Your Wishes Delivered

Hey Beautiful People!

I ran across this video earlier this evening and I just had to share it with you. Every once in a while, a commercial is released that warms your heart, makes you feel good, and puts a genuine smile on your face. For this holiday season, UPS and Ogilvy teamed up to create something awesome. The campaign is called Your Wishes Delivered. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do. It’s unbelievably adorable.

Did you “AAAWWWWWWWW” during the entire video? Or was that just me?

Happy Holidays!! 😀

-Misfit.

What Can I Say?

I’ve been MIA from my blog for a while, but I want to come back!

Honestly, most of my writing has been kept in my physical journal, so there hasn’t been much need or desire to type it and share my thoughts with the world wide web.

Now that I have renewed motivation to write here…what do you want to read from me?

Btw…I’m [lowkey] pondering changing my blog title/name.

-Misfit.

Have I Done Enough?

Have I done enough for myself? I’ve been asking that question quite a bit lately.

A conversation that I had with one of my associates earlier this week started this line of thinking. We began our conversation talking about books, reading, and other pretty general “passing the time” topics. He asked me if I’d gone to college, and if so, what did I study? Well I explained to him what I studied at East Carolina and he recognized the passion I had for my area of study. Talking about what marketing is, what is means, and how impactful the industry is made me yearn to be immersed in it.

I don’t work in the side of marketing that I thought I would be when I was in college. In all honesty, I took the first good-sounding job that was offered to me. I often wonder if that was a mistake.

Although I am working, earning a pretty good salary, and on a fast-track career path, I don’t want to give up on my dreams of being a marketing executive one day.

About one year ago, two of my close friends and I had a conversation about what we were all currently doing versus what we actually want to do. At the time, none of us were in our desired fields aggressively pursuing our dreams. Fast-forward to today, and both of my friends are leaps and bounds ahead of me in the race to “success”. What’s wrong with this picture?

I can’t be upset or jealous. I can’t blame anyone but myself. Have I been actively pursuing my dreams? Not really, unless constantly working 60 hours a week counts. Have I stayed up to date with marketing trends? I’ve only stayed up-to-date with retail. What about my blog; have I continued to write? Nope, I have not. Work has distracted me. All the things that kept me in touch with my passion, I’ve let fall aside. All the activities that kept me level-headed…where’d they go?

I don’t want to get stuck in a profession that I don’t like. I don’t want to wake up 10 years from now thinking, “How did I get here?” I want to enjoy my life. I want to enjoy my work. I want to wake up each day happy to be doing what I love…and getting paid for it. All these wants…and no actions.

Dreams are great, but if I never wake up and work towards those dreams…they’ll never be anything else. I’ve always operated under the “Do what you must NOW, so you can do what you want LATER,” but I’m starting to think that I’ve been very negative in my thinking. Life is short.

So I ask, yet again…have I done enough for myself?

Unfortunately, sadly, and honestly…the answer is no.

-Misfit.

Dear You

I have something to say to women who are any of the following:

-“Bigger is better” activists,
-Skinny shamers,
-Campaigners of “Curvy and proud”,
-“No stick figures over here” supporters,
-Anyone who is “All about that Bass”,
-Those who are “skinny and sexy”,
-Real life Barbies,
-“Do You Even Lift?” t-shirt wearers, and
-“Strong is the new black” champions…

Stop it.

Stop finding ways to celebrate your body by insulting others’. It’s not okay.

I see and hear it all the time. A person at either end of the weight spectrum is loving herself in all her fabulous glory; She might be wearing a beautiful dress, a cute outfit, a picture of her flexing her impressive muscles, her lack of love handles, or she may have just chosen to take a full-body picture instead of her usual neck-up selfie; whatever it is…it’s lovely. *insert unnecessary caption here* If you can’t imagine/hear/see the useless caption, here are a few examples:

1. “I love my body…with curves where they’re meant to be.”
2. “10 mile run this morning. No fatties around here.”
3. Simply “Do You Even Lift?”
4. “Don’t Trust a Skinny Cook”

Annoying, aren’t they? Are you guilty of one of these types of social media uploads? Do you ever find yourself defending your body by insulting that of another woman?

If so, STOP. Don’t call those who are smaller than you “stick figures”. That’s rude. Just love your frame and figure. Not everyone who chooses to not exercise is a lazy bum. That isn’t fair. Don’t say that anyone over a size 4 isn’t beautiful or attractive. Who elected you exquisiteness expert?

Next time you’re feeling really confident about your body, enjoy that moment. Don’t sully it by being disrespectful.

Understand that your beauty doesn’t depend on how ugly you can make others seem/feel.

I started this post by calling out all the “names” of groups of people. It would be easier to call everyone by one name.

Women.

-Misfit

Eat(Cook), Pray, Love. <3

I love to cook.

I really do.

I don’t understand how/why some people, especially women, don’t like to cook or ever feel the need to learn how to.

Here are a few reasons why I love to cook:

1. Cooking makes me feel powerful. As a woman, there is so much that a well-prepared meal can accomplish. For wives and mothers, a good meal can create memories for their children. As a single woman, the ability to cook is sometimes attractive to a potential guy. And, as I’ve referenced in some of my previous relationship/marriage/love posts…I’m okay with being ready to be “found”. Bahaha!

2. The smell of cooking/cooked food makes a house smell like a home. For instance, when I do a crockpot meal while I’m at work…when I get home from my long day there is a comforting, genuinely home-y smell that greets me when I walk in the door. Our sense of smell is arguably the most powerful human sense. The smell of spices in the air is welcoming and triggers, for me, comfort and good memories.

3. Every meal is a creation. It makes me feel like an artist. If you’re like me, you like cooking meals from absolute scratch…similar to an artist with brushes, paints, and canvases. I like the feeling of starting my cooking with a bunch of random things on a counter or a bag of groceries and ending up with a delicious, piping hot(in both temperature and spice), and fulfilling meal. Even if I’m only cooking for me.

4. I like to eat. If you like to eat, or you like food…you should like, or at least KNOW HOW, to cook. Many times I try to recreate dishes that I loved in a restaurant. Sometimes it doesn’t work so well…and other times I nail it. LOL.

That’s why I love cooking. Tell me why you do…or don’t.

Pinterest. Love It.

Peace, Love, and Pepper… ❤

-Misfit.

The Other Half.

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. –Theodore Roosevelt

This is a great quote, and wonderful motivation…if you’re willing to commit to the remaining half that is required to actually reach “there”.

With graduation season getting closer, I find myself reminiscing my college years.

Here are some things I learned in college:

1. You can decide to be one of many, or one of the few and far between.

2. Take charge of your education/life. You can only experience what you allow yourself to.

3. Be a sponge. Take it all in.

4. Discover your interests/passions. Most schools have a ridiculous number of extracurricular activities, organizations, and opportunities. Join and lead.

5. If you’re going to “fail” at something, do it there. College is the biggest safety net I’ve ever had. Once you leave/graduate…”failure” becomes a MUCH bigger deal.

6. There are many things you will come to know about yourself when you have total freedom. Appreciate the process.

In college, I believed that I could…and I chose to pursue the other half.

While I haven’t gotten “there” yet, it’s nice to think back and be assured that I’m on the right track.

In short, ol’ Teddy had the correct idea, but I have a little addition to the quote. It goes like this:

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there. Specify your destination, create a sample itinerary, identify alternative routes…and you might just make it.”

Until next time…

-Misfit.

 

Dove Beauty.

These types of experiments happen often, and this is the 2nd one that Dove has sponsored. Here’s the first beauty campaign by Dove. It aired about one year ago.

What are your thoughts? I’ll come back and give more on what I think.

-Misfit.

 

Thank God It’s Sunday

The popular thing for people who work Monday-Friday to say is…Thank God It’s Friday(TGIF). For people like me whose work schedules don’t normally include real weekends or back-to-back days off, that phrase doesn’t mean much.

My thing now is, TGIS, yep you guessed it, Thank God It’s Sunday.

The week restarts on Sunday. Main church service is on Sunday. I get to sit and do nothing for part of the day. Most likely, even if I worked on Saturday, I’m off on Sunday.

Today is Saturday and, after the past 7 days…I’m already saying TGIS.

Have a blessed and productive week, beautiful people. Happy Sunday.

-Misfit.

Snow Days in NC

It’s been a while since I posted but…I think a snow day is worth a write-up!

I’m sure you all saw/heard about the snow-ice debacle in Atlanta a few weeks ago. Cars backed up on highways, accidents piled up all over, and citizens abandoning their cars to brave the cold and walk to shelter. Well, North Carolina got a taste of that this week. Talking about all the delays, cancellations, and closings is great, but…that’s not what this is about.

I wanna tell you about my personal snow day.

Here’s a few background facts you should know: (1) I’m moving in the next few days. (2) 98% of my apartment is disassembled, boxed, or packed. (3) I haven’t gone grocery shopping in a while in an attempt to use everything in my fridge/freezer/pantry. (4) My car/tires aren’t meant for driving on ice.

Yesterday, my store closed early because of snow. It took me roughly 30 mins to travel the route than takes me normally 7-10 mins. When I left work, I’d originally planned to make a pit stop at a grocery store and get a few things, but the traffic patterns and my fear of getting stuck in the grocery store parking lot made me go straight home. I tried, fruitlessly and guiltily, to order some kind of takeout. Of course, nobody was delivering in the heavy snow. Just great. I threw something together with the random items I had in the apartment. I decided that I would get up early in the morning and walk to one of the grocery stores close to me.

Fast forward to this morning.

I got all bundled up and checked the gps to figure out the closest grocery store. 1.7 miles. In a car, everything seems closer.

Here are the facts about my trek to the grocery store: (1) It took me 45 mins. (2) Some of the main roads were scraped. (3) I had to conquer my fear of heights TWICE on my walk by walking on 2 bridges over highways. (4) Halfway there, I began to regret my decision. (5) When I made it to the store, I felt like I had reached the Promised Land. (6) On the way home, some cars decided to drive close to me and spray me with sleet/melted snow. (7) The return trip was against the wind, so I was getting smacked by the restarting snow/ice. (8) I made it back in 40 mins.

I told my best friend Shannon about my trip, she told her mom, and her mom told her best friend who happens to live in the same town I do. I received a phone call from her scolding me about not calling her when I needed something. Shannon and I were cracking up!

To say the least, my morning was extremely interesting and entertaining, but next time, this chick is going to make sure she is prepared for being snowed in…and pray I’m not in the process of moving when it happens.

Stay warm, stay safe.

Pictures from my icy trek.

Until next time…

-Misfit.

I’m Happy.

I’m happy.

No need for exclamation points, all caps, or an ellipsis. I’m just happy. I think I know why. I choose to be happy.

It seems so simple, but it’s taken me a while to get here. Now that I’ve arrived at this destination of happy, I realize that I got here by doing a few things daily.

1. I’ve made a conscious effort to smile more. My whole life, people have randomly asked me, “What’s wrong?” or “Are you okay?” because my facial expression makes me appear upset. Whether I was actually upset or just unaware of my expression, those questions are annoying. Also, I’ve read somewhere that smiling triggers something in your brain that improves mood. Essentially, smiling more tricks me into being happy. A new quote I found says “I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.” Paul Simon is the one who said that…and back in the day he seemed pretty happy to me.

2. I’ve stopped wasting time, energy, and brain power on things, situations, and people I can’t control. I almost don’t even want to write and elaborate about how, but I will. If you’re like me, you spend a large part of you spare time just thinking. Thinking is great, but too much of it can lead you to start with the what-ifs, how comes, and whys. After you spend your time thinking of all these questions and frustrated yourself, you might become aggravated because you realize you don’t have the answers. Trust me, it sucks. I’m giving up on that habit.

3. Lastly, but certainly not least, God makes the difference. Being born and raised in church, I’ve always heard scriptures and songs about God and his sovereignty. Now I know it for myself. I’ve chosen to look for and find Him for myself, not just by hearsay. This relationship with God is a journey. I’ll equate my newly recognized peace and happiness as a state line sign you see while on a road trip. You know where you want to be and are on your way to, but seeing “Welcome to North Carolina” helps you keep track of your progress. My peace that passes understanding and joy in the Lord are evidence that I’m on my way. Estimated time of arrival…to be determined.

Choose to be positive. Be happy. Enjoy.

-Misfit.

P.s. Here are some songs that I love. They even sound happy. 🙂