Self Esteem.
Before you all have sigh a huge sigh of relief, I want to tell you that this something that needs to be talked about. And it needs to be talked about often.
I like to consider myself a confident person. Yet, there are many times that I am quite difficult on myself. I am my own worst critic. I find that I am looking at all of the negative aspects about myself rather than positive ones. I, sometimes, tend to notice things about myself that other people don't even see. I am so hard on myself, and I see so many other women being hard on themselves as well.
This needs to stop! So, let's talk about what we can do to help our self esteem. These are five things I have found that have helped me when I am struggling with my confidence.
1. Embrace being alone.
Often times, I find that being alone can sometimes be damaging. Alone time can sometimes lead to negative thoughts. If I could say anything about this aspect, it would be that when you are alone, enjoy it. Spend that time to write, to ponder, and to grow. A confident woman is someone who can do things alone and enjoy it.
2. For every negative thought, give yourself five compliments.
As a child growing up, my mother would make me say five nice things to my brother for every one mean thing I said to him. I hated it. But now looking back, I think it's brilliant. We have this concept of negative "Self talk" that gets into our brains often. Every time you find yourself saying something negative or mean about yourself, automatically say five things that you love about yourself. It seems awkward at first, but I promise, it works.
3. Do something every day for yourself.
Go to the gym, take a walk outside, go to yoga, read a book, write on your blog, cook, etc. Do something everyday that makes you feel good about yourself; something that you truly enjoy. You need to remember through your crazy lives of children, jobs, husbands, school, etc. that you need to do something just FOR YOU. Building those "happy moments"--that's what I like to call them, helps you become a more whole and confident person. 4. Do not compare yourself.
This one is the most challenging, in my opinion. We live in a world that is constantly comparing--our income, our homes, our bodies, etc. We each have different bodies, different struggles, and different strengths. Do not compare your weaknesses to other peoples' strengths.
5. Remember Who You Are.
Remember that you are a wonderful person. You are loved by God. You have so many wonderful aspects about yourself. Even if you don't believe in God or a higher power, always believe that you are a special person with wonderful gifts and talents. Always remember that.
Two years. T Money and I have been married for two years. Where in the world does time go? It is amazing how fast time flies. The second year of marriage was even better than the first. I feel like we didn't really get a "hold" on things until this past year. As always, we are still learning new things everyday about us, marriage, and life. I am grateful to have this hilarious, patient, loving man by my side. I mean, what kind of husband writes this sweetest letter to his wife?!
Pictures from our perfect wedding day. July 27, 2013.
Last year, I interviewed him with these questions on our anniversary. I thought that it would be fun to ask him the exact same questions (with a few added at the end!). It was so funny to see his responses. I had to probe him to get a little more in-depth responses. He's really good at having two word answers. Typical male. ;). He was currently wandering around the house doing dance moves while answering these questions. He is ridiculous. I married a twelve year old. My responses are in parentheses. Note: These are his responses EXACTLY. I didn't change one word.
What is your full name? Tell me a little bit about yourself.
2014: Mark Tanner Charlesworth. Age 23. Married. 6'3''. Incredibly Good Looking with chiseled muscles.
2015: Mark Tanner Charlesworth. My name is Tanner and I like to party. I like to do stuff outdoors.
What is your current job?
2014: I'm in school full time during the year, but I am the Assistant Race Director for Epic Relays."
2015: The Color Run. But I'm kind of on the market, so if you know of anything, let me know! I am also a wellness advocate for Doterra. (If you need oils, let him know!!!)
What are you going to school for?
2014:I am getting my Accounting degree with a pre-dental minor, with the goal of going to Dental School. My dream school for dental is OHSU in Portland.
2015: Marketing and Business Management. (He has, clearly, changed his major and we have decided together to take a different route for his career! Only two more years of his undergraduate. We got this! Ha.)
What was your first impression of Sierra (me)?
2014: I thought, 'This girl is crazy, but she's pretty.' You made me play a stupid envelope game. I didn't know anyone there. It was the most stupid game ever. (I thought the same thing about him)
2015: Who is this girl? She's a bossy pants. (hahahaha)
How accurate do you now think your impression of Sierra was? On which counts do you think you were totally wrong and on which were you right?
2014: Yep, she is crazy. But also pretty. (Ya win some, ya lose some).
2015: She's still bossy, but mostly in a good way. (Oh gee, thanks.)
How many kids do you do want?
2014: No more than 4. But I am not ready for kids; a wife is enough to handle for now." (HEY!)
2015: 2 at the least, 4 at the most. I want boys and girls. One girl and one boy sounds perfect to me.
What is your favorite food?
2014: Pizza. Fire baked pizza, specifically. My favorite restaurant is Pizzeria 712 because, well, it's the most amazing pizza in the world." (Seriously…I'm drooling now just thinking about it.)
2015: Pizza and hot wings. But I'm kind of a food nerd, so my tastes vary drastically. (All he ever wants is Pizza. Always. It's so annoying.)
What do you fear the most?
2014: Bees. F*** Bees. (It's the funniest thing in the world. He will jump off cliffs, go bungee jumping, but he sees a Bee and FREAKS).
2015: Bees. F Bees. (LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME RESPONSE AS LAST YEAR. He hates them so bad. It's so funny.)
What are your 5 favorite hobbies?
2014: Rock climbing, fishing, watching/playing sports, reading, playing music.
2015: Fishing, rock climbing, hunting, playing sports, watching sports. (Ha. Seems familiar.)
What is your dream vacation and why?
2014: "I have a lot of dream vacations, right now it's Thailand because I want to hold a tiger. And they have really good rock climbing."
2015: Croatia. No, I don't know. Alaska. So I can shoot a freaking big bear.
Describe yourself in 5 adjectives.
2014: Loud, Energetic, Awesome, Intelligent, Athletic. "(He could make a list of fifteen, cocky son of a….. I could add some words, too…)
2015: Awesome, Energetic, Funny, Cool, The Coolest. (Still humble…)
What is your favorite movie of all time and why?
2014: Top Gun. Because my grandpa was a fighter pilot for the Navy. I watched it so much as a little kid, I wore the VHS out."(Plus he looks exactly like Iceman/Val Kilmer! Seehere. It's creepy.)
2015:Top Gun. Because my grandpa was a fighter pilot so I grew up watching it. (haha exact same answer.)
Can you give me a mock session of how you would discuss sex education when you have a child?
2014: I will give my sons the same advice my father gave me: 'Keep the pecker in the pants, boy.' My daughters will wear chastity belts. That's it. Sierra can do the rest. (Awesome. Thanks, babe.)
2015: Keep the pecker in the pants. [Smiles. Shrugs.] And, it would depend on the child. (Clearly he needs to expand his sex education knowledge and vocabulary.)
If you won the lottery, what are the first three things you would do/buy?
2014:
1. Build a house with land.
2. Buy a tiger and/or leopard…maybe some wolves (he is grinning at me right now)
3. Live off of the interest and not let anyone know I was rich. My kids will earn their keep.
2015
1. Pay off my house.
2. Start a french fry food truck business (he is quite determined to do this).
3. Put away the rest.
If your house was on fire and you had a chance to grab only five things before leaving, they would be…
2014: My wife, my dog, my guns, my guitars, and my laptop.
2015: My wife because she is going to be passed out panicking (Rude! But true), Saylor the dog would get herself (she would follow us out.) (Again, true.) So I would get my guns, my laptop…that's kind of all I would grab. There's not enough time to grab five things.
If you believed in reincarnation, what would you come back as?
2014: That's simple…my spirit animal clearly is a Jaguar." (I am dying right now. What a nerd).
2015: A freaking awesome big cat like a lion or a leopard. (He loves big cats.)
Best Decision you ever made?
2014: The haircut I got today. Just kidding. Marrying my wife. That's a trick question. I can't say anything else, but I wouldn't say anything else. Cause I loooooove you (He sang that to me. awwww).
2015: Um…moving to Portland. Because I would never have met my wife if I didn't move there.
And….I am going to add a couple of questions every year.
What is one thing that you have learned about or from marriage?
2015: Everyone needs alone time, even extroverts (he's an extrovert.)
What is your most unique trait?
2015:
I hate talking about myself. Being freaking awesome.
Me: No, really. Answer the question!!!
Tanner: Ummmmmm, my inventiveness. I always have a thousand ideas.
One quality you want your children to possess and that you will focus on teaching them?
2015: Integrity. Because the world is going to shit and we need some good people in it. You can quote on me that. (hahahaha)
What was your favorite part about the wedding?
2015: The sex afterwards. (Oh, awesome.)
----------
This was so fun to do and to see how similar most of his responses are. Well, at least we know he is consistent. That's one thing that I love about him.
And, just for fun, let's show my wedding video. And the slideshow that was played at our wedding. Huzzah!
Happy 2nd Anniversary, T Money. Here's to millions more!
What else do you want to know about Tanner? Any questions you would add or want to know?
Here's how my LDS Temple Challenge works: I am trying to visit (and do a session) in as many temples as I can throughout my lifetime. Ideally, I would like to visit every temple in Utah before Summer 2016, which is possible, but definitely a challenge (especially once the school year starts--because there are 15 in Utah right now--17 by the end of next year). This summer was a great time to start to this goal of mine.
I grabbed my sister in law and we went to the Jordan River LDS Templein South Jordan, Utah this past week. This temple was the 20th operating temple ever and you can definitely tell when you step in it. It was erected in 1979, and you can feel the early 80's vibe to it. I love the simple, small celestial room with the retro gold chandelier. It is, like all temples, very beautiful, but in a unique sense.
I got to experience this temple with my sister in law, Kimmy. When we walked into the temple, the workers looked at us and at our names and said, "You two are sisters, huh?" I think it's hilarious that I look more like my sister in law then my own siblings!
Note: the lighting was HORRIBLE at this time. So bear with me on these photos.
Love the view of the mountains. It was a cloudy day so the mountains aren't as "bright".
viaInstagram.(You can't see the temple, but it's all good. You get the idea!)
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#CycleSurvival #CollectiveBias Y'all ready for this? ;)
I go back into to my class in a little over two weeks. This gives me a little bit of anxiety because, as a teacher, I hate to see summer coming to an end. Of course, I love to meet my new students, but the idea of "Back to School" makes me a little anxious. I am not ready to say goodbye to summer yet.
"Cycle Survival" can sometimes not be the most fun thing in the world. Period symptoms are not very fun, I will tell you that much. But there are so many remedies nowadays that can help with this process, and for that, I am VERY grateful! I always keep a little basket of Survival Supplies for me (and for my girl students if they need!) just in case. Teaching 6th grade means you get to watch out for the girls in this manner!
Sometimes it is challenging to deal with these side effects. Yet, there are also so many POSITIVE aspects of being a woman. I always remind myself how grateful I am for the opportunity to have things that help me every month, instead of just living in pain constantly. I am grateful that I can have supplies that make me feel more confident as I deal with this process every month!
My Cycle Survival Supplies usually rotate in and out, but there are always three products that are constantly repeated:
U by Kotex CleanWear® by U
BiC Shaving Products
EOS Lip Balm
The U by Kotex CleanWear® has protection, but it doesn't even feel like you are wearing anything, that is why I love them so much!! It has a 3d Capture so you don't have to deal with embarrassing period stories (Oh my…I can't even begin to tell you some of mine) while being very comfortable.
I usually add in some Excedrin Migraine (because headaches and migraines always come during the special time of month) and a yummy treat. Pop Tarts are perfect to have in the basket in my classroom because I can warm them up in my faculty room. And is it just me or do we all need a little something sweet during those "sweet times." ;)
I keep all of these products in a cute little basket in a cupboard in my classroom. It is the perfect little "Cycle Survival Kit" for me during the school day. I add in some tampons in case the girls need to use them as well.
You can find these products in the "feminine care" aisle at your local Walgreens.
You can find these two products in the "shaving" and "travel size" aisle at your local Walgreens.
As of right now, if you buy $15 of participating U by Kotex / EOS / BIC products, you will receive 3,000 Balance Reward Points at Walgreens. I currently have ten dollars to spend at my local Walgreens because of my rewards points card!
You can find more inspirational and awesome posts about Cycle Survivalhere.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Back2SchoolReady #CollectiveBias I teach 6th grade. You should all know this by now. I find that I am constantly reading a "6th grade book" to keep myself updated on popular books that the kids like to read. Such is the life of a teacher. I wanted to share with you some of my (and my students') favorite books.
1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Wonder is a HUGE hit with my students and it has been for the past few years. Auggie is a boy who has a unique facial deformity. This book is about his experience in his first time in a public school and the trials he goes through. This book really sticks out to the hearts of my students. We talk about being different and being kind while reading this.
2. Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles
This book is definitely more for my 6th grade girls, but it is a wonderful book about a girl named Ruby who goes to live with her grandmother on a farm. Ruby is left alone in this small town, learning to fend for herself.
3. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Literally one of the greatest books I have ever read, even as an adult. Out of My Mind is a novel about a girl who has Cerebral Palsy. She cannot speak and the book is from her point of view. You will cry, laugh, and touch you and your students' hearts.
4. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Do I even need to explain this book? This book changed my life in 6th grade and I try to read it every year to my student's because it is deep, introspective and amazing.
5. False Prince Series Book 2: Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen.
This book is about a boy who is impersonating a king's lost son and four orphans are recruited to compete for the role as king. My students LOVE this book--both boys and girls.
And I want you to know that, for this specific book, you can get it onlineright now just by simply buying a cereal. I am using my Kellogg's Reward Points to build my classroom library. Teachers, you can accumulate as many books as you can via this Kellogg's offer.You could also get your students on board to fill the classroom library by redeeming the offer below. I am constantly building my classroom library and this is the perfect way to do this!
Step One:
Go to your local Walmart to purchase the following products in the Cereal Aisle. Look for the "Scholastic Free Book" logo on the front and back.
Step Two:
Go to www.freekbookoffers.com
(There are 3 ways you can upload your receipt, via text, via scanning into your computer or Kellogg's Family Reward app - only when you purchase ONLINE between 7/21 - 9/11. Also remember that in order to redeem codes, you must create a Kellogg's Family Rewards account first.)
Step Three:
Click on "See All Books". I clicked on "Tween/Teen" books and saw one of my favorites, The False Prince.
Step Four:
Click on the book that you want. Remember that 1 Kellogg's product = 1 free, full-length Scholastic book, and each person can redeem up to 30 books. Enter the code that is found with your product.
Step Five:
Order your free book!!!
All of your codes must be entered by 3/31/16. All books will be mailed to you or wherever you choose to donate free of charge. The official timeline for books to arrive is 6-8 weeks (even though most come much sooner). You can also donate any books to this site as well!
Be sure to check out more books available via this Kellogg's offer here. I'd love to hear your favorite book offered! #Back2SchoolReady Consumers can also buy directly on Walmart.com and receive a free book from purchases made between 7/21/15 and 9/11/15. Look for Buy Now button atwww.walmart.com/KelloggsBackToSchoolBooks for a list of all eligible items. Ecommerce redemptions are made via receipt scanning. Full details on site above.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PetsLoveBeyond #CollectiveBias
1. It's fun to spoil a dog.
See, with kids you can kind of spoil them, but not really, because you don't want them to be brats. But with dogs, you can spoil them as much as you want. You can give them treats and cuddles and let them sit on your lap in the car. It's like being a grandma except this "kid" doesn't talk back. I love spoiling Saylor with Purina® Beyond®Grain Free pet food. She LOVES the Ranch Raise Lamb recipe because, well, MEAT! Because of her mix, she is allergic to grain (diva) so we love to give her this food that doesn't upset her stomach and this works great. It has allnatural ingredients and includes real meat--which is Saylor's favorite.
H-E-B is my preferred retailer for Purina® Beyond® Grain Free Dog Food. You can find this product in the "Dry Dog Food" Aisle of your local H-E-B. Mine was located at the top of the shelf.
2. Sometimes dogs are cuter than kids.
I mean, come on, guys. Let's be real here for a second. There are a LOT of beautiful children (AKA anyone in my family…duh), but there are also some really unfortunate looking children. As of right now, I don't know if I'm willing to take the chance of having an ugly kid, people. Because it could happen. If that child gets Tanner's teeth with my mouth…not good. Anywho, you can choose a dog that is as adorable as Saylor. She's a mini aussie doodle and she's kind of the prettiest dog out there.
3. Dogs love you more than anything.
I leave the house to take the garbage out and I come back in and she's just as excited to see me as if I left for ten hours. I can't tell you how awesome it is to have an animal adore you no matter what you do. It's amazing.
4. You have an excuse to get outside.
I love having a dog because even if I don't have time to do an excessive hike or go to the gym, I always walk my dog. She loves to be outside so I get that time to walk her and get some fresh air myself. I love having a buddy that goes on hikes, walks, and hangs outside with me when I'm reading in my hammock.
5. It brings your family closer together.
I know this sounds weird, but Saylor has brought us closer. We love to take her on walks together, we love to play with her. I swear…42% of our conversations revolve around having a dog. (I didn't know you could talk about a dog's poop so much?). She is so fun to have around. If you have kids, the kids all play with her together. It was so funny to watch all of my nieces and nephews play with her this past week. They all wanted to give her commands, lay on her, play fetch with her.
I mean, hello. Dogs are the best (specifically, Saylor.)
Yes, I know. Go have a kid. blah blah blah.
What Grain Free dog fooddo you use for your favorite furry friend? :)
What are some other reasons why you love your dog?
