day 37: you can do hard things!!

hello hello hello!! welcome back to da blog and i hope you've been having a fantastic day so far.

so today we're going to be talking a bit about how you can do anything you set your mind to and that you can be brave from simply just trying things.

before we dive in, i want to say that you can read about growth mindset here. and that in order to try new things, you have to have that growth mindset

i'm sure you've heard someone say to you, "it won't hurt to try" or "the worst they can say is no". if nobody has, i'm here to say that to you. 

truly, the worst someone can say is no, and i'm going to be completely honest, i HATE rejection. so when people say "no" to me i get a kind of sting in my throat.

but that's besides the point. when you put yourself out there and try new things or ask a question, you are being brave. you sort of prepare yourself for possible rejection, and that is a-okay. 

by proving to yourself that you can step outside of your comfort zone (read more here!!), you show yourself that you can do hard things. some people prove to themselves that they can do hard things through eating their fear foods, going skydiving, or literally just going to talk to someone new. 

every person is different but by doing things you think are hard, you prove to yourself that you can be brave. it doesn't matter if you fail or succeed, what matters is that you prove to yourself that you can do anything that you set your mind to!! from that point forward, you'll keep that growth mindset, which will motivate you to do other hard things.

thank you for reading and i'll catch ya on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 36: don't get comfortable

hi there! today i have a little video for you to watch! 

so take what you will with these, and i hope this motivates you to come back stronger when you are brought down. ill catch ya tomorrow!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 35: do what lights your fire

hi there!! today i'm on a bit of a time crunch, so this one is gonna be a bit shorter than usual.

so, jumping right into it: do the things that make you happy.

if you don't currently have a hobby outside of watching TV or doom-scrolling, i highly recommend you find one. for me, the hobbies that i choose are ones that help me express my creativity. for example, i crochet, make birthday cards, paint, and so much more. 

these things genuinely make me happy and give me a break from the stresses of the world around me. 

each day, you should try your best to make time to do the things that you enjoy and make you happy. there is no "i don't have the time.", it's more of "i don't make the time." (you can read more about it on day 14.)

i encourage you to do more of things that light your fire and makes you happy, because when you're happier, you just enjoy life more. i hope to catch ya on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 34: it's okay to say "no"

hello hello hello!! today i'll be talking a bit about saying "no".

sometimes i struggle with saying "no" to things that i don't want to do or it's just me trying to be nice. but recently, i've been a bit more okay with setting that boundary.

for example, if someone is talking about a certain topic that you are uncomfortable with, it's more than okay to say no, change the topic, or simply just walk away.

a little while ago, i was at a birthday party where someone started talking about ICE, and while it is an ongoing problem, i was uncomfortable. because of this, i went with my best friend to the other room and we talked about something else. eventually the group migrated to where we were and we started another activity.

small things like this will help you build up to setting boundaries with larger things like saying "no" to someone venting to you about a certain topic if it makes you uncomfortable or puts a weight on your shoulders that you don't want to carry anymore.

saying "no" shouldn't feel scary because it prevents you from being in a situation that you don't want to be in. yes, there are times where it might be better to break outside of your comfort zone, but don't be afraid to say "no". 

if you liked this one, please check out day 6, which is "the power of 'yes'". thank you so much for reading and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 33: the pressure to be perfect

hi hello! how's it going? today i'm going to be writing about something that i constantly struggle with: 

being a perfectionist

in today's society, social media can take over someone's life. it can influence them to do good or bad things, but because everything we see on socials are just highlights of people's lives, it can unconsciously make us strive for that unrealistic "perfection". 

as you probably know, i do taekwondo and i'm currently training for my 2nd degree black belt exam which is in may. one of the components of our exam is grappling, which is essentially jujitsu. yesterday in class we were playing a grappling game where you have to get to a certain position and for some reason, i just couldn't get it. 

because i'm easily frustrated, i was pretty much going crazy. this isn't to make me sound cocky or like i'm "all that" but, i'm used to doing things and being able to easily understand how to do it. though for grappling, it's quite the opposite. 

when i got in the car, i started to cry, harder than i've cried in a long time. i cried because i was frustrated and i cried about other things that pissed me off that day, but through that experience, i realized i might be putting too much pressure on myself.

whenever i do or make something, i always strive to do it the best i can, because that's just who i am. now, i realize that i'm not perfect. nobody is perfect. but that's what makes us unique and special and who we are. not everyone is going to understand things at the same rate as others, and that is 100,000% okay. 

for grappling, i'm going to have to work extra hard to get where i want to be. i'll watch videos and ask my coach how to get better because i hate the feeling of not getting it.

so this is your reminder that it's okay to not get it. it's okay to not be the perfect person that lives up to every high standard ever, because there is no such person. the highlights that you see on social media are only 30 seconds of somebody's 30 years of life. in everyone's life they experience highs, lows, and all the in-between. so yeah, you're doing amazing already!!

i hope you enjoyed today and i'll catch you on the next one!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 32: cherish your culture

hi there! welcome/welcome back to the blog! today we'll be discussing the importance of learning about different cultures.

i'm sure you've heard the saying, "if everyone was the same, the world would be boring," or something like that. it is undeniable that this statement is SO true and can also be interpreted in many different ways. for the purpose of today's topic, i'll be writing just about culture. 

in america, there are people from probably every country in the world and when they immigrated here, they brought their culture and traditions with them.

each country has its own unique culture, though some can be very similar to each other. living in south florida, we see a lot of different south americans and many other nationalities. as we make friends with these people, we can learn so much more about their cultures than we think.

one of my good friends, antonia, is brazillian and whenever she comes to my house, i have to open the front door for her when she arrives and as she leaves. her mom explained this to my mom and i, saying that the guest will never be invited back because their friendship will end. 

now, i've actually started to do this and make sure to always open the door for my guests even if i don't explain the superstition behind it.

all this to say, never be ashamed or embarrassed of your culture. your culture is part of what makes you unique as well as your personality and character. 

i've heard many stories of asian kids being embarrassed about their home-cooked food that they would bring to lunch in elementary school, but thank goodness i never experienced that. i think that it's so important for younger kids to understand that embracing your culture is cool. 

it's really hard to explain that to younger kids because they want to be whatever they see as "cool". this usually means following the crowd and not drawing too much attention to yourself. now, i see that being "cool" is so subjective and anyone or anything could be seen as cool. 

one fantastic example of this would be alysa liu, a figure skater who recently won a gold medal at the 2026 olympic winter games in milano cortina. usually figure skaters are seen as very classy and stick to the stereotypes of figure skaters. alysa, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. she is so care-free and is just happy to be there. she has dyed hair and piercings and just not the conventional figure skater.

you can learn more about alysa's story through a quick google, youtube or tiktok search. she has gone viral because of her insane comeback and many are praising her for being so carefree and joyful while being on ice.

anyways, i hope you kind of understood today's topic and why embracing it is so important. i think that learning about the different traditions that my friends have is so much fun and interesting. so, what have you learned about another culture recently?

thank you so much for reading and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 31: yay one month!!

HELLO EVERYONE!! welcome or welcome back to maia & more!! 

i absolutely cannot believe i've been writing a blog post each day for the past month. i honestly used to hate writing, and saw it as a chore, but now i've grown to love it. by posting each day, i've come to realize how many lessons there are from just daily life (as you can see from any past day). 

for my one-month-iversary of maia & more, i'm going to be telling you about things that i've learned from having this wonderful blog.

1. making others happy genuinely makes me happy.

as i've been writing, i post each day to my snapchat story so that my friends are notified about that day's post. 

each day i get replies saying that the post was relatable or that day's post made them feel good. these types of comments make me feel like i'm writing for a reason, not just to write if that makes sense. i guess i feel a bit of social validation, which does make me feel good, but what makes me feel over the moon is when people like what i do.

for example, yesterday i wrote about the phone case that i made and when people said that they liked it, that made me feel so happy.

2. be the real you.

be authentic to yourself. don't cover up and put on a show because you're scared of the way that others will perceive you.

there are 8 billion people on this floating rock that we call home. because of this, you will find your people. i go to a school where there are 4,000+ students and to be completely honest, most everyone is willing to make new friends and meet new people. 

you will find people that appreciate you even if it isn't in this exact moment. be true to yourself. live loud. be who you truly are and if your friends cannot accept that, then they aren't your true friends and you need to get some better ones!! yes, it's easy to say but very hard to do. i believe in you!!

3. what if it all works out?

when i started this blog, i wasn't sure how it was going to go.

i'm going to be honest, i didn't even know what i was going to write about. 

after i wrote my introduction post, i started to write inspirational posts or just reminders of what people need to hear more and i've been loving it. through this process i've found out that my friends like hearing these things and enjoy tuning in each day. 

a lot of my friends as me how i have time to write a post each day, and i'm gonna be straight with you: i probably don't have the time, but i make the time. because i enjoy this so much, i take 20 minutes out of my day to write something that i was inspired by that day and let my creative juices flow.

my blog has turned into something that i do for fun. there's no rules, nobody to tell me what i can and can't do (though i made a few rules for myself) and it's just a butt-load of fun. 

so what if it does work out?

thank you for reading today's post and if you think someone you know might enjoy these too, don't be afraid to share!! i hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and i hope to catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 30: let whoever think whatever

hello hello hello!! welcome/welcome back to maia & more!!

today i held a little chinese new year dumpling wrapping party and was playing paranoia with my friends antonia and emma. according to wiki how, "Paranoia is a party game where you ask saucy questions about your friends. You're not supposed to let them know what the question is. Instead, answer with their name to make them paranoid." we played like this, but just told each other, not anyone who wasn't with us.

now that i'm thinking about it, this is actually a horrible game because i don't really like to talk about people behind their backs, but i didn't think that much of it in the moment.

this reminded me not to think so much about what other think. i've mentioned countless times on this blog that you should always remember that people are always going to have opinions about you and you have to accept that they aren't always going to be good things.

if you let others dictate who you are and essentially manipulate you into someone who you actually aren't (i hope this makes sense), you won't be happy.

basically what i'm trying to say is to BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF!!!!! 

people want to know you. they don't want to know some fake version of you, so stop letting other's opinions affect you so much. i truly know how hard it is, but once you try to stop caring as much, i guarantee you will become SO much happier.

for example, i wanted to decorate my phone case with jewels and one of my friends said it would be tacky and what-not, but i didn't let that stop me. i did it and literally the first day i wore it on my phone i got at least 5 compliments about it and i've been obsessed with it ever since. 

(you can watch me make it here!!)

i wasn't embarrassed that ONE person said it would look tacky. i did what i wanted and i got an even better outcome than i could have imagined. what i'm trying to say with all this is to be yourself. don't try so hard to be a people pleaser, because no everyone will be pleased with the same things. 

live your life as YOU want to. take the reins and don't have any regrets (read day 16, which is about regrets here!!). like manolo in the book of life, WRITE YOUR OWN STORY!!! someone i knew once said something along the lines of, "i'd rather die without regrets than live regretting every moment."

have a fantastic evening and i'll catch you on the next one!!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 29: everything is going to work out

hi there!! how's it going? happy friday!

like every friday, i'm going to leave you a quote to think about and here's today's:

i think this one is just good to have as a reminder for always. have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch ya on the next one!!

day 28: comparison is the thief of joy

hey there! i hope you are doing awesome and today we'll be talking a bit about comparison.

i'm sure that everyone has heard the phrase, "comparison is the thief of joy" from someone in their life. 

i think the first time i heard it was in my 8th grade language arts class when my teacher asked us to write about it for a warm-up. i don't remember what i wrote, but now, thinking about it, i completely agree.

there have been many times where i was extremely happy with my results of something and was so so proud. there was no doubt in my mind that i loved the product. then, i saw someone else's version and immediately i became insecure about mine. 

why? maybe because i thought that i didn't make mine as well as theirs. maybe i thought that mine "sucked" in comparison to theirs.

but there's the key word: comparison. 

before i saw the other person's result, i was 100,000% satisfied with mine. why did my satisfaction decrease after i saw the other's? i'm going to be honest, i really don't know. what i do know is that comparing yourself with someone else, or someone you see online steals your confidence. don't let those people take away your confidence.  

there are many, many beautiful people in the world, but beauty is not just determined by looks, it is determined by character and personality and a billion other factors. if we took away our characters and personalities, everybody would be the same. 

love yourself. love what you create. love what you do. don't let anyone take away how proud you are of what you do. if you are unhappy with your results, try again! that's the beauty of it all: you are allowed to try again. strive to create something that you love, but don't compare yourself to others. we are all unique, so embrace it.

have a fantastic rest of your day!! i'll catch you on the next one!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 27: growth mindset

hi there!! how's it going? i hope all is well and let's jump right into today's topic!

i'm not sure about florida, but in kansas, where i lived during elementary school, my school made it a point to talk about having a growth mindset. we would have our school counselor come in to our classes probably monthly, to talk about this and similar things.

yesterday, i was talking to a friend of mine who i met through taekwondo, daniel. daniel is a fantastic taekwondo athlete who is on the jamaican national team and has qualified for junior world championships 2026!! i'm so insanely happy and proud of him and i can't wait to watch him on tv!! 

anywho, i was explaining to him how throughout 2025 i was very discouraged because i constantly got injured. instead of telling me that i'll be okay, he told me to look at everything as a blessing instead of a curse. 

he put it like this, be glad that you got injured instead of getting knocked out. if i got knocked out, there is a possibility for concussion and being out for way longer.

when you think of things as a blessing and think on the bright side, you become so much happier. you make room for growth and you encourage yourself to continue moving forward. 

having a growth mindset not only helps you to become resilient but also helps you adapt to different environments easier. it will not only benefit you now, but if you continue to build a habit of keeping a growth mindset, it will be beneficial to you in the long run.

by looking on the bright side of things, you will be introduced to a new perspective that you never would have thought of before. have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 26: finding your purpose

hello hello hello!! welcome back to maia & more! i hope all is well and let's jump right into today's topic.

my friend, fede, who is an avid reader of my blogs, had a fantastic idea for today:

finding one's purpose.

he was saying how he is watching this show (i don't know what it's called) and how if you take care of something enough, it will gain powers. for example, a pair of scissors can mean a lot to you and become supercharged. 

here's his question for you to meditate on, "is purpose something that we can give ourselves, or is it something that you can have?"

fede explains this concept very well while staying with the scissor example. "what if instead of using the scissors to cut, i hold it down and use it to flatten out a crease in a paper." what i'm taking from this is purpose is not something that is just given, you have to figure out what your purpose is.

is it to become a doctor? is it to pursue acting or become a firefighter or whatever you want to be? is it to fulfill your parents dreams of who you can become? or is your purpose something you've yet to figure out?

i think that one can have many, many purposes in life, and before fede brought this topic up, i would have never thought about it. i don't know what my purpose is (YET), and that's a-okay. i don't even know what i want to study in college yet.

but i'll leave you with this, do you think your purpose was given to you or have you yet to find it? let me know what you think, i'm so intrigued. 

special thanks to fede for this fantastic topic and i hope to catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 25: some people are only meant for a chapter

hello hello hello!! welcome or welcome back and i hope you enjoy today's topic.

today i wanted to write a little about relationships. not necessarily romantic relationships but friendships. right now, i'm 15 and a lot of the people who read these posts are also teenagers, so i feel like we can all relate to this topic in some way. 

sometimes we grow apart from our friends, or break up with someone you thought was going to be your lifetime partner. though these things happen and are natural in this stage of our lives, we can't stay stuck on it forever.

when i started middle school, my mom repeatedly told me that "you are who you hang around." i didn't really understand to what extent she meant until recently. now, in high school, i see all of the different groups of people around me and i'm eternally grateful that i made friends with people that value similar things as me. i also realize that her statement was entirely true.

if you hang around people who are constantly getting in trouble, eventually you'll get in trouble and that might not be who you are inside. you might not even realize it until it is too late.

over the course of middle and high school, we are learning about who we are and figuring out so many things about ourselves. through this process, you'll naturally grow apart from people and you truly have to accept that. there is no point in staying on a sinking ship.

similarly, there are some people who will change into somebody you aren't fond of anymore and that's okay too. 

and over time, you have to learn to let them go. don't stay hung up on someone that has already moved on, but reminisce on the joyful moments you had together. i thought that my childhood best friend would be my best friend forever, my bridesmaid at my wedding, all the things. but every for many years in a row, she forgot my birthday. for the first and second year i was heartbroken, because for some odd reason, birthdays matter SO much to me. i told her how i felt and the next year i got the same treatment. no happy birthday. nothing. even though i put in so much effort to write a huge paragraph on her birthday. 

i write all this to say, if they wanted to they would. this is a common phrase used for romantic relationships, but is applicable to every aspect of your life. sadly, it's the hard truth and i had to come to terms with that.

some people are meant for only one chapter of your life and it's okay to move on from things you thought would last forever. your story is long and will be filled with many more. it's okay that you both grew up and grew apart. keep those happy memories in your mind. there will be others who will cherish and love you more than you've ever known. keep those people near and dear.

have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 24: what do you want to be known for?

hi there!! how's it going? today i'll be talking a bit about how you would prefer to be perceived. 

when you see someone in school, what do you think of them? 

for me, there are some people that i aspire to be like because of a specific character trait of theirs. some are hardworking and some are just good-looking.

what trait do you want people to associate with you?

if you want people to know you as a confident or determined person, then be that person. 

yes, i get that its hard to get there, but be confident in yourself. 

master cisco says this about running: "if you want to be faster, then just be faster." this quote can also translate to today's topic like this: if you want to be someone or act a certain way, then just do it. 

act like the person you want to be known as and fake it 'till you make it. this may seem a tad cringy, but act like you're the best and you'll eventually get there. 

changing your mindset to "i can do it" will change so much and i encourage you to do that. don't question yourself, just be confident and i know you'll become the person you want to be.

thank you for reading and i hope to catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 23: fall in love with yourself

hey there cutie! i hope you are doing lovely this valentine's day, with or without a valentine! personally, i don't have a valentine and that doesn't bother me that much.

a little while ago,iI was having a meeting with one of my dad's old co-workers who is a successful business woman now (i still don't really know what her job is), and i asked her what things i should pay focus on in life.

she told me that the most important thing is to take care of yourself before anyone else.

become your own best friend.

enjoy your own company.

but most of all, you must take care of yourself before you even think about caring for others.

like the oxygen masks in airplanes, you HAVE to put yours on before helping anyone else. to me, this means that you need to make time for yourself each day, do things that you love to do. whether that's playing your sport, going to the movies, hanging out with friends, literally whatever, take that time for yourself each day. 

by doing this, you are able to enjoy yourself and each of those things are a form of self care. if you care for yourself, you will be so much happier because you know it as well. once you realize this too, you'll soon be able to love others even more. so, today, take time to do something you love.

another thing that you should do this valentines day is tell the people that you love that you love them. as i've said billions of times before, you never know what is going on in someone else's life, so be a little extra kind.

today is all about love, but it doesn't have to be just romantic love, it can be familial or platonic, too. 

letting the your people know that you love them could brighten their day so much more than you know. my little brother, han, tells me randomly all the time that he loves me, and coming from a 6 year old, it means a lot.

in commemoration of this day, i'll insert a few pictures below of some of my favorite people.

thank you so much for reading today's post! i've been loving blogging so much and i'm so grateful that i have the privilege to do this. i absolutely love everyone that has read these because it just means so much to me. so have the best day eva! catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 22: your superpower

hi there! i hope you are enjoying your day and i hope to brighten it with this quote!

i want you to interpret this quote in your own way and leave it in the comments, so that's all for today!! i'll catch you on the next one!

day 21: chocolate sundae!!

hi there! i hope all is well and hope you enjoy today's post!

the inspiration for today is a bit abstract, but i think it is an important lesson for everyone. 

a little while ago, sabrina, my friend from aice classical, introduced me to the 2048 cupcakes game. i started to play and it was honestly very addicting. if you knew me in 8th grade, the obsession was very similar to the suika watermelon game. 

anyways, i would always play and never get past the cookies and creme cupcake, which would frustrate the heck out of me. after probably a month of playing, yesterday i finally got to the next cupcake, the chocolate sundae one!! 

before i reached the choc. sundae, i kept on loosing when i got to cookies and creme. i noticed that sabrina used this strategy of keeping the highest cupcakes at the bottom and so i tried it. lo and behold, it worked. 

this is a fantastic example that when you are frustrated or can't figure something out on your own, it is 100% okay to ask for help. sometimes you want the feeling of accomplishing something on your own, but if you try and you really can't do it, there is no harm in asking for help.

over the time of playing, i learned to persevere. each time i lost, i would keep on going because i was determined to get to the chocolate sundae. you have to realize that you should never give up if you want to achieve goals that you are proud of. giving up is not an option. you should try new routes to achieve the goal and with trial and error, you will get there. when you achieve a goal or get an accomplishment, you gain the confidence to keep going. once you build that confidence, it will help you achieve things you never thought were possible.

i hope you liked today's silly little post and understood what i was trying to say. i hope you have a great rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one! never give up! you got this!

don't wish for it, work for it.

update (2/25/26):

i finally got to the white chocolate peppermint cupcake!! never stop trying because you will eventually succeed.

day 20: be in the moment

hello hello hello!!! i hope everyone is doing well and lets get into it!!

as many of you know, i do taekwondo. two summers ago, when we were in istanbul, my dad found a sports therapist for my brother and i, to essentially help unlock our full potential. and just to let you know, this sports therapist isn't just some random lady, she's coached many professional athletes, so you kinda know that she is good at her job.

one of the main things that she kept on reiterating to me during our sessions, was to be in the moment. 

after she pointed it out, i started to notice myself quite a lot more. my mindset was to go for the gold, but i never really thought of the process in getting there. i was always thinking about the result instead of the process, which was what i should have been focused on. subconsciously, i was thinking about winning. nothing else. i didn't visualize my matches or warming up, unless my parents actually forced me to do so.

i started to notice it in my day to day life as well. i would always be excited for the next birthday party or the next musical i would attend, but wouldn't actually soak up the moments that i was in. i was constantly just thinking about the future, which i'm not saying is a bad thing, but i wasn't living out these experiences to the fullest. 

my dad called me out on it a few times as well. i usually help out at my taekwondo dojang on fridays for our sparring class, which is at 5:30-6:30. one day, i was going out with my friends to watch a musical at our high school at 7:00 and told my master that i would have to leave by 6:45. my dad had told me not to say that because it just shows that i didn't want to be there at all. i said it anyways and my master replied, confused, saying that we would end before then and i wouldn't have to worry about it.  i was just too excited and didn't appreciate the fact that i get to help kids improve during this class, which i love.

now, i've started to focus more on every single moment and soak up every emotion because our lives are too short to not be in the moment. this has made me feel so much more grounded and made me appreciate my time more. from hanging out with my friends or going out to lunch with my family, i now don't take these moments for granted. 

what you should take away from today is to live in the moment (if you couldn't already tell). enjoy the laughs, cries, and even enjoy the soreness from practice because one day you won't be able to feel those things, but you will be able to re-tell the stories about your collection of experiences. have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 19: the odd one out

hi again!! i hope all is well! today's topic is about making others feel included.

in elementary school, i was always left out. i always had been. maybe this was because my friends actually didn't like me, which is a possibility.  i was the one who would have to be the lava monster when we played. i was the 5th player in four-square. and always. no matter what. the one who walked on the grass next to the sidewalk, or behind the group.

throughout elementary school, i cried and cried to my mom each night while i sat on her lap and explained what had happened that day. i can't even imagine the pain my mom went through hearing that her sweet little girl was not being treated the best in school. so, when we moved to florida in the summer before 6th grade, i didn't even shed a tear as we drove out of our driveway for the very last time.

now, one of my very close friends, shylah, is someone that i immediately thought of when i started to write this post. she is one of the most caring people i know and she always makes sure me, and others, feel included. she'll explain the inside jokes to me, waits for me so that i don't walk alone and is just so understanding in a way that is unparalleled. so shout-out shylah!! love ya!!

people really underestimate how much it means to feel included. so when somebody seems left out of the conversation, try to explain to them what is happening. or if somebody is walking behind the group, walk with them. no matter what, i always try to do these things because i know how much it hurts to be the odd one out. especially when that group shoves it in your face.

explain the silly inside jokes even though it might feel a little weird having to explain them. but what feels even weirder is when two girls will talk about their inside joke and you just sit there, feeling dumber than you've ever felt in your life because though you've asked, "oh what does that mean??", those girls just keep talking.

for the reasons above, i never want anyone to feel this way. if someone asks about an inside joke, i'm the first to explain it. i hate talking about an event in front of a group that i know some people weren't invited to because it digs a pit into my stomach. but, i know that not everybody feels this way. some people don't care about others' feelings, and i'm not trying to change those people. the purpose of this post was to be a bit  of an eye-opener so that you can feel something you might have never felt, and understand someone else's perspective.

today's topic really dug deep for me and i hope that i was able to explain a feeling to you that i never ever want anyone to have to go through. have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 18: the only thing more powerful than hate is love

hi there!! as many of you know, yesterday was superbowl LX. though it was the seahawks vs. the patriots, many people tuned in just for the halftime show. 

bad bunny's halftime show was deep and meant a lot to so many people. it explored the different communities of puerto rico and showed that america is made up of people from all around the world, not just white people. 

did you know that america's population is approximately 16% immigrants? 

although throughout the years there have been many halftime show performers from various latin countries, including names like JLo and Shakira. this year, having bad bunny as our halftime performer shook up America because of everything going on with ICE. now, i'm not going to get into that whatsoever, because that's not the focus of today's post.

the focus is really on the quote that was posted on the jumbotron (i don't think that's the right word for it) at the end of his performance.

i think that this quote is so meaningful and can be interpreted in a billion different ways, but this is how i interpret it:

there will always be haters out there, no matter what, but while their comments are strong, your support system is even stronger.

your support system can be made up of anybody in your life. common support systems include family, friends, coaches, and sometimes even teachers. these people want to see you succeed and will do anything in their power to support you through the end. it is so important to have a strong support system that you can go to whenever you need help or just need a hug. 

another interpretation that i have is just to be more kind. in the world we live in right now, there is so so much hatred and dislike towards certain people or certain groups, but being the light at the end of the tunnel can be so meaningful to somebody. remember, you never know the full story of what someone's life might look like. they could be going through the roughest patch of their life, but still put on a pretty face and thug it out. you can give back by giving just a simple smile or holding the door and this can make a bigger impact than you know. you can read more about kindness here.

also, i bet everybody knows by now, but the bushes in bad bunny's performance were ACTUAL PEOPLE!!! i thought that was absolutely hilarious and such a cool job. another fun fact was that the bride and groom from the wedding actually invited bad bunny to their wedding but he invited them to the superbowl!! imagine casually saying "oh yeah, i got married at superbowl LX😄😄!" or "yeah, you didn't know i was a bush in bad bunny's superbowl performance??" like wow.

you can watch the full performance here!!

anyways, thank you for joining today's blog and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 17: confidence is key

hi there! over the past 48 hours, i've realized a lot about myself. i've realized that i love to be around people who care. i've realized that i'm a bit forgetful. i've also realized that there many, many things that can impact one's confidence.

one thing that can boost someone's confidence is playing sports, specifically competitive sports. as i've said in day 7, when you play competitive sports, you learn to be confident in yourself as you grow and become a better athlete.

i was at my brother's friend's birthday party yesterday, and she has an older brother who is my age. my mom pointed out that when he talked to us you could immediately tell that he was nervous and just not confident in himself. she said that sports really help people build confidence and you can tell that athletes carry themselves differently. i'm not trying to bash him, which is why i won't be saying his name, but i'm trying to give a real life example. 

if you know me, you probably know that i'm a pretty confident person. i'm very colorful and not too focused on what others' opinions are on my actions or what i wear. though, for an unknown reason, i've been feeling less confident and more shy lately. maybe it's because my acne is flaring up because of my sugar intake on the cruise last weekend, or maybe its because of stress. whatever it is, the point i'm trying to make here is that your confidence can be affected by so many different factors. if i were to list them all, you wouldn't be here until the end. 

you might be wondering, "maia, how can i become more confident?" well, i can't give you an exact step-by-step because it is different for everyone. what i can tell you though is that being confident is really a mindset. when you change your mindset from "can i?" to "i can.", a whole new world opens up for you. being confident in yourself and what you can do, empowers you in ways that are unimaginable.

you feel as though you can do anything, which you can, and feel as though nobody can push you down. achievements help you feel more confident in yourself because you are on this high because you are so proud and content with yourself. when this happens, you should ride this high and do other things that will make you feel good. over time, you'll build up the confidence and courage to do other things you never thought you would be able to.

fancy nancy

a fantastic example of a confident person is fancy nancy. yes, i know that she's only a fictional character (don't tell her that) and she's also in elementary school, but fancy nancy is probably the reason i'm usually so confident. fancy nancy doesn't care about others' opinions and she wears her confidence to the max. she wears these flamboyant, outrageous outfits that you really can only pull off with confidence. when i was younger, i would always borrow her books from the library and LOVED to read them. by finding a confident person to look up to, it might also inspire you to be more confident.

one last example i have is my little brother, han. han is at the ripe age of 6, and always sees himself as equal to everyone. he confidently walks up to kids at the playground and asks to play, or walks around the taekwondo tournament, talking to all of the coaches and athletes. because of him, i became more confident. i saw this little, tiny boy walk around, carrying himself as if he owned every place he walked into, and it inspires me more and more each day.

after all, confidence is key, so you should carry yourself with pride. like this quote i found on pinterest, "when you are confident, people become confident in you." being confident in yourself will open up new doors for you that you never knew existed. 

did you catch how many times the word "confident" or a version of it was used? if you said 26, you are correct! thank you for reading and i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 16: just do it.

hi there! i hope you had an amazing day and enjoy today's post!!

regret: something that is easy to feel, but so hard to admit. something that can haunt you for a lifetime.

town troubador from gilmore girls!!

today's inspiration came from my friend dani. we have math class together, and on friday, we had a sub. our sub was a very interesting character, but that's not the point. instead of the usual computer or books that subs have, he had a guitar. 

i thought that he was a little reminiscent of the town troubador from gilmore girls, so that's why i've included this picture.

so, during class, he would be softly playing, and dani wanted to ask him to play a song for the class. to give a little bit of background, dani plays guitar as well and was interested in his abilities. i encouraged her and said that she would probably regret it if she didn't ask now. spoiler: she didn't ask (and i bet she's regretting it...). 

all this to say, just go for it!! if you want something, ask for it. the worst answer you could get is no, and that's okay. everybody has to learn to get "no" as an answer.

in this case, if dani would have asked our sub to play us a song, he could have said yes, or no. but no matter what, she wouldn't have regretted asking because she carried out her curiosity. 

today, i was helping out at a nursing home, and i talked to this woman named rita. rita was a joy to talk to and she made my day by telling me how beautiful i am. in my opinion, to hear that from someone who has experienced so much and seen so many people, means a lot. i'm getting a little off track but, anywho, while we were talking, i was thinking about asking if she regrets anything in life. 

next time i go and volunteer, i'll ask. of course, there are many things i regret. most of which cannot be solved. for example, i regret not taking biology in 8th grade. i also regret making such a big deal out of such little things. there are also many things i regret that i would not like to share with the internet.

the whole point of today's post is to just do it. go ask that sub to play the guitar for the class. book that spontaneous trip. heck, tell that guy you've been crushing on forever that you like him. of course, if it makes you too uncomfortable, you don't have to do it. after all, your life is in your hands. 

as my taekwondo master, master cisco, says "i can open up doors for you, but i cannot force you to walk through them." i'll catch you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 15: no comment

click me!!

see you tomorrow!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 14: why do you write like you're running out of time?

hi again!! today i'll be writing a bit about time management. time management has always been such an important skill in life in order to be successful in anything.

many of my friends, and myself included, struggle with putting their phones down to focus on work. being on your phone can be addictive and feel like a need, but once you put your phone down, it's so much easier to get your work done and live in the moment.

in the past, i've kept my phone next to me at my desk while doing homework, and because it was in reach, i would constantly be on it and wonder why i wasn't able to finish all of it on time. more recently, i started to put my phone on my bed or completely away so that i don't get tempted at all. i found that this helped me to stay focused and i feel so much more accomplished after completing my task. 

you might say, "maia, i listen to music through my phone though! i can't just put my phone away." you really can though. listen to music through your computer or ipad to eliminate distractions as much as possible. speaking of songs, "Non-Stop" from Hamilton kind of reminds me of time management, which is why the title of today's post is a quote from the song. i would recommend to take a little time to listen to it today.

 

time management is what you make of it. if something is important to you, like schoolwork, you make it a priority to get it done. now, whenever i have extra time in school, i try my best to finish any work so that i don't have to do it at home and i can take that time to relax. to me, having good time management means being able to utilize your time efficiently to help your future self.

this also goes hand-in-hand with yesterday's topic, which is motivation vs. discipline. though you may not be motivated to do the homework, using your discipline will help you achieve the goal of getting good grades and not procrastinating.

i hope today helped a little and you enjoyed the topic! i'll catch you on the next one!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 13: motivation vs. discipline

hi there! how's it going? i hope all is well and hope you enjoy today's topic.

discipline. that's always the goal isn't it? 

motivation. that's what you need to start your journey to achieve those aspirations/goals.

but what's the difference? where does the line between discipline and motivation blur?

this is what i think: you need motivation to begin the initial ride, but when your motivation begins to die down, your discipline will replace it and carry you through to the end.

to start anything, you need the motivation. motivation is your strong desire to do something, which could be to achieve the goal. the goal could be anything from, having abs to having straight A's. the goal motivates you to start, although many could argue that starting is the actual hard part. 

once you officially start your journey towards this goal, you will have a motivation high. for the first few days, you will be consistent and really stick to doing that 15 minute ab workout. after the novelty wears off, you will begin to slow down, or leave that ab work-out to the very end of the day.

motivation doesn't have to be the only reason that you do something, so this is where your discipline comes into play. discipline can be built through many different experiences, but what i can vouch for is how i became disciplined. if you read day 7, you already know that my discipline has been built through years of taekwondo. specifically, going to class every day and learning that i have to go through the extremes to cut weight if i'm not disciplined to begin with. people can build up discipline in any aspect of their life and learn to carry it through the rest of their lives.

going back to the example, because you are disciplined, you continue to do that ab workout and some days you get it done with in the morning, so that you don't have to do it later. the discipline that you've built carries you through and helps you achieve your goals. throughout the process, there will be phases where you are extremely motivated and some where you could care less.

once you've reached a certain amount of days or start to see the goal ahead, you'll gain that motivation again and it will keep you pumping through the end. 

i hope this is a reminder to you that you can do anything you set your mind to. you don't need motivation to reach your goals. your goals are attainable because you can do anything if you choose to. the discipline that you've built up over time will help you get there as long as you make this goal a priority. as i said in day 5, when you keep repeating your goals to yourself, your mind will do the rest of the work. post your goals on your wall, or put it as your phone wallpaper so that you are constantly reminded of what matters. if you've been a consistent reader, let me know! i would love to see who's been keeping up, because i know fede does. see you on the next one!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 12: nobody is perfect

hi again! i hope you've been enjoying the blogs so far. for the past few days i've been feeling super sluggish and just completely unmotivated to do anything. it might be because it's so cold which makes me tired, but who really knows? on that note, i hope you are doing well and today i'll be discussing the stress of living up to high expectations.

as the first child in my family, its a rite of passage to set a good example for my younger brothers. this means getting good grades, having good relationships with teachers, helping out around the house, and infinitely more things. though i try my absolute hardest, i'm not always able to get the best result. for example, on my most recent chemistry quiz i got a 60%, which sucks compared to my usual scores of 80's and 90's. this really bummed me out because i really try my hardest to study well, but it might not have been sufficient enough for this topic.

yes, sometimes it is difficult to live up to these high expectations and standards that others set for you, especially when you are trying your best not to let those people down because sometimes you don't feel like you are enough. obviously, i don't study hard and good grades for my parents. i do it for myself. i do it so that i will be able to get scholarships for college and be successful in life. i also do it because it makes me feel accomplished and proud of myself.

but you have to realize, nobody is perfect. i saw this YouTube short a little while ago and saved it because it really inspired me to write this post.

the influencers or celebrities that you look up to online all go through rough days and rough patches. and to be frank, that's the purpose of social media: to escape reality and see the highlights of everyone's lives. though this is true, make sure that you are aware that these famous people only post the highlights because that is what everyone wants to see. nobody really wants to see someone crying on camera because they are struggling with their body image or anything of the sort. the people want to see their favorite creators going out, having fun with their friends and families, and unboxing pr packages because they live in our unattainable reality.

"Snow White" by Laufey reminds me exactly of this feeling of not being enough, but it is really not the truth. sometimes listening to these songs feels good, but lately i've been listening to more hype/confident music and i can honestly see the difference in the way it makes me feel.

      

this is a reminder to you that nobody is perfect. don't strive for perfection. strive to be yourself and create a version of yourself that YOU love and YOU feel empowered by. do these things for you. you don't need to please anybody but yourself. living up to high expectations is hard, but don't be too hard on yourself.

with that, i hope you enjoyed today's post and i hope to see you tune in tomorrow! feel free to share my blogs with anyone because i will honestly really appreciate that. have a fantastic rest of your day!!

don't wish for it, work for it.

day 11: cruise or snooze?

hi there! after a very eventful weekend, i'm back to freezing cold florida (compared to some other places, this is nothing). today i'll be sharing my honest thoughts on my cruising experience!

imagine, it's 2pm on friday and you're in the car picking up your brother from school. your parents rush to drive to the cruise port, which is 45 minutes away. once you're at the port, you and your family are speed walking to the doors, but they don't automatically open... the only people inside the building that you can see are security guards and even after knocking on the doors, they won't even talk to you. a few minutes later, a couple of other people show up as well. after a while, some security guards are actually talking to you saying that you missed the cruise and that you won't be able to get on. your 6 year old brother starts crying and everyone is freaking out.

nassau from the plane

then, you meet another woman at the port who also happened to miss the embarkation and tells you that you'll have to fly into nassau, the bahamas and meet the ship there. your dad calls the cruise line and they say the same thing. so, the next morning, your family gets up bright and early and heads to the miami international airport to fly into nassau. you guys finally arrive, and after a few hours make it onto the ship.

well, i don't have to imagine that because it actually happened to me!! besides that crazy start, this cruise was not what i was expecting it to be. 

in november, my family went on another cruise that was such a blast. i made a bunch of friends and each night was a new adventure. special shout-out to: lena, amy, jammie, greta, roman, brett, and logan. we taste tested each of the desserts at the buffet, played sudoku, hung out at the beach, and so much more. i met these friends when one guy asked if we all wanted to play manhunt and the rest is history. the november cruise was a lot of fun and i was honestly expecting the same thing this time around.

my first night on the ship, i went to the teen club (called the entourage), and i found a group of people to hangout with. i didn't really click with any of them, which was mega disappointing. on sunday, we were supposed to port at norwegian's private island, great stirrup cay, but due to the weather, we weren't able to.

in the morning, it was so so cold (for my current standards at least) and during this day, i mostly hung out with my family, ate ice cream, and then i finally saw one of my friends, caspian, from the night before. i hung out with him for a bit and went back to the teen club to play fifa... so on sunday i also discovered that i suck at fifa, but caspian let me win both rounds that we played.

after that, i went back to my room to get ready for pictures at sunset with my family. we took some nice pictures but again, it was still so cold. we then went to get dinner, and surprisingly it was really good. i parted ways with my family and went to the teen club to play jepoardy and made a new friend named logan. this isn't the same one from my november cruise, but he was a really fun and nice guy to talk to. we went to get ice cream and noticed that the ship was rocking so much. i've never experienced this before and during school today, sometimes i felt the floor moving as if i was still on the ship.

we walked around for a bit, then logan and i found our other friend, adrian, and headed back to the teen club to hear the "awards" and do some karaoke! i won the "go with the flow" award and that's one of the things i wanted to talk about today. during my mini "acceptance speech" i said that "YOLO" is my motto. during this weekend, i had to accept the fact that we missed the embarkation and go with the flow. i got face painted, made new friends, created new memories and overall just had a good time. i fully believe that when you live with this mentality, you'll make memories and experience things that you would have never even been close to if you were closed up. i'm honestly a little bit of a goodie two shoes, so i don't do crazy things, but i always try to just enjoy the moment and say yes to the things that won't have negative repercussions in the future.

though it wasn't exactly what i wanted, i did have fun in the end. that's honestly the greatest take-away from this experience. i will always recommend cruising to people, but you have to understand that the experiences you have might not measure up to the ones you want to create this time around. 

without further ado, here are some pictures from this weekend!

yes, there was indeed a racetrack on the cruise ship!

i hope you enjoyed the little storytime and i hope to catch you on the next one!