prettyparks

[prettyparks]

ways to unwind after school

we all know how stressful and mind-boggling school can be so here are a few ways you can unwind after school before diving into assignments and other academic tasks of the day

a short nap can help you recharge and feel refreshed, as someone who went to boarding school I can speak very highly for this after school was meant for sleeping even though most times I didn’t end up sleeping and just chatted with my roommates or used my laptop, the times I did take a nap after school were the best and it was easier for me to focus on work during prep, and taking a bath before that nap is so lovely.

engage in physical activities like running, swimming, dancing, or yoga to release endorphins and improve your mood. You really don’t need to do a full workout for this you can very simply just take a walk to clear your mind and just really get your thoughts intact while being healthy by moving

dive into a good book and stimulate your imagination. I do love reading, you can learn from it without actually wanting to learn and it's just a really nice way to pass the time and just be a girl y’know

play your favourite songs or discover new music to help you relax and uplift your spirits. Music will always be one of the most therapeutic experiences ever after school you can just play a few tunes while you tidy up your desk for reading later or just lie on your bed and listen to calming sounds

spend time on activities you enjoy, such as drawing, painting, playing an instrument, or crafting. Hobbies are a great way to wind down after school, as most hobbies are therapeutic and likeable

write about your day, your thoughts, or your goals to process your feelings and clear your mind. Journaling is so great it is a two-in-one for me, keeping memories and also practicing mindfulness

watch a movie or catch up on your favourite TV shows for entertainment. when I watch shows I mainly watch sitcoms as it is something I can come back to without like dwelling on it too much because compared to a drama which would keep you at the edge of your seat a good sitcom is less likely to make you want to watch all episodes at once

note - it's ok to feel overwhelmed by school and it is ok to take some time out for self-care. I hope these little things help you to feel better after school.

well then I bid you a dew {adieu} my dew drops temi 🎀

[prettyparks]

OOTD | Clean Girl Pink Edition 🩷 🎀

A baby pink silk halter neck, paired with the classic low rise straight leg denim jeans. On hand, the star of today, the iconic Michael Kors White Leather Tote Handbag 🩷 🎀

I am always so conflicted between my Early 2000's Fashion Aesthetic and my Clean Girl Fashion Aesthetic but, everytime both hits, so I guess I'll remain conflicted 💋🩷🎀

OUTFIT BY : @colebabey888

[prettyparks]

beauty tips?

Beauty Tips.

.... new habits, current go-tos, recent additions.

✿ gradual face tan and 1-2 drops carotene oil = 💋 from the sun

✿ sexy stomach = tightening transverse abdominus + stomach vacuums + gua sha.

✿ increasing my hip as well as my shoulder mobility for an attractive gait.

✿ eliminating sweat: AHA regularly, antiperspirant (at night!), and drinking sage tea.

✿ targeted weightlifting and protein heavy diet and protein shakes for hot curves!

✿ starting hot yoga = it's body weight training + cardio + meditation all in one!

✿ socks in the evenings after applying my heavy cream for silky smooth skin.

✿ golden jewelry on bronzed skin is an absolutely stunning combination, no silver.

✿ adorning my body ♡ stacked rings + bracelets + a delicate anklet on my right foot.

✿ lots of PA+++ sunscreen, citrus perfume, my summertime drinks and snacks.

✿ french on the nails and french on the toes is an absolute necessity!

[prettyparks]

blue light

blue light is a type of visible light with short, high-energy waves. its wavelength ranges from approximately 380 nanometers (violet light) to 700 nanometers (red light). blue light waves are only slightly longer and less powerful than ultraviolet (UV) waves, which are invisible to the naked eye.

blue light is encountered from various sources, including the sun, fluorescent bulbs, incandescent lights and digital screens.

when sunlight enters the atmosphere, blue light waves scatter off nitrogen and oxygen particles. these particles are perfectly suited to deflect blue light, giving the sky its characteristic blue hue. during sunset, the longer path of sunlight allows more blue light to dissipate, revealing the warm red and gold tones we associate with a gorgeous sunset.

blue light penetrates our eyes and reaches the retina at the back of the eye. while the cornea and lens protect us from harmful UV rays, they don't block out blue light. approximately one-third of visible light is considered high-energy visible (HEV) or blue light. some experts believe that prolonged exposure to blue light from screens may contribute to digital eyestrain and affect our sleep cycles.

blue light exposure during the day helps to regulate our circadian rhythm, keeping us alert and awake.

excessive blue light exposure, especially at night, can interfere with sleep patterns. some studies suggest that chronic exposure to blue light may contribute to macular degeneration (a condition affecting central vision). however, conclusive evidence is still lacking.

to reduce blue light exposure, : ̗̀➛ use blue light filters on screens or wear blue light-blocking glasses : ̗̀➛ limit screen time before bedtime : ̗̀➛ consider using warm-toned lighting in the evening

for further exploration on the topic of blue light: healthline sleep foundation all about vision vision centre web md

[prettyparks]

the world around you is beautiful when the world within you is peaceful ˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚.🎀༘⋆

[prettyparks]

building my rebrand

getting my money right

one of my main goals right now is to get my money right and save as much as i can. here are some things i am focusing on:

getting a job with lots of opportunity for growth

picking up as many shifts as i can

trying savings challenges on pay days

spread out spending on wants; want something for at least 2 weeks before considering buying

meal plan and buy groceries for those meals rather than buying random things

fill gas tank full when possible rather than filling a little at a time

sleep schedule

my sleep schedule has been off for a little while now due to stress and sickness, so i am focusing on going to sleep at a reasonable hour and around the same time every night and waking up at a reasonable hour and around the same time every morning.

healthy body, healthy mind

taking care of the physical body helps not only your physical health and wellness, but the mental as well. here are some ways i am working to take better care of my body:

some form of exercise per day, even if it’s just stretching

stay mindful of the nutrients in your food, including vitamins, protein, sugar, and fat

stay mindful of water intake and try to drink as much as possible

when sitting or lying down, do not stay in one position for too long. shift and move around regularly.

taking care of your looks

while this may be a bit controversial, it’s important to take care of your appearance, even if it’s in your own way. not only will you make a good impression on others, but you will feel more positive and confident about yourself. some ways i am doing this are:

researching good skincare products and staying consistent with a skincare routine

hair oiling at least once a week

avoid super oily or sugary foods

again, stay hydrated!

strength training and cardio

if you wear makeup, make an effort to find the best style for your face shape

know your body shape and undertones and how to dress accordingly

mindset

arguably the most important part! your mindset is everything, as having a negative mindset can ruin even the best experiences for you. constantly reminding yourself of your power and worth among other things is crucial for everything else to fall into place.

[prettyparks]

june mood: high grades, reading, spending time focusing on yourself, warmth, cheesy movies, fueling your body with good food, movement, embracing learning, long skirts, self-care, loading food with vegetables, puzzles, hot coffee, lots of pictures, travelling

[prettyparks]

˚₊‧꒰ა Good morning, angels!! June’s newsletter is here! I went a little crazy. Let me know if you like the extra stuff, the new layout, et cetera. Enjoy, lovelies! ୨୧˚｡

#ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ dear diary #self care #becoming that girl #dream girl #gaslight gatekeep girlboss #glow up diaries #it girl #it girl aesthetic #it girl energy #just girly things #pinterest girl #wellness girl #girl blogger #tumblr girl #clean girl #wonyoungism #glow up #spring #summer #that girl #skincare

[prettyparks]

Traits I’ve Noticed in Confident People 

Disciplined - if a target is set, it is achieved 

Speaking - Can speak multiple languages. Can express thoughts clearly even if vocabulary is limited. The listener understands their point. 

Strong extroversion socially - can approach and talk to new people with ease, but also make them feel comfortable. Good at following up, asking questions and inserting little stories about themselves without exposing too much 

Strong general knowledge / industry knowledge. They know what they’re talking about 

Hard to please but not arrogant about it. They won’t readily accept a fact or opinion, even if the majority agrees - they’ll debate with it, think over it, play the devil’s advocate

Good posture

Strong set of principles and self control. There’s no shame in wanting to say, help someone, choose not to drink socially, buy a coffee for a poor person on the street; they don’t hesitate to do good deeds 

Hygienic. Clean, groomed, well dressed, well maintained. 

Observant and proactive at the same time. Can pick up on body language relatively easily - can sense discomfort or unease in someone and do something about it. 

Have a strong sense of self identity. Can be opinionated but open to challenges. 

[prettyparks]

I heard someone say this and it blew my mind:

Buy land in secret. Build the house in secret. Then do the house warming party with publicity. Date in secret. Propose in private. Then marry in front of a crowd. Let your haters only see your reality, never your vision, or you will have division. In a game of chess, you don't speak. You just act. The only time that you ever speak when playing chess is to say checkmate. Life is like chess. Don't broadcast your intentions. Act quietly. Keep achieving. Your achievements are your checkmate.

[prettyparks]

The pink office siren .𖥔 ݁ ˖

[prettyparks]

Me looking at my wallet after cute little shopping

[prettyparks]

Always present yourself well: being clean, smelling good, having your hair done, great jewels and a simple but well fitting outfit is better than having your makeup done. Be kind, but step up for yourself. Set boundaries. No means no. Don’t over explain yourself, ever. To anyone. Do not lower your standards. Be honest, own your personality, never be ashamed of anything.

[prettyparks]

🎀 The It Girl Lifestyle Guide 🎀

hi girlies! this guide is a part of the big series: The Ultimate It-Girlism Guide. in this mini guide i'll be including all things health, morning/nighttime routines, and more!

How to create your ideal morning / night / any other routine:

Here’s a mini step by step guide to curating a routine that works specifically for YOU, tailored to your own needs and wants. This can be for any routine u wanna create: morning, night, after school, after work, before school/ work, etc etc.

Apps / things needed:

ChatGPT (or an AI like that- it’s not completely necessary but it’s useful)

Notes app / docs app. (Or a pen and paper- this will be to write down the routine!)

Calendar app (optional tbh)

Ok so first off: decide what you want in your routine. Make a list in no particular order of what you need/ want in the routine.

Some examples:

Once you’ve created this list, you’re pretty much half way done. In this next part you can use chat GPT to make it easier, or use your own mind.

The next thing to do is: ask chatGPT to make a routine with the steps u wanted.

Make sure to mention what time your routine starts and ends. And if there’s anything you want to change, you can just ask the AI or make those changes yourself!

The last step is to write it down!

You can either write it down on the notes app, docs, on a journal/ piece of paper, anything that’s easily accessible to you. I heavily recommend writing it down somewhere, but if you dont want to you can…

Put it into your calander. This can help you be a bit more organised, but it’s not completely needed. As long as it’s written down somewhere- so you dont need to always remember it- you’re good.

Health and wellness

In this section, i will be talking about fitness, mental health and physical health. I will mention some useful tips to finally start, how to overcome procrastination, and how to take care of that area of your body.

1. FITNESS.

Numero uno: fitness! I’m not going to go yapping on about how fitness is so important- im assuming you all know that by now. But let me just remind you that staying fit is not only exercising or going to the gym everyday. It can be: running, going for a walk, playing a sport, yoga, pilates, dancing, cycling, and THE LIST GOES ON. DO anything that moves your body and gets you fit!

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Start small. Set small goals first. Set SMART goals

Choose the activities you enjoy. Like i mentioned earlier, there’s tons of ways to stay fit- cycling, running, swimming, yoga, dance, sports, etc. etc. (if you like, joining a class or working out with friends can help you stay motivated!)

Stay consistent. I know i know, this is said everywhere. But there is no progress without consistency. Even if you can’t do a whole workout one day, try and do 10 jumping jacks, or 5 pushups. Do whatever you can. Remember: 1% is better than 0.

Create a vision board. You can create one yourself, or find tons of them off Pinterest. Vision boards will make the process so much more fun and will certainly motivate you.

Set a reward system. Tell yourself: if you do this high intensity workout now, you can go to the spa later or watch tv.

Find a why. This goes for like everything tbh. If your why is big enough, you are capable of doing anything (even finding that lost book that you owe the library!) basically, are you doing this to get ripped? With tons of abs, or to get strong and impress people? Or are you doing this to boost your self esteem and improve your health?

2. FOOD & NUTRITION.

Balanced diet: eat the rainbow! Meaning- eat meals with a variety of different colours. Fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, etc. it’s completely alright to eat a chocolate, but remember: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

Hydration: aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day. Trust me, drinking the magical potion that is water will help you SO much! It can help you clear your skin, have pink uncrusty lips, keep you fit and soooo much more.

Mindful eating: in the book IKIGAI it is said that you should only eat until you’re 80% full. Not 100%. Why? Because the time it takes for you to digest the food will have already made you extremely full. You may even have a stomachache. Studies also show that cutting back on calories can lead to better heart health, longevity, and weight loss.

Here are some tips to manage cravings:

Find healthier alternatives. If you are craving something sweet like chocolate, have something like a sweet fruit. If you crave something salty, try nuts. If you can’t think of any, search up some healthier alternatives to it!

Create more friction for junk, and less friction for healthy. This concept was said in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. What does it mean? Make sure that it takes a lot of energy to get the unhealthy junk food. Maybe keep them high up in a cupboard so whenever you want it you have to go get a ladder, climb up, and then get it. And keep the healthy food in easy reach. Like some fruits open on a table, etc. (also remember to keep some actually yummy healthy food like Greek yogurt or protein bars.)

Distract yourself. Go do a workout or engage your mind in a hobby that you enjoy. Basically take your mind off food.

Yummy water. Make some lemonade for yourself. Or perhaps add slices of lemon, cucumber, mint or strawberries to it for some flavours. I’d do some research on this cus i know that some combos can rly help for things like clearing your skin, boosting energy, etc.

3. MENTAL HEALTH

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. It affects how we think, feel and act and also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, relationships, etc.

Of course there will be ups and downs for our mental health. It’s not something that you can just fix once and it’ll be good forever. No, it’s a rollercoaster. But having a “good” mental health is really important for a successful lifestyle.

Here are some tips to help you improve your mental health:

Meditation / deep breathing. I can’t emphasise how important this is. Even 1-2 minutes a day is good. Start small. You dont even need to be sitting crossed legged for this. Whether you’re in class, on a vehicle or in a stressful situation; just breathe. Take a deep breath, and out. Do it right now.

Journalling. Write. It. Out. Writing your problems and worries out is SOO therapeutic, especially when you want to calm down. There are SO MANY benefits to journalling. But remember that once you’ve ranted on the paper, tear it, rip it, and watch it burn. (Don’t keep a journal for this unless you KNOW 150% that no ones ever gonna read it. Trust me, it’s terrifying knowing that someone’s read that.) other things you can do is create a gratitude journal, so whenever you’re feeling low you can just go to it or write in it.

Self careee!! Create time for self care in your week. Because if you do that, it’s gonna be that one thing which you’ll be looking forward to each week, which will make life SO much more fun and bearable. For me, my forms of self care are watching thewizardliz or tam Kaur, reading, watching a movie at night, etc.

POSITIVE. SELF. TALK. Need i say more? What you say to yourself, is what you believe. And what you believe reflects in your external life.

Sing your heart out to Olivia Rodrigo. I swear this is actually so calming and therapeutic. Basically: express your feelings. If you’re angry at someone, feeling grief or really hurt by someone, screaming to Olivia Rodrigo songs in my bedroom is my go-to (i just make sure not to do it when others can here hehe). You can punch your pillow, scream, cry, etc.

Remember honey: this too will pass. Repeat that over in your head. This will pass. This will pass. This will pass. I know you may be going through the toughest time ever, but this too will pass. Nothing is forever. You’ve gotten through so much worse. You’ve got this.

!! Girls, please remember that these are just some tips. I am NOT a professional. If you really feel horrible every single day, go to therapy or counselling. Also contact mental health hotlines or emergency numbers if needed.

Mkay thats it! I hope this was of some value to you, and stay tuned for the next guide in the it girl series!

[prettyparks]

Financial indépendance is so important. This summer, I’ll have only 3 goals.

1) study, so I can improve my expertise in my field, and be very comfortable when I go back to school.

2)work. Part time jobs, tutoring, anything. I want to save up money now. Idk how much I can realistically expect to save up, but I’ll do my best.

3) Work on myself. Gym, self development books, etc.

I won’t let this summer go to waste.

[prettyparks]

Financial Health

I've been reading a lot of books and watching a lot of videos about financial health, and how the system is set up to keep you " poor".

It's extremely interesting, and I didn't realize how much of a victim I was of this system. Like, sometimes, I am thinking of buying a certain very expensive bag to " reward" myself, or expensive skincare ( by the way, I'll make a post about this. A very interesting one, I think).

But genuinely, are those expensive things an actual reward ? Like is there a need to buy these stuff, instead of investing in your financial health...?

Too many trends, too many supposed high brands that target lower and middle classes as a PART of their maketing strategy, and too many influencers, completely out of touch, recommanding products that we don't need.

This very finely curated system is meant to keep you poor.

Right now, I am in a phase wherein I am realizing how much money I've wasted and how that money could have gone to useful or memorable things ( education, investing, travels). This realization part is the most important part of the journey.

Trust me, it's never too late to realize this, and correct the trajectory of your life.

Being an it girl is not about the expensive stuff you own, it's about the mindset. It's about how you carefully invest in yourself.

[prettyparks]

The thing about knitting is it’s much harder to fear the existential futility of all your actions while you’re doing it.

Like ok, sure, sometimes it’s hard to believe you’ve made any positive impact on the world. But it’s pretty easy to believe you’ve made a sock. Look at it. There it is. Put it on, now your foot’s warm.

Checkmate, nihilism.