Hello, It's Hannah

If you're currently in college, you know that stress is everywhere. It's in the classroom. It's in the library. It's in Starbucks. It's behind the eyes of every college student everywhere. We are constantly pulling all-nighters and surviving off of the cup of coffee we had that morning. We are posting a picture of our laptops and textbooks with the caption "lol stayed up all night studying RIP me" on our Snapchat stories and Twitter. We are staying up late and waking up early. We are constantly worrying about grades and tests and jobs and paying rent. We are having to work two jobs to even afford rent. We are eating fast food all the time, not understanding what it's doing to our bodies. We are typical college students. While all of this seems funny in theory, it's really, really not. Coming into college, we thought these all-nighters at the library, 5 cups of coffee a day, and having sleep for dinner were normal. It's not. This level of str...

HELLO all! The second month of 2018 is in full swing, and it's time to talk about my favorite subject: love. But not the love you're thinking of. Not the love associated with this month in particular. No, I'm talking about self-love. Self-love is something I used to struggle very heavily with. I used to have virtually no confidence in anything I was doing, wore, or said. I second guessed myself so much. "Will people like this?" "Will people think I'm weird?" "Will I freak people out?" These are the questions that ran through my head every day throughout middle and high school. I was so worried about being a weirdo. I was worried that people would point and stare (they did) or even worse, stare and laugh ( they did that too.) Now, it sounds like I'm talking about my clothes and makeup and stuff, and I was worried about that too. But my real issue during this portion of my life wasn't my appearance at all. I have a reputati...

We’ve all been there. It’s Thursday morning, you wake up, and the second you open your eyes, you’re already exhausted. Yesterday’s stress is still rattling in your brain, and the thought of even trying to get out of bed is agonizing. If you really and truly feel awful when you wake up, and the stress of the week is weighing on your shoulders and just feels like too much to handle, do yourself a huge, ginormous, favor: TAKE A BREAK. If you go hours, days, or even weeks without taking time for yourself, the results can be catastrophic. Sometimes, you just need a day to relax, unwind, and have a day that is all about you. No one else. Just you. This, my friends, is called a Mental Health Day, and I’m going to teach you how to have one. How to Have a Mental Health Day Step 1: Pick a day Choose a day for your Mental Health Day, preferably the day you start feeling like the stress is too much. If you have a full time job or are in school, it can be a little hard to skip a ...

So a few weeks ago, I got an email from another blog I follow with a printable for a gratitude journal. She had a title page, a page with a quote on it, and then weekly pages that had blanks for the date and three blank spaces to write down the things she was thankful for. The more I thought about it, the more I decided it was a really good idea. So I printed out hers, and since I have finished those pages, I started my own gratitude journal in a notebook I bought on Monday. Keeping a gratitude journal has really changed how I go about the rest of my day and how I view a lot of the things I usually take for granted, like food and a house. Because this journal has helped me be grateful for the everyday things in my life, I decided to write something about how to create your own! How to Create a Gratitude Journal: Grab any notebook you can find. You can purchase one from the dollar store, Wal-mart, Target, anywhere. You can get a plain one and decorate it with stickers to f...

Hello, my friends! Part of taking care of yourself is treating yourself every once in awhile, just so that you don’t get overwhelmed. To make that process a little easier, I’ve created ideas for a Self-Care Kit that you can take out when you are feeling overwhelmed and need a break. How to Create a Self-Care Kit: Think about all the things that make you happy and relaxed.  Books, taking a bath, candles, watching your favorite TV show, things like that. Once you’ve compiled that list, find a container or a cheap plastic box from the dollar store, and decorate it with stickers or decorative tape. The decoration is optional, but it just makes it more personalized and fun. Take the things that you put on the list and put them in a box. Put that box somewhere you’ll remember it and take it out on those days where you need a little extra boost. Ideas for Things to Put in the Self-Care Kit Tea Bubble bath Your favorite book Your favorite movie...

For me, one of the most important parts of self-care/anxiety management is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the process of using essential oils to enhance your mood and heal. You would be amazed at how just one sniff of lavender or putting some eucalyptus lotion on can instantly calm you. I actually own a bottle necklace that I fill with lavender oil when I leave my house just in case I get a little stressed or anxious. Aromatherapy is a great way to take care of yourself, and today I’ve got a list of scents and their different purposes. Trust me, there’s one for everything. Aromatherapy Oils and Their Purposes Lavender- Lavender is primarily used for relaxation. It’s great for calming you down and  bringing you into a relaxed state of mind. Lavender is really easy to find and not expensive at all.  You can find it on Amazon and various health stores (Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, etc.) Eucalyptus- Eucalyptus oil is known to have a refreshing, cooling effect ...

I don't know about you guys, but I love me a good mantra. It's just a nice little thing that you can say to yourself to motivate and encourage yourself. I have several that I like to say, but my absolute favorite is, "Tomorrow's another day." (Yes, that is from Zootopia. Don't judge me.) Today, I want to help YOU find your mantra. You can say it to yourself in the mirror, you can shout it from the roof of your house (I don't recommend that. You know, safety and all), or you can just repeat it to yourself in your brain. I find that saying it out loud to myself in the mirror is the most effective method for me, but it might not be for you. And that's okay. Remember, this blog is all about YOU. If I recommend something that is way out of your comfort zone, you do not have to do it. Alter it so that it fits you. And with that, let's get started! 1. "I am strong. I am beautiful. I am enough." 2. "Everything I need is in m...