Life Update.

Hi guys! As I mentioned in my previous post, I decided to update you all on my life and what I'm up to this summer!

First off, I recently finished my sophomore year in high school. I can easily say that this past school year was a challenge. Not as much as far as my mental health, but more in terms of school works. Having two AP, or college level, courses was really tough. I'm not going to lie about that. But honestly, I'm glad I challenged myself. I know that if I hadn't taken these harder classes I would've gotten a better GPA, but I wouldn't have learned as much as I did. I ended up having a cumulative GPA of 3.88 out of 4, which in my book, is pretty good. I'm proud of myself, for the most part!

Next, I wanted to talk about my mental health. I like to keep you guys updated on this stuff because I don't want to seem like just a girl who blogs, but you know nothing about. If you've read my post Some Good Books, you know that I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, and depression. I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression last summer and fall, but I am out of the situation that I was in. Because of that, I've been feeling a lot better lately. That's not to say I don't get moments, days, or even bad weeks, but it's better. For example, a few weeks ago I broke up with my then boyfriend, which probably sounds dumb, but if you've broken up with someone you know how much it can hurt. It especially hurts when you have to pretend to be okay, you know what I mean? Since then, I've really been trying to work on managing my anxiety and keeping myself busy. Keeping busy works surprisingly well!!

Lastly, I thought I'd tell you guys about what I plan on doing this summer. In short, I want to have adventures. I want to do things I would've never thought about doing. I want to take risks and try saying 'yes' more. I also want to put more value into not always hanging out with my friends. I want to practice having some time to myself to go on a walk or explore the city. I think it's important to be self-aware and love yourself.

I think that's about it! Thank you guys for listening to me ramble on. Let me know what you guys would like to see next week! ♡♡♡

-Emily

Some Good Books.

Hi everybody, hope you're all doing well! I'm currently writing this blog post while in bed listening to Ed Sheeran, so I'm doing well!

Today I wanted to share with you a guys a couple of my book recommendations, because while I love to read, I don't get a lot of time to read, especially in the spring and fall. Winter is the perfect time! 

It's Kind of a Funny Story

Ned Vizzini

I'm currently rereading this book. It's all about a guy named Craig, who suffers from depression, and in the beginning of the book, tries to kill himself; however, he actually ends up checking himself into a hospital instead. I remember liking this book a lot. It talks about mental health and it's disorders in a funny, yet sensitive way. I don't think the issue of mental health disorders is stressed enough, so it's interesting to see how other people view things like depression and anxiety, especially because I suffer from them myself. This book isn't in the least bit boring, and it's a nice, fairly easy read. I think this book would appeal especially to teenagers, but adults would probably enjoy it as well. 

Paper Towns

John Green

I'm really excited to talk about this book, because it's one of my favorites! Quentin, or Q, is hopelessly in love with his neighbor, Margo, who is fascinating. One night, Margo takes Q out on an adventure to reek a bit of havoc in Orlando, their hometown. Q finally thinks he'll get a chance with Margo after that night, but the next day, he discovers that she has disappeared, and no one seems to know where she might be. Q and his friends spend the rest of the book searching for Margo, discovering not only where she has been hiding, but what she has been hiding. This book was honestly hilarious, and made me laugh out loud both times I read it. It also made me cry. John Green has a really good way with words, and I prefer this book over The Fault in Our Stars, so definitely give it a read!     

Everything is Going to be OK

Various Authors

This is the cutest, most uplifting little book I've ever read. It's filled with positive pictures and artwork that will surely provide as a nice pick-me-up when you're feeling a little down. I keep this on my bedside table and find myself picking it up quite often, just to pep myself up. I purchased this book at a coffee shop in Oregon, but you can get it at most places. Anyone would enjoy this book, and it would serve as an awesome gift!

Pleeeeeeeaaaasse leave me your book recommendations, because I'm always looking for something new to get lost in! :)   

-Emily 

 

Little Life Update.

Hi everyone, how are you all? I've missed you.

I don't have a ton of time, but I wanted to sit down for a little moment to update you all on my life at the moment (don't worry, it's good stuff!)

Back in September, I auditioned for our school's pit orchestra for our fall musical "Footloose," and I got in on clarinet and tenor saxophone. It's been the best time, but boy is it time-consuming! Several rehearsals a week, and this past week we had a couple 7 hour rehearsals to get ready for the show. Sadly, we only have 3 performances left :(, but it's been the time of my life, and although I'm sad to be almost done with it, I'm excited that I'll have more time to spend with you guys blogging and chatting.

When I'm not practicing for the musical, I'm trying to get all my homework done. AP classes are tough, I'll tell you that. I don't regret taking them, but they've been a little more difficult lately, especially since I don't have much time to study.

As you can see, things have been hella busy, but I'm so happy at the moment. I don't think I've been this happy for this long in a very long time, and I love that. I'm getting to cut down on meetings with the therapist more, and my doctors visits are a lot less often as well, which is awesome.

Anyway, we're supposed to get a gigantic snow storm early tomorrow morning and into Tuesday (eeeeeee!!), so it would be really nice to have some extra time to blog for you all! I've got some new LUSH products, and lots of other ideas for posts. Anyway, I love you all, have a wonderful rest of your night ♡.

-Em

Happy Birthday Emilicious.

Source: Tumblr via Zoella

Hey girls, what’ve you guys been up to lately? I’m busy with getting ready to go back to school, which makes me pretty excited! I like getting back into a routine.

Anyway, today’s blog post is going to be a little different, because today is Emilicious’s 1^st birthday! Yep, I’ve had my blog for a whole year now. Woohoo!!

Honestly, making this blog was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I really love being able to connect with you all, and chat with you guys about the things we love. The first time someone commented on my blog, I smiled for I swear the entire day. You guys make me so happy.

I have to thank you, also, for sticking with me while I was away for so long and had bloggers block (is it called blogger’s block when you’re away for almost a year?). I’m so sorry for being gone, but this year is going to be different. I’ve become more organized, and I have LOTS of ideas for blog posts written down on my lil’ notepad. I also know that blogging and getting school work done will be a challenge, but it’s a challenge I’m 100% willing to take.

I’m so excited to see what this next year will bring for my blog, and you guys’ blogs. I really hope to connect with a ton more people, because like I said, you guys make me so so happy. I also hope to step out of my comfort zone a little, and blog about lots of different things.

I think that’s all I have for you guys today; I hope you didn’t mind that today’s post wasn’t really beauty-related.

I was thinking of sometime doing a Q&A post, so comment below any questions that you have for me!

I love you all; have an absolutely wonderful week, because you deserve it.

-Em

Say What You Need to Say.

Hello everyone, I hope you're weekend has been great so far. :-)

Last year in September, I did a post about judging people and labels (I'll link it below). It was a kind of heart-to-heart type post, and it ended up going over really well. Today, I have another one of those type of blog posts for you. I was inspired to do this by Cate from Perks of Being a Hipster (I'll link her post below).

I don't want to bring my personal life too much into this post, but I'm going to have to a little, so I'm sorry about that!

For the past 6 months, I've been friends with this guy, lets call him Joe for today. He was always really nice, and very fun to talk to, and we went to school together, so we saw a lot of each other. He ended up asking me out, and to be honest, I didn't want to. It wasn't that I disliked him, I just really wasn't ready for that. Ever since that moment, things had been tough. He would get mad at me for not being ready to date, and would have one of his other friends (we'll call her Julie), who really was quite scary and caused me several panic attacks, text me and manipulate me into dating him. So I did, I went out with him a few times, and things were okay. I still wasn't comfortable, but I was scared of Julie coming after me again, and Joe getting mad. Then came a night where I told Joe that I wasn't ready to be in a full-on relationship. Basically, he was furious, and so was Julie. I was so scared, but I stood my ground. That night, I lost a lot of respect and trust for Joe, as he had really disregarded how I might feel, and took everything out on me.

So ever since that moment, we were still been dating, but not seriously. He would still get mad occasionally, and he would lie a lot, and say mean things to me. So the other day, I told him that I didn't even want to date anymore. To make a long story short, he was upset, and Julie contacted me, eventually blaming me for if he commits suicide. I had had enough, and I stood up for myself against Julie, and then blocked her number.

That was only a few days ago, and I already feel a lot better.

A lot of us go through these sort of toxic relationships, whether they be friendships, or romantic relationships, and I don't think we always realize how much they're hurting us. Personally, I stayed with Joe for so long because I was worried he would never talk to me again, but I know some people stay because they like/love the other person so much, that they don't see how much they're being hurt by that other person.

I want you all to think, right now: what is preventing me from being happy? For me, that was Joe. I realized that I had to get out of the relationship. This is hard, but sometimes, if someone is making you really unhappy, you need to cut them out of your life. You need to just walk away. You don't deserve to be treated like crap, you deserve someone so much better.

Say what you need to say.

Is someone making you upset? Walk away. Are they criticizing you and the things you're passionate about? Tell them to cut it out. Is someone manipulating you? Leave, and don't look back.

I do believe in second chances, but there comes a time when you realize that things just aren't healthy, and you need to take care of yourself. You do you. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself happy.

You deserve to be happy, and it's so much better to say too much then never say enough. 

♡

I hope this post helped at least one person. If you guys ever need to talk, I am always available to do so. I love you all so much.

-Emily

Cate's Post: http://www.theperksofbeingahipster.com/2014/08/for-anyone-who-is-heartbroken-right-now.html

Judging and Labels: http://emilici0us.blogspot.com/2013/09/judging-and-labels.html

Judging and Labels.

image from tumblr.com/zoella

Hello guys! How have you all been? This week I was a little stressed out from school (I'm not use to having lots of tests in one day!), I've started thinking about my trip to Europe in the spring (I'm going to be talking about Europe a lot. I'm just so excited!) and the weather has been much cooler and more fall-like. :)

Honestly, I've been a bit nervous to post this. I would've posted it on Sunday, but this is something I'm not quite comfortable with yet. I always worry about sharing my views on life rather than beauty because I worry people might get the wrong impression of me; nonetheless, I decided to do it, because you never know what will come out of something until you try it.

Over the summer, I mostly hung out with my family and close friends. I was hardly ever in a situation where I had much interaction with other people. Now that we're back in the swing of school, I've been thinking a lot about people. 

Everyday when I'm on the bus, there is a guy who, if you saw him, your first thought might be, "hmm...he looks kind of sketchy." That's what I thought at first. I noticed that he swore a fair amount, and he was kind of loud and a little intimidating. Then one day, when he was getting of the bus, I noticed he smiled at the driver and said, "have a nice day!" To be honest, I was shocked. I didn't think he would be the kind of person who would do that.

That got me thinking that we (myself included, I am in no way 'perfect') judge and label people we don't know far too much.  I've been told all my life not to judge people, because you never know what they might be going through, and I feel like I've never really take that seriously. We often don't even notice we are making assumptions about the people we see at school or at the mall or at work. We usually make bad labels about people we don't even know instead of the good ones. I hate it when I do that.

image from tumblr.com/zoella

 

Now I know it's waaaaaaaaaay past New Years, but I want to make a resolution to myself, and maybe you'll want to do this, too. My resolution is (I've been trying very hard to do this for a little while now) to not think, "oh look at her, she looks like she's trying way to hard to be cool" Instead, I've been trying to not make any assumptions, and if I do, I try to make good ones. We should try to find the good in people, because I know that everybody has some. And honestly, you never truly know what is going on with them.

In summary, I want to try my hardest not to judge a book by its cover. :)

I really hope you guys liked this post and found it at least a little bit helpful. Let me know if you like these types of posts. You can email me (I have my email in a tab above), or you can comment below. Hope you all have a fantastic week!