Today I want to share my journey with God and things that I use to keep me connected.

I grew up in a Catholic household, both sides of my family. I went to Catholic (Sunday) school from when I was a toddler until 8th grade when I got my confirmation. I learned a lot but I still had more growing to do and I always will. 

As years went on I noticed my relationship with God was not what I wanted it to be. I was finding myself as every teenager does but I forgot about God at times. I didn’t pray or go to church consistently.

I came to Malone which is a Christian school. There are SFO’s at Malone, spiritual formation opportunities in which we have to go to 15 a semester. I had no idea what to expect. They worship differently than Catholics do, but I fell in love with it. The speakers share relatable stories in their lives, add in scripture, and allow us to volunteer. Now as these formations were mandatory they didn’t feel like it to me. I was privileged to be able to hear people around my age share their experiences with God.

I didn’t realize it at the time but I needed someone to guide me in the right direction. I needed to become closer to God and I didn’t know how. Many of my friends at Malone have opened up to me and we have had deep conversations about religion. I even made a friend where we both were stressed about a performance and other things that kept piling on top. She prayed with me over the phone for ten minutes. I’ve never met someone like that. That’s when I noticed just how blessed I truly am and that I’m at the right place.

My journey is not over and neither is yours. Every day try to reach out to the Lord, even if it’s to say, “ Hi I’m here and I acknowledge you.” We need God in our lives every step of the way, he is here to guide us and comfort us daily. So I want to share with you now some things I use to broaden my knowledge and gain a better relationship. There are pictures and brief descriptions to help you below.

If you’re looking for something to start or improve your journey with Christ I highly recommend choosing any one of these to start with. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at dcroshong1@malone.edu.

Apps: I provided a picture of what these apps look like in the app store. They are both free and super easy to understand.

The first app here is called Bible. You can either read or listen to the audio version of the Gospel’s and Acts depending on your preference. I find this helpful as I play this in my car while I’m on a drive. You also have the choice to receive a verse of the day, which I recommend because it’s a quick/uplifting to look if you don’t find the time to do more with God that day. Lastly, you can add prayers and things you want to get off of your chest. In this way, your prayers and thoughts are all in one place where you can easily access them.

The next app is called Pocket Rosary. I have found this to be the easiest rosary app out there. You click in the settings to pick the mystery for that day. Then all you do is swipe left for words to pray on each bead. In the past, it was hard to find a free app that was as simple as this so if you pray the rosary or want to start download this app!

• 

• 

Books: Pictures are provided below of both my Devotional and DayBrightener which are quick and easy reads for our busy lives. I got both of these at P. Graham Dunn. P. Graham Dunn is a family run Christian store that just opened by my house. This store is one of my favorites and here is the website if you’re interested: P. Graham Dunn.

In my Devotional, there is a new topic every day. There are two pages, one for morning and one for the night. Quotes are provided, the verse is broken down, and advice is given. This devotional is a simple read and helps me make the best out of my days.

The next thing I use is called a DayBrightener. This is a small book that provides a quote a day. These quotes keep me motivated and inspired to make a difference.

• 

• 

Thanks for reading and I hope there is something in here to help grow in your faith!

To end, here is one of my favorite quotes:

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

ISAIAH 40:31

Hey guys, this week I made my very first podcast. I thought this would be a fun way to talk about relationships. I invited two guest speakers to discuss questions that are probably on your mind. Click below to find out!

Song: We Found Love by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris.

Whether you’re a beginner in the gym or not here are some tips to help you get the most out of it. I hope you enjoy! 🙂

Let me know what you think, comment and like below. If you would rather send a suggestion or question via email please do so! My email is: dcroshong1@malone.edu

Many of you probably don’t realize you’re being unhealthy. There are 8 Dimensions of Wellness that play a part in your mental and physical health. Look at this chart below and think about what is lacking in your everyday routine.

I want to encourage you to focus on the dimensions in your life that aren’t where they should be. While we have more time at home, evaluate yourself. Do a brainstorming activity to… find the things that are missing in your life or find the things that are in your life and shouldn’t be. Make a change if you’re not fully content with your lifestyle. Reinvent yourself if it’s necessary.

Nothing is wrong with reassembling things in your life, it’s bound to happen at some point. Why don’t you make the call before someone else does?

If you need more information on the 8 Dimensions of Wellness here is a website that will give you valuable, in-depth explanations: Good Therapy.

I want to show you guys how I brainstormed and how I’m trying to make changes from now on.

Step 1: I wrote down the 8 Dimensions of Wellness.

Step 2: After reviewing the meanings I highlighted the dimensions that need improvement.

Step 3: I then wrote a few sentences of why I feel that way.

Step 4: I brainstormed for 1 minute with each dimension. If you are having a hard time finding ideas don’t be afraid to look on the internet or ask a friend.

Step 5: I ordered my ideas (in my mind) into what seemed more realistic to least realistic, baby steps come first!

Step 6: My goal is to achieve 3 ideas per week, now you try!

• 

• 

You’re probably at home, on your laptop, doing homework right about now. My school has only been online since yesterday and I find myself switching from my bed to the kitchen and to my laptop on repeat. I just need a break from it all! If you know me I’m a people person so this transition is a little challenging. But hey, there is no better time than right now to spend time on you. Make your days at home count, why not make yourself feel better?

Some things I have tried are facemasks, bath bombs, and stretching. These have made me more energized and relaxed with all of this stress I have with everything going on. I will be finding more ways to proceed with self-care from a book called “Make Yourself Cozy.”

I want to share with you all a book that I came to love about self-care. I got it at a white elephant exchange and had no idea how it would impact me. This book contains mainly pictures and short phrases, which is nice in the season of school. The author is Katie Vaz and she has a website of all her work. She also blogs and is a freelance illustrator/designer. She has been an inspiration to me because that is a career path I someday want to take on. Her creativity and simplicity are refreshing to me, someone who is always looking for new art. I encourage you to check out her website and read one of her books, you won’t regret it!

I want to share with you some key ideas Katie suggests to the reader. She wants you to be cozy, comfortable, and at ease with your mind, body, and life. She inspires you to try yoga, make new foods, and journal. I was so drawn to this book as I kept going because each page holds a different value. The book allows you to interact and respond to questions about you and your thoughts. I don’t want to give too much away, so please check this out when you need a break!

“Self-Care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”

– Katie Reed

I had the opportunity to interview a soon to be counselor, Justine Chester, who is currently working at Malone University’s Admissions Center. Justine shared with me some of her background as well as tips for living better. Read on to find out!

Justine is currently the admissions counselor for Malone and helps guide students into the different world of college. The most satisfying part of Justine’s job is when she sees a student work really hard to get here and can be apart of someone fulfilling their purpose. The most challenging would have to be watching students that want to come here and don’t have the chance because of varying factors.

Justine is currently 23 and working towards a degree in clinical counseling. She chose psychology because she has always had the heart to help people. She emphasized how talking out can help. She decided to go to counseling herself because she knows that in order to help someone you need to be healthy yourself. Justine grew up with 5 brothers and 4 sisters so growing up in that environment has played a role in her decision to be a psychologist. She wants to make getting help affordable and help people at risk.

Justine’s best advice for upcoming students: people can be afraid of what the future holds, but recommends you to go for it! If you never try, you never know.

Tips for reducing anxiety and stress:

• breathing exercises
• muscle relaxation
• listening to music
• good sleep
• changing your diet
• taking vitamins, they contain many minerals that help with mental problems
• talk it out with your close friends

As a college student, it can be hard to tell if you’re surrounding yourself with the right type of people. You are always meeting new students and getting older through the process. Make sure that your friends have goals and motives just like you do. You want people who are going to make you grow and not hold you back.

Being apart of Malone’s golf team has shown me how to have a teammate and a friend. From previous experience, teammates have seen me as competition rather than someone they can count on. We hardly talked, only to discuss the sport rather than having meaningful conversations. I’m glad that has changed over the years and there are reasons why. I got to know these girls on a deeper level, we have shared personal stories and bonded over team activities. I know that I always have a teammate to call up whenever I need it! With this being said, I want to encourage you whether you’re an athlete or not, to step outside of your comfort zone and start a conversation with someone you aren’t as close with. It could change your life!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

FIGHT FOR YOU.

RESPECT YOU.

INCLUDE YOU.

ENCOURAGE YOU.

NEED YOU.

DESERVE YOU.

STAND BY YOU.

– wachabuy.com

Many people have anxiety and stress but are unaware of what they are. It can be hard determining which one you have, if not both.

Anxiety and Stress can be good, it can help us stay focused and achieve our greatest goals. However, it’s not good when they negatively affect us.

1. Stress comes first.
2. Anxiety is a reaction to stress.

How Stress Starts

According to google stress is: “pressure or tension exerted on a material object.”

Look below to see which stage of stress you think attributes to you. Whether you fall into any of these categories we want to help you have a healthy amount of stress in your life.

Acute Stress: There is short-term, acute stress. Acute stress is normal, it is usually when something in the past or future is causing us to feel pressure or tension. Stress is removed once the event is over/resolved. Acute stress is only normal until it repeatedly happens.

Episodic Acute Stress: There is episodic acute stress. This is the next stage following acute. This is when repeated stress starts affecting how you act in your life. If you are becoming negative or tense towards others this is when you need to take a step back and make a change.

Chronic Stress: Chronic stress is what we want to avoid. Chronic stress is long-term and can become unnoticeable by you and others. This is when the effects of stress are prone to us and it’s almost impossible to fix the way we think.

The three stages of stress were found at Medical News Today.

Here is a helpful website to see what Stress Symptoms, Signs, and Causes you have.

When Does Anxiety Come In?

According to google anxiety is: “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.”

When you are stressed about a situation or an event you then can start to become nervous. This is when anxiety comes into play. Anxiety occurs when you start to ‘freak out’ about something you have tension or pressure on. For instance, your hands get sweaty or you start to think of everything that could go wrong. Just like the three stages of stress, anxiety can be minor or severe.

Go to this website if you want to learn more about Anxiety Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis.

Our Goal

Our main goal for you guys is to determine whether anxiety and stress play a part in your life. If it does and you want to eliminate some or all of it, in the next few blogs we will be discussing ways to help!

We think we know ourselves, but is that really accurate? No, we create misconceptions about our thoughts. It only takes one event to significantly lower a person’s self-esteem. Self-esteem is easily lost, but hard to gain. I’m going to inform you not only on understanding what self-esteem is but ways that you should go about it.

Most people have low self-esteem because they don’t understand and they don’t know how to make it better. If you aren’t sure if you have low self-esteem… let’s be real… you probably do. Here are some criteria that will help boost your self-esteem.

• Set a goal, when you set a goal it makes you want to achieve it. If you don’t set a goal(s) then you are going to feel worthless because you have nothing to look forward to. LISTEN UP: sometimes goals sound like wants but they are actually a need.
• Change how you respond to failure, doing daily tasks will lead to better well-being and will make you feel better overall.
• Acknowledging you are not good at everything is a healthy self-concept to have. Nobody is perfect and that’s why you need to know this.
• Stop looking for people’s approval, your thoughts only matter.
• Positively predict your feelings. Ex) “I will have a great workout” and you most likely will!

If you really want to start living a healthy lifestyle, start writing down 3 things that you’re grateful for each day! Studies have shown that this positively impacts people’s lives.

If you are a teenager and have low self-esteem you are more likely to be depressed your whole life.

We hardly discussed high-self esteem but it can be bad depending on what degree it’s at. If your goal is based solely on self-esteem then this can negatively impact others because you then create competition with others.

If you are struggling, feel free to reach out to Malone’s Counseling Center.

330.471.8711

Also, you can reach out to the Crisis Intervention and Recovery Center.

330.452.6000

All of this information came from my lovely sister, Lex, who is studying psychology and wants to become a child psychologist in the near future.

Are you balancing the right things in your day-to-day life?

Here’s some questions to think about…

• Is anxiety and/or stress taking over your mind?
• Is your self-esteem low?
• Is self-care a priority?
• Are you being healthy?
• Are your relationships where you want them to be?

Whatever your setback may be we are here to help! The questions above are here as a guide to show what this blog will be discussing over the next ten weeks. Each post will be unique in its own way to help you prosper!