1. Life is short and you are old
2. So live it and treat yourself well

Only the first days back and I'm already exhausted. I'm on autopilot again and it sucks. Thank god for long weekends though. I finally (after 5 semesters of college) have no Friday classes so I'm in Austin already after taking the bus yesterday afternoon. Nothing too exciting going on this weekend aside my cousin's house-hunting. Ack, you know you're an adult when your conversations are about jobs, houses and marriages. At least I can break out my inner HGTV-nerd!



1. Nobody wants to say they're a quitter but there are just some things you have to quit. Personally, the biggest point I have to work on from this list was comparison. It's hard for me to remember that people are different! Bodies are different! Minds are different! Souls are different! We each have our own struggles; no one person follows the same path. It's like comparing apples to cheese--both completely different, yet equally wonderful. I am only losing in life if I think it's a competition. Instead, I need to look at people with an open heart. Relish in the fact that only I am seeing through my eyes. It's a humbling to know that you are 1 of over 7 billion fleeting human beings.
2. I consider myself a well-seasoned traveler. As a Filipino, however, I'm a terrible packer. My mom can work magic and fit a gajillion things into one box. It's craaazy. Typically, I use a strange combination of folding + rolling + stuffing but even that fails. I saw this cute, quick video on the timeless rolling vs folding  debate that hopefully helps me in the future. The more you know...

3. If you've been too down on yourself this past week, take a look at this list to fight those nagging self-hate thoughts. Don't forget to treat yourself with compassion too, okay?

4. As much as we can blame society for our social media addictions, we are at fault too. We've abused the Internet to the point of anxiety. If I'm not wasting time on my computer, I'm wasting time on my phone. Mindless scrolling and skimming, comparing myself to the "better" lives of others... Seriously, why do we do this to ourselves? I've contemplated deleting my Facebook and Twitter accounts but always come up with a good excuse to avoid it. Maybe 2016 will finally be the year I take charge of my life and do so.

5. In Memory of Alan Rickman - Every Snape Scene from the HP Movies -- I woke up on Thursday morning crushed to hear the news of Alan Rickman's death. I knew him as Professor Severus Snape on Harry Potter. Though this was just one of many characters he played, Alan Rickman embodied Snape for me. He helped make the movies worthy of the books. Honestly, it frightening when celebrities you grew up with start passing away. This just serves as another reminder as to how fast life is. Chills, always. 

Questions:
Where do you stand on the packing debate?
Are there any habits your want to quit?
What makes you feel old or like life if flying by?

I'm soaking up the last few days of Winter Break before it's time for the "real-world" to kick in again. *Insert heavy sigh here* I am still attempting to tackle the looming list of things I said I would do over the break. Get a headstart on my senior project, reply to emails, decorate my new room, clean up my laptop... You get the picture: No. Work. Was. Done.

Luckily, I am visiting my cousins in Austin this weekend! Or maybe not so luckily as it'll just put me back into vacation mode all over again. But in all honesty, I'm excited for this semester! A lot of busying things are coming up already in January alone. My Google calendar and new planner (aka my BFFs) are filling up!

On a completely different note, I have a very serious question to ask: Am I the only one who doesn't eat cottage cheese with fruit?! Even the thought of having with syrupy peaches gives me the hibbie jibbies! Growing up, my dad would have a glob with barbeque and I have followed suit. Basically, for me, cottage cheese is very much a savory ingredient. It makes a delicious snack when topped with spices (my favorite is z'atar) served alongside bread.

Given the tub of cottage cheese sitting in our refrigerator, I knew I had to try these Polish lidnivikis, another not-sweet take. Though the tag-line advertises them as "lighter, fluffier" versions of regular pancakes, mine came out hearty, dense & a tad messy. But delicious nonetheless! If this isn't enough to make you jump on the cottage cheese bandwagon, I don't know what is.


Questions:
- What method do you use to organize your life? 
- Do you like your cottage cheese savory or sweet?
- How is Month 1 of 2016 treating you?

And just like that we're a week into 2016. As with most new years, I can't help but take a look back. Though I say this every year, this past year was a game-changer. It was the year I accepted myself (including my ED) and learned to love myself. It was the year I explored 5 other states. It was the first year I spent the holidays in the US. It was a year of honestly and it was a year of growth to say the least. So, here's a glimpse into my past self, the squirmy baby to the awkward brace face and finally the most recent picture of me at Christmas.




Though I don't really make strict clear-cut New Year Resolutions as it has often led to feelings of disappointment in the past, I thought it would be a neat idea to outline where I want my ED recovery to go in this year. In no particular order, here are the things I want to work on in the upcoming months:

• Weight Restoration! Hopefully alongside this comes getting my period again (sorry for the TMI) after almost a year & a half
• Intuitive/Mindful Eating -- rebuilding the trust with my body, being able to listen to what I want to eat & when I want to eat it
• Be able to exercise again without going overboard: running with the sun in my face, getting in a relaxing stretch at yoga, attending Zumba classes, going stand-up paddle-boarding, running the Turkey Trot with my cousins, etc etc. 
• Eating at a "normal" pace as to not make others feel awkward eating around me. Not feeling rushed or pressured when time is limited
• Become strong enough in my recovery to share my personal journey and inspire others!