Author Archives: Kat Perez

Essay #2: Reflecting My Online Self

Reflecting on my online self I’ve realized the internal and digitally external growth I’ve had. I think my blog has definitely come a long way ever since I built it in the first few weeks of class. Prior to PUB 101, I had no WordPress experience. I honestly thought it’d be such a difficult platform to build a site out of, but as the weeks went by it grew easier to organize my posts. Initially, I didn’t even know how to add media to my website, but now I’d say I’m proud of what I’ve built knowing that I taught myself all the technical aspects of the platform.

 I created The Spotless Mind.com and came up with the name after watching Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind during the first week of classes. It’s one of my favourite movies and the overall message was that the memories that we have, no matter how painful some can be aren’t files that can just be deleted. They’re part of the bigger picture of our lives and ourselves and it got me to reflect on my own experiences. For the past year and a half, I’ve been working through lots of inner development after coming out from a very painful past that I wish I could delete and I found this blog/website a great way to document all the growth I’ve been on.

Watters (2015), notes that when students have their own domains, they have freedom in what they present to the world through their professional, personal and digital identities. He notes that they begin to have a deeper understanding of the technologies that make up the Web and how their own work and information circulates on the internet (Watters, 2015). I think this website has taught me how to organize my thoughts on the internet as well as how to engagingly share my personal stories online. Using analytics has helped me determine which articles received more traffic and what type of content I should be posting about such as on harder topics about love and grief. This whole experience has been healing to my own self being able to openly share my experiences and advice but hearing comments from sources such as peer reviews has been very rewarding for me too. I really appreciate all the feedback I have received and applied them to my website such as adding menus and creating more content overall.

From the bare bones of my website, I really had nothing. For weeks I only had three menus, ‘Welcome’, ‘Contact’ and ‘Blog.’ All of my posts whether that be Process Posts, Mini Assignments, Content Posts were all under the one blog page which to me felt cluttered. It wasn’t until I found inspiration from my peers through their own websites that I created more menus and submenus/categories. So, I created a PUB 101 work menu splitting off into different categories for Process Posts, Peer Reviews, Essays, etc… I also decided to create categories for my actual blog playing off of my tagline into sections on love, lessons, life and ‘Everything in Between’ on more random posts. I also added more SEO words to my titles as Hollingsworth (2021) notes, “SEO is the most viable and cost-effective way to both understand and reach customers in key moments that matter (Para. 1). I think adding keywords such as ‘lessons’, and ‘love’ which are the main subjects of my site makes it clear what my content and intentions are online. 

My goal after this class is to eventually grow my online self to what The Rising Woman does. She mainly focuses on Instagram but has a great site with wonderful blogs on self-development and growth that are sometimes researched based and very advisable. She offers lessons and programs where she actually teaches you how to expand your mindset and performs certain meditations as well. While I don’t think I can get to that extent I hope to still be sharing my own advice and share my experiences in hopes to inspire others. I eventually want to rebrand by just using my name for the title as I hope to segway into using YouTube as my first place of content and my website as a more professional portfolio for my work experience and blog writing. I’m solo travelling in Europe after I graduate this semester and plan to start vlogging through YouTube, however, I’m excited to see how my website will change once I start that journey!

References:

Hollingsworth, S. (2021, August 9). 15 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs SEO. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-seo-is-important-for-business/248101/#closeIn-text citation

Watters, A. (2019, June 25). The Web We Need To Give Students – BRIGHT Magazine. Medium. https://brightthemag.com/the-web-we-need-to-give-students-311d97713713#.4d7j8rs6x

www.therisingwoman.com

Deaing With Emotional Vulnerability

I am probably one of the most emotional girls you will ever encounter. However, there is a side to me that hates showing emotion and keeps a lot in. I remember in high school, I was probably crying in public once or twice a week. I just could not manage to have any control over my emotions. From high school until basically last year, I would experience extreme mood swings, breakdowns for no reason, and always had so much rage in me. At the same time, I would do my best to keep all that I was feeling inside and guilted myself every time I was emotionally vulnerable to someone in public.

I grew up raised by an ‘Asian tiger mom’, but my mom really exceeded the expectations for this title. I never saw her cry or express any kind of raw emotion. She has always been very cold and rejected anything that came her way that had to do with the ‘feels’. I’ve always been a highly sensitive person as I really do feel everything at such a deep level. A lot of my childhood memories with my mom have been focused on the idea of showing emotion as a sign of weakness.

I didn’t have many friends when I was younger and I always felt out of place being a chubby kid. Whenever I’d come home crying from school, instead of having my emotions being validated, my mom would actually yell at me for feeling sad. She’d always say, “You need to be tough like me, you can’t show them you’re so weak by feeling sad.” 

I never had the opportunity to learn about how to deal with my emotions as it was always something that was looked down upon in my upbringing. No one ever told or showed me that it’s okay to feel in general, which is why I still struggle with my emotions. I’m either all over the place, or I’m nowhere at all. I’m really grateful now that I have grown to understand where these feelings of guilt and suppression come from and recognize that a lot of it has just been programmed into me by the way my mom raised me. If you grew up with an Asian tiger mom, or struggle to be in tune with your emotions, I think the best thing that helped me was to understand where this stemmed from.

Oftentimes when I find myself still suppressing any sadness, guilt, or anger I ask myself, “What are you afraid of? What is the worst that can come with letting go?” It is okay to feel all of the emotions we have been gifted as humans, it is normal to experience moments of sadness even when you don’t know the reason for it. Sometimes crying alone in the shower can be the most therapeutic thing in your week! There is no reason to feel guilty for having feelings-it is the very core of our human nature! I ask you, next time you experience a strong wave of emotion to really sit in it. Reflect on why you’re feeling this way, cry, scream, sing, journal, and just release.

Five Lessons I Wish I Learned Earlier In Life

1. You are the most important, ever-changing and worthy investment in your life.

I hope that makes sense! Your well-being, health and all that makes up who you are are the most important things that should be prioritized. If we cannot show up for ourselves, we cannot expect to show up for the people we love, our passions and our environment fully. You are ever-changing, and what I mean by that is where you are or who you are right now do not determine who you are as a whole. There are always ways to further take care of ourselves and opportunities for growth and that is so exciting!

2. Do not take education for granted.

Whether that be from school, your job, the current political climate, or education about yourself and your family – being able to educate ourselves on anything really is so powerful and beautiful. Learning is something that I overlook so much, but it helps us be in touch more with our best selves that we can use in the ways we express ourselves through conversation, actions or just the way we choose to output energy into the world.

3. Set boundaries.

Not everything and everyone in your life deserves 100% of your energy and your being. Your time and physical/emotional presence are precious and you do not have to share them in ways that do not make you feel good. Have conversations with the people in your life on what you expect out of them and vice versa and if something doesn’t sit right with you, address it. Set boundaries with the way you work or study – remember you deserve rest too.

4. Love yourself in the ways you seek love from others.

Something that I’m trying to grow out of and that I continue to struggle with is validating myself and love through other people. I think I have a habit of seeking things I wish for myself through other people which can be extremely toxic and draining when I have the capability of finding all of those things within myself. There is nothing wrong with being ‘alone’ as lonely and being alone do not have to mean the same thing in our lives. We owe it to ourselves to nurture and love ourselves the same way we want our friends, family and our partners to love us. For example, I appreciate words of affirmation in my relationships. Therefore, I make sure to be mindful and loving in the way I talk to myself and about myself as much as I can.

5. You attract what you put out in the world.

I could have easily let this year destroy me and at times I felt as if it did. Something that I value about myself is my ability to create a positive outlook through almost every challenge that I am graced and I think that stems from my overall excitement for life. If you are outputting negativity and hatred into your community, your relationships or yourself, you are only creating a karmic cycle that will in return input that same energy back into your life. You have the power to create and build a life for yourself that is fulfilling and full of light, and this is a continuous process that all begins with the right mindset and finding peace within yourself and the hardships you encounter.

Mourning Your Past – The Lonely Road of Coming Back Home to Yourself

meditate, lake, mood-4882027.jpg

Something that I still struggle with after healing from my first heartbreak and pent-up years of trauma is grieving an old version of my life, identity and mindset that was my reality for half of my adolescent life. I think a lot of the time the reason why people feel the after-effects of a very life-turning event such as a breakup so intensely months or years after thinking they were doing fine is that they weren’t honest with themselves and their healing from the start. Part of this process is understanding, letting go and mourning not only that person but your old life, who you thought you were to them and all the parts of them you intertwined your identity with so closely.

I think I can definitely speak on this open-heartedly as I spent basically all of 2021 grieving. Grieving my old partner, his physical presence as well as his emotional one that played such a dictating role in how I behaved and viewed myself. I grieved the life that we built together with his family which was also my second family, the routine of having him in my life, the meaning that certain days of the week had restaurants near our homes had. I also had to mourn the future that I had imagined with him which was probably the most painful one of it all, mourning something/someone that is tangible and living is one painful thing. Mourning a dream you had, something you centred so much of your ambitions and actions around, a life that you worked so hard for is also another extremely difficult and overlooked process in healing from the departure of a relationship, whether that be romantic or platonic. Through these moments of grief, anger, sadness, the resentment I realized so much of what I was breaking over was this old version of myself I was shedding. A version of myself that was so wide-eyed, naive and childlike when it came to love. Someone that was so trusting and would hold the door open even for the unwanted. I had to let go of my identity as a girlfriend, of a friend to this person, of a future wife, mother – so much uncertainty filled the emptiness that followed me after those years in that relationship.

Oftentimes, when you seek advice for a broken heart one of the first things people tell you is to just move on from that person. But what about moving on from yourself, your old life and who you were with that person? How do you mourn over yourself? I could never answer that question accurately as I am still going through it and it is a lonely but ever-fulfilling journey. I started to embrace change, in fact, I tried to even take control of all these emotional changes in my life and literally build a new identity physically. I dyed my hair colours he will never me pull off, got tattoos he’ll never touch, I even bought new furniture in my room to completely take back everything that was so attached to him and the idea of him and take back my power in solidarity. And yes, physically these things worked but I still felt that deep anger and void. So, what has really helped me is spending time with myself, taking myself out on walks, listening to myself as if I were my own partner when I’m sad. I started hanging out with my parents again, picked up new hobbies in music – doing things that made me feel me. I also started tending to the old version of myself I’ve been letting go of, giving her a proper goodbye by doing certain things now that I should’ve done for myself during that time, such as speaking up about my boundaries, being a good friend and daughter and showing up for myself wholeheartedly no matter how much change is happening around me. It is a lonely journey, but it is so possible once you realize every new version of yourself that you have yet to meet after experiencing something so devastating is waiting to embrace you with open arms and an open heart.

Self Care Is More Than Just a Bubble Bath

With finals season coming up, stress, anxiety and sadness are all normal feelings that tend to resurface. It is important to take care of yourself right now and always, especially during this time of the year. 

So, what does taking care of yourself look like? To me, self-care involves creating healthy boundaries for yourself and being disciplined but gentle, which will help you to be proactive in maintaining your overall well-being. 

1 – Create boundaries for yourself

What are boundaries? I personally like to see them as mental and emotional spaces that I create that aid in tending to my well-being. So for example, a boundary of mine in relation to school is to not over-work myself to the point where my head hurts. No matter how behind I am in notes or papers, I refuse to cross this boundary as I know it will damage my well-being. 

2 – Discipline yourself

With self-care comes discipline. You can’t automatically take care of yourself without working towards it. So, maybe that means setting reminders to schedule and plan out your week, or changing the mindset behind your reaction towards things, maybe that means reminding yourself to even take breaks. You need to be willing to put in the work to be able to have a positive outcome in anything!

3 – Be gentle with yourself

Lastly, be kind to yourself during any moment of hardship! You are doing the best you can and the journey you are on is so special and holds so much value. You are more than what you think you are capable of.

Peer Review #3: Album Thoughts

Album Thoughts is a weekly album review blog that appears to focus on popular music and hip-hop/r&b. Upon first landing on the page, it is very clear that the website is focused on music. It is a clean and simple layout, which makes everything really easy to read and the website isn’t too busy which I think is appealing to its audience. I’m assuming they are targeting a younger crowd of all genders, therefore its neutral and minimalist aesthetic and overall vibe makes it marketable to its audience. I think the overall concept of the website, reviewing r&b/hip-hop top albums, both old and new also is a great selling point as this is the music that teenagers and young adults are listening to, which is who I am assuming Album Thoughts is targeting as their demographic. I like how there is a sidebar of recent posts as well as archives by month, it definitely intrigues readers to navigate towards the articles. Consumers also are always wanting the fastest most convenient way to access the information or products they’re consuming, so easy navigation tools such as this are always a great tool for a site and I appreciate the site author is doing so. Overall as a first impression, I think it is a good site and the concept behind it would make great marketable value for a younger audience.

After reading a few posts, I’d like to shout out a review that I think deserves recognition! (Although, I could be biased because this is one of my favourite albums.) Again, however, the music that Album Thoughts is writing about, and how they are the albums Noah most likely knows his age group loves makes it a great selling point as readers are going to want to hear what others say about their favourite music.

Frank Ocean’s Blonde album review was such a great read. I genuinely enjoyed this post and I think what makes this post have great marketable potential is how it’s more of just a review. It’s a very emotional analysis and informative piece on the album. Noah gives some context to the artist, their history and lead-up to the album and you can tell how passionate of a writer he is, which comes off as very genuine and appealing to readers. I love the little analyses of certain songs and lyrics within the album, I think this is what audiences are looking for with reviews. In the bit about Pink + White, I did not even know the song was about Hurricane Katrina and the loss of a loved one, I always just listened to it as a classic heartbreak song, which was super interesting and a great fun fact selling point. At the bottom of the post, he also adds a ranking list of the album, which I think is a great addition and gets audiences thinking about their own ranking list too. This can be a call to action for readers to listen to the album again, therefore they’re gaining a little activity out of reading this post as well. Overall, this was such a fun read that I thoroughly enjoy it and am currently reading his other reviews (such as Kid Cudi’s first Man on the Moon album – another favourite!)

Some points of critique I’d add are very small – probably just more images throughout the website such as adding featured images to your blog posts just to add more visually pleasing elements to the site. I think also creating a drop-down menu for the posiel menu would be beneficial as well. However, I genuinely enjoy this website and really wish Noah continues it after classes end.

How I Stay Productive Working From Home

apple, calendar, desk-1867752.jpg

As I enter the final few weeks of my undergrad I am making it a goal to finish off strong. I’ve been working from home since the spring of last year so I’d like to say with almost a year’s worth of remote work experience, I have somewhat mastered staying productive at home. Of course, it’’s not easy to be on top of your game 24/7 – after all, we are literally living through major historical events with what looks like every week now. Here are some of the ways I stay on track while studying and working remotely.

1. Use a Planner

I can’t stress this enough. Using a planner and scheduling out my weeks and my day every morning has been a lifesaver of mine since high school. A close friend gifted me this beautiful planner that not only helps me track my tasks/goals for the day but is also centred around mental well-being. I highly recommend using a planner, at least list small goals you would like to accomplish daily!

2. Set a Morning Routine for Yourself

I can’t lie I’m still working on this one. However, when I do have those days where I have somewhat of a routine going for myself before classes or work start, I kid you not those days are the highlight of my weeks. Your morning routine could be as small as waking up 30 minutes earlier and dancing around your room to your favourite playlist (here’s mine that I like to jam out to). Anything that can set a good intention for the rest of the day can make a huge significance.

3. Have a Designated Work/Study Space That You Love

IMG_6879.png
My desk space!

Maybe it’s just me but I love home organization so I really tried to make my desk space one that I love and feel safe in. I think it gives it that ‘office vibe’ that I am missing right now and it makes me excited to get out of bed to ‘go-to’ work. Also, make sure your area is clean! I’ve realized that when my space is cluttered it interferes with my stress level and thinking.

4. Schedule in Breaks and Actually Take Them

Whether you’re working from home, in classes or doing both sometimes it’s so easy to just be at your desk for hours on end. Set reminders to take actual breaks for 15 minutes, half an hour or even an hour. Your body and mind need time to reset and unwind especially after staring at a screen for God knows how long. Go for a walk, call a friend or do a workout – anything to get you off your computer for a while!

5. Be Gentle with Yourself

This one’s kind of cheesy but it’s so important to remind yourself that you are simply doing the best while living through such a crazy time. It’s okay to have off days, it’s okay to not get any work done sometimes. Just remember to try your best to pick yourself up and tell yourself whatever stress, anxiety and distress you are facing at this moment does not define you or the rest of your days to come. Remember, a bad day does not equal a bad life. If you’re reading this I’m proud of you – you are doing the best you can and that is more than enough!

Mini Assignment #4 – You Can Get Through This!

For this remix assignment, I decided to create a playlist with remixing song titles to read, “You can get through these tears and I believe in you.” As a simple reminder for anyone reading this post that whatever you may be experiencing, especially things that are associated with sadness – someone is always rooting for you! I know I definitely needed the sign this week too.