Strength means _____ ?

When you think of a big brother, usually the first thing that comes to mind is someone wiser and stronger. [Most days] my oldest brother lives up to this stereotype. For as long as I can remember, he has encouraged me to challenge myself to become my "best self". He has recently asked the question over on his website , 'What is strength?' 

For me, the answer is very simple.

For me strength = health.

When I think of strength I think of health. When I am feeling mentally and physically strong, I feel healthy. With that, my aim is to have the strength to tackle any challenge I face, or have the right tools to get me there.  I work towards this goal by challenging my body daily. Doing so allows these two strengths to work together, to make me feel as healthy as possible.

Physical strength often seems more straightforward. I work on this through lifting, hiking, running, eating well, and living an overall active lifestyle.

Mentally I challenge myself through reading about concepts that interest me and asking questions about things I don’t understand, working hard on things I’m good at, and not as good at. But, most importantly, by surrounding myself with positive people. 

I encourage you to stop and think about what makes you feel strong? Is it going to the gym every morning, or taking the dogs for a long walk at night? Who is there supporting you? Is there anyone holding you back? 

Life is too short to not be as healthy and strong as you can be!

A Letter to California Pumpkin Patches

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First time my Pumpkin has had cactus friends..

Dear California Pumpkin Patches,

Going to the Pumpkin Patch is one of the best parts of Fall, and should be treated as such. A trip to the Pumpkin Patch is one of my top three favorite Fall things (behind Football and Foliage).  I suggest taking a quick trip to a Mid-Western state to learn what makes them so amazing.  But in case that is not possible, I have compiled a short list of things that one should experience at the pumpkin patch.
       
      The necessary Trio:

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1. Pumpkins: this one is obvious, and you do a great job. But they're ridiculously over priced, and I ended up getting one for 1/5 of the price at Trader Joe's.

2. Apple Cider: This is a BIG one you're missing. Basically, people care about this just as much as pumpkins.

3. Donuts: because, DONUTS. 
   
   Bonus item: Apples. Apples are ideal, and i've rarely been to a pumpkin patch that also doesn't sell apples.

If these changes are made, I predict a huge increase in revenue, resulting in a corresponding increase in overall Fall cheer amongst Californians!

Best,

Hannah 

Side Note: Shoutout to Trader Joe's for providing me with a great pumpkin to carve, delicious apple cider, Organic Pumpkin Puree, and Brownie Mix. They saved the day, and paved the way for a relaxing day of Football and Baking. 

Fall Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Brownie Recipe:

1 can pumpkin puree + any brownie mix + mix and bake as normal = delicious vegan brownies

The End of an Era.

Today I moved out of my place in East Lansing...for the last time. 

Those who are close to me joke about how my mom and I have become expert packers from all the times we've moved my stuff (and I have a LOT of stuff). In my first semester of college I moved four times, and once every year since then, so this is probably pretty accurate.

But this time was different. It didn't seem too difficult or emotionally exhausting, but almost relieving. I can finally say goodbye to crappy college housing and all the frustration that comes with it!

In honor of the end of the era, i've come up with a list of some important things I learned,

1. Be a good roommate/human being. This doesn't mean you have to be best friends, but do your dishes, pay your bills, and clean up your stuff from the common areas. 

2. Less is more. Do you really need an ottoman? or a clock radio? or three bulletin boards? Small items add up quickly and are a pain to sort through after you move out. With this, the items that you do have don't need to be the nicest, and/or match. My furniture was grandparents-chic for the most part.

3. Have a tool bag! My little purple tool bag came in handy more times than I can count (thanks mom!)

4. Move as little as possible.  It seems fun to try a different living situation, mix up the location, maybe even the roommates. But staying in the same house my last two years made a huge difference, and I even developed a good relationship with my landlords (they even offered to write me a recommendation!)

5. Pick a convenient location This one should go without saying, but still. Pick a location close to what you find most important. For me, with a huge campus and rough Michigan winters, I chose to live close to where most of my classes are located.

With that, I am happy to say I am done with college housing, have become a pretty decent packer (or at least can throw things in boxes quickly), and am ready for my next adventure!

Check back soon as I start to prepare to head West!

Dog days of summer.

One of my favorite parts of any given day is going for a walk. 

Since graduating from college and going through the inevitable job search process, i've been spending a lot of time watching, and walking dogs. I realized the other day how this has been such a consistent part of my life, that I often overlook. 

Some of my earliest memories include going for family walks around the neighborhood and walking my dog around the "big block". As we grew up and our lives got busy these family walks happened less and less. At some point I started joining my mom and her friends on their daily 3-4 mile walks, and it became almost a treat if I could fit in a walk in my busy schedule. Even in college I preferred walking to class over riding my bike, thankfully I went to Michigan State where there are PLENTY of opportunities to get in long walks to class. 

We go on walks not really for the cardio benefits (although it is good for you, especially when keeping up with my mom's power walking), but as a way to relax and unwind. 

So next time you're feeling stressed, or just need a really nice way to end your day, try going for a walk.

Graduation

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This past weekend I graduated from Michigan State University! I would not have been able to do it without the love and support from all of my family and friends.

College taught me a lot, most of which outside of the classroom. Some are cliché, but true.
Hard work pays off, kindness goes a long way, and a first impression is a lasting impression. But the most important lesson I learned is that at the end of the day you have to be doing what you love, not what you think the world wants you to love. The concept is simple, but it takes time to truly accept and practice it. Changing your mind about any decision you've publicly declared can be hard, It's natural to fear the judgement of those around you. Whether it's a career path, a goal you made, or even relationships you've had. Since realizing the significance of actually doing what you love, and with the people you've loved, I've never looked back.

So with that in mind, I try and live every day doing things I love. Some days I get lazy and get caught up in the craziness of life. But most days I try to do a few of the things i'm passionate about. These are those things that would be on the agenda for your "perfect day". Make a conscious effort to fit those into almost every day, and I guarantee you won't regret it either.

With the end of this chapter of my life, I can't wait to start my next big adventure: EUROPE!

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