Author: Brooke

I Want to Create – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Today I have another poem to share with you all. It was originally going to be a simple, personal blog post about wanting to explore my creative side but not knowing how to express myself, but I figured, what better way to express these already confusing feelings than in creative writing? I think this is a feeling a lot of people can relate to- especially the part about just not knowing how to express yourself and your current feelings. Relatable or not, I hope you enjoy 🙂

I Want to Create

i tilt my head to the side and a whole mess of colors drip down. they drip slowly, but the puddle on the floor grows into a murky flood- how do you channel your creative side without opening the floodgates and overfilling the deep spaces of your mind? i guess a scrambled mind makes for unique ideas, something new out of a crazy environment. i’m thinking, i’m trying, i’m conjuring up the perfect painting in my mind. a painting of me, surrounded by these colors. except they’re not dripping or being drained, they’re only expanding off the page, springing to life. it’s happening- i have created.

I know it’s quite short, but most of my poems are. If you have any suggestions, critiques, or any sort of feedback on this poem (or any other poem I’ve posted in the past), please lend me your thoughts. I would also love some requests/suggestions for future poetry prompts. Thank you for reading my work 🙂

Brooke

What to Do With An Idea – 5 Steps

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Before I say anything else, I want to clarify that this post is inspired by the children’s book What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada. I came across this adorable book in fifth grade when we had to choose a children’s book to memorize and recite in front of the class. I was recently brainstorming for blog post ideas, and I realized it would be interesting to write about ideas themselves. I used to consider myself an uncreative person, and even I have tons of ideas that cross my mind everyday; for you especially creative folks out there, I can only imagine what your minds are cooking up. If you’re wondering how to put your ideas into action, keep on reading.

  1. Write it down – You want to make sure you don’t forget your great idea! Write it down and anything else that comes to mind when you first think of it. I have an ongoing document of ideas that I can come back to later when I have time to actually flesh them out.
  2. Brainstorm more to see how it’s realistic – This is a crucial step because depending on how many details you can flesh out, you may have to leave your idea on the back burner for now. You can always come back to it later, but it’s important that it’s actually feasible to get it started if you’re going to go ahead with it now. Think about cost, the current connections you have, time commitment, and more before taking the next step.
  3. Talk to others who might be interested – It helps a ton getting an idea off the ground if you have people with experience. If your idea pertains to a certain industry/field, call up anyone you know who works in it. Also, reach out to your friends- they’d probably be happy to help and interested in taking part in whatever cool idea you have.
  4. Take the first step – Now that you have other people to help you and an outline of what you need to do to execute your idea, start the first step! Make some posters, start a social media account or website, host your first event and see who else is interested. Just start, because it will only continue to grow from there.
  5. Make connections and get more people involved – As your idea grows, you’ll meet more people trying to do similar things/who have similar interests. Be open to meeting new people and adapting your idea as your audience changes and trends change. Overall, do what’s best for you and the original intent of your idea.

I know these tips were a little vague, but that reflects the vast possibilities of whatever cool ideas you guys might have. Remember that the important part is that you came up with a creative idea- that’s basically half the work! Don’t be afraid to take the next leap if you’re confident in your idea. You never know what could become of it 🙂

Brooke

My Self-Care Routine for 2020

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

I’ve mentioned a couple times that I’ve wanted to place an emphasis on balance and my mental well-being this year. As a result, I’ve tried to implement some new regular self-care practices. Doing small things for yourself as part of your daily (or weekly, or monthly) routine is so important to ground yourself and destress from the craziness of life. If you’re interested in what my self-care practices are, keep on reading!

I’m going to divide this post into things I do daily, things I do weekly, and things I do monthly/less often than monthly/on special occasions whenever I have time to. Keep in mind that I obviously don’t have time to do all of this everyday except for the few daily practices I’ll mention, so it’s all about finding the most important things that make you feel the best and implementing those as much as possible!

Daily Self-Care

  • Hygiene! It’s so important to have good hygiene in order to feel clean and good about yourself throughout the day. I brush my teeth at least two times a day, shower once a day usually, wash my face, put on deodorant, etc. Whatever you need to do to feel clean and fresh 🙂
  • Choosing a perfume to wear – My go-to for the past year or so has been Pink Sugar (get it on sale at Nordstrom Rack!), but I’ll also use Victoria’s Secret body sprays from time to time to switch it up, or Marc Jacobs Daisy.
  • Writing my feelings down – Whether it’s a random blurb in the notes app on my phone, a poem or some other little piece of creative writing, or an actual mini-journal entry, I often have to get my feelings out at some point during the day.

Weekly Self-Care

  • Shaving – I actually don’t shave every week (definitely not in the winter) but I try to. It’s something I dread, but I’m always glad I did it in the end when I can feel smooth legs.
  • Lighting candles in my room – I LOVE candles, and I like to burn them in my room on the weekends especially. It’s a huge motivator to finish all my weekend work.

Monthly/Special Occasion Self-Care

  • Face masks – I don’t always have a face mask on hand, but lately I’ve been using charcoal masks from the Yes to Tomatoes brand that my mom buys at Target. It’s super relaxing and I’d like to think it helps with my typical teenage oily skin.
  • Baths with bath bombs – Baths are the most relaxing thing ever, but I sadly don’t have a lot of time to take them. I love bath bombs from LUSH, and I usually stock up on them in the holiday season so I always have some on hand. My all-time favorite LUSH scent is the Snow Fairy one from the shower gel and the bubble bar 🙂
  • Eyebrow waxing – About every other month, I get my eyebrows waxed at the Benefit brow bar in my local Ulta. I’ve always had really good experiences, but I know that other Ultas without the Benefit brow bar training don’t have as good of service, so it’s something to be wary of. I don’t wear makeup or actually do my eyebrows, but waxing gives them a clean shape that I’m happy with.
  • Hair mask – I use the Enfanti moisturizing hair mask treatment (my mom buys it at a local beauty supply), and it always restores shine and a silky smooth texture to my hair.

I might be forgetting a few things that I do even less often, but these are the main practices I try to keep up to make sure I’m treating myself with some me-time. I would love to know what self-care practices work for you guys, so please let me know!

Brooke

Hello & Introductions – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I was searching for a February poem-a-day challenge, and I couldn’t find one that I liked. Instead, I found one that’s just generic to winter, so I’m going to be using it as much as I can this month. I figured I would share the first poem that came out of it (I’m writing this on February 1st), so here you go!

Here is the winter poem challenge I found off of Google images in case any of you wanted to use it!

Hello & Introductions

so this is how it starts, when i raise my hand and wave, or when i shake your hand with mine, bracing for impact because i have sweaty palms and i wait to see if you rub the sweat off but you don’t. that’s new, you must be quite polite. i feel more comfortable talking to you. i don’t wince the next time i shake your hand, or the time after that. not even when the shake turns into a grasp because you don’t let my hand slip away from yours. thank you for saying hello and thank you for being kind.

I know this was a little bit more cheesy of a poem, but what can I say- it’s February, the month of love. I actually have hyperhidrosis (might be spelled wrong… basically overactive sweat glands) so this poem hits home for me. Let me know what you think 🙂

Brooke

Scattered – Poem by Me

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Today I have another poem to share with you guys. Originally, I was going to write a post about why I’ll always feel somewhat unorganized and all over the place, but I realized I could probably better articulate my feelings about the topic in a less formal structure. I’m also always looking for ways to incorporate topics relevant to me in my work, and in ways that I can share them with you guys. I hope you enjoy!

Scattered

does it ever scare you that there’s so much knowledge to be learned in this world that you’ll never absorb all of it even if you wanted to? that we don’t even know how much time we have and we’ll never really know what we’re doing with our lives because they’re passing us by as i write this very poem that you’re reading and reflecting on wondering what else you could be doing right now? exactly.

so we just go along. what else can we do? leaving pieces of ourselves behind as we rush to the next path, the next checkpoint that we want to reach. until the route changes and now we’re confused about where our destination even is. but the one thing that we can look back on is those pieces and realize who we are. scattered….

I hope you enjoyed this poem. I’m always looking for inspiration on poetry to write and feedback on what you guys would like to read, or how you think I can improve my work. Thank you for being so supportive of me sharing my work and trying out different things on this blog.

Brooke

The Power of Shower Thoughts

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

This is admittedly going to be a sillier post, but it’s one I’ve thought about writing for a while. It’s inspired by the “randomshowerthoughts” posts I’ve seen from Tumblr that were popularized a few years ago and often still resurface around my Instagram explore page. I’ve always loved showers because they’re so peaceful- it’s one of the only times in your daily routine where you’re truly alone and unbothered (hopefully).

I honestly have had so many creative ideas pop into my head while in the shower. I used to think showers were portals to letting the creative juices flow out of your subconscious (I was an interesting kid) and I would get into the shower when I needed to think. I feel like it clarifies things- whenever I’m sad or mad I’ll just take my shower for the night and I always come out feeling better and in a more positive mindset. Maybe it’s the hot water, maybe it’s the cleansing of the day from my body- something just clicks.

I think the shower has this calming, creative effect on people because of how peaceful it is. When you’re in the shower, you’re just cleaning yourself off and getting ready for bed (or the day, if you’re a morning showerer). There’s nothing else expected of you in that moment- you’re just doing what every other person does, doing that step of your daily routine. But within that step of serenity and quiet, it leaves opportunity for your mind to wander.

Or maybe my showers are just too hot and the steam and heat is making me crazy. We’ll never know! However, I am truly thankful for my bathroom being such a calming space to me, and one where I can think clearly. People always look at me weirdly when I say that, but I’ll be the first one to admit it. Since I was little, I’ve always come to the bathroom floor to cry when I’m sad, or sit on the toilet when I need to think, or shower when I need to clear my head. This place that is so ingrained in the mundane parts of our life is a calming space because of how mundane it remains, and that’s the beauty of it.

I know this was kind of a dramatic rendition on showering, but what’s new? I’m kind of a dramatic blogger 🙂 I hope you guys enjoyed- feel free to leave your thoughts about the power of shower thoughts. I would love to chat with you guys.

Brooke

Having an “All or Nothing” Mindset: Good or Bad?

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

All or nothing, go big or go home- these two common phrases mean the same thing. There are some people who either have to go full out, or would rather do nothing at all when working on something, rather than splitting things up or having a more balanced lifestyle. I’ve worked on doing things in moderation more as I’ve gotten busier and had to adapt my schedule, but I used to be very “all or nothing” in my mindset. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Keep on reading to find out my opinion.

My mom always told me that the “all or nothing” type mindset could be toxic, but I didn’t really believe her until I started high school and I got busier and more overwhelmed in my daily life. I figured as long as I worked hard in long chunks, I could chill and not really do anything the rest of the week/time. When new tasks or responsibilities landed on my plate, I wanted to get everything done immediately and then return to have nothing on my mind. I quickly learned this strategy would not work in high school, and I had to adapt to a more “normal” balanced schedule of working a little bit each day.

I still feel like my “dream” lifestyle would be to get everything done as soon as it comes up so I never have anything on my plate for too long before it gets completed, but I know that’s not realistic with the amount of schoolwork I have and other things I’m involved in. I think this mindset can be toxic since you feel like you have to be working super hard for long stretches of time, which can turn out counterproductive since it easily burns you out.

However, from personal experience I know it can be difficult to shift away from this mindset. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that life is not all or nothing. There are tons of shades of grey in between, if you will, and it’s all about making the most of your time each day. Don’t feel pressured to dive into things immediately- it’s okay to just dip your toe in at first. I’m sorry for all the cheesy mixed metaphors, but it’s the best way for me to relay what I’m trying to say.

Instead of worrying about going full out on things, start with what you need to get done in the moment/that day. Then, you can spend more time on or pay more attention to detail with a few things after you’ve gotten everything that you needed to done. Just remember to be gentle with yourself and don’t stress yourself out. The all or nothing mindset may work for some people, but it definitely weighs down your mental state over time.

I hope this helped some of you out who have gone through similar things with your mindset. Remember that different things work for different people, and some people may be able to productively utilize this mindset without a problem. Let me know if you have any questions as always 🙂

Brooke

Wanting to Feel Good About Yourself? Read This

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

So, you want to feel good about yourself. That’s why you clicked on this, right? Well, let me tell you something. I know it may feel like you need some validation right now, in order to feel important and wanted. However, you are amazing on your own, without needing me to tell you so. I know it feels nice to be appreciated and recognized by others, which is why I’m telling you this. But you don’t need me to compliment you, to say nice things, because those aspects of you that I’m complimenting were already there before I said anything about them.

You are powerful, you are beautiful, and you are loved. You are blessed to be here in this moment, reading this, because it has brought you to a space of positivity and self-love. I am proud of you for taking the first steps to truly being kind to yourself, whether you’ve just started this journey or you’ve been on this road for quite a long time. Your life so far has led you up to this point, making the effort to feel good about yourself. Be grateful that you’re here, going in such a positive direction.

More than anything, soak in this moment. Look- it’s already gone.

Brooke

All About My Internship! – My Experience With RaiseMe

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I recently finished off being an ambassador intern for RaiseMe, an organization that allows you to input your academic and extracurricular achievements to earn mini-scholarships for college with their partner schools. I did their fall/winter internship term from about October to the middle of January, and I really enjoyed it. If you’re interested in learning more about the program, keep on reading.

I applied for the internship at the beginning of the school year after receiving an email from RaiseMe (I had already been a member and inputting my grades/stuff in there for a while since my school suggests it) that applications were currently open. It was a pretty straightforward application- I don’t remember it exactly, but it had the typical fields of contact information and a few short answer questions about you and your interests.

In a few weeks, I received an email that I had been accepted into the program. There was a conference call to kick it off, and the communications manager of RaiseMe sent all of the interns some files and presentations to look through regarding our responsibilities. It was a fairly small time commitment, with one conference call every month of the internship to come together, contributing to the Slack group, and submitting two articles over the entire internship and two “activities” each month of the internship. Every month, a new email would be sent out with suggestions for article topics and activities, and we would have to submit our article ideas before actually submitting the articles, and submit each activity report by the end of the month.

The articles would be considered for publication on RaiseMe’s blog, which is shared with all RaiseMe users (about 2 million people, last time I checked), and one of my articles got chosen! I posted about it yesterday, but you can check out the article on their blog here. That was definitely the highlight of the internship for me. Again, it was a fairly low-key experience and I probably put about 2-3 hours per month into the work I was doing for RaiseMe. It was fulfilling to communicate with people working for RaiseMe and promote the company, but it wasn’t a super big commitment that I can gush about, just because of its brevity.

Another perk of the internship was we got sent a package of RaiseMe swag! We could distribute it to our schools if we chose to, or keep some for ourselves. There were a bunch of pens, stickers, and some pamphlets/guides about RaiseMe and other college advice. I gave most of it to people at my school, but I kept a bunch of the pens. It was pretty cool to receive the package though- I felt like an Instagram influencer.

If you have any further questions about RaiseMe or their internship program, let me know! They’re probably starting another internship term, so I recommend making an account and keeping an eye out for that if you’re interested. Their website has a helpful college search tool as well, so I recommend using it for your own research.

Brooke

Read My Article on RaiseMe’s Blog

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Today I have exciting news- if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’d know that I was a RaiseMe ambassador doing an informal internship from October until the middle of January. If you want to know more about what RaiseMe is and how I got the internship, you should check out the posts I wrote about it a few months ago in my archives. To explain it briefly, RaiseMe is a website where you can import your grades and activities from high school to earn mini-scholarships towards their partner colleges.

As a part of my internship, I had to submit a minimum of two articles that would be considered for publication on RaiseMe’s blog, with a possible audience/network of about 2 million users. They didn’t notify me formally that one of the articles I submitted would be used, but a few days ago I was surprised with a standard promotion email from RaiseMe…with a link to my article in it!!

This article is actually an article that I posted on my blog as well (with permission, as RaiseMe encouraged their ambassador interns to post their work on other forms of social media), so you should go check it out if you haven’t already. If you want to read it on RaiseMe’s blog, check it out here.

I’m so happy to have my work published by a legit organization, and I hope my advice reaches lots of other teens out there. I will be posting about my internship experience as a whole soon now that it’s over, so look out for that if you’re interested!

Brooke