Tag: Shine Text

So There's That Series

So There’s That Vol. 25

Amanda

{Sort of like  a “Friday Five”  or a “Life Lately” except it’s probably not Friday, and I gave up on the idea of a catchy alliteration. These are some bits and pieces of my not-so-glam 20-something life. See past posts HERE}

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Gearing up for Fall…

I am usually annoyed at people who proclaim September 1 as the first day of fall. But I am just SO READY for it this year! I will also never understand why being obsessed with fall seems to infect ALL WOMEN, but it does, it really does. I’m basic, and not even ashamed.

Sawyer June

Sorry for the spam of baby pictures but Sawyer June is growing so fast and I miss her so much!

The Teacher

I shared this on my Facebook a few weeks ago, but I just had to include it again. If any regular readers still don’t know why I fell in love with Manhattan, KS, just read this.

Bill and I actually have something in common, because my first visit was also on a cold December day and the kindness of the people I met is something that has always stuck with me. I left knowing that it was where I needed to be.

At the very least, if you are a sports fan, this is still worth your time to read.

Article here —> https://www.theplayerstribune.com/bill-snyder-kansas-state-the-teacher/amp/

In Case You Missed It On the Blog in August

  1. Love Letter: To Those With Hometown Roots and Wandering Souls
  2. #MeganFINALLYGoestoOregon Part 1: Hermiston
  3. #MeganFINALLYGoestoOregon Part 2: The Cabin
  4. Summer 2017: Top 10
  5. Best Day Ever – Show and Tell Tuesday

Eagle Creek Fire in Oregon

Saved this as a screenshot from Facebook… but I can’t remember the source. Sorry!

Not to downplay anything related to Hurricane Harvey and Irma, whatsoever, but fewer people are aware that Oregon is hurting quite a bit too lately (as is much of the west!) because of a fire in the Columbia River Gorge that now covers an estimated 37,500 acres and is only 13 percent contained. The fire has changed the landscape of so many beautiful natural landmarks and treasures, some to the point that they will never again look the same during my lifetime.

Its been a rough couple of weeks all around, folks.

Motivation from Filly Flair

Growing up with a grandma and mom who own their own business, I have always had a special place for women entrepreneurs. Maybe a little less than a year ago, one of my friends told me about an online clothing boutique out of South Dakota, called Filly Flair, that I should check out. I am now a super fan and customer, but lately I also started followed the company’s owner on Instagram and have really enjoyed her overall message and transparency. So I wanted to share a little video that they recently posted about her and the company. I’d recommend it if you need a little motivation today. And no, this is totally not an ad of any kind, but hey Filly Flair hit me up! 🙂

K-State Capital Area Alumni

Recently I joined the planning committee for the K-State Capital Area Alumni group and my new job is handling social media (big surprise there!) We just kicked off our football watch party season, so I’ve already been all over our Facebook page and also started up our own Instagram account. We’re at @kstatecapitalalumni if you want to check it out.

But really though, making images with K-State purple and football? That will never get old.

The Power of Rituals and 6 Other Ways to Get in The Zone

My Shine Texts are always on the money for what I need to hear, EVERY SINGLE DAY. Habits and routines that help my productivity and focus have definitely been a struggle point for me for a while. This article lays it all out in a way that makes sense to me. Now to just better implement those things…

Article —> https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/7-ways-to-guarantee-youll-have-a-productive-day/?utm_source=Shine&utm_medium=BroadcastMain

Out and About

A few snippets (and Snapchats) of life lately.

My Life in Memes

Memes that are speaking to me right now… both thought provoking and just plain funny.

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So, There’s That.

Cheers!

So There's That Series

So There’s That Vol. 24

Amanda

{Sort of like  a “Friday Five”  or a “Life Lately” except it’s probably not Friday, and I gave up on the idea of a catchy alliteration. These are some bits and pieces of my not-so-glam 20-something life. See past posts HERE}

Catching up again before I go home for some vacation time! Stay tuned… there will be lots of posts and pictures to share later in August!

Sawyer June

My new baby cousin Sawyer June joined the family on July 13 and I wrote this little love letter to her that you can read here.

Since then, my favorite Snapchats and texts are ones with her little face in them. I am SO EXCITED to finally get to meet her in 3 DAYS!

National Harbor

A few weekends ago in July, this guy and I spent a lazy Sunday exploring National Harbor (which is maybe 25 minutes south of where I live.) We had a great day window shopping, people watching and of course trying some yummy food and drinks. I had never been down there before and didn’t know there was so much! Definitely a place to keep in mind for a staycation.

Write It Like a Love Letter

http://allisonfallon.com/love-letter/

Almost everything that this gal writes leaves me deep in thought and shaking my head in strong agreement. She describes a relationship with words and writing that I’ve always sought after and this piece linked above discusses approaching writing in a way that I really understand. If writing isn’t your interest, keep moving, but if it is, I’d suggest reading this.

New Hair

The hair was getting a bit unhealthy so it was about time for a major chop. To be honest, I’m not in love with it when I wearing my natural curl (not pictured), but it does feel a lot healthier and it will grow back!

Chris Stapleton

Since I moved to the DC area 2.5 years ago, Chris Stapleton has performed nearby TWICE while I was out of town for work. He has been at the top of my “must-see” list for a while now, so when my friend Emily said he was performing at Jiffy Lube Live the night before I went on a work trip, there was no way I was missing out again.

Friends, I spent the next couple of days DEAD TIRED, but it was SO WORTH IT.

The sign of a great artist is when they sound better live than they do on their album. I am so glad that Emily was fangirling as much as me, because we both could hardly make it through one song without talking about how good he was again. If you are a fan, I highly recommend seeing him in concert!

Right as the opening song began, it started to DOWNPOUR for about 5 minutes or so, and then stopped. We huddled under my blanket that was waterproof on one side and turned out about the best we could.

Staying Present

Earlier this month I shared some thoughts on “Staying Present.” I can’t say that I am a pro at it, but thinking out loud like that has certainly help me be a bit more intentional and self-disciplined.

I also shared about how awesome getting “Shine Texts” are, and had SO MANY people tell me that they signed up for them because of my post! Enjoy!

Fist Bumps

I couldn’t get this video from CNN to embed correctly but if you need a smile today, I definitely suggest clicking the link below. Too cute!

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Utah – Ag Media Summit


I failed to get any pictures with other humans, but the location for this year’s Ag Media Summit was not too shabby. I am not a winter sports gal, but I would definitely return to Snowbird, UT, for the views alone.

New Music from Logan Mize

My favorite artist FINALLY has a new full album out! You can bet I listened to it 3 times through before 10 am on its release day last week. The song above is my favorite so far but they are all so good. I lost count of how many of his shows I saw in college (5 or 6??) so I want him to come to the DC area so bad!

Visitor


I have been practically counting down the seconds to my vacation for a while now so it was nice to see a familiar face from Eastern Oregon last week to hold me over. Beth has been a high school ag teacher and FFA adviser from another school in my home FFA district since I was probably in middle school. Since my own Dad was an ag teacher for 14 years, many other Oregon ag teachers tend to be family friends. Beth was always so kind and supportive to me as a student, so when she was in town with kids to attend the Washington Leadership Conference, I was happy that we had the chance to chat a bit over dinner.

I also tagged along when her group visited the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. I have been a lot of places in DC but this was actually a first for me, which is a bit embarrassing since it is only about 4 miles from my apartment!

Out and About

A few snippets (and Snapchats) of life lately.


My favorite little guy Wesley Ray is getting a baby sister in December!

My Life in Memes

Memes that are speaking to me right now… both thought provoking and just plain funny.

**********

So, There’s That.

Cheers!

Thoughts and Lessons Learned

Staying Present

Amanda

Sometime last year, my best friend Megan told me about a daily inspirational text service called “Shine Text” that she subscribed to for free. Essentially everyday at whatever time you designate, you get a text with a short motivational message that focuses on one of the focus-areas that you indicated you were interested in when you signed up. It also usually includes a fun image/meme and links to articles and videos that further discuss the topic and provide action steps and advice.

Is it sort of cheesy? Definitely. But I do believe in the power of positive thinking, and with so many negative distractions that most of us have to overcome or try to ignore from day to day, trying to make a habit of reading my Shine Text each day is a goal that really has improved my attitude and mood.

Last month I received the image above and this message below, that has REALLY stuck with me lately:

“Our minds are expert time-travelers; bypassing the present to harp on the past or future 47% of the time… We get so caught up in the shams and delusions of the mind that we miss reality – what is happening now and here.”

The concept on focusing on what’s right in front of us and not dwelling on the past or anticipating what is to come too much, is not new. But lately it is something that I have struggled with a bit, so this Shine Text was perfectly timed.

I’ve always struggled with having too-specific expectations for things to come, and then have to deal with being very disappointed when it doesn’t turn out the way I thought it would. So regardless if the present is still good and positive, I sometimes miss out on appreciating those moments because I am stuck being upset about how it didn’t turn out instead. Another thing is that often, while I am counting down to something that I am looking forward too, I will measure the time based on all of the things both at home and work that have to be done in the meantime. This affects my attitude toward my “present” and belittles other day-to-day moments that deserve their own spotlight. Not that its bad to be excited for something in the future, but this is definitely different then setting a goal or even daydreaming about what we hope for.

I think these are easy patterns to fall into that are sometimes harder to identify. The Shine Text also shared this article, “3 Simple Steps to Stop Mental Time Traveling,” which didn’t necessarily present any groundbreaking advice, but instead broke down the challenge in a practical way that is a great reminder for how to approach each day.

I am a very observant and intuitive person. I know that those are two of my strengths, so I know that I am at my best when I shift my attention to the present moment, whatever that might be.

Being present makes me better appreciate what I have, rather than dwell on what I think I might want. It encourages me to get to the gym and say yes to spontaneous girl’s day trips. It helps me be more intentional with my conversations and commitments, and how I invest in “my people.” It makes me less anxious about what is ahead and better able to go with the flow. And it makes me notice the little moments like a stranger letting me use the last washer in the community laundry room, a new favorite jam or a flirty wink from my boyfriend.

Being present is better.

How do you focus on being more present?

And because this was a more word heavy post, here’s a jam that I have had on repeat lately. This is the slower version, but the upbeat version is great too!

Cheers!