What is Normal Anyways (Plus FFF)

It’s Friday. It’s the weekend…. Well, almost!

As always, I want to thank you all for being seriously awesome in your comments on my Marvelous Monday and Paleo recap posts.

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Today I want to share a lot with you, but first off I want to start with these thoughts:

One of the blogs that I read, Peace Love and Oats, wrote a post today about bullying on the internet. I want to share the comment that I posted on there with you all:

We were just talking about this sort of thing in my critical thinking class today. A lot of kids are afraid to post pictures or comments to social media websites like Facebook because they are afraid how people will react and/or judge them. It’s terrible that I go through about 100 photos before I deem one “acceptable” to use on Facebook.

A lot people come off saying that they are just trying to be “helpful.” Please. Helpful is sending an email where you kindly tell someone that you are a. Concerned about their health and there if you need them. b. Their grammar was kind of messed up, and you just wanted to let them know… We all have those days!

Helpful is not what those people were commenting for though. Seriously? That photo was not all that unflattering, she was probably coming off an exercise high and feeling pretty good. Blogs are supposed to be somewhat transparent. To let you see some of the ups and downs (not that that picture was a down). They would be criticizing her in the opposite direction if every photo that she posted looked Photoshopped. Urgh. Thanks for sharing that link. It really made me think today

Katie’s post was in response to a lot negative feedback that Meghann on her blog Meals and Miles got for posting a supposed “unflattering” picture of herself on Instagram.

It really did make me think. And that is why I decided to share this questionnaire with you guys that I found on another blog a while ago (Mind Running Wild). It asks some really deep and thought-provoking questions.

I think my answers show that- No, I’m not completely comfortable with myself yet, but that’s okay. It’s okay to be different and to not always feel like you are “normal.”

What is normal anyways?

1. What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?  I can drive stick shift for the most part.

2. What has been on your mind most lately? Relay For Life. I’ve kind of been slacking and I’m supposed to be team captain. The event is next Friday and I am so unprepared.

3. Right now, at this moment, what do you want most? To go back to the way things used to be, before I had food allergies and stomach woes.

4. In order of importance, how would you rank: happiness, money, love, health, fame? happiness, health, love, money, fame.

5. What word best describes how you’ve spent the last month of your life? Avoiding.

6. What is the number one motivator in your life right now? The thought of graduating college and getting a job that I love.

7. In one sentence, who are you? I am a girl who is aware, capable and caring.

8. What do you want to be known for? Being true.

9. If you had to move 300 miles away, what would you miss the most? I would miss my family.

10. In one year from today, how do you think your life will be different? I think that I will have more friends in college and be more social.

11. Who makes you feel good about yourself? My best friend from high school.

12. What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend? loyalty, commonality, laughter

13. What has the fear of failure stopped you from doing? Joining clubs…. Saying hi to someone on the street that I know.

14. What is something you’ve always wanted since you were a kid? To write a book and get recognized by the New York Times Best Seller’s list.

15. What stands between you and what you want? Being afraid of making a mistake.

16. What do you do when nothing else seems to make you happy? Watch a depressing movie. These always make me realize that life could be worse, and I should be grateful for what I have.

17. When did you first realize that life is short? When I had to go through all of the tests for my allergies. I never really thought much about it, but at the time I felt like my world was over. I couldn’t do much else but dwell in the pain and confusion.

18. What do you need to spend more time doing? Homework, applying for internships and spending time with friends.

19. What issues do you continuously refuse to confront? Social issues. Fear of rejection.

20. What is that a lot of people do that you disagree with? Acting out just for attention.

21. What is a common misconception that people have about you? I have a lot of friends now that tell me that they thought that I was stuck up at first because I was so quiet.

22. What is something no one can take away from you? My mind.

23. What is something that you would hate to go without for a day? Words.

24. When you look into the past, what do you miss the most? Being carefree when I was younger. I really didn’t dwell on what others thought of me. “Dancing to the beat of her own drum” perfectly describes how I felt when I was younger.

25. What memory from the past year makes you smile the most? My birthday parties. So many people around me that loved me.

26. What is the number one change you need to make in your life in the next 12 months? Make an effort to be spontaneous and put myself out there.

27. If not now, then when? It’s never too late to change.

28. What have you done that you are truly proud of? Getting 5th place in a regional writing competition in 8th grade. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it made me realize that I had something to be proud of.

29. What is something new that you have recently learned about yourself? I work well under time constraints.

30. What do you want to remember forever? I want to have my memories forever.

31. What could society do without? The negative criticism of body image. I think if we stopped judging each other we could be happier with ourselves.

32. What is one thing, right now, that you are totally sure of? What grade I got on one of my big papers.

33. If you had the opportunity to get the message across to a lot of people, what would that message be? If you ever feel like you are the only one, trust me. You’re not. We’ve all been there.

34. What is something you said you’d never do, but have since done? I said that I’d never be late to class in college. DOY. 2 minutes!! Just once.

35. What is something that you changed your mind about as you’ve grown older? What I want to be when I “grow up.”

36. What didn’t last forever, but was still worth your while? Some of my friendships. I wouldn’t take back any of the time that we spent together. They made me who I am today.

37. If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself something, what would you tell? You are beautiful just the way you are. Don’t go on a diet. Don’t quit swimming, you’ll regret it.

38. If you were dying in 60 seconds, what would your last words be? I would probably pray and ask God to accept me into heaven.

39. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you have done? Yes. I’m always a talker and not a doer. That is one of the things that I dislike about myself.

40. What questions do you often ask yourself? Why do I feel like I’m the only one going through some things? I realize I’m not, but it’s hard to remember that there are others out there just like me. No exceptions.

I hope that you will take the opportunity and answer some of these questions on your blogs as well. Full transparency. I’m not always good at being honest with others, or even myself. But I’m trying. And that’s what counts.

Edited to add: I made a page at the top of my blog where you can get a copy of the unanswered questions. What is Normal Anyways?

If you create a post with it, let me know and I’ll add it to my page. I think that this would be a great way for everyone to be open with their readers and show that it’s okay to be different. It’s what makes you you.

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Alright, let’s pull back off the deep end for a moment and focus on something a little more positive. It’s Friday. It’s the weekend.

It’s time for another Friday Food Finds, but this time, I’m going to be transparent. I am going to show you the foods that I long to eat. Hopefully, one day I can again.

1. Oats in Jar. Fast. Simple. Nut butter… Oh yes.

2. Mile High Nut Butter Concoctions. Peanut Butter all the way!

3. Beautiful Waffles. Belgian. With each nook and cranny drowned in syrup and butter.

4. Simple Pizza. Actually, just cheese for me please!!

5. Blueberry Muffin Batter. Skip the muffins. Eat the batter.

6. Macaroni and Cheese. In a mug. In a microwave. How cool is that?

Happy Friday everybody.

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You can read all about Friday Food Finds and my past posts here:

Friday Food Finds #1 (Mission Accomplished)

Friday Food Finds #2

Friday Food Finds #3

Friday Food Finds #4 (Mission Accomplished)

Friday Food Finds #5 (Mission Accomplished)

Friday Food Finds #6 (Mission Accomplished)

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Have you ever experienced bullying on the internet?

Answer one of the questions above, or post this questionnaire on your own blog and link up!

Any recipes that have caught your eye lately? Let me know!

What are your plans for the weekend?