging my head on the table repeatedly. Third, by the time I came up with ideas, it was finals time, and there was no way in heck I was going to blog on top of school, friends, boyfriend, and trying to figure out how to not fail my finals (Update: I didn't). SO, here I am, finally, at the end of June, about to leave for Colorado (yay!), and chock full of post ideas.  But there's a catch. These posts are going to be more along the lines of organized rants about things I come across on a daily basis th...

Hey, guys. I'm back today with some, hopefully, helpful advice on what to do if school has just become too much. I know the feeling, and I know it can weigh heavily on you mentally and physically if you're up doing homework until the crack of dawn, or you have so many extracurricular activities that you think your head might explode, or you're taking 18 hours and don't know what sleep is anymore. I am here to help. What To Do When School Has Taken Over Your Life 1) Step back Take a second, step back, and look at what all you have going on. You've got class, you've got after school activities, you've got homework, work, a social life, and sleep. All of these things are good and important, but you might have to sacrifice something in order to keep you from becoming a zombie. If you have after school activities, make a list of them in order of what you like the most, to what you like the least. Look at the one or two at the bottom of the list an...

Okay, so it's pretty easy to tell when YOU are having an anxiety attack. You know yourself pretty well and usually know the signs. However, it can be incredibly difficult to spot the signs in someone else. This skill can be useful for getting friends out of stressful or scary situations, especially if they don't realize they are showing symptoms. So, without further ado, here's a list of symptoms of an anxiety attack. Symptoms of A Panic Attack Quickening heart rate Sweating Shaking Shortness of breath  Feelings of choking Chest pain  Nausea  Feeling dizzy or light-headed Chills or hot flashes Numbness  Derealization (feelings of unreality)  Fear of losing control  Fidgeting Constantly checking their phone If someone you are with has stopped speaking entirely, this might also be a sign of a panic attack. This is usually how my panic attacks start. What To Do If You Notice Someone Else's Panic Attack Stay with the person and...

Hello, everyone, and happy February.  I know I've already done a self care day post a little while ago, but this one is different, because its purpose and target are specific. Today, in light of recent political events, I have designed a self care day specifically for escaping the never ending vortex of politics, news, and social media. It is important to be informed about what is going on around you. It's important to watch the news, pay attention to current events, and if something that happens upsets you, find a way to make your voice heard. Whether it's calling your representative, signing a petition, or writing a letter, it is CRUCIAL to stand up for what you believe in. But sometimes, the news can be completely and utterly exhausting to watch. It becomes toxic, and eventually, you start to feel like there is too much going on in the world and you can't do anything about it. You become stressed and scared, feeling like every petition you sign and letter ...

Hello, everyone. Today I have yet another rant for you. This one's important, so listen up. There is a lot going on in today's world. A lot. It's stressful. It's exhausting. It's sad. We are surrounded by the internet and social media and television. The news delivers devastating stories daily. I see horrible things I wish I could un-see. Hear things that repeat in my head over and over. Things that haunt me and make me wonder what happened to the world. On top of this, there's school, and work, and probably countless other things. It's nearly impossible to get rid of and over time, it can take a toll on someone. People need a way to escape. To relax. To leave this world for a while. So if someone wants to do something that makes life easier for them, for the love of all that is good in the world, Just. Don't. Say. Anything. It sounds ridiculous, right? To judge someone for doing something that's meant to make them happy and no...

Okay, so it's officially winter now, and people across the nation are huddled in their houses with the fireplace roaring and every part of their body covered in clothing. Even here in Texas, it's getting pretty cold (I'm currently wearing a t-shirt, striped skirt, and PJ pants under my skirt). It's quite difficult to get outside and breathe in that fresh sunshine this time of year, and sometimes, when people get stuck inside too long, they tend to become bored and even sad and fatigued. If the winter weather is driving you crazy, here are a few tips to keep yourself happy and healthy, even when you can't go outside. Make your space brighter Whether it's investing in an artificial light (light box), opening up your blinds, or putting some plants on your desk, making your bedroom or work space a little bit brighter is important for kicking that foul winter mood. Sitting next to open blinds while you work or a light box for 30 minutes a day will signifi...

Yippee! It's finally 2017! If you're anything like me, 2016 was a pretty rough year and you're ready to start fresh with a brand new year. I have so many exciting things going on this year and I've planned some great posts for the blog in 2017. But first, I want to start off the year with a little message. First off, I know there's a lot of pressure in the month of January to write a little thing called "New Year's Resolutions." I personally have a few. But, just because this is the time of year where most people make big changes in their lives, that does not mean you have to. Don't feel pressure to totally reinvent yourself or make some huge change, like going vegetarian or getting a gym membership. You can make those changes when YOU feel like it, not when everyone else is doing it. If you are satisfied with where you are in life right now, or you just don't think this is the proper time for a big change, that's okay. Don't let ...

Hello, friends. It's Monday again, and I know that most of you out there dread this day more than most things. But when you think about it, there are a lot of positive aspects of the first day of the week. It's the first day of the week, a fresh start, an excuse to leave last week behind and start new.  It is literally the first day of the rest of your life, and that's exciting. So why lay in bed all sad and mopey when you can get out into the world and start making your dreams come true, even on a Monday? If you're one of those people who dread Mondays (so basically all people), here's a few tips for making the most out of the most difficult day of the week. 1. Start with something you enjoy Whether it's coffee, meditation, yoga, listening to music, or just sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air, starting off the day with something you enjoy doing can really set a good tone for the day. Eat a nice full breakfast, too. Why? Because bre...

The world is filled with negative energy and negative people all around us. They exist at work, at school, and especially on social media. Sometimes, it feels impossible to escape that hole of negativity because it is so prevalent in today's world. However, you can make the choice to push away that negative energy and live in your own little bubble of positive energy. And here's how. How to Attract Positive Energy 1. Try Meditation This is one of my favorite ways to keep my positive energy. Meditation at the beginning and the end of every day has been so helpful for anxiety and just negative energy I feel during the day. When that negative energy comes along and tries to burst my bubble, I channel that same energy I had during my meditation time. Here's some meditation tools I recommend: meditation apps (Smiling Mind and Stop Breathe and Think are my favorites) a quiet or private place that's comfortable for you headphones (noise cancelling on...

Hello, friends! After a long and difficult month, I am back and ready to put my thoughts out into the world. Today we're focusing on a topic that is not talked about enough and something that I've had to deal with for the past few months.  You all know what depression and anxiety are. I've done posts on them and talked about them on my social media for as long as this blog has been in existence. However, there is a side to these disorders that is overlooked and not talk about nearly as much as it should be.  Depression and anxiety do not look them same for everyone. It manifests differently in everyone, and for me, it's high functioning. This is a term I was not aware of until very recently, and it made everything that I was experiencing make so much more sense. So, what does high functioning mean? High functioning anxiety/depression means that someone goes about their day to day lives appearing perfectly okay and healthy, but below the surface, they are experie...

Hello, friends. Today' I'm tackling a topic that's not talked about a whole lot, but that I believe is important to acknowledge. Today, we discuss seasonal depression. WHAT IS SEASONAL DEPRESSION? Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder, is a mood disorder involving depression that occurs at the same time every year. It is usually self-diagnosable, can be treated within months, and must be treated by a medical professional. SYMPTOMS OF SEASONAL DEPRESSION The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include: apathy anxiety general discontent loss of interest in certain activities mood swings excessive sleepiness insomnia fatigue  appetite change irritability social isolation depression lack of concentration TREATMENT Seasonal affective disorder can be treated a number of ways and within months. These ways include: talk therapy self care (physical exercise) medication (anti-depressants and Selective Se...

Hello, everyone. Last week, I wrote my Women's Studies Midterm paper, and it got me thinking about feminism and how the definition and purpose is misunderstood by a large group of people. So today, friends, we talk Feminism. What is Feminism? The definition of feminism is  the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes .   So basically, equal rights of the genders in all aspects of life. But it's not only gender-focused. Feminism also involves the advocacy for equality of all races, genders, and sexual identities in  every  aspect of life.  When people think of feminism, the first thing that comes to mind is usually angry women who hate men. But l et me be the one to tell you that this is completely, 100% false. Here are some other misconceptions about feminism you may have heard or that you believe yourself. 1. "Feminism is only for women. Men cannot be feminists." This one is very, very wrong. Notice that the defi...