Confetti Please

Hello Readers,

     Confused by this title right? Recently, I hand letter a quote that I got off pinterest. This quote got me thinking about a problem that many of us struggle with including myself: Comparing oneself to another person. Why is comparison bad? It can bring:

•Unhealthy competition
•low self esteem
•talking bad about other people
•ungratefulness

We need to encourage one another. It is ok if someone is better at something than  you. This will cause two reactions from you: Bring all the negative emotions mentioned previously or it will cause you to strive to be better at that something. You can also encourage others to look on the positive.Let's consider the flip side. If you are really talented in one area, try to help those who are struggling in that area. If everyone  encouraging someone by helping them in someway, then there isn't time for comparison. This reminds me of the #communityofcompetition. The blogging community is like #communityovercompetition.I have met some amazing bloggers online. There are bloggers that are better than me but this causes me to work harder on my blog. There are many times that I have received advice from many bloggers and many times that I have given advice to fellow bloggers. Please remember to spread kindness like confetti.

~Liu Miao~

Blogger Recognition Award

Hello readers, I was nominated for the Blogger Recognition award by forthesakeofgoodtaste.  Thank you so much for nominating me. As a blogger it is nice to be recognized by other bloggers. The blogging community is so nice and I have met some great people. I like to see how people can write about the same subject but see something different in that subject. I discovered this blog through Instagram and I enjoy reading this blog. It is a super interesting and helpful blog.

The rules of this award are:

"Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog
Write a post to show your award
Give a brief story of how your blog started
Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers
Select 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to
Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created ( for the sake of good taste)"

How I started blogging:

I started blogging towards the end of my first semester of college. I wanted a creative outlet and I enjoyed writing. Blogging involves helping people and I wanted to help people through the lessons that I have learned. I also wanted to encourage people through my blog and to build community.

Advice to new bloggers:

  -Be Personal. As a blogger, I want to be honest with my readers. My life isn't perfect and I won't always get a blog post out every week. It is tempting to portray a perfect life especially in social media but this is not the case. Who wants to be around a perfect person?  Generally speaking, being personal attracts more people. It is ok to share a little bit of personal life on the blog.

   - Have a social media account and interact.
This is very important and helps get your blog out there. Most people have one form of social media. Social media is a great tool to share  about your blog quickly. Referring back to my first tip, be personal on the social media.  Don't just post about your blog because you will look like whole bunch of ads. Post about your life occasionally. Social media also gives the opportunity to interact with readers and fellow bloggers. Interacting offers benefits of meeting/learning from fellow bloggers and connecting with readers.

Bloggers I nominate:

Fiona Gaile  @  fiona gaile
Emily @ emsessentials
Tori @  The Freckled Prep
Kaylan@  honestwomanhood
Dani @ danidearest
Samantha@  aslifegrows
Tanna@  collartocollar
Allison@  cacocoblog
Maddy@  nogreaterloveblog
Melissa@  elephantontheroad
Megan@   apronstringsandstickyfingers
Hannah@   honestlyhannahblog
Hannah E. Hay@    alifetransformedblog
Amanda@       thehappyarkansan
Riley @       northernprepster.com

Thank you again For the Sake of good taste for nominating me. The bloggers that I nominated write amazing content on their blogs. Show some love and go check out their blogs.

~Liu Miao~

5 important back to school supplies

Hello readers! School is approaching very quickly. I am a little sad that summer is ending but excited for the new opportunities in college. There is so much to prepare before the first day of classes. Recently, I finished buying my school supplies. I love buying school supplies because it makes me excited for classes. Today I will share 5 important school supplies and I will also include the electronic version for the techies out there.
Thoughts to consider : This post is not sponsored and I purchased these items myself. All opinions are my own and honest.

- Notebooks/Note taking apps

It is important to take notes in your classes. I prefer taking notes by hand. Sometimes I like to type out my notes. I love using the One Note App or Evernote app. These are great apps to take notes electronically and you can sync them to other devices. Evernote has paid upgrades but the free option works great.

 -Pens, Pencils and highlighters/ there are electronic versions of pens/ pencils and highlighters

I like sharpie pens and papermate pens. I prefer fine tip pens. I don't have a preference for pencils. Sharpie highlighters are my favorite. If I take notes on my compute, I use a stylus pen or type my notes. Microsoft Word and other note taking apps offer a drawing option and highlighter option.

 - Planner/ google calendar etc

I have used an academic planner, monthly planner and currently the happy planner. I prefer a physical copy. Hand writing something is important for me. I have heard that Google Calendar is good and you can sync your google calendar to your different devices. I know with Apple devices you can sync your calendar

 -Books/ ebooks.

If your professor says that a textbook will be use, then it is important to get one. I rent  or buy used textbooks.  Paperback books are cheaper than  hardcover books. It you have to buy an access code, buy it from the publisher.(it is $15-20 cheaper). I believe that you learn more when one reads the textbooks. Many textbooks offer an ebook. I would recommend this because it is usually cheaper. Sometimes you can't get an ebook because there is only a hard copy printed.

 -Sitcky Notes/ sticky notes app

I like to take notes while I read my textbooks but I don't want to mark up the book. What is the solution? Sticky notes are the answer. I love Post-It-Notes I can stick them easily in my book. They also an help me keep my place in a book. You can write quick reminders on sticky notes. There are sticky notes app if you prefer an electronic version

These are the school supplies that have helped me in college and keep me organized. What are your tope 5 back to school supplies? Have a great week. and good luck on going back to school soon.

~Liu Miao~

Start with a Hello

Hello Readers!

     School is starting soon for most of us. Who is excited for the new year? I am! Yes I know that I am a nerd and proud of it.  The new school year gives you  the opportunity to learn something new and meet new people. Meeting new people can be very stressful especially if you are shy.
     How can you overcome this problem? Start with a Hello. This opens the door for conversation. I love meeting new people. College is a great time to do this.  Don't be a  secluded person in college. Yes it is a good to have me time but it is important to socialize  with others. It really isn't  scary making friends in college. In college, there are many opportunities to make friends and here are some examples.

- College Classes.
At some sometime you will have to talk to classmates. There will be group projects or in class projects requiring you to talk with classmates. Starting on a good note will make it less awkward to work with classmates.

- Orientation
This is a great way to meet new people. Everyone is new to the school and talking with people make orientation less boring. Plus you can try to  find out who will be in your classes.

-Social events on campus
I meet many people through social events at my university. It is nice to meet people when it is in a relaxed environment. I love that universities offer many fun activities for their students. It is great to be able to bond with classmates over something that isn't academic related.

Have a great semester. Be brave and say Hello. Friends help make college a wonderful experience. You never know who you will meet.

~Liu Miao~

Disease and Disappointment

Hello everyone! I’m Mary-Faith, and I have lived with chronic illness since I was two years old. I am so excited to be a part of the #SpoonieSeries and hopefully give some encouragement to all of my fellow spoonies out there!

I've been thinking a lot about this post. I've written several things that I felt were inadequate. But what I want to talk to you about today is disappointment - not just any disappointment, but the kind that only those living with chronic illness can understand. 

If you are suffering from any sort of disease, you are going to have disappointments in your life. More than the average person. Maybe that new treatment you were counting on didn't do anything for you. Maybe you had amazing plans that you had been looking forward to, but you had to cancel because you didn't feel up to it. Maybe an amazing opportunity came along, and you had to pass it up. Whatever it may be, it will come, and it will be a feeling you become familiar with. 

So how do you deal with it? I have found that it becomes easier with time. It will still hurt, but your heart will accept it just a little bit easier. You will be used to it, and it will become second nature. 

This is the plan that God has for you right now. He has put you in this place at this time for a reason. We need to trust him most when it is the hardest to do so. We need to hang on to His promises always. I am a rational person, but if there is anyone that I should be willing to follow into the dark and unknown, it is my Heavenly Father. 

Right now you might be thinking, "Wow, Mary-Faith, that sounds great. So how do I do it?"

Well, you do it one step at a time. One day at a time. Trust takes practice. Obedience takes a choice. And then you have to do it over and over again until it becomes easier. As humans, it will never become ingrained into our being to automatically follow God. But the more that we choose to do so, the closer to immediate it becomes. The less we have to think about it, and the easier it is to just do. 

So, when you are facing these disappointments head on, when you are struggling to explain why you can't do something to people who don't understand, remember that there is Someone who is always on your side, rooting for you, and understanding how you feel (on the inside and the outside) no matter what. 

Thanks Mary for contributing this series. Go check out her blog for some amazing inspiration and great advice. Would you like to be apart of this series?  Email me at liuliumiao@gmail.com
Have a great day.

~Liu Miao~