I came across this app years ago and used it to wake up easier. Then it fell to the wayside and I forgot about it. More recently, I found myself struggling to wake up refreshed, so I decided to give it a try again. I find it to be quite effective! You basically leave it on your bed so it can use your phone’s gyroscope to determine how much you’re moving around. That’s a general indicator of the type of sleep you’re getting (the deeper the sleep, the less you move). Come morning, you give it a time frame that you want to wake up in, usually a 20-minute period. Within that time, it will start the alarm at a time when you’re most receptive to waking up, which is when you’re coming out of deep sleep and in lighter sleep. Since I started using it again a few weeks ago, I’ve actually begun to wake up before the alarm and I don’t have such a miserable time dragging myself out of bed. What a useful app this is! And it’s super interesting to see my sleep pattern over time. Best of all, waking up refreshed? That’s great.
365great Day 337: Sleep Cycle
365great Day 336: ambiance
I’ve been burning a lot of candles lately, really soaking in the mood it creates. It’s nice to have a flickering flame with that warm light to create a comforting glow. And depending on what sort of environment I’m looking for there are vastly different elements I can incorporate to achieve just the right feeling. I loved the fresh plants and lighting at this restaurant, which made everything I ate there feel more healthy and light. From the furniture to the lighting, a space is defined by how it makes you feel. That’s probably why I find it difficult to work as productively at home than at work and why I relax instantly as I step into a bath. It’s amazing how much we are affected by the cues from our surroundings and it’s really cool that we can change so much based on what’s around us. Setting the right ambiance can have great effects.
365great Day 335: Vapiano
Today I tried Vapiano for the first time and oh em gee, I’ve found a fantastic place to go to for lunch. From walking by it, I always thought it was just another Italian restaurant. I’d seen some coworkers get pizza from there before, but I had no idea what was inside. Now I know that it’s an amazing blend of freshly cooked food in a casual yet upscale cafeteria type environment. It’s kind of like stepping into a fancy sitdown that got blended with a farmer’s market. We were handed cards upon entering and then stood in line for our chosen food items. I opted for a pasta dish, which was cooked in front of me and then the charge added to my card. I could have gotten other items and added them to my card tab, but I knew I wouldn’t finish it all so I went conservative. We also got bread to complement our meal. It was fabulous – custom, fresh, and delicious. Seating was open and there were herbs growing in little pots. They even had a tree growing near the entrance. What a great concept for a restaurant!
365great Day 334: gardens
It’s so peaceful to wander through a garden. I love the variety of plants you can find there and of course the insects that are inevitably attracted to them. My mom loves to plant things in our backyard, making it a rather tranquil place to hang out. We have rose bushes, fruit trees, and other odds and ends. It’s a place that is teeming with life yet so calming all at once. I particularly enjoy gardens with water, benches, and shady parts to hang out by. I could sit and stroll among the plants for ages, basking in the sun or shade. I’d even climb and sit in a tree if I could. It’s very soothing to enjoy nature and decompress away from the stress of day-to-day life. What a great way to step away from our normal surroundings and relax for awhile.
365great Day 333: weight machines
To me, a gym is more wonderful the more weight machines it has. Treadmills, ellipticals, and stair masters are useless to me (as I mentioned, I prefer strength exercises to cardio) so I completely ignore that part of the gym. Instead I go straight for the various weight machines that can work out my upper body, lower body, and core. Free weights work too, but they’re not nearly as fun. I feel a lot more challenged when I can use these machines. I’ve started using the gym in our new office building and I love it! There are enough weight machines to cover most muscles and before I know it, an hour has flown by. I certainly never get that feeling with cardio exercises. Plus, I don’t like to sweat much when I work out, so I take it slow and work on my control over heavier weights. Afterwards, I always feel great because I feel stronger!
365great Day 332: Yelp
I became an avid Yelper sometime around 2012, when a friend brought to my attention that they’d featured my review in one of their newsletters! That got me really excited about the whole thing and I reviewed like crazy until I achieved Yelp Elite Status. Funny enough, once I was Yelp Elite, I didn’t do much more. I never seemed to make it to the events and after awhile my reviews dwindled. They renewed me for 2013, but by this year I’d been inactive on the reviewing side for so long that I am no longer Elite. I still check in like my life depends on it though (and I have no idea why, though getting statuses like this time I was briefly the Queen of Cardiff on Yelp is super fun). Once upon a time I was connected to the owner of a Japanese restaurant near work through my review on Yelp, which was awesome. I’m also pretty sure I got a free appetizer or dessert because of my Yelping at least twice. And of course I still turn to them whenever I’m trying to figure out where to find the kind of places I’m looking for on any given day. They make it a lot easier to find great new places to try!
365great Day 331: help
Sometimes, the best course of action is to get help. When you’re not very good at something or would be much better with the assistance of others, why waste time trying to go it on your own? I’ve always been taught to be very self-sufficient and I’m just now learning how to lean on others. It took me nearly my entire college career to learn that I sometimes needed help with my coursework, whether from a TA, fellow student, or tutor. I also never considered getting help in the house, like a maid, housekeeper, or nanny. However, I’ve completely rethought that approach after reading an article about not wasting time. It’s an interesting point that hiring people for household chores could be argued as a moral obligation. At the very least, it’s gotten me thinking about the people out there who would love to have a job so they could support their families. Since I am in a position where I can put money towards getting those tasks done and I don’t like doing them, why not hire someone to do it for me? They get to earn a living and I get to not stress about those things. So when it came to moving, Panda and I agreed that we should hire some folks to help us out. I certainly didn’t want to struggle with carrying loads of furniture up and down stairs. And as I’ve learned from watching them today, they’re very good at what they do. I mean, they were carrying couches through our hallways and didn’t leave a mark while I just carried a suitcase and managed to scrape black on the walls. -___- I’m more than happy to pay them for their service so I could get moved faster and with a whole lot less strain. I’ve learned that getting help doesn’t have to affect my pride at all and it can actually be a win-win situation! How great is that?
365great Day 330: beauty tools
My favorite part of subscription boxes and gift sets is often the most mundane product. This is especially true when it comes to beauty and skincare-related stuff. While I definitely love my cleansers, lotions, and potions, what usually gets me excited are the brushes and towels and whatnot. I don’t know why I like that stuff so much, but I’m sure it at least partly has to do with how it enables me to feel more effective. I prefer ones designed for skincare and don’t much care for hair and makeup ones. It’s probably related to how I tend to fiddle and like something to do with my hands. Plus, using them gives me better results, and who doesn’t want that? Saving me wasted effort is certainly great.
365great Day 329: Olympics
The Olympic Games is a time when the world can come together despite most of what’s going on between all the countries. It’s a chance to focus on human accomplishment and the motivational stories behind the athletes. It’s a time when we connect, whether we understand the languages, the sports, or the cultures of others. People from all around the world unite to support their nations and marvel at the capabilities of the participants. I personally love to see what buildings each city designed specifically for the event. I’m pretty sure there’s something for everyone with these games, whether you like exciting races or beautiful performances. Hopefully this year’s games go smoothly and everyone stays safe. I can’t wait to see the opening ceremony! Those are always great. 🙂
365great Day 328: La Fresh
I never would have found out about La Fresh if it weren’t for subscription boxes. It first came in a blissmobox and then a Yuzen box. Ever since, I’ve been hooked. I love how they use minimal water to create their products. There’s just enough moisture in their wipes to get the job done without drenching you in extra wetness. I’m a huge fan of their Eco-Beauty line and I’ve tried most of that line. The acetone-free wipes are phenomenal at removing nail polish effectively with the tiniest of squares. Their facial cleansing wipes are very soothing and never dry out my face. I dry out easily after wiping my skin, so that’s important. The body soother is perfect after a workout when you just need a little extra refreshing boost. This is a brand I really enjoy and they make some super effective products that feel great!
