Tag: Productivity

Monthly Wrap Up | October 2022

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, hey, hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. And no, we are not dreaming; it’s really already November! To be honest, October was like a fun roller coaster ride, for me. It was super fun, but it also went by crazy fast.

Either way, I really enjoyed myself, last month, and I’d like to share some of my experiences with you guys! So without further ado, let’s get into the October ’22 monthly wrap-up!

My Life

  • It’s been a while since I’ve given you all an update on my fitness journey. While I’ve been a little slow lately when it comes to walking outside three days a week, me and Goodmommy have been finding other creative ways to get some exercise. We’ve even been following along to workouts that we find on YouTube. At first, it took some adjusting but now I look forward to adding more variety to my fitness routine!
  • I officially started National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, and so far, I’ve added nearly 2,000 words. I plan to write about 50,000 words by November 30th. Is it a crazy goal? Maybe a little bit. But I’m so stoked about my new story, and I can’t wait to read the finished product.
  • Experimenting with photography is another thing that I’ve been working on. Lately, I’ve been working with capturing different angles and objects (such as trees, or the sunset) as well as looking at different perspectives to capture a shot. I think that October might be my best month this year as far as my photography goes, because I took quite a few gorgeous pictures!
This photo is definitely one of my faves :> All Rights Reserved.

Books I Read

While I’ve bought a lot of books, this month flew by so quickly that I wasn’t able to finish any of them. But, there are a few that I started, so I’ll be sharing a brief review of my first impressions of each one. However, you may look at my more in-depth opinion in my last book haul. Let’s go!

  • The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin — Basically, this novel that I found at The Dollar Tree (yes, you heard correctly) is intriguing and confusing at the same time. It’s about a small school that consists of grades 1-8. It takes place in a class of 11 students–also known as the entire 7th grade–who idolized their classmate Paulie Fink. It’s kind of at a stand-still right now. Like, I know what’s happening but I don’t know what’s happening. Either way, it seems like a pretty fun book, so I’ll likely get back into it when I’m not so busy.
  • Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Book I by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger — honestly, Goodmommy was the one who ended up picking out this book for me. I really love the originality that it includes with a variety of true stories, poems, and other types of creative writing by teenagers and adults about their teenage years. There’s so many lessons in this book that I think that any teenager could learn/benefit from!
  • Savvy by Ingrid Law — to be honest, I couldn’t have read much more than 20 pages of this one (if that many) but it’s probably because beginning took a long time to get off the ground. Everything was so slow paced that it kind of lost my interest quickly, which was suprising because its one of my new books that I was the most excited about. But considering that it’s just the beginning of the book, I’ll get back into it eventually to see if things get more exciting.
  • Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek — Out of all the books that I’ve read this month, this one has got to be the cutest! In a nutshell, it’s about a shy girl with anxiety who gains confidence when she saves a baby goat named Butter. So far, the beginning of this novel has been pretty promising, and I’m super excited to see where this story goes next!
All Rights Reserved.

Series I Watched

  • One of my favorite series ever is The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is an exclusive series on Disney+. It’s about a group of smart, yet neglected kids who make a band of do-gooders to save their city from a conundrum called the Emergency. To me, this series is the perfect mix between adventure, mystery, fantasy, and the wholesome friendships that dominate a film. And what’s even cooler is that they just released season 2!
  • It’s been a long time since I’ve binged-watched this series, but I recently took a dive back into That’s So Raven. I think most teenagers and young adults can agree that it’s probably one of the most nostalgic sitcoms of the 20th century. While Raven’s Home is a decent sequel, I don’t think it compares to the original.
  • I have a lot of Disney Channel shows that I really love, but one of my ultimate favorites is Good Luck Charlie, just because it’s such a wholesome and quirky show. No matter how much I see the episodes, they never fail to make me laugh 100 times over.
  • Occasionally, I also tend to watch the show Walk the Prank. In about the 3rd or 4th grade, I used to watch this show almost every day after school. And while I don’t watch it all that much now, it’s really nice to look back at it when I need a little laugh. There’s something about childhood shows that’s just so comforting.
All Rights Reserved.

My Favorite Posts of the Month

I wrote and published a total of 13 posts, this month! Hooray! I’m honestly not mad at the number, because I think every single post I made was super good, and that’s what matters most as a writer! While I loved all the posts that I published in October of 22′, there were a few that stood out to me:

And that was the monthly wrap-up of October of 2022! Hopefully, you all enjoyed seeing the highlights of last month for me. Please comment down below, which post of mine last month did you enjoy the most? Also, what was YOUR favorite part of last month?

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

How I’m Preparing for NaNoWriMo [Preptober]

Q'ZionLeave a comment

What’s up, everybody! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen!

If you haven’t already heard, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo fo short) starts on November 1st … and that means that it’s time to write a novel! In case you aren’t familiar with NaNoWriMo, here is the official website’s description of their Young Writers’ Program;

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create!

Our Young Writers Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in our flagship event each November, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round.

–ywp.nanowrimo.org

In other words, NaNoWriMo is a writing challenge–both for adults and kids/teens in the Young Writers Program–to reach a personalized word goal by writing every day until November 30th! No editing or revising; just writing.

I’ve “participated” in this challenge for the last couple years, but I’ve never actually gotten my project off of the ground. However, this year I’m planning on writing a 50,000 word novel, starting on Tuesday! Ambitious, right? But don’t be fooled; I didn’t decide to do this challenge unprepared. Today, I’ll be discussing some of the ways that I’ve been preparing for National Novel Writing Month! Let’s get started!

Established my goals for the challenge

For me, NaNoWriMo is an opportunity for me to write everyday, quit worrying about making my writing perfect, have fun, and produce a novel in the process. Although my blog has significantly increased the amount that I write, NaNoWriMo will push that to the next level, and I think that my word goal will really challenge me to increase my writing skills and hold back on my perfectionist ways. The challenge is really all about having a good time doing what I love to do; write. So that’s something I plan to keep in mind throughout the entire process.

Made a schedule (sort of)

Okay, so I haven’t made a schedule where I’ve figured out the exact dates and times that I will be working on my novel; after all, every day is different. But I do know that in order to reach my word count goal by the end of November, I’m going to need to write 1667 words every day. That means that even if I can’t write that many words on a day that I’m busy, I could make up for it on a weekend or on a day when I don’t have much on my schedule. Having an idea of how much you need to write to reach your goal–in baby steps–is super helpful to break down the task in front of you without it being too intimidating.

Gotten to know my characters

In the novel that I am almost done with drafting, I pretty much dove into the writing process with the idea and built on that from there. And while that was fun to try, that project has been at a stand-still for a while, now. Since writer’s block is not really an option when you have 30 days to write a novel, I did a little (no a LOT) more planning this time around. For each of my characters I filled out a questionare on who they are, what they like to do, where they live, their personalities, etc., and I think that really payed off. Now, I can picture how each of the characters look in my head, and I have a better perspective on who they are as individuals. And considering that characters are one of the most important parts of a story, that will be super helpful for me, later on.

Established my setting

Usually, settings aren’t something I do a whole lot of thinking about when I get an idea for a story. Like with my characters, I kind of go where the plot wants me to go. But this time, my novel takes place in a magical kingdom split into 4 (meaning there are four pairs of a king and queen.) Each kingdom has their own customs, geography, and citizens with their own personalities and behaviors. Therefore, establishing my complex setting for this story was a crucial part of making my novel’s first draft as well-executed as possible.

Prepared small rewards with my family

Right after I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, I made sure I discussed it with Goodmommy. She was so supportive that she even purposed that every time I write 5,000 words toward my goal, she’ll give me 5 bucks! And every 25,000 words, we’ll go out for ice cream! Awesome, right?!? To be honest, I think getting family support and small rewards to look forward to will make NaNoWriMo so much more fun!

Outlined my plot

Finally, I outlined all of the major events of my plot. At first, I wasn’t planning on doing this AT ALL. But I’ve had a pint full of motivation lately, thank God, so I ended up going for it. Now that my plot outline is complete, it will most likely save me from running into writer’s block halfway through November. And as a writer, that’s almost always something to celebrate.

By now, I’m quite sure you guys can already tell, but I’m super stoked to get involved in the hype of NaNoWriMo. Although I realize 50,000 words is a pretty steep goal for my first time doing this challenge, I’m more than confident that I can reach it! Please tell me down below, are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? If so, what are some things you’re doing to prepare? And if not, have you ever heard of National Novel Writing Month?

Have a happy and healthy rest of your day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you next time! Peace in! ♡

My favorite aspects of autumn ♡

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, y’all! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to my blog, The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! ♡

Spring, summer, fall, and winter. The four seasons. Each one is unique in their own way; their own special events, holidays, traditions, and other characteristics that make up 1/4 of each year. While I love each one for their own reasons, autumn and winter have always had a special place in my heart. And since we’re practically in the middle of fall (already, I know) I want to explain some of the reasons why autumn is one of my favorite seasons. So without further ado, let’s get this party started!

1.) Warm and cozy colors

There’s something about medium green plants transforming into gorgeous orange, golden rod, and burgundy leaves as they float to the ground that’s so satisfying. All seasons have an aspect of nature that makes them unique, but the eye catching colors of autumn make the season stand out like no other.

2.) The spectacular weather

For me, warm weather is the least desirable weather to have. I mean, I’d rather be a little chilly than sweaty and uncomfortable, do you know what I mean? And while I love summer and winter, with both of those seasons, you either get one or the other side of weather. But when autumn comes around, the temperature is the perfect combination. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just how I like it.

3.) That homey reading atmosphere

By now, it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of all things literature. I’ll do it just about any place, at any time of the day, and obviously in any season. But there’s something about fall vibes that makes me want to read even more. And any bookworm who has spent a fall night cuddled up on the couch with their favorite snack and a comfort novel knows what I mean.

4.) One of my favorite holidays – Thanksgiving

I wouldn’t be the same person if it wasn’t for my awesome family. And during the holidays at the end of the year, we always partake in the tradition of having family gatherings, as often as possible. Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity for me to recap what and who I’m thankful for and blessed with, eat mouth-watering food, and do all the other autumn things I love with the people I love. There’s not many things in this world that are better than that.

5.) Photography is thebomb.com

Photography is one of my other hobbies that I don’t talk about as often, but I adore taking photos of sceneries, especially in the afternoon or just before a sunset. And if we’re being completely honest, autumn’s gorgeous colors makes it the perfect time to go on a photography splurge.

6.) The yummy food

Technically, the comfort of fall horderves goes hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving, but I still wanted to include it because autumn is certainly not the same me without them. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy eating a soup, a piece of turkey, or a pumpkin pie on an autumn afternoon? (Seriously though, I’m super curious!) Autumn food is definitely another thing that makes fall like no other.

7.) Napping paradise

As I mentioned earlier, the weather in autumn is as close as it could get to perfect. The sun isn’t usually out too early (or too bright, when it does peek out from the clouds) which makes it easier to take a power nap or sleep in without feeling like you’ve missed out on half of a day. And since I’m homeschooled, I take quite a bit of naps, so that’s a bonus!

8.) Simple and chic fashion

When it comes to fashion, I am all for finding outfits that are both stylish and comfy. And from classic cardigans to knee high boots, there is so much wiggle room to play with when it comes to autumn fashion.

9.) The decorations

From pumpkins, to candles, to fairy lights, to throw pillows, there are so many creative yet comforting ways to decorate for fall, both on the inside and outside of our homes. I think that autumn decor is the perfect way to set that homey, timeless vibe inside your home, which is perfect not only for fall, but also the preparation for the transition into winter.

10.) Being outdoors

When it comes to autumn, doing any fun fall activity outdoors just makes my day. There’s so much to do this time of year that it’s hard to make an excuse not to go outside. And with the awesome aspects of fall (many of which I have mentioned in this list) it’s kind of hard to do nothing when there’s so much fun we can have right outside our door.

Most of the time, it would take longer posts like this a little while for me to configure. But when it comes to fall, there is so much to love that it’s easy to find reasons why it’s so amazingly great! Please tell me YOUR favorite season(s) down below in the comments? Also, what’s your favorite aspect of autumn and/or the season that you like the most? I’m looking forward to everybody’s responses!

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Don’t forget that regardless of what you may be going through, we are all beautiful and wonderfully made. And that’s something we can all be thankful to God for! Peace in, y’all! ~ Q’Zion ♡

Common Mistakes New Bloggers Make

Q'Zion5 Comments

Hello, everyone! This is Q’Zion, and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! Being a part of the blogosphere is like a dream for those of us who love to write, inspire, and create. But when many bloggers make the decision to create a website of their own, there are a few common mistakes that I have noticed being repeated.

So whether you’re a beginner blogger wanting an overview on what to expect or a more experienced content creator needing some blogging advice, these common mistakes to avoid that I have noticed myself and other awesome content creators make is for you!

Not Having a Clear Purpose or Audience

For my fellow teen bloggers, it can be easy to create a blog just for the fun of it! I often see new bloggers post a bunch of random–but really entertaining–posts with little repurposed content or common topics. And while displaying our personalities in what we do and post is important, it’s also crucial that we have an idea of what audience we’d like our blog to reach or resonate with.

E.g. when you choose the name and major topics of your blog, you want to make sure that what you’re posting will appeal to your target audience–whether that be people in a certain age group or with similar interest as you.

Lack of Consistency

Not having a blog post schedule has got to be the largest–and most common–mistake that I’ve seen within the blogging community. At first, some new bloggers will post excellent content every single day . . . and then they’ll disappear for a month. Trust me, I understand that some things come up in our lives, such writer’s block or a lack of motivation, that can make it difficult to keep posting content. But at the same time we have to remember that the only way to get our blog to grow is by being consistent. Posting only two days a week can do wonders for a blog’s traffic–all we have to do is show up and stay committed!

Grammatical and/or Punctuation Errors

Alright, I’ve got to put my hand up on this one. While writing the first draft for a stellar blog post, it can be easy to accidentally miss a letter or type a word twice. You see, the fact that we make simple errors like these is not the mistake; it’s when we make the errors and fail to revise them. Re-reading your blog posts aloud before you introduce them to the public is the best way to avoid grammatical mistakes. You could even read them aloud to a second person to catch errors you may miss and get a second opinion. Either way, revision is one of the keys to making every post the best that it can be.

Not Engaging with their Audience

It’s not uncommon that I’ll see 3-5 comments underneath a blog post . . . and all of them are by fellow bloggers complimenting the writer’s work. Thanks to the wonderful invention of notifications, we get a message every single time someone comments on our posts. And since one of the main goals of most bloggers is to build an audience, its important that we show our appreciation to the supporters that we already have. Not only will your viewers appreciate it, but you could even make a few new friends along the way.

Creating Extremely Short Blog Posts

Another common trend that I’ve seen going on, especially within the last few months, is bloggers making five- to twenty-word posts about five times a day. And all they do is tell their viewers good morning, afternoon, or night.

It’s always nice to greet your viewers before you get into the topic of a blog post, and short posts are acceptable now and again (especially on holidays.) But you want to make sure that you’re not just posting to post–after all, we want our readers to see our effort when they look at our blog. Not a bunch of short spam posts piling up in their email.

Choosing Quantity over Quality

When you create your blog, it’s easy to want to post every single day to get your website out there! But when you’re posting five times a day, it can become a challenge to give every single post your all. Therefore, even if you can only create one post a week on your blog–that one, well-written post is probably much better than five rushed ones.

Not Using Attention-Getting Blog Post Titles

Ahh~titles. They’re the first thing that anyone who stumbles upon one of your posts will see–alongside your images when viewers are browsing WordPress Reader, which are also very important. Therefore, it’s important that you add relevant, fun titles to your posts that get the main topic across and grab your viewers’ attention. There are a lot of great bloggers and posts out there: that’s why we need to use our titles as a strategy for convincing our viewers to click on ours.

So, those were some of the most common mistakes that new bloggers make, and I hope each and every one of you got something positive out of it! Also, I’d like to know, what are some common mistakes that you notice and/or made that I missed here? And if you’d like, is there any advice that you’d like to give to other bloggers to prevent them from making that mistake? Feel free to share your responses to these discussion questions in the comments!

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

6 Things I Love to Do on the Weekends [REPOST]

Q'ZionLeave a comment

A/N~Hey y’all! It’s Q’Zion! My goodness, was this Friday busy for me. But thank God that I have a three-day weekend since the 5th of September is Labor Day! Anyway, because tonight is the start of the weekend for me, I though I’d repost this list of things that I like to do to make the most of the end of each week. I hope you all enjoy it! ♡

Let’s face it–we all sigh with relief when we go home and/or get finished with work on a Friday. We have a whole 2 days ahead of us to relax and enjoy our weekend. Personally, I’m a HUGE FAN of my weekends, and I do as much work as I can throughout the week to make the most of every Saturday and Sunday. And since the weekend is coming up, I thought it’d be a cool idea to share some of the ways that I like to spend my short vacations. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it! 

⒈ Go to a Library ♡

Okay, so this one may be a little obvious since most of my followers know how much I love to read. However, reading is one of my favorite activities to do on a weekend. I have a whole 48 hours to start a new book or maybe even finish one that I’ve been procrastinating, for some time. Don’t you just love that feeling when you sat down and finished a book that you haven’t picked up in a while? I sure do!

⒉ Binge My Favorite TV Show ♡

Throughout the week, it’s easy to forget about some of my favorite TV shows, or simply replace watching them with schoolwork, family time, and the occasional naps. When the weekend comes along, I usually spend a couple hours catching up on the new seasons of the shows that I love. And if a new movie just came out on Disney+, it’s not a surprise if we have a family movie night, too.

⒊ Go to Church ♡

One of the perfect ways to start my week and be refreshed before school starts on Monday is fellowshipping and learning the Word in the House of God. Praise and worship, seeing my family and friends, and socializing with other believers is always a blessing and one of the best parts of my week. It makes me feel happier and closer to God when I listen to His Word.

⒋ Fun in the Sun at the Beach or Pool ♡

Due to COVID-19, it seriously has been a while since I’ve went to the beach or the pool. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I love changing into my bathing suit and having some fun in the sun. Since spring is here, and summer is not too far from now, it’s the perfect time of year to hit the beach and go for a swim.

⒌ Bake a New Recipe ♡

Although I don’t get in the kitchen often (at least not to cook or bake) Friday nights and weekends are the perfect opportunity to learn a new recipe and spend time with Goodmommy. For me, cooking can be so relaxing and satisfying. The fact that you can whip up some ingredients, place it in the oven, and take it out to see a masterpiece is always super rewarding. Especially when you get to eat your creation, when your all done.

⒍ Have a Picnic ♡

Is it just me, or does this remind you of that one scene from Tom and Jerry? LOL 🍓🍉🌭🥤

Honestly, I’ve only been to a picnic once in my life, as far as I can recall. But I must say that I love to eat in nice weather, especially in a screened-in patio or on a balcony. You get to admire the sunshine while eating your lunch. Picnicking seems to be pretty similar and great for spring time. Especially on a weekend!

Weekends are a time for us to take a break from work and school and focus on family and the hobbies that we love the most. Therefore, we might as well make the most of every second. Hopefully, this list gave you some inspiration for how you can spend your short vacation.

What are some of your favorite ways to spend the weekends? Feel free to comment down below.

Have a beautiful weekend, everybody! God bless you all, and I will catch you next time! Peace in! ♡

Run With Me // a summer day at the park

Q'ZionLeave a comment

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! ✨

The Difference Between Being Lonely vs. Being Alone – Words of Wisdom #21

Q'Zion2 Comments

Two words: alone and lonely. While the two adjectives sound fairly similar, they also hold two completely different meanings. You see, a lot of people believe that “being alone” is the same thing as “being lonely.” But despite this common misconception, it remains very common for certain people to feel at peace when being alone, and others to feel lonely in a room full of people. Why is this? And moreover, what exactly does this mean?

In today’s episode of Words of Wisdom, we will be diving into the subject “How does being lonely differ from being alone?” a little further.

To begin, let’s review the top definition of each word of this comparison in the Oxford Dictionary. Take a look.

First, lonely’s definition.

Now, the definition of alone.

Do you see any difference? If not, try reading both definitions one more time, and see if you can detect it. Then, check your answer down below.

While the true meanings of alone and lonely may seem the same at first glance, I think the more you read them, the easier it is to understand why they’re so different. So the answer to today’s question is, being lonely represents an emotional longing to have a companionship, of some sort. Meanwhile, alone is just the physical state of being unattended by another person.

Many times, people mistake the word alone as a bad thing. But when we think about it, almost everyone enjoys a few minutes a day doing something that they love in solidarity, whether that something is listening to music, spending time with God, or even working up a sweat in the gym. In fact, I believe that the times in which we are enjoying the moment in solidarity are likely some of the most peaceful moments of all. That’s why it’s possible to be happy when we’re by ourselves, or lonely even when we are in the presence of others.

Really, identifying the difference between the two is all about our state of mind.

So, today’s final words: being alone is not the same as being lonely. Instead, it’s a great way for us all to practice self-care and come to a place where we can simply enjoy our own company–and develop a closer relationship to God, in the process. I challenge anyone who is willing to take some more time in solidarity, and find ways to enjoy moments of solitary peace. We all need them, every once in a while.

Have a fantabulous day, everybody! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

Wishing You a Happy August + my monthly goals ♡

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, hey, hey! Happy August everyone! We have now entered a month of more fun in the sun, a brand new school year for kids around the world, and a new beginning. I hope that all of you will have a productive, relaxing, and memorable month of August.

Since I will be starting high school this in about a week, I think it’s super important that I create some personal goals for August to start ninth grade off strong. Here are just a few of the goals that I look forward to reaching throughout the rest of the month and year.

My Monthly Goals for August

Through the last few weeks of my summer break, I’ve been reading more often than before, and I plan to keep that going. During the event that me and Goodmommy attended a couple days ago, I found three Diary of a Wimpy Kid novels in a box of free books, which I happily added to my formally small collection of the series. I’ve already finished one of them and began another. Hopefully I’ll be able to buy some of the books on my TBR list, within the next couple months, too.

As soon as I’m able to begin working on my new courses, I plan to get straight to work. It gives me a huge piece of mind when I’m able to submit assignments a couple weeks before they’re due. Being ahead prevents me from getting in a crunch, while giving me more free time for my clubs and other personal goals.

Lately, I’ve been writing about our 30-day salad challenge, and even though it’ll be over in a few more days, I plan on sticking to a salad a day from now on. Already, I’m seeing a huge improvement in my quality of sleep and my energy everyday. I can’t wait to see the progress that I make with my nutrition journey.

Finally, I want to take some more time this month to study God’s Word in the mornings to start the day. Some words of wisdom are always the best way to start my day, so doing a little meditation and Bible study when I wake up will be a great way to kick of a new month and school year.

LET’S CHAT~What are some of your productive goals for the month of August? Feel free to share your response down below.

Have a fantastic August everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

Who’s Ready for Highschool? | How to Get Prepared — Reblog

Q'ZionLeave a comment

A/N~ Happy Saturday, everyone! Let. me. tell. you. Today was a busy day, for me. Still, I decided to reblog this super fun post of mine to help out 8th and 9th graders to prepare for high school, since most schools are already/almost back in session. I hope you all enjoy it!

When you’re in 8th grade, it can be a lot to think about your future. It’s the last year of middle school, a.k.a. the time in your life where you start thinking about college and what career you want to pursue, all while trying to find out more about yourself and how you are changing. I know that it can seem like a lot sometimes. However, as a soon-to-be-freshman myself, I’m here to tell you that everything will be okay! We just need to get prepared. And here’s how!

1.) Make Sure You Have a Consistent Schedule to Better Suit the Upcoming Changes ~ Highschool is nothing to be afraid of. Still, it’s a new chapter of our lives that requires preparation. And that means a schedule that will better suit the changes. In high school we will have new classes, teachers, peers, schools and our grades begin setting deeper footprints. This means that we need to make sure that we have routines that will give us plenty of time to stay productive during weekdays.

2.) Pay Attention to Academic Areas that Need Improving ~ Most of us have at least one favorite subject. And along with that, there might be some subjects that you feel like you could improve in. Now is the time to put those feelings into action. If we go through the process of getting more comfortable with the subjects that we need help in, we are setting ourselves up for success in the future and in life.

3.) Maintain Good Study Habits ~ One of the biggest differences in high school vs. middle school is the amount of work. High school is when we really start to prepare for our future, so why not start early? Maintaining positive and stable study habits will help prepare us for what’s to come, making the load lighter when high school is in session.

Recommended Post: How to Stay Organized as a Virtual Student

4.) Ask For Help If (and When) You Need It ~ At one point or another, we’ve all had to ask for help, whether it was from God, a parent, a teacher, a friend, or even our communities. And if there’s any stage in our lives that we need to ask for help, it’s probably now. New stages can be exciting, but for others they can be nerve-wracking. So, whenever you need a helping hand to lay on your shoulder during this time of transition, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Asking for assistance is a skill that we will need to use in all stages of our journeys as people and individuals.

5.) Create an Organized Workspace ~ While study habits are important, the only way that we can study effectively is if we have a constant place to do so. When you come home from school (or when you do your work if you’re homeschooled, like me) it makes it much easier to focus when you have an effective study space to get the job done.

6.) Get Your Priorities in Check ~ Prioritizing what we find the most important in our lives is crucial to preparing for grade 9. Peer pressure is just about everywhere in most public schools, so make sure that you are in check with what and whom you should spend your time. High school is all about preparing for adulthood, and while we still have time left before then, making priorities are a must for another successful school year!

7.) Relax~We Got This! ~ No matter what, remember that as long as you give it your all, you’ve got it together! You are capable. You are smart. You will succeed. You are getting better every day. You got this! Don’t forget to say these things to yourself whenever you need some words of encouragement. We can’t overlook mental health! <33

This guide for How to Prepare for Highschool was such a blast to create! I’m super excited for what high school has in store for me, and I hope that now you are, too. Don’t forget that with effort, the willingness to ask for help, positive affirmation, and academic preparation, high school will be smooth-sailing. All we need to do (besides these tips) is relax and enjoy what’s soon to come!

For more amazing content like this, please follow my blog for notifications every time I post another masterpiece.

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Peace in! ✨

5 Reasons Why Self-Care Should Be A Top Priority

Q'ZionLeave a comment

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! ♡