I'm Not A Good Person?

From Fooducate

   I'm often concerned about not being a good person. I think things I should never think, and I know a lot of other people do the same. About people you meet on the street, about people you see on a daily basis ( "What is she wearing?" "Why is her hair like that?" "Why would he wear that cologne?"). But there's something very important you need to understand about this, something that it took me a very long time to realize.
   It's not what you think first that matters, it's what you think second. If you walk around judging people, and you don't think twice about it: you are really a bad person. But if your second thought is something along the lines of "What? She gets to wear what she wants!" "She probably likes having her hair like that." "Maybe his girlfriend bought it for him because she likes the smell", good news: you're not a bad person.
   What we first think about people is often the things we've been conditioned to think. Media often pegs people against eachother, and we're made to think less of others based on shallow things, like their clothes, hair and other things that can be bought, because if we haven't seen commercials about it, and it's expensive as heck, it's clearly not worth it.
   Know that the initial thought you have (and wether you express your first thought or not) doesn't reflect the kind of person you are. It's the thing you think after defines you, if you regret being judgemental without real cause, you're a great person. If you walk around judging people and talking down to them, you have a serious problem and should probably reflect on that.
   What matters is how you treat people, and if you reflect on yourself for those judgemental things you think or say and regret it afterwards. What makes you a good person is being willing to work on yourself, constantly. Being a good person means you have to be able to change, work on the way you view people, media, news and the world. Work on the way you walk, talk and think, and it never stops.
   You're never finished as a person, no matter what you acheive and what you do with your life, you always have something to improve on. The way you speak to other people and the way you speak to yourself should be connected, be kind to everyone around you, including the person in the mirror. You have every right and every reason to improve the way you think, and critiquing the way you think about people is a great way to start.
   Think about the way you speak and think, think nothing about other people without knowing. Let them make their own choices, just like you make yours every day.

Home

   I'm finally home! After a lot of planning to make it possible, and a four hour long train trip, I'm at mom and dad's place. I'm going to be staying at my parents house over the weekend, spending some time with family. I honestly didn't have time to travel (I have tons of stuff to do at the moment) but better to travel now than during exams week. I'm in the middle of deadlines, catching up on the stuff I missed when I was sick, and a ton of other things that should get done, but it's still better to travel now than when I'm in the middle of my exams, powering through on too little sleep and too much caffeine.
   So far I haven't done much around here. I just got back from a small trip to the grocery store with my mom (let me tell you, the center has changed a lot since I moved out!), where I got some snacks for myself, since I still have to do some working/studying while I'm here. It's very hard to get the entire weekend off, but if you're also a student you probably know that.
   I've also played Monopoly with my mom and Erik, my younger brother. I've really missed playing games with my family, we're all quite competitive and the playing tends to become quite passionate and energetic, which is always nice.
   This morning I also enjoyed a short walk in the forest, fall is really here! I saw so many pretty mushrooms it was hard not to take pictures of all of them, but this particular one is my favourite. I really think I should get in more walks/hiking in the forest or otherwise outdoors and outside of the city, because it makes me feel really good.
   I'm still a bit sick, but it's mostly coughing and a sore throat left. I'm hoping to be well by Monday so that I can attend classes as usual the incoming week, my attendance has been spotty lately due to dying of fever and headaches. I'm however not contageous anymore, and I'm feeling good enough to actually stay active throughout the day, though I'm usually exhausted in the evenings.
Greetings from the countryside!

Date Night

   So, yesterday we had our monthly date night. Due to me being insanely busy, and us being on a budget after all, we have a date night once a month instead of the usual every week, an arrangement both of us are very happy with. This date night happens every 18th, and yesterday Theo decided to surprise me with a date at Trattoria Romana, an insanely nice Italian place just down the street from our place.
   While there, I had a amazig Frutti Di Mare pasta, which was both delicious and looked fabulous. I honestly think I'll try it more times, which is a strong compliment considering I'm usually pretty sceptical when it comes to new food, even if I love to try new things. I very rarely find new favorites, but this one was really great.
   We've been together for one year and four months now, which is closing in on the longest relationship I have ever had, and I have never been happier spending that much time with anyone. I think we're a really good fit, and that we work very well together. We are eachother's opposites, but in a very good way. I'm the dreamer, he keeps me grounded and logical. I have all the dreams and the plans, he has the logical way of making all of them work and figuring out all the details to make my head in the clouds dreaming real and acheivable. He makes me take one step at a time when I'm tempted to run without knowing what I might run into.
   I never thought I'd actually find someone who completes me in this way, and I'm slowly starting to realise what people mean with when they call someone "the yin to my yang", because I finally feel like I'm in balance, like something within me that's been missing has been restored. To all of those who spend every day loving someone else unconditionally, I now understand how you can love someone without judgement, scrutiny or pre-structured conditions.
   The person life gives you to spend your time on this globe with is not going to be the person you always imagined. They're going to be so much more than that.

Life Update

   I hope you enjoyed this video, and that you liked Estelle's little guest appearance! Remember to subscribe to my channel by clicking here!

A Weight/Health Update

   So as most of you know by now, if you follow this blog at all, one of the goals I set for myself this year is to start eating healthier, exercising more and to join a gym. All in all: a healthier lifestyle for me. And I can very proudly say that I've gotten some great progress on those goals as of late!
   I have actually managed to loose weight these past few weeks, 1kg to be exact. And I know that's not a lot, or particularly impressive, but since loosing weight is just part of my goal, it makes me really happy. Last week, I paid the fee for the campus gym, for the entire year, and I've gone there once so far (next gym session this Wednesday), and it went surprisingly well. I really like it, although it's pretty small and somewhat crowded.
   I'm also proud to announce that I have gone running in the past week, I started my day today with a yoga/stretching session to let my muscles rest a bit, and I've even planned some swimming into my schedule for the upcoming month, along with more time at the gym and more running.
   I am honestly so proud of myself for this. I've never been the type of person to enjoy exercise very much, except very particular types (horseback riding and walking), and now I find myself having broadened my horizons enough to like things I never though I would, all while treating my body better and feeling a lot better.
   I find myself having more energy, it being easier to get up in the morning, and even yesterday (when Theo was sadly sick with a fever and coughing), I enjoyed working out despite being on my feet taking care of both him, the kitten and all the other things I was supposed to be doing. I have always heard that exercising makes you more energized, but I honestly never thought it could make this much of a difference.
   And to finish this little update, if any of you are wondering about specifik goals regarding my fitness, here's what I have so far:
1. Lose another 8 kilos, which will take me down to the weight I was before I gained weight last year
2. Be able to run 3km without having to start walking as a break
3. Feel happier and more energized throughout the day (acheived)
4. Gain more muscles in my arms, abs and legs

What To Do With Your Life

   Now I'm known for sharing little bits and pieces of the knowledge I've collected during the past 21 years, and here's another piece of that knowledge.
   It took me many many years to figure this out, but it's completely fine to not have everything figured out, to not always know the final step to every action you're doing, just figuring it out from day to day it's perfectly fine. And to be completely honest, it's a really confusing world, and no one really knows what they're doing. There are tons of adults still figuring themselves out, even though we were told our adolescence should be that time in our lives. And being an adult, or a student, or a teenager who hasn't figured out yourself, your life or your future is actually really normal and common.
   People often put on a brave face and pretend to know what they're doing, but I'm here to tell you, that most probably they have absolutely no idea. We're all just out here, winging it. And while that is also scary, I think it's beautiful. We're a planet filled with morons who can't decide what we want to do in life, what we believe in or what we want for ourselves, and that's kind of awesome and hilarious at the same time.
   Just because someone close to you seems to have their life together, accomplishing their goals and doing great, doesn't mean that you are somehow worse because your life hasn't been pieced together yet. You just need to find the right pieces and start building. Just like everyone learns at their own pace, runs their own pace, we also find ourself in a pace that is completely unique, which is why you shouldn't compare yourself to others.
   If you're at a place in life right now, where nothing is making sense, you're confused and seeing other people who seem to know what they're doing; trust me when I say they're probably still confused about a lot of things no matter how perfect their lives seem, and some days, you are that person to someone else, even if you don't feel like it. Trust in yourself, and know that there will be a day where you wonder why you were ever worried.

New Schedule and Working Out Again

   I'm finally piecing my schedule together piece by piece over here, and it's soon all falling into place. I'll be having 3 8 a.m. mornings per week, which is something that I used to hate before going to Husö (where we got up early every single day of the course), but now that I'm used to it I'm actually more open to getting up early, and more of a morning person, how great is that? However, I am confident I'll still look like a trash can (credit to @adamtots on instagram) in the mornings, so if you have classes with me, don't have too high expectations!
   I also registered for the gym, and I'll be getting my gym tag (needed to unlock the door to the gym) tomorrow after my lectures, picking up my ticket for the street festival and going to the doctor's office (don't worry, it's just a checkup, nothing bad). I also went for a run today, for the first time in what feels like forever. It went surprisingly well, I had an average speed of 8,5 km/hour. It really feels great to feel good enough to exercise again, since my mind/stress/body hasn't really allowed me to in a very long time, which is why I'm surprised that I was able to go running at all, and the fact that it went so well was both motivating and a nice surprise to finish an otherwise active day (I walked/ran 10 km altogheter today!).
   Today also marks the third day in a row that I've worked out: a 30 minute home workout with situps and other simple exercises on Saturday, biking 11 kilometres Sunday and then running today. Today was easy though, just 1.5 kilometres.
   But being back into working out feels great, and don't worry, I'll make sure to take enough time to rest inbetween. I honestly can't wait to see the results of this!

My Best Tips For Those Attending/Starting School!

   New video is up! This time it's about the important things to think about when you're attending school. Now, this video is mostly for those attending university or college, but most tips also apply to high school students. Take care, and remember to subscribe by clicking here!

An Update on Estelle

   Our little girl is growing like crazy, she's getting so big (actually, she's still smaller than most almost 4 month old kittens are, but she is growing very quickly). And look at her adorable little face, it's the favorite little face of all my friends at the wine night I hosted yesterday (which was an absolute success, I'll tell you more about that later though).
   But the biggest change in her life the past few days has been the fact that she's gotten to be outside. We finally consider her big enough to go outside with her leash, and she loves the big outside world she now gets to be a part of! Instead of panicking and just laying down whenever we leave the apartment, she actually trots around, smelling leaves and studying her environment, and we're so proud of her!
   However, since she now knows what it's like to be outside, she pretty much only wants to play and be outside all the time. However, she does get to be outside several times a day, and seems pretty satisfied with that.
   She also has yet to grasp the concept of the leash, and often seems to forget that she has it, trying to sprint away before she notices that she can only move as fast as we are, but she's quickly getting better at using the leash as an actual leash. Estelle is actually very comfortable with it though, which was a pleasant surprise when we went outside the first time, and since we both enjoy taking her outside for her tiny walks, she has plenty of outside time to look forward to.
   As for now, Estelle is playing in the apartment with a tiny, pink football Theo got her as a gift when they moved back here in autumn (she loves it, it's a personal favorite toy of hers), rolling around her on the floor with it. Having a pet again is such a joy, I can't believe I used to live without a pet before, and now I can't imagine doing it again. Estelle is such a huge part of our lives now, I don't think we could imagine our lives without her.

A Change in Design (And Life in General)

   So, as you know by reading the headline (and also clicking onto this page in general, if you've been here before) I've decided to do some re-branding. I've changed the blog name to something that suits me better now, since the old name was close to ten years old, decided to put my actual name as the author, and made some changes in color and background. This will also be true for my other social medias, because I've decided to step it up a notch.
   I'm tired of always giving 50%, when I both should and could give 100. I feel so foolish, always walking around in the same circles, getting more and more rooted in boring habits. So guess what, we're taking every opportunity life throws at us and we are not going to let go. We're going all in, and we're not going to give in, not this time.
   I want change, and to be really honest with you, I need change. I need something in my life to be different, and frankly almost anything would do by now, because I'm bored as hell over here. I feel like I could do better in so many ways, regarding so many things, but I don't, and that has to change now for me to be able to keep my sanity.
   But as for the blog, the changes will be as you see them now, small changes in design and the changes in the names, and of course, a more frequent posting from my side. I still have a few small things to change, like profile pictures and so on, but as for now, this is it.
   I honestly feel really great about this change, like I'm turning a page in a very important, intricate book, knowing the next chapter will be better than the one I just finished reading.