Category: Health

Our Diets are More Than What We Eat — Words of Wisdom #23

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For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:8 New International Version (NIV)

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word “diet?” Is it fruits and vegetables? No pasta or bread? A real-life nightmare? Due to the world that we live in, diets have been defined as food restriction plans that are meant to help you loose weight. But I’m here to tell you that our diets are much more than just what we eat.

In today’s episode of Words of Wisdom, I’ll be discussing the reason why food is far from the only thing that makes up a diet. Without further ado, let’s get started!

What is a Diet?

As I’ve stated before, when most of us think of a diet, it is cutting back on the types and/or amount of food that we put into our bodies. But our physical health is only one aspect of a healthy (and happy) person. Therefore, the answer to the question “What is a diet” is not only about our bodies; it’s about our spiritual and emotional health.

While the food that we eat is important, it’s not the only thing that we consume. What about the shows that we watch or the music that we listen to? What about what we do and say when everyone’s watching? Does that correlate to how we act behind closed doors or by ourselves?

As followers of Jesus Christ, and human beings, our diet is what we eat, see, do, hear and think. Why, you ask? Because all of these things are in relation to the type of environments that we allow ourselves to be in. And whatever type of energy that is, whether it is of God or not, will likely rub off on us over time. That’s why it’s important that we use the guidance of God–both through prayer and studying His Word–to make decisions that are healthy for every single aspect of us (meaning our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits.)

Our diet also has a huge effect on our mood; the better our diet, the healthier, happier, and spirtiually in-tune with God we are. And if there’s anything that we can do to deepen our relationship with God, it’s to show ourselves approved by how we spend our time. And I think that as children of God, that’s something that we could all work on in our daily lives.

As you all can see, our diets are more than just the food we eat. Is nutrition important? Absolutely! In fact, taking care of our bodies can also have positive effects on our mental health. But everything that we consume–whether it’s food or what we allow into our spirits–is a huge part of the people that we are today. And that, my friends, is a lot deeper than food.

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you and I’ll catch you next time! Peace in! ♡

Daily Habits for Mental Wellness as a Christian – PT. 1

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Hey, hey, everybody! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen.

There are so many aspects to being healthy . . . not just how much exercise you get or how healthy you eat. Are those things important? Absolutely! But a healthy body is not the only factor of a healthy spirit. That’s where mental wellness comes in. While this is a major topic on my blog, I realized that I’ve never directed a post about positive mental habits for fellow Christians. But that changes today.

As followers of Christ, there are so many ways to please God. And one thing that I know God wants is for us to be healthy–mentally, physically, and spiritually. And implementing healthy, productive habits into our daily lives to boost our mood and gain a sense of self worth is perfect for maintaining mental wellness and deepening our relationship with our Heavenly Father, in the process. Today, I will be listing a few ways that we can do so, with a scripture representing each point. So without further ado, let’s get started!

Practice Gratitude in all Circumstances

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

For me, showing gratitude as a Christian is not simply just being thankful. It’s showing appreciation–through our actions, thoughts, and words–that God has loved us enough to bless us with salvation (eternal life) and all the other people and blessings that put the icing on the cake. While anyone can practice gratitude, it’s even more critical that we practice this lifestyle as followers of Christ.

By acknowledging the things that we are blessed to have, even in the moments where everything isn’t going our way or we don’t feel our best, we can build on our relationship with God as we give Him glory for all that He’s blessed us with. And the best part is, when we show God that we are thankful, He can (and will) bless us with even more than what we have now. What an amazing Father we serve!

Communicate with God through Prayer

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

– 1 John 5:14-15

Praying should be a no-brainer for all followers of Christ. Some people say that they are happier when they spend time with their family and friends. And while our loved ones are all wonderful gifts from God, it’s important that we take time everyday to communicate with the Lord, as well, with the power of prayer.

One of the most common questions that I see about prayer is simply “How do you pray?” Well, the simplest answer to that is have a conversation with God. That could be in the form of thanking Him (another great way to express our gratitude), asking Him for what we need, asking for forgiveness, and even using memorized scriptures to strengthen our conversations. Praying doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact. Even “Thank you, Lord” is a prayer.

Instead of thinking of praying as a daunting task (particularly for new Christians) think of it like this: God has given us the gift of being able to speak to Him whenever we’d like. We can get to know more about Him and better our spiritual and mental wellness while doing so. And when we decide to take that opportunity, we are taking a huge step towards becoming the best people that we can be; both as people and most importantly, God’s children.

Get Your Exercise

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Although they are most often separated as two different topics, our physical and mental health are more connected than some may realize. For example, if you eat an apple everyday, you will most likely have lower hormone fluctuations (meaning less mood swings) and a boosted mood. While on the other hand, too much stress can suppress one’s immune system and make them more susceptible to diseases.

Our bodies are yet another blessing from the Lord. And the functions of our bodies that seem as simple as walking and breathing are miracles. And because our bodies are such gifts, we’ve got to do what we can to keep them healthy. Exercise (preferably 30-60 minutes a day) is the perfect way to release happy hormones (therefore making you feel more relaxed and accomplished) while keeping our physical health in check. But, even if you get bored during your next jog, you can always play some of your favorite gospel tunes to add worship to your workout!

Understand Who You are In Christ

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

– John 14:27

Having a sense of confidence is something that anyone can struggle with, including God’s children. But the thing is, when we take a look into God’s Word, we notice that throughout the entire book, He is constantly telling us who we are to Him: the apple of His eye, forgiven, loved, saved, strong, made with a purpose, wonderfully made, and worthy to have a happy, eternal life.

While self confidence is something that can take time to build, we can’t help but be grateful when we receive all that God has called us to be. So whenever you need a little bit (or a lot) of encouragement, take time to study who God says you are. Because at the end of the day, that matters WAY more than what anyone else thinks/says about you.

Mental health is critical in our day to day lives, and we should all take time to make sure that we are taking time out of each day to maintain a happy, healthy, and godly state of mind. Hopefully, these simple yet life-changing habits will help you do just that. Please tell me some of your healthy habits (as a Christian) that you do to maintain mental wellness. Also, were any of these tips eye-openers for you?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

REPOST – Happy Breast Cancer Awareness Month! ♡

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Hey, everyone! This is Princess Q’Zion, and welcome to the Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! Did you know that in 2020, 2.3 million woman were diagnosed with breast cancer? And sadly, 685,000 of these people died? Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and because of that, October is the time of year that we acknowledge this as a part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I did a little digging, and I found this throwback that I had written last year. Considering that breast cancer is so common–and has affected so many people, including some of my family members over the years–I decided to bring it back in this quick throwback. So, if you’re wondering how can we stay prepared and protect ourselves from breast cancer, this post is for you! Let’s get started!

  1. Go to the doctor once a year (at least!) 

Calling all boys and girls, men and women! Everyone! Make sure that you take the time to go to the doctor at least once per year. If you feel any lumps anywhere on your body, especially in or near your chest, tell your parents and get yourself checked out. Although it might be scary, it’s better to get diagnosed before it’s too late and the cancer is more developed. Even if you are healthy, get checked out. It’s better to be save than sorry.

2. Eat healthy. 

One of the best things that we can do for our bodies is to make sure that we have a healthy diet. It not only can help prevent cancer, but also a long list of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. So eat some vegetables and fruit. Just a little every day! Your body will appreciate it when you do.

3. Don’t smoke! 

Please. Please don’t smoke. It is getting more and more common for teenagers to smoke, or vape. But, even though I’ve never smoked in my life–and I don’t intend to–I want to explain to you right now that it isn’t worth it. Talk to someone who you can confide in about what you are going through. Don’t destroy your body, and love yourself!

I hope you all learned something from this post about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and how we can prevent ourselves from contracting the common disease. If you don’t take anything else away from this post, remember that it’s important to try to live a healthy lifestyle, go to the doctor frequency, and take care of both your mind and body: keep yourself healthy! Your mind, body, and spirit will appreciate you!

Have an amazing day, everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

5 Things that Exercise Has Done for Me

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It’s been about a month since I started my fitness journey, and it all started when I began my ‘Physical Education with HOPE’ course. After struggling to complete the mile run for a baseline fitness assessment, me and my grandmother started walking a mile (at minimum) three days a week, while incorporating other exercises (like dancing and muscle strength training) to spice things up, in between.

Even though these awesome changes in our lifestyle are still pretty new, my life has changed for the better in so many ways (even as a teenager) and I’d like to share some of the things that exercise has done for me with you all! Let’s jump into it!

1. It’s made me stronger

Believe it or not, exercises as simple as walking engage quite a few of your muscles. And I’ve noticed that my muscular endurance–or the amount of walking that I can do without getting tired–has increased significantly within this first month. Now, we always manage to surpass our goal of 1 mile on our “park dates” and I always love the challenge.

2. It has increased my confidence

There’s something about creating an exercise routine and sticking with it that gives your self esteem a huge boost. Like you’re capable of anything that you set your mind to. For me, exercise has become a way for me to clear my mind and have a productive rest of the day. Whenever I’m done with a workout, I feel like I’m ready to take on the world!

3. I feel lighter on my feet (mentally and physically)

Even while scooting the results on the scale aside, I can see just by looking in the mirror that I am making progress. Plus, I can feel my progress with how much easier it is to engage in physical activity, both while exercising and doing everyday things. And while most people think that exercise is just for physical benefits, I think the mental aspect is what keeps me the most motivated. While getting a breath of fresh air and working off some calories, I can’t help but feel that much more at peace. And considering that that’s coming from someone who’s always had a happy personality, it means a lot!

4. I’m more productive

Remember how I said that walking has helped me prepare for a productive day? Well, something else that I’ve noticed in the last four weeks is how much more energy I have throughout the day. I’m able to focus on my school assignments even more than before, my attention span has increased, and I’m able to get more done throughout the week.

5. I have a better quality of life

In short, exercise has made me feel happier, healthier, and more productive every day. I’m able to do more and feel great while doing it. Even a little bit of exercise a few times a week has made a huge difference in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. And a healthier body, mind, and spirit make for a happier life.

As you all can see, exercise is a powerful tool that we all need a little bit of in our day to day life. I wrote this post not only to share my experiences during my fitness journey with other teenagers, but also to encourage other young people to get a few minutes of exercise every day! From dancing to playing fitness video games to playing sports, there are so many different ways to get active: we just have to be a little creative! Hopefully, this post will help you do just that!

What are some of your favorite (or most fun) ways to exercise? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

Have a healthy, happy day, everyone! May God bless you all, peace in, and never forget that God is love! Bye everybody! ♡

Monthly Wrap-Up | August 2022

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Good morning, afternoon, day, or evening everybody! This is Princess Q’Zion, and welcome back to my blog! Well, September is almost here. And that means that August of 2022 is about to come to an end. It almost feels like this month went by a little too fast. But, it was a great month–thank God–so I can’t really complain.

Here is a wrap-up of how I spent this August. Let’s get started!

Life Updates

So, I’ve officially gotten through my first month of high school . . . and now that I’ve got back into the lingo of doing my school work every day, I can officially say that I don’t think it’s that different from junior high. For me, entering high school was kind of like turning 13; I felt a little bit more mature and like I was starting a new chapter. But there have not been any drastic changes in my life. And to be honest, I’m super happy about that, because I love my live as it is.

Towards the end of this month, me and Goodmommy have began walking outside three days a week to increase our stamina. We originally started due to a fitness assessment for my HOPE course–but we loved it so much that we decided to walk outdoors regularly. And even though we practically just started our fitness journey, I’m already feeling healthier and happier, every day. Oh, and speaking of my family, it’s been a while since I’ve gave an update on Peace–my betta fish–to you guys. Honestly, I think Peace gets more and more energetic every day. Here’s a picture of him.

This was one of the only clear pictures that I could get of Peace today because every time I come up to the tank, he wiggles so fast that it’s so hard to catch him being still lol. But can we talk about how Peace’s colors have gotten even more vibrant compared to a month ago? Let’s face it: Peace simply cannot take a bad photo.

Books That I Read

A majority of the reading that I did this month outside of school was actually around the first week of August. Because in reality, being a freshman is practically the same thing as having a part-time job. Anyway, I’m just happy that I was able to finish a few books, this month, since it’s something that I’ve been working on, recently. Plus, considering that my birthday and Christmas are both right around the corner, I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be getting some new books very soon. 😉

  • Frozen II: Forest of Shadows by Kamila Benko – After a year-and-a-half’s pause halfway through this 416-page novel, I finally finished it. I have to admit though that once I resumed, I literally could not put this one down!
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney – In my opinion, Rodrick Rules is the best out of all of the DoaWK movies, and I think the book was really good, too!
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney – This book was the inspiration of the Dog Days film. And I’ve got to say, it’s probably one of the funniest additions to the series (although none of them compare to the original, in my opinion.)
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down by Jeff Kinney – Greg–the protagonist of the series–was mainly just rambling throughout the course of this book. Nothing super exciting happened, since it was literally Greg just jotting down his random thoughts. But overall, it still included some funny moments and made me smile, so I’ll count it as a win.

Movies That I Watched

Pureflix–which is basically the Christian version of Netflix–had been a little disappointing for the past couple months. Like, it was really hard to find something that was actually good to watch. Me and Goodmommy were even thinking about trading it for a new streaming service–even though we really didn’t want to.

But thank God, Pureflix finally had a good comeback this month! So to make a long story short, we binged the new additions throughout the entire month, and we found some really good Christian films! Here is a list of all the movies that I watched this August, and a few of my takeaways from each one.

  • The World We Make – I think we actually saw this film at the end of July, but I still really wanted to include it because I absolutely loved it! Interracial couples are kind of marginalized in the entertainment industry. But I’m glad to see that they’ve gotten more representation within the past few years. This movie really touched on the subjects of racism, racial prejudice, grieving, and what true love really is in a really tasteful way. I definitely recommend it for everyone!
  • Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters – A relationship between a father and his daughter is probably one of the most precious of them all. I thought that this movie did a really great job of portraying the ups and downs of that relationship. This one is a strong recommendation of mine for other teenagers–especially teenage girls, because the two oldest daughters in the movie are both facing things that many girls will likely find relatable.
  • Miracles From Heaven – This tear jerker of a movie–which just so happens to be a true story–is a must-watch for the entire family. Even though me and Goodmommy watched it about two times before re-watching it this month, we still both ended up crying, once again. No matter how many times you watch it, it’s going to affect you, and that’s what I love about this film! PLEASE don’t sleep on this movie–it is truly a ✨ masterpiece. ✨
  • Why We Breathe – All I have to say about this movie is- eh. Although I appreciated how the movie included a well-represented black character and the tastefully-addressed issue of domestic violence, I didn’t really like the main character’s personality. Sure, almost every protagonist makes some mistakes, throughout the course of a plot, but I feel like the main character in this film made several mistakes without redeeming herself. In conclusion, the film was a good idea, but the execution was far from stellar.
  • Play the Flute – Although I thought the start of this one was kind of slow, it became a favorite of mine about halfway through. The plot of teenagers who doubt the concepts of Christianity changing their ways and developing their relationships with God was a really satisfying watch. The themes of peer pressure, making our lives count for God, and what it means to “play the flute” (Matthew 11:17) gave me a better understanding about both the Bible and life itself. If you’re a Christian teen, Play the Flute is definitely a must-watch.

My Favorite Posts of the Month

Well, I published a total of 18 post on my blog, this August. Pretty good! These are some of my personal favorites, for this month.

Aaaaannnnddd, that’s all for the wrap-up of August 2022. Honestly, creating a recap of my entire month was unexpectedly satisfying. I would really appreciate if you all would let me know what you thought about it. You never know: monthly wrap-ups just might become a new tradition, on The Joys and Trials and a Christian Teen.

What was the best part(s) of this August for you? Also, is there anything that you have planned in the last few months of the year that you are looking forward to? Feel free to share your responses in the comments.

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Peace in, and I’ll catch you later! ♡

Run With Me // a summer day at the park

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Hey, y’all! It’s Q’Zion, here and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the brand new school year; I know I definitely am!

Speaking of school, one of my electives that I’m taking right now is Health Opportunities Through Physical Education, also known as HOPE: in short, it’s like P.E., except it goes a bit more in depth with how we can set goals to benefit our physical, mental, social, and academic health.

This week, we have to submit this fitness assessment, where we do a variety of exercises to test our physical endurance, strength, and stamina. One of the largest parts of the assessment was the 1 mile walk/run. Me and Goodmommy decided to get the job done by visiting a local park for the first time.

I’ve got to admit that before I began taking the HOPE course, it had been a long time since I’ve actually went outside and had a good run; probably too long, in fact. But what I love about the course is it allows you to look at your overall health as is, and use the information that you gather from workouts like this to set goals for future improvement.

Our Apple Watches were a huge help in keeping track of our distance and heart rate, while we ran—and took walking breaks, in between. Seriously though; a fitness watch is truly a necessity for anyone who wants to keep track of their physical activity.

Everyone needs to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. And while it might take a little extra effort—there’s nothing like taking a walk in the summer breeze.

Walking in nature is such a different feeling then working out in your home. Not only is there much more space to move around, but it’s pretty hard to resist not taking a photo here and there. But can you really blame me? I’ve got to give it to Goodmommy, she found a beautiful park!

And I think one of the things that I love most about this particular location is that it has a lot of statues and other structures that can help you learn about the history of our country, such as past wars and victories. The historical aspect of the park almost makes it feel like an outdoor art museum.

This eagle statue on a podium was probably my favorite of them all. It looks so realistic; I can’t imagine how long it took to make. Plus, can we just talk about how perfect the landscaping is? Now that’s what I call ✨gorgeous ✨!

Overall, me and Goodmommy had such an awesome time together. From now on, we plan on going outside to get some fresh air a lot more often. Next time I’ll be sure to take pictures of us in action. I can already see both me and Goodmommy reaching our fitness goals pretty soon! And I can’t wait to continue to document our journey!

What’s your favorite way to exercise? Also, do you prefer to work out inside or outside? I would love to hear from you all down below in the comments!

Hav a great rest of your day or night, y’all! God bless you all, and I’ll see you next time! Laters! ✨

8 Wellness Tips for a Healthier (and Happier) Lifestyle

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What’s up, everybody! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to my blog! I hope all of you are enjoying the prime of summer!

As you all know, we recently entered the month of August. But did you know that the 8th month of the year also promotes wellness in our everyday lives? If not, then today’s the day! In honor of National Wellness Month, I have created a list of 8 simple tips to help us live our happiest and healthiest lives possible. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this show on the road!

1. Start your mornings with something productive

The morning is one of the most important times of the day; it’s a time for us to get our gears moving and create a fresh start for a brand new 24 hours. After we finish our regular morning routine, we might as well do something to boost our energy. Stretching with some yoga poses, finishing another chapter of your new book, and learning a new language are a few options. You never know–after you begin to start your day doing something you love, you may even become a morning person.

2. Go outside and get some sunlight

Exercise is just as good for our minds as it is beneficial for our bodies. And that means that it’s one of the best ways to maintain a healthier lifestyle. A quick jog around your neighborhood or a local park is a great way to enjoy what nature has to offer while burning a few calories, before dinner. What’s not to love?

3. Eliminate negative self-talk

Wellness isn’t technically something that’s hard to achieve–but the progress starts with us. In order to transition to a state of better mental health, our mindsets have to be a reflection of that. This means that in order to make the progress that we want, we’ve got to be kind to ourselves by promoting positive words in our heads everyday. It’s much easier to reach a goal when we use our inner voice as an outlet of encouragement, rather than negativity.

4. Get a green thumb

Have you ever heard that people who garden tend to be happier? Well, then that is in fact correct. Multiple studies have shown that plants have a way of helping people feel more relaxed and content, similar to the effects of riding a bike everyday. Plants can even help increase concentration, your ability to breathe, and quality of life. So taking up the hobby of gardening might be a good idea to consider.

5. Creatively eat more fruits and veggies

Although we’ve all heard it thousands of times, we really do need to get our daily intakes of fruits and veggies. But just because we want to make an effort to make our diet more nutritious, doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun while doing it. Feel free to experiment with creative–and delicious–ways to eat healthier. Fruit smoothies, colorful salads, and veggie casseroles are a few tasty ways to spice things up in the kitchen.

6. Create something

I don’t know about you, but it always feels good when I take some time out of my day to be creative. There are so many options for what you can make–whether it’s a few quick doodles, a portrait, a paper craft, or even your own book. All it takes is a little imagination, and thousands of productive possibilities are within our reach!

7. Make sleep a priority

One of the things that we all need everyday is our beauty sleep. Without it, there’s no way that we could get through each day. So even if you find yourself busy as a bee, make sure that when your work for today is done, you get your 8 hours. This way, you can put just as much energy in the work that tomorrow has in store, and feel great while doing it.

8. Stay hydrated

The golden rule to a healthy lifestyle is to keep water in our systems. Not only does water reduce the risk of a large number of diseases, but it also does the basic job of maintaining high energy levels and keeping our brain functioning at its best. Considering all it’s benefits, drinking water is definitely a goal that we should all commit to.

Working towards a healthier lifestyle can be a challenge for some, but with a few simple changes here and there, achieving our wellness goals is a piece of cake. I challenge you all to take the time during National Wellness Month to make a few goals for yourself to pave the way for a healthier, and happier life. Hopefully, these tips were a good way to start your journey!

Let’s Chat~What are some of the methods that you take to achieve wellness? Feel free to share your response down below.

Have a blessed rest of your day, everyone! I’ll catch you later! ♡

I got my booster shot! | teenage experience

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What’s up, y’all! My name is Q’Zion and welcome back to my blog! ♡

Chances are, if you’re familiar with this blog, you know that I’m a homebody–that means that going out of the house is very rare for me. Even so, me and Goodmommy always make sure to wear our masks when we go outside of the house and both of us got vaccinated as soon as they were available for our age groups.

It’s been a year since I’ve gotten vaccinated, and me and Goodmommy have remained COVID free, thank God! However, since we are planning on going to a special event in a few days, I figured that it would be practical to get an extra layer of protection–on top of our masks–and get my booster shot. In my home, we take safety as a top priority, so as soon as I shared this with Goodmommy, she was quick to schedule an appointment for the next day.

In case you are someone who is hesitant about getting vaccinated for COVID, or you are simply curious to learn about a teenager’s experience, today I wanted to discuss some of my takeaways from getting the booster shot. Let’s get started!

This was just a selfie that I took in the car before entering CVS. It was such a gorgeous day outside, so I had to take advantage.

Goodmommy got her booster shot a couple months after they were released. And while she had a few symptoms after her COVID shot (Johnson and Johnson), she also shared that she experienced no symptoms from the booster shot. And considering that I hadn’t experienced any symptoms–aside from a little soreness–after receiving both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, I was quite confident that today’s experience (with the Pfizer booster shot) would be quite similar.

Overall, the entire process was quick and easy. While the pharmacist was actually injecting the vaccine, I only felt a little pinch for about 2-3 seconds. Immediately after, I felt some soreness in my arm, but that was about it. After about 30-45 minutes of receiving the shot, even the soreness began to clear up, a little.

So, just in case any of you are wondering, you could say that as time went on, I had little to no symptoms from the booster shot, and I didn’t take any type of pain killer medication. I was even able to complete a larger Rainbow Loom project, which I made completely on my hook–this means I was actively using my hands for about 4 hours, with little to no discomfort.

While the fact that I am young and don’t have any underlying health issues may have some relation to why I didn’t have any symptoms, Goodmommy didn’t either. It really depends on the individual as well as the type of booster shot they receive. Either way, I’m thankful to God that it was completely pain free, for the both of us, and I hope you enjoyed hearing about my experience!

Have a fantabulous rest of your day or night, everybody! God bless you all, and until next time, peace in! ♡

5 Reasons Why Self-Care Should Be A Top Priority

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On this blog, one of the most frequent topics that I discuss is self-care. And as a teenager who recognizes its importance, it gives me joy to be able to share that with other people through my writing. Therefore, when I saw that it’s International Self Care Day, I knew that giving ourselves some love would be the topic of today’s post.

However, I wanted to do something a little different with this one. Usually, I’ll make lists providing ways that we can incorporate self-care into our daily lives. Instead, this will be a list of 5 reasons why taking care of ourselves should always be a top priority. Let’s get started!

Self-Care is a Way to Develop A Relationship With Ourselves

A relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be between two people. In fact, one of the most important relationships of all should be the one that we have with ourselves. Self-care helps us to find out who we are, learn how to love ourselves–physically, mentally, and spiritually–and have a more at-peace way of life through a few minutes of mindfulness everyday.

Just keep in mind that just like any other relationship, creating a self-relationship requires a little time and effort to grow.

It Helps Us Preform At Our Best

If we neglect the things that we need to do our very best in life, eventually we will shut down in one way or another. For example, if we don’t get any sleep for a few days, chances are we would end up tired, confused, and easily irritated. Why? Because sleep is a form of self-care that gives our bodies the energy that they need to function. When we take care of ourselves, we are then able to complete all of our daily responsibilities with flying colors.

Self Care Improves Our Overall Mental Health

Self-care speaks for itself in terms of what it means; it’s taking some time out of our day to give ourselves some tender love and care– just as we do for those around us on a regular basis. When we use self-care, we are acknowledging our needs to be the best version of ourselves. And when we are our best, we feel our best.

Think about it; it’s only natural to feel lighter on your feet after doing something that makes you happy or relaxed.

It Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Just as self-care increases happiness, it also helps reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Many self-care activities–such as meditation, warm baths, and reading–are those that keep us calm while releasing happy chemicals into our brains, such “endorphins” and “serotonin.” So you can basically think of self-care as a simple, daily way to keep your mental health in check.

Self Care can Help Improve Relationships

To some, the term in which this post revolves can seem a little too self centered. But the truth is, self-care isn’t selfish; the only way that we can take care of others is if we care for ourselves. If we have constant anxiety, or we aren’t doing what we need to keep our bodies healthy, then it’s very unlikely that we will be able to do our best at being there for those around us. This may be a tough pill to swallow, but it’s also a crucial one. We have to be our the best version of ourselves to be the best friend, partner, or family member that we can be.

I really enjoyed writing about why self-care is such an important practice, and I hope you did, as well. In my opinion, self-care is not just about ourselves, but being able to be our best in everyday life. And that’s something that we should all take as a priority.

LET’S CHAT~What are some reasons why you believe self care is important? Feel free to share your thoughts down below in the comments.

Have an amazing rest of your day or night everybody! May God bless you all! Peace in! ♡

So . . . Many . . . Chips! ♡

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Okay, so I have a secret to share with you all: me and Goodmommy have a knack for snacks. Well, not to the point where every time you look at us we have something in our mouths. In fact, we don’t eat a lot, in general. But we definitely like to stay stocked up so that way when we have a taste for something, it’s within arm’s reach.

That being said, today I was shocked to see that after a quick trip to the grocery store, Goodmommy came home with 5 bags of chips for us to taste for the first time.

Was this a surprise–yes. Am I complaining–not in the slightest!

What I really appreciate about Goodmommy is that she always looks for healthy–and delicious–alternatives for us to snack on. Today, she brought home some original ruffle chips that we have had before, sea salt ruffle potato chips and white cheddar Cheetos made out of organic products. We did a little taste test on both of them, and they ended up being pretty delicious! In fact, we ended up liking them so much that she plans on getting some more for us, tomorrow.

I think that this is a reminder that while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a few chips or another one of your favorite snacks, we should also keep in mind that eating healthier can taste good if we take the time to look for alternatives that are both tasty and good for our bodies.

After all, who doesn’t love a nice bag of chips?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! See you next time! ♡