Walk In The Rain With Me: January 2015

Today You Are You...

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

I have the most beautiful siblings ever...

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to photograph one of my sisters. I don't usually get the chance to take pictures of anyone but the very youngest- since she's only two, she's the one who minds the least.

You see, my oldest sister has a job and is quite busy, my little brother never stands still long enough to get anything good, and my other sister has just reached the age where she's beginning to be very difficult about having her picture taken.

She turned 10 in December, which is really the end of an era. Or at the very least, it's the beginning of the end.

She is such a beautiful young lady, and unfortunately, ten to twelve seems to be the age where lots of girls start to forget that.

They start to believe the lies that society tells them- that they can never be good enough.

They start to believe that the person they are is somehow insufficient.

As an older sister and as a young lady in general, this is something I am very passionate about. It's important to me that we show girls- and young people in general!- that who they are is exactly who they should be.

I want girls to know that we can be smart. It's good to be weird, and unique, and most importantly, it's good to just be yourself.

I don't always know the best way to do that, because I'm not really one of those people who is naturally comforting. I'm not someone who knows just the right thing to say to others.

But I have found that photography is one small way for me to make a difference for this young lady. I want to show her what I see in her.

That's probably my favorite thing about photography- and really about art itself in any form. You get the chance to help others to see what you see.

My hope when I'm taking pictures of people is that they will see the beauty in themselves that I see in them. I want to give them the opportunity to see themselves through someone else's eyes.

"Today you are You, that is Truer than true. There is No One alive who is Youer than You." -Dr. Seuss

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How do you think we can encourage younger girls to see themselves in a healthy light? Do you have any suggestions for me in how I can do that? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or email it to me at anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com!

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101 Things: Counting Down

Nothing new on this front.

life

Happiness Is...

Saturday, January 24, 2015

life

It's Not Over Yet

Thursday, January 22, 2015

minimalism

Top 5 Most Important Lessons I Learned from Minimalism

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

I have an announcement to make. I'm sure everyone knew it was coming. I've hinted at this for a while now, and I think it's time I finally just come out and say it...

I am a minimalist.

Over the past few months, I've been making myself more and more familiar with the term "minimalism." I've been intrigued by the concept ever since I first heard of it, and the more I looked at it, the more sense it made.

I know that some people don't get it. Some people don't understand what minimalism really means, the reason I'm so passionate about it, how it applies to "real life," or why it's important at all.

So today, I want to share with you just a few of the things I've learned about and because of minimalism.

Top 5 Most Important Lessons I Learned from Minimalism

1. Less stuff means less stress. I quickly figured out that the less clutter there was taking up space in my room, the less clutter I had taking up space in my head. The less clutter there is, the less brain-power that's preoccupied by dealing with it. Owning fewer clothes means less pressure when getting dressed. Owning fewer things means less to keep clean.

2. More of a good thing isn't always better. Our society seems to have fallen prey to the idea that if one thing is good, two of them is twice as good. I would say that, in most cases, one is probably quite enough. Think of it this way: taking an iron supplement can be good for you, so one might suspect that getting twice as much is twice as good. Except most of us have heard of iron-overdose... Probably everyone has eaten too much cake at one point, too.

3. Minimalism doesn't mean we have to get rid of everything. Minimalism isn't about just chucking everything out the door. It's about populating our lives with things and people who add value instead of with meaningless junk that's just taking up space. "Minimalism is living with what you NEED and what you LOVE. That's it." [Unknown]

4. A gift is only a gift until it becomes a burden. Gift-giving is thoroughly embedded in our culture as one of the "proper" ways to show affection and/or admiration, but there is a certain amount of pressure that comes with being on the receiving end of a gift: what happens if I don't want it? Many of us simply decide to hold onto whatever the gift was because, "They were thinking of me!" But a gift is only a gift until it becomes a burden... If we're holding onto something we neither want nor need simply because it was a gift, it's probably time to let it go.

5. The less you believe you need, the richer you become. If you could only take away one thing from this blog post, this is what it should be. One of the most important lessons I've learned through minimalism is the art of being content. Wealth is inherently defined by what we think we need. When we choose to "need" less, we open ourselves up to recognizing how much we already have.

I guess this is all to say that I do believe minimalism can be for everyone. It's not a one-size-fits-all regime that dictates the way one lives their life. It's simply a lens through which we can choose to view everything else...

If you're interested in reading more about minimalism, I have written several posts about it, and you can browse through those over here. I also recommend checking out Becoming Minimalist, The Minimalists, and Be More With Less.

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What is one misconception you've had or heard about minimalism? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or you can email it to me at anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com!

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101 Things: Counting Down

Well, I still haven't bought the paper for my cranes. Am I starting to panic about making 1,000 paper cranes in a year? Maybe just a little bit... But at least I've gotten the ball rolling for #7- Shoot a gun.

humor

Top 5 Ways to Compliment a Blogger

Saturday, January 17, 2015

blog∙ger n. A timid creature most commonly found lurking on the outskirts of the internet. Possibly insane. Approach with caution.

So, one of your friends has gotten sucked into the world of Blogging, huh? Well, you're not alone.

You may feel a bit daunted by the task of being friends with a Blogger. What is the accepted protocol for introducing them to the outside world? Should sunlight be forced or strongly suggested?

For your convenience, I am providing you this simple guide on The Care and Keeping of Your Blogger! Part 1: Top 5 Ways to Compliment a Blogger.

Top 5 Ways to Compliment a Blogger

1. Read what they write. Just the simple act of bringing up their reader count can actually mean a lot.

2. Subscribe to their blog. Once again, the simple act of bringing up their subscription count can go a long way towards encouraging your Blogger.

3. Share their posts when you enjoy what they've written. For some Bloggers, the only shares they get happen because they, themselves, shared their own posts. Seeing that someone else cares about what they've written is possibly one of the most encouraging things for a Blogger.

4. Talk about their blog with them in person. In the midst of all the internet noise, sometimes even the best of intentions gets lost. If you really want to make sure your Blogger hears what you think, tell them in person. (Proceed with caution! Some Bloggers are very timid when approached.)

5. Leave a comment on their blog. Nothing makes a Blogger happier than seeing uplifting comments on their blog,and knowing that you took time out of your day to leave them a few words of encouragement can mean the world to a Blogger.

In short, what Bloggers really want is to know that you're listening. We want to know that our words matter to you, because you matter to us.

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If you're a blogger, what would you add to the list? If you're not a blogger, what tips would you give to a blogger for being more reader-friendly? Leave your responses in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or email it to me at anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com.

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101 Things: Counting Down

I am starting a free, online Yoga class this week, and will hopefully be able to cross off #58- Learn 5 or more yoga poses. And I still have to go buy origami paper...

growing up

The Promise of Fame

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Everyone wants to be remembered...

Have you ever asked a kid what they wanted to be when they grew up? It's one of my favorite things to ask kids when I don't know what else to do with them, because the answer you get back is almost certain to be interesting.

Kids have such high-hopes of adulthood. They're going to be a ballerina, or a veterinarian, or an inventor. They're going to win an Olympic metal, or become Queen of the World, or maybe do both.

In their minds, there is no doubt that they are going to do something great.

But then... we actually do grow up.

Suddenly our dream of becoming Queen of the World seems a bit far-fetched, and we realize we don't have the skills (or determination) needed to win an Olympic medal.

We go to college, pick a career path, and leave our childhood dreams behind.

But I think a lot of us are still dreaming of fame. In some way, we all want to be recognized. We want people to see that we are special. We want others to look up to us. We want to be that celebrity that everyone knows about. Perhaps most of all, we want to be remembered.

I think the reason we desire fame is because what we really desire is purpose. Fame promises that what we're doing matters. If other people notice, than surely we're worth something.

But quantity is not the only measure of greatness.

Sometimes more isn't better. Most of us are never going to have our accomplishments broadcast on the news. Most of us will never be celebrities or national figures. And you might be tempted to think that means you won't be remembered, but it's not true.

You will be remembered by the people who matter. By your family, and your friends. By your neighbors, and colleagues. By people you barely knew but on whom you'd made an incredible impression.

And to those people, you are priceless simply because of who you are.

"The truth is, you can't be anything you want to be; you can only be yourself. [...] But you can be yourself very, very well. Have you ever tried?"

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Looking back, what was your childhood dream? How has your dream changed in the years since? Let me know in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or email it to me at anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com.

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101 Things: Counting Down

I am hoping to buy origami paper this weekend so I can start on my cranes. This is one of the projects that I actually wouldn't mind accepting outside help on. I think it would be awesome to have cranes made by lots of different hands. If you want to make a couple, here is a video link- youtube.com/watch?v=LuIjxq9bj-0. Send me an email so we can coordinate how you're going to get the crane to me. (anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com) Be sure to sign your name on the bottom so we'll know who made it!

self-worth

Little By Little...

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

We're only two weeks into January, but there are already a lot of broken New Year's Resolutions...

It probably sounds harsh, but it's true- resolutions are notoriously difficult to keep, and very few people see them through to December. Once the hype has worn off and "real life' sets in, whatever goals we've set for ourselves are forced to take a backseat to the other demands of life.

And it's easy to look at those broken promises as just another failure. We get discouraged at our inability to follow through, or we simply choose not to set them at all in anticipation of failure.

I'm guilty of both of those, myself. And not just when it comes to Resolutions. I'm the type of person who hates anyone to see me "failing." So I either sit back until I feel confident in my ability to not fail, or if I do happen to fail while someone else is looking, it can completely set me off from ever trying again.

But this is something about myself that I am working really hard to improve, and I definitely have the opportunity to do that with my 101 Things in 2015.

Because you see, as much as I would like to tell you that I'm exactly where I want to be with it, that just wouldn't be true. I've missed several days on my photography challenge, I'm behind on my Bible Reading plan, and I still haven't bought the origami paper to start on my cranes!

You see, I tend to be really critical of other people, but there's no one I criticize more than myself. When things go wrong- I let someone down or mess something up- my first inclination is to get frustrated at my lack of ability to be perfect.

But then I remember...

God still loves me, so I should love me, too.

It doesn't matter that I've messed up... What matters is how I deal with it. I can choose to learn from it, or I can choose to be destroyed by it.

So if your 2015 isn't going as well as you'd hoped, allow me to be the one to remind you that you. are. more. A great author once said-

"Little by little, one travels far."

Every day, we take it one step at a time. Things will happen, and oftentimes it won't be what we'd planned. But no matter what: we can't stop, we can't look back, and we can't give up.

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How do you tend to react to "failure?" What advice would you give to someone who is "failing" at their New Year Resolutions? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or send it to me at anastasiarosewrites[@]gmail[.]com!

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101 Things: Counting Down

This weekend, I went through the list of 100 books everyone should read, and checked off all of the books I've already read. Now I can get started with the others. It looks like I've got 78 to go... Best get reading!

humor

5 REAL Reasons I'm Quiet

Friday, January 09, 2015

People seem to like pointing out the obvious. Things like "It's raining outside" or "Today is Monday" or "Don't hit yourself over the head with a hammer."

And of course, my personal favorite...

"You're so quiet!"

It's true- I cannot deny it. I am quiet. But not, perhaps, for the reasons many would suppose.

"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words." -Elbert Hubbard

There are quite a few misunderstandings when it comes to... well... to me. Evidently, I'm somewhat difficult to understand. Complex. Puzzling. Unfathomable. Incomprehensible. Enigmatic. Obscure. Mysterious, even.

I don't entirely understand it. Well, in truth, I don't understand it at all. To me, I make perfect sense. It's everyone else who doesn't.

But since there are more people who do not understand me than there are people who do, I feel it's important to clear up just a few of the myths that seem to have developed about why I might be quiet, by instead sharing with you five REAL reasons for my lack of speech...

Five REAL Reasons I'm Quiet

1. I have nothing to say. It's really important to me that I not just contribute to "the noise." There are enough people who speak only to hear their own voice without me joining into the fray. If I'm going to trouble myself to speak, it needs to mean something. If I have nothing productive to say, I'd rather say nothing at all.

2. I have nothing to say to you. It's true- I speak more to people I actually respect. The less I respect you, the less likely I am to talk to you. Ever heard the saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"??? Perhaps you should consider that when questioning my silence.

3. Whatever I'm thinking about is more interesting/overpowering/etc than whatever the current conversation is. My mind has terrible volume control, and absolutely no off switch. (Kind of like some people's mouths.) There are a lot of times when I simply get so caught up in whatever's going on in my head that I actually forget to contribute to the conversation. It's not that I'm uninterested (though this is often true), but there are just as many times where I simply don't process the external conversation.

4. I've already had a conversation about this; it simply happened inside my head where you couldn't hear it. I plan out entire conversations inside my head on a nearly daily basis. I start by thinking out what I want to tell you, but instead of simply telling you, I keep the conversation going. And going. And going. By the time I realize I never said any of it aloud, my conversation is no long relevant. Besides, I already told you all of this. And I do hate redundancy.

5. Everyone else is making small-talk, and I despise small-talk. This goes back to my desire for meaningful, deliberate conversation. I cannot stand unnecessary chatter when there are so many intriguing topics we could be discussing.

So there you have it. Five REAL reasons I'm not talking as much as you think I should. I hope this makes our interactions a bit less intimidating for you, and a bit more satisfying for me.

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Do you tend to be a quieter person, or a talker? Share your thoughts with me in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or email them to me at anastasiarosewrites@gmail.com.

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101 Things: Counting Down

This week, I decided to take a few minutes to calculate my Clean Sweep score. (#63) My grand total was 60, which is apparently on the upper end of average for your first assessment. Part of that could be because a lot of the questions didn't apply to me (financial issues, home-ownership, etc), but I've also gotten a head-start in several ways because of my interest in minimalism. Over the next few weeks in particular, I'll be looking at ways to improve my score.

I also created my Blessing Jar (#80), although I haven't added anything yet. I'm already looking forward to opening it at the end of 2015!

minimalism

The Unrealized Burden

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

change

Why My Blog Has No Plans

Monday, January 05, 2015

Well, it's 2015, and now that I've finished looking back on last year, it's time to look forward at what's to come...

I've spent the past few weeks trying to decide what I wanted for my blog during this new year, and I'll admit, it's been hard to pin-point exactly what I'm hoping for. I've been trying to plan out my blogging year, and it just hasn't come together the way I'd have liked it to.

At first, I couldn't figure out why.

And then it hit me...

Maybe this time, I'm not supposed to plan.

I've always been one of those people who likes to know what's going to happen next. I like for there to be a plan, and I like to know what the plan is. I want to be prepared for every eventuality, and knowing where we're going certainly helps. In the end, it makes me feel safe.

But this blogging year, I feel it's important to leave myself open to whatever God has in store for me- whether it means doing something I already hope to do, or something completely new.

Sometimes, we have to just let go of our fear of the unknown and allow God to have full control. He does a better job than any of us ever could.

Now, in spite of making no long-term plans for 2015, there are a few things happening around here that I can tell you about.

First off, after much deliberation, I have decided that, starting next week, I'll be doing blog posts every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

When I originally created my blogging schedule, I had a class that met every Tuesday and Thursday. My schedule has since changed, and starting this month, I have classes every Monday and Wednesday.

I know myself really well, and I know that attempting to publish a blog post on my two busiest days of the week just wouldn't work for me. So instead of setting myself up for failure and frustration, I'm just going to switch over to something that works better for me.

The type of posts are also being switched around a bit. Tuesday will now be Project Tuesday- in which I share about whatever current project I'm working on, Thursday will be Inspirational Thursday- in which I post something inspirational to get you through the end of the week, and Saturday is reserved for posting about whatever's on my mind at the time.

I honestly do not know what else this year has in store for me as far as blogging goes. All I know is that it's going to be amazing, and I'm so excited you'll be joining me!

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What are you most looking forward to about this year? Share your thoughts with me in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or email it to me at anastasiarosewrites@gmail.com.

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101 Things: Counting Down

And now you're seeing my other addition to the blog! Since I decided to share my Bucket List of 101 Things in 2015, I want to make sure I keep all of my readers (that's you!) updated on how I'm doing with it. At the end of every post, I'll include a little snippet of what I've been able to tick off my list, and anything interesting about the experience.

I counted off my first one this past weekend, when I started my Gratitude Journal. (#84 on the list.) Not too much to share about this one, but since I started, I've been keeping up with writing down three things I'm thankful for every day.

change

An HONEST Year In Review

Friday, January 02, 2015

Dear Readers,

I can hardly believe it, but 2014 has come to a close. And you know what that means....

A lot has happened this past year, and I just want to share a few highlights. After all, what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't create a Year In Review?

You see, 2014 was full of great things, for me! I henna-dyed my hair for the first time, turned fifteen, and had Brant Hansen play me "Happy Birthday" on his whistle. I survived a dance convention, auditioned for my first musical, and had "lead" roles in two plays.

This year, I visited Branson, Missouri and toured my dream college. I started my junior year of high-school, played Halo for the first time, and got interested in photography. My older sister turned eighteen, graduated high-school, and got engaged. My younger siblings celebrated their tenth, eighth, and second birthdays.

This year, I discovered (and became passionate about) minimalism, had a "Packing Party", and got rid of the excess stuff I'd accumulated over the years. I wrote my 100th blog post, participated in 31 Days, and came up with a "blogging schedule" that works for me. I got a video camera for Christmas, made plans to start vlogging, and created a Bucket List for 2015.

This year, I finally began to accept who I actually am instead of trying to be who I think others want me to be. I learned my personality type and discovered that there are other people out there who think the way I do. I realized that I'm allowed (and intended!) to love who I am, and now I'm figuring out how to do that.

There are so many ways I've been blessed this year, and in this post, I've only just scratched the surface. I'm so excited to see what God does in my life during 2015!!!

But you know what? I need to be honest with you... Not everything in 2014 was as great as the stuff I just shared.

In fact, in a lot of ways, 2014 has been the hardest year of my life.

I was diagnosed with a second chronic illness this past June, and have spent the better part of the year just trying to figure out how to make things work. I messed up my knee multiple times, felt like an idiot on more occasions than I can count, and let down more people in this year alone than in the entire rest of my life combined.

That, plus my on-again-off-again relationship with crutches, my dwindling amount of energy, and having a sleep-cycle about as good as a car that doesn't run, means I've had more to overcome than I ever thought I could.

As the year was coming to a close, the only thing I could think about it was "Thank goodness it's over!"

I know many of us have had years like that- whether it was this year or one past. Years that we're just so glad to see leaving. Years we are beyond ready to move on from.

And it's easy to look at everyone else's "perfect" Year In Review, then look at our own messy year and just feel so... alone.

That's why I'm sharing my honest Year In Review with you: to remind you that you're not alone. To remind you that no matter how bad your year has been... it's OK. There's another, completely empty, completely perfect year ahead... waiting for you.

Happy New Year!!!

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What does your Year in Review look like? Share it with us in the comment section below, over at my Facebook page, or you can email it to us at anastasiarosewrite@gmail.com!

Top 10 Minimalist Blog Posts