Who You Are Through Love

Hey Everyone!

So it's been a LONG while since I've posted...and to be completely honest, there hasn't really been a real reason, other than me just being a bit too lazy to write anything. But ummm...anyways, I've decided to write up a new post today about finding yourself.

***DISCLAIMER; It's just a theory so calm down, it doesn't mean it's actually true. It's just a thought!***

I know, I know, it's a pretty cheesy thing to say but I SWEAR there is more to it.

Somehow, I don't think that anyone really knows who they are-at all. Sure you might like playing a certain sport or playing a certain instrument or you like doing some weird quirky thing but; who are you?

You're not defined by what you like and what you don't like. You're defined by your personality.

So here's the thing, people might say that you're a pretty funny person or that you are particularly shy or some other thing that describes your personality but, where did you pick up these traits? What event changed you to act this certain way?

Were you born this way? Or was it something you learned along the way?

There's this theory called the Theory of Accidents (No, I did not make it up). Basically it says that everything we do is because of an accident that happened and if an accident does not occur then said thing won't happen.

For example; a child who crawls can't carry anything in there hands. So the child learns to walk in order to carry things more efficiently. However if a child bum scoots they are able to carry things in their hands without having to walk. Therefore, another accident must happen in order for this child to walk. Perhaps the accident would be that they want to be able to reach things higher up so they decide to walk.

Essentially what I'm saying is that everything that "makes you, you" is an accident and therefore isn't the true you.

Now you're asking me; "well then how am I supposed to define myself if everything that has happened to me is an accident!"

Well, one would have to ask themselves then, if we are all stripped down to our core, what do we all have in common? LOVE!



Then you're all like "Kat- NO!"

But think about it! Every single thing, human or animal has a desire for love or attraction! This means that who we are, is what we are like when we love or are attracted!

Pretty far winded, I know, but it's just a thought!

Until next time,

Kat xxx

DIY Christmas Decorations!

Hi everyone! I'm back with another blog post! This time, I'm going to be showing you how to make a really cool Christmas/winter decoration! 

I'm going to be showing you how to create block letters that will hang on your wall.

You can chose any word that you want! I used winter because Christmas was too long and snow was too short but you can do whatever you want!

In the end, your final product should look a little something like this:

So to start of you're going to need; a few shoe boxes (I used 3), white paper, tape, a ruler and scissors!

Using a ruler, you are going to draw out the letter on the lid of the shoe box. Make sure to use as much of the lid as possible.

Cut out the letter but make sure you leave the the rim of the lid so that when you stick it to the wall, it sticks out.

Next, completely cover the letter with paper and stick it down with tape. Turn the letter over and cut around the edges, leaving 1 cm of space.

Fold over the edges and stick it down so that it creates a smooth look.

You are done one letter!

Continue this process until you have finished all the letters in the word you chose.

 Finally, stick it to your wall and decorate it!

That's all I have for today!

Until next time, 

Kat

Living for Today

Live in the moment.

It's far easier said than done.

I for one, know that I have some trouble with this, especially when I'm alone.

There are definitely times where I breath nothing but the air of now. But I also often feel as though my thoughts wander too far away from now. 

So what is 'The Now' and how do we live in it?

I guess I don't really know. 

I can say for certain that I know what it is when I am with my friends thinking about nothing but everything we're up to. But when I'm alone, I can't seem to live in the moment.

I think a lot. I constantly have new thoughts in my head. Sometimes so many thoughts that I can't focus on what is coming out of my mouth. 

Often times, these thoughts are about my past within the last year or so.  Random things that happened with the guys I've crushed on or dated, problems I've had with friends, people I'm missing. 

These thoughts often happen when I'm alone and have nothing to do. These thoughts happen when I'm not living in the now.  

I think that when we're alone, we think about our past interactions with other humans almost as a reflex. Mostly because we need to feel comforted that we aren't all alone. 

So maybe in order to live in the now, we need constant human interaction, or at least a lot of it. 

We also have to remember not to venture to far into the future either.

I often find myself getting really excited about an up coming event and disregarding everything that stands in the way of me and that event. 

I feel like we really shouldn't do this either. We shouldn't go through the motions of today just to get to tomorrow.

We should feel like we want to be doing what we're doing at this moment and if we feel like we don't want to be doing it, then why are we doing it at all?

Living in the now doesn't mean planning something so that one day you'll be happy. It means living your life the way you want to now because, it makes you happy. 

So give it a go and really try to live for today, not yesterday and not tomorrow.

Until next time, 

Kat

An Adventure in Another Book

Hi everyone! So I'm back today with a new post on why I love books!

I know, I know, it sounds really dumb.

But honestly! Books are my favourite thing ever! 

There is this quote in my school's library and it says, "Books are a discounted ticket to everywhere!"

I 100% believe that this is true! Never before in my life has a book not been there for me. Whenever I'm having a bad day, I can become a different person in a whole different place and just be okay. 

I LOVE getting lost in a book! I LOVE it when I can become the character and live their adventures!

Through books, I have lived, loved and lost SO much! If we think about it, books are incredible! They really are a discounted ticket to everywhere!

The most resent book I read was "Girl Online" by Zoe Sugg. 

I would recommend it to those of you who like books that are quite a light subject and nothing too crazy. 

If you have any book recommendations for me, let me know in the comments! I will most likely read whatever you tell me too!

I will hopefully be posting again soon!

Until next time, 

Kat

   

The Pressure to Be Sexy

***DISCLAIMER: I never said that men think this way of women but rather what society and the media portray women this way***

Hi everyone! So today I wanted to write about the pressures girls feel from society. 

To me, it seems as though girls are being pressured everyday to be 'sexy' and 'flawless' whether we know it consciously or subconsciously. The grossest part about this pressure is that it's all with one goal in mind; to get a guys attention.

In the media, we girls, are taught to think that we are not of any value unless a guy likes us and gives us their attention. And that in order to attain this guys attention we need to 'dress to impress' and have flawless this, flawless that. The pressure is unreal!

We are constantly being bombarded with images of what we should look like in order to achieve attention. 

We are told that if we don't get this kind of attention that we are 'unwanted' and 'unloved'.

So maybe no ad ever directly says these things but, they imply that you have a problem by giving you the solution.

No ad should ever have the right to tell us these kinds of things!

These ads tell us that our minds, thoughts and our dreams don't matter because if you can't be 'sexy' no one will ever love you!

It's completely disgusting! Treating women as though they are sex toys, not people! It makes me outraged people have the nerve to tell us what we should be! No one should ever be put down like that, just so that a product can sell!

What makes this worse, is that there are girls out there that swallow up everything these marketers tell them. They try to achieve this idea of being 'sexy' at age 13, so that they can get all the boys! And when they don't reach their goal, their value, in their minds, is belittled.

They take this pressure from the ads and carry it. It eats away at them from the inside and causes so many problems mentally. Whether it's a poor body image, a low self esteem, anxiety, an eating disorder or depression, it can be caused by all this pressure.

With the pressure of today's media and fashion, we are told that what men want, we will be. As if we are a sex toy that is supposed to be played with. 

We are people. NOT toys and not sexual objects that will carry out your every will. We are people with feelings and thoughts.

What should matter is our thoughts, how we perceive things, who we are and what are personality is. Everything else shouldn't matter because it's not what makes you, you. What makes you different from everyone else.

Until next time, 

Kat 


    

Misconceptions about Feminism

Now, before you ask me "Kat, what are you doing????? Do you even know what feminism is????? It's SO bad!!!" I let you know that I do know what this word means and that in fact, this is something that I thoroughly believe ever single person on this planet should be!
However, we get people putting a bad name on Feminism by spreading false facts about it.
So to clear up a few of these misconceptions, I'll let you know about a few of them and what feminism really is.

1. ONLY FEMALES CAN BE FEMINISTS
Just because the word begins with a "Fe" does not mean that it's only something girls can be. In fact by saying that only girls can be feminists is actually quite controversial, as feminism is the search for gender equality. It is to benefit both men and women, not one over the other.

2. FEMINISTS HATE MEN
Again..., this is quite controversial. A feminist would believe that neither gender is better than the other, therefore they would not hate a specific gender. They may hate someone of the opposite gender but that would not imply that they hate them because of their gender.

3. FEMINISM ISN'T NEEDED IN NORTH AMERICA
So technically speaking, this one is right. I mean, all the laws point towards gender equality so, what's the problem, right? WRONG! Both men and women are still affected by gender inequality on a day to day basis. Society tells us that it is still not acceptable for men to wear skirts and dresses. It is still not acceptable for women to go topless. It is still not acceptable for men to show their feelings. It is still not acceptable for women to become a mechanical engineer because that is a 'boy' job. Toys in the store are still being labeled as 'Toys for boys; trucks, cars, Lego' and 'Toys for girls; Barbies, Princess', Faireies'. Girls are still expected to be sexy and guys are expected to always want to receive sex. That is how things are in North America. So maybe the law is fair but both men and women are being placed into separate categories and that is NOT okay!

So there you go, three of the misconceptions are cleared up! Trust me, if you talk to anyone who is a true feminist, they will say the same thing about each of the misconceptions!
I hoped you like my blog post this time around.
Until next time,
Kat   

6 Simple Ways to Make Your Life Better

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a super fun weekend and Halloween! Mine was CRAZY busy so I had no time to write another blog post until today!
Anyways, today's post is about how to change you life in small and simple ways. I find that my life tends to fall into a really structured routine once school starts and that can become boring pretty quickly. Some people enjoy this structure but I am definitely not one of those people.
So here are a few ways to improve your day to day life in small and simple ways.

1. Do something you've always wanted to do.

Take up a new sport, write a book, start a Youtube channel, create a work of art, make a new work out routine. The possibilities are endless. Find something new that suits your life style. It doesn't have to be crazy or out of this world. It can be something that you can do straight from home, it can be something done within your school or community.

2. Laugh/Smile more!

People are always telling me that they never see me without a smile on my face and that I am ALWAYS laughing. I would say that that is 99% true-we all have our bad days. Don't suppress a smile or a laugh when you want to. I recently went to my sister's grade 12 graduation and when the people got called up to receive their awards, not one of them smiled. I could tell that they were happy by the way they were walking and yet none of them smiled! Let yourself smile!!!! It's not disrespectful to smile when you are happy and when you're proud of something you've accomplished. And when someone cracks punny joke, just laugh! Laugh for the sake of laughing and that it makes you feel better! Life is to short to forget to laugh, so just laugh!  

3. Face your problems head on and ask for help when you need it.

Don't beat around the bush. Don't kid with yourself. You know what your problem is so, fix it. Don't let yourself soak in the sorrow of your own sadness. If you are going to through a tough time and need extra help, don't be afraid to ask for it! This doesn't have to be just about life problems, think about classroom problems. Lets say that you don't understand a math question very well and you are stuck on it, ask your teacher, that's what they're there for! I know plenty of people who have tons of questions that never got answered because they were never asked in the first place. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

4. Focus on the little things.

Not everyone's life is glorious at every single moment. I am a firm believer that everyone has a bunch of struggles with which they must deal with. Just because you can't see their problems doesn't mean they don't exist. So when you are going through a dark time in your life, find the smallest moments throughout your day that made you smile. Those are the moments that are worth living for. Once you add all these moments up you'll realize that you have a lot to live for. Stop thinking about your day in such a boring way. You did not just go to school, come home, do homework, and go to bed. You laughed on the bus ride to school about a joke your friend made, you finished your painting in art class (which you are very proud of), you passed notes in chemistry, you started reading a really good book, you finally started a conversation with that cute boy in math, you completed your homework quickly and you had a nice dinner with your family. So maybe this stuff doesn't happen every single day but find something like it!

5. Take a chance!

So maybe asking a boy to slow dance is something you would never do. But why not? What are they going to do, say no? If they do, they're just rude, turning down an innocent dance is not something people usually do. Most people think that a dance doesn't even mean anything! Take the chance and just as them to dance. If this person is a friend and you're really uncomfortable with being so formal and asking them to dance, just take their hand and pull them on to the dance floor. Not in a violent way but in a very gentle way so that if they're really uncomfortable with it, they can not go. However don't be afraid to give them a gentle pull if they try to resist, they might just need some encouragement. If they still don't want to, let them leave as they were never worth your time!

6. If the opportunity presents itself, take it!

Don't sit around at home watching Netflix while your friends are out at the mall or partying! Go with them! Even if your not the kind of person who usually goes out, give it a try! You may find that you enjoy the company of your friends more than the company of ice cream and a movie. If all your friends are going out to the dance, go to the dance and bust a move on the dance floor! However, if your friends are up to something that really doesn't float your boat, (like smoking something a little fishy) feel free to make it a movie night and just chill at home!

These are pretty simple ways to improve your day to day life. Some of them will be hard to do but once you do them, you won't look back! Remember that some of these things will be harder for you than it will be for your friend. I'm still learning to do some of these but I know that I'm well on my way to success, even in those areas that need work. Another thing, if you are truly put at discomfort, remember that saying no is okay when you need to!

Until next time!

Kat

Halloween Costume Ideas

Hi everyone! Halloween is definitely my favourite time of the year! I love dressing up in different costumes, making the costumes and of course all the food!! So far this year has been an absolutely amazing year for Halloween!! I've done tons to celebrate the oncoming day and I still have a few festivities left to go to!
So in the spirit of Halloween, I thought I would show you guys a few Halloween costume ideas.

1. Tris Prior (Divergent)

Tris wears a simple outfit throughout the movie that consists of a black tank top, black skinny jeans, a black leather jacket, black combat boots and of course, her signature tattoo.

You will be able to find most of these items in your closet. If you can't I have some linked below for you to check out, or you could borrow it from a friend.

For the tattoo, you can simply print it out, cut it out (to create a stencil) and then use a black eyeliner to fill it in.

For the combat boots;
Search results for "combat boots"

For the tank top;
Stretch Knit Tank | Forever 21 Canada

For the pants;
Search Results

For the jacket;
0391-25916703 Faux Leather Quilted Bomber Jacket

2. A Hogwarts student

Putting together a Hogwarts student outfit is really simple. All you need is; a white button up shirt with a collar, a black circle skirt or black dress pants, a tie, a wand and nice shoe black shoes.

To get the tie to look like it's themed to one of the four houses, simply find a tie the is red, blue, green or yellow and paint diagonal stripes with the correct house colour.

Red tie-yellow or gold stripes

Blue tie-yellow(for the book version) or silver/grey (For the movie version) stripes

Green tie-silver/grey stripes 

Yellow tie-black stripes.

Black tie- red, blue, green and yellow strippes

Here are some places where you can find the clothes needed:

Collared shirt:

Cotton Button-Down Shirt | Forever 21 Canada

Black circle/skater skirt:

Classic Skater Skirt | Forever 21 Canada

Tie:

Men | Accessories | Ties/Bow Ties/Handkerchiefs | H&M US

Dress pants

Search results for: 'dress pants'

Paint

Arts & Crafts | Michaels.com Canada

Shoes

SHOES | Ardene

Wand
Just find a stick and-BAM it's a wand!

3. Katniss Everdeen

To recreate Katniss' outfit, all you'll need is a brown leather jacket, a black shirt, jeans, combat boots and the classic 'Katniss' (dutch) braid.

If you don't own all of the items, I have some listed down below.

Jacket:
Faux Leather Moto Jacket | Forever 21 Canada

Shirt:
Classic V-Neck Tee | Forever 21 Canada

Jeans:
Girls Jeans | Bluenotes - Free Shipping Over $60

I hope this post inspired you, gave you some ideas and showed you how simple it is to make a costume!!
Let me know in the comments what you will be dressing up as for Halloween this year!
Until next time,
Kat

My Favourite Quote

Hi everyone!! So today I thought I would share a quote that I live by with you today.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
I don't know who said it but I know that it's one that always pops into my head whenever I've had a bad day. 
When I'm lying in my bed, trying to sleep and I feel crummy from an event that took place, I will instantly think of this quote.
Every single time I ask myself the question, "have you laughed today?" the answer is yes. 
This means that my day was worth living because I had at least a bit of fun, regardless of the fact that something else bummed me out. 
This also shows me that even though part of my world today felt like it was falling apart, not all of it was. In fact most of it probably wasn't. 
It's kind of like finding the rainbow after the rainstorm.
I love this quote SO much because with one simple question, your perspective on your day and how it went can completely change. 
It gives me a far more positive view on my life and allows me to keep my chin up and march to the beat of my own drum!
I hope that this quote can change your perspective on your day to day life too.
Comment down below a quote that you like to live by, I'd love to hear!
Until next time, 
Kat 

Complete Freedom

Hello again! I'm back with a new blog post!

So recently (last night whilst I was half asleep in bed) I realized that I really enjoy experiencing this thing I call complete freedom. 

I would describe this as the thing most of us felt as kids. That feeling we would get when we would play 'make-belief' and completely lose sense of time and reality.  

It's the feeling that we get when we are truly happy and free, regardless of any of the responsibilities we have. It's like when you have a huge weight taken off your shoulders and you have no more worries, no more stress.

I feel as though we all need more of that feeling but, how do we get it? It's not like we can turn back time and suddenly become 6 again and play pretend. 

Personally, I get that feeling when I go for long bike rides in the country side, figure skate to music without a pattern, laugh with my friends, carve slopes with my snowboard or when I get lost in a book.

I find this feeling comes easiest when we forget about our obligations. We need to forget about what others tell us what matters and what stresses us out. Whether that's money or whether that's your homework. 

I don't mean that we should never deal with our problems but more so that we need to forget them for at least a couple moments.

Sometimes we just need to let go and breath in the freedom that life has to offer. 

I know I need to work on this as I am always stressed out with school but, I hope that I will be able to let go of the stress with time. 

I plan on writing more on this blog in order to do that!

How do you plan on becoming completely free? 

Until next time, 

Kat 

     

MY FIRST EVER BLOG POST!

Hello everyone! This is my very first blog post ever!! I’m SO excited! My name’s Kat and I have to say, I’m really looking forward to writing more posts on this blog! Since I’ve never written a blog before, I don’t really know how to…so, if you’ve done it before feel free to give me a few pointers! Constructive criticism is ALWAYS a good thing!

So to start off I’m going to tell you a tiny bit about me. Here we go!

1. I like to paint/draw/do other creative stuff
2. I want to get into photography so hopefully this blog will feature some of my future photos.
3. I figure skate (not competitively though…)
4. I consider myself an optimist.
5. I laugh all the time-at anything and everything!

There you go! Over time I’m sure you’ll get to know me better than you know me right now!

Until next time!

Kat