6 Steps How to Start A Blog for My Slowly Pen Pals

Thank you to the many Pen Pal friends I met in early 2021 from across the world. Today is the day I’m sharing more “free game” for inquiring minds who want to know about what I do. How to Start A Blog as a Hobby is easy. So I narrowed it down to six essential steps for helping someone figure out the basics of creating a blog.

Slowly is a geosocial networking app and Pen Pal generator. It’s an app for “people who yearn for meaningful conversations in the era of instant messaging.” Users send letters, photos, and audio clips to their matches based on language & commonly interesting topics. What makes Slowly authentic to the Pen Pal theme is the time taken by a message to be delivered. Messages deliver depending on the distance between the sender and the recipient. So if someone who lives in Baltimore, MD expects a letter from Egypt, they’d prepare to receive it within 26 hours.

I made over 25 pen pals from around the globe using Slowly. But I remain connected to a core group of 5 people from Ghana, Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Egypt. I downloaded Slowly to meet new people from other countries and gain personal pandemic survival stories from people during Covid. I intentionally sought for the differences and similarities of how we all cope with implementing social distancing into our daily lives. See, I’m interested in how others handle living in a global shutdown. All in all, we were doing fine.

Turns out, everyone’s finding new things to learn and hobbies to take on to keep ourselves busy. While getting to know these people, I learned about the privilege I have compared to people living outside of the United States, too. Upon finding out I’m a blogger hosting my own website, I quickly realized I possess certain technology and knowledge that many people around the world do not have. When asked to share what I knew about blogging so they could take on starting a blog as a hobby, I thought ‘why not share this mini luxury of mine. So as another “free game” post, in which I give free advice for something that doesn’t require much to figure out with time and patience, I’m spilling the tea on how to start your own blog.

[Read Busting out of the Barrel: How to Support Baltimore Artists on Doc’s Castle Media]

How Doc’s Castle Media came to be is from years of trial and error, and genuinely wanting to understand publishing my own content. It’s easy and done for free if you know where to find the correct resources. Aside from what I’m sharing here, YouTube is a great resource for further information. Ten years into blogging, it is still my go-to for new ideas on ways to improve Doc’s Castle Media.

Here are Six Steps to Starting A Blog As A Hobby for my Slowly App friends

What motivates you to start a blog

Start by thinking of your reason. There’s a reason people want to create a blog. One pen pal from Slowly tells me they want to share information about their culture. Another pal wants to use it as an outlet for their poetry. I also have a friend from Brazil who wants to create an anonymous online diary. Anything can be the spark to get someone started on the path towards blogging. Mine was for a good grade in school. Figure out your why for your site.

Choosing a blog name

A lot of bloggers choose whatever they’re writing about to also be included in the title of their blog’s name. People mainly do this to appear easily in Google’s search engine. But your blog’s name can be anything. I named my blog Doc’s Castle Media because I didn’t have a specified genre to write about, just wanted to write about what I enjoy. It took a while to figure out what I enjoyed exploring. So I kept my blog’s name simply by using my nickname because my commentary is the common theme on the site.

Choosing your blog’s hosting platform

Deciding where your blog is hosted is one of the most important steps in the process. This is where you’ll think about what you’re truly investing in, whether this is something for fun or if you have an extra income coming your way. If this is a hobby, finding free websites, like Blogger or WordPress.com, are great free tools that provide easy-to-use templates to start. The interface for some of the administrative dashboards on free hosting sites can be more user-friendly and targeted to beginner bloggers. So use these tools to your benefit when creating a website tailored to your passions.

Use free templates and plugins

Explore and experiment using your blog site as the playground. There aren’t any rules to what you create. Researching free templates and plugins gives your blog personality. This is where you build upon your original content and how you’ll structure how you want to physically appear to your readers. Colors, pictures, or plain text format, you learn through using free tools how your finished product should look like.

Myspace in 2008 was where I originally learned how to edit a webpage using basic Html. Basic Html skills are easy to learn online these days because the information is free. Using free resources, like W3Schools and Html5 Editor, teaches me how to build a page by showing me the coding language that communicates with the backend of my website. A combination of using free templates, plugins, and HTML coding editors can help you build the best website for your blog.

Share your content in an online community.

Sharing your original content on social media gets it in front of an audience that supports what you put into the world. You can subscribe to the big social media sites, but the cool thing about the Internet is you can find even smaller communities within bigger social networks that are more geared to your specific content. It places your material in front of people who genuinely enjoy the same things as you.

Join groups that are specific for the topic or genre of blogging you participate in. Places like Reddit, Meet-Up, or Facebook friend groups are great places to start to find your niche support group for your blog. You aren’t limited to these websites. These are just a few to name.

Don’t be discouraged in the process of starting your blog

Your blog is your voice. Remember you have complete control over what you post when you’re the creator. You have that ability to constantly recreate yourself. So even if you feel stuck or reached a block, change it up and explore something new. Change the topic of what you write about. Do what you need to do to keep your voice. You could even start a new blog. But don’t give up if it’s something you love.

Let me help you:

This was a fun video to record for my Slowly friends. I’m intrigued with what other questions any of you may have about blogging. Remember, Doc’s Castle Media started as a hobby and is still a hobby, but I do make a little money from what I enjoy. I make it work for me. Leave in the comments below questions that you have about blogging.

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Read My Last What’s Up Doc Post: Alcohol Lamps Now Available in Tipsy Decor Collection on Doc’s Castle Online Art Store

Breaking Away from The Comparison Demon: 3 Tips from Blogger Bria Danielle

Baltimore Blogger Bria Danielle shares in a YouTube video three ways we subscribe to self-sabotage by falling for our “comparison demon” when scrolling our social media timelines. It’s a word worth sharing with readers this season for mental health awareness month. It’s also a reminder to snap out of it while we’ve spent an entire year glued to our phones watching other people live their best lives.

Bria Danielle is a fellow friend and Baltimore Lifestyle Blogger of The Reverie Blog. She’s recognized as one of Baltimore’s talented roller skaters. She is absolutely thriving living and sharing some of her most precious moments on social media. Some of her latest ventures include her acceptance into graduate school and marriage to the man of her dreams during the craziest year in history; 2020. Bria is most definitely an example of someone who’s enjoying life.

http://www.instagram.com/p/CA2n1rLpr6b/?igshid=10ekam8vodfzv

Everyone has a niche. Everyone has a hobby or talent they share online. We watch highlight reels of the best actions from these people that we love. We follow people’s accomplishments and praise the work of others daily. I believe we do it so much that we may gloss over how this could have the potential to tarnish any belief of what we have for ourselves being the best. It’s an entire battle that us navigating social media do not talk about. We rarely acknowledge the struggles of unconscious comparisons.

[Read Protecting Your Mental Health During Covid with Ashlee Banks and Brandon Johnson on Doc’s Castle Media.]

It’s important to have some level of media literacy when navigating online social spaces because it’s better to understand why something happens, rather than fall into a slippery depressive state of “should haves” and “could haves.”

Bria Danielle’s video explains her hiatus from blogging and I completely get it, girl! I shared my experience in a hair diary video, and I can say it could have been the comparison demon that took me out during those dark years of Doc’s Castle Media. Nonetheless, she shares some important points worth reiterating.

Watch Where Have I Been by Bria Danielle

Three Tips for Fighting Your Comparison Demon from Bria Danielle

How to Deal with Comparison

Why must we torture ourselves only watching the accomplishments of others 24/7 when we should be taking time to improve ourselves?

Everyone has a story. Everyone has good and bad moments. We all go through the trials of life. Seeing people share online their accomplishments, along with their faults, gives us a more realistic view of that person. But it’s still from the perspective of a protagonist. Even while we hear so many angles of a story, both good and bad, we are seeing what the protagonist allows us to see. Remember that. Those you follow could also experience bad moments. They’re their own person and won’t walk the same path as you. So it’s a waste of time to fret. The only comparison you should make is between the new version of you and the old one.

You Have Unrealistic Expectations

You need to be real with yourself about what you can do and how you plan to do it. So set goals to make them easily measurable and obtainable.

Here’s an example we all hear: People who make goals to lose weight face challenges sticking to them because they set them too high and are labeled too specific. “I want to lose 100 pounds within a month” already sounds like a lot of straining and too much pressure. Setting this goal could potentially be setting yourself up for failure. Understand what you can or cannot do.

Have Faith in Yourself

Believe in yourself. Affirm what you want for yourself by truly believing in it.

Your tongue has the power to lift or degrade anyone’s spirit, including your own. Be cautious of your words so you’ll attract what you’ll love and can stand behind. It’s having faith that you can achieve and speaking highly on it with conviction that surges energy through you pushing you towards conquering it. The more you say it, the more it sounds like it’ll happen. You’re affirming it. You live in the essence of it happening each day, especially if you start crossing off habits and take steps completing tasks.

Bria Danielle’s Tips about the comparison demon will help you recognize you’re not alone dealing with mental fatigue from fighting your mental demon. Read the full blog post about the comparison demon via The Reverie Blog.

#Thirsty30Body: Logging Healthy Food Into Calorie Counter App Lose It

Calorie counting is another weight loss method that helps keep the focus on Thirsty 30 Body. There are numerous apps that help make calorie counting easier, like My Fitness Pal and My Plate, that provide a digital space to log daily meals, exercise, and water intake. Today we’re focusing on Lose It. As mentioned before in “#Thirsty30Body: Essential Fitness Tools. Items You May Already Have Lying Around,” my preferred calorie tracker is the Lose It App. We’re reviewing how to log the food you love to eat (fast food) into Lose It.

Chipotle Mexican Grill added a new cilantro-lime cauliflower rice option to their menu at US and Canadian locations for a limited time. It’s an alternative to the white or brown rice choices, and also the latest plant-based option that is compliant with Keto, Whole30®, Paleo, Vegan, and Vegetarian diets. So now veggie lovers can make “veggier” burritos and burrito bowls. I thought this would be the best time to show how to log “fast food” on the calorie counter.

Eating healthier options is a top priority in #Thirsty30Body. This is why I’m not showing how to add a McDonald’s meal or any other fast food meal into the app. We’re sticking to choosing healthier choices by dining at restaurants that provide fresher options. Chipotle Mexican Grill has healthier foods to choose from and is easily searched within the app. So trying the cauliflower rice at Chipotle is in line with what we’re trying to do by choosing a healthier way of living for #Thirsty30Body.

How to Log Food in Lose It App:

Select the Meal You’re Logging

There are 4 to choose from; Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snack. Each meal is broken down into a calorie budget of four different numbers that combine into the overall daily calorie budget. Add the food one by one using the search bar.

Search by Restaurant or Brand

This makes it so much easier to search for options rather than to search by name of food. This narrows down the search to only food relative to that restaurant or brand. Doing this will prevent generalized options from appearing in the search results and will help with retrieving a more accurate calorie count.

Logging the Correct Serving Size

Becoming familiar with the Nutritional Facts label is beneficial. This will tell us the exact amount of nutrients in what we eat. There are a lot of restaurants that provide the nutritional facts for food serviced on their websites. There are sometimes entire menus that list calories of a meal posted inside of a restaurant. When someone is aware of serving sizes, they’re aware of the proper portion sizes for a meal.

Take Note of Your Meal’s Calorie Intake

Being aware of each meal’s calorie total will help with planning the next meal. If you spend most of your calorie budget on breakfast, you’ll know that you have a limited amount of calories for the remainder of the day.

Watch how I log my Chipotle Burrito Bowl:

Can you name another restaurant with healthier options you can practice logging in to Lose It? Leave comments below.

#Thirsty30Body: Start Your Morning Eating Clean (Breakfast Smoothie Recipe)

Eating healthy is a huge part of losing weight. There are numerous diets people subscribe to hoping it’s the solution to their weight loss journey. I don’t subscribe to any diet but I do have a routine I follow for my breakfast smoothies each morning. This Thirsty 30 Body blog is how I start my mornings eating healthy. I’m sharing my recipe for my morning breakfast smoothie.

One of the most popular dietary fads today is the Keto Diet. Almost every recipe on my Pinterest timeline is geared to the keto diet. Nearly every recipe book I find in the bookstores is catered to keto followers. Nothing is wrong with this diet. In fact, many people show proof that it’s very effective. To me, it’s just another fad diet like intermediate fasting or Atkins diet. They’re temporary fixes for quick weight loss that people keep up for a time being but rarely subscribe for extended periods of time.

[Read Top 10 Most Popular Diets by RealBuzz]

I’m not a member of diet fads. I don’t support what’ll be a temporary fix for everyday health. Such fads are meant to help your weight for the moment, like when we see someone prepping for their wedding day 2 weeks prior to their wedding date, or prom being a month away and needing to fit in that perfect dress. To have lifetime results, it’ll require lifestyle changes that surpass small dietary changes like keto or even Weight Watchers. These fads do not provide solutions for the long term. Making a dietary change like becoming vegetarian or vegan is considered to be a lifestyle change. It’ll require more preparation and time to make a healthy habit. The results are worth the switch because the benefits of these healthy diets can lead to a more prosperous and wealthy long living life.

How do I convince myself eating healthy is a priority over a quick solution?

If I’m going to change how I eat, it’ll be to help me, not hurt me. That’s the whole point of Thirsty 30 Body, I’m changing my lifestyle to implement healthier habits. Eating a diet that is natural and won’t require too much effort will be the best for me. So I approached eating healthier similar to my switch to natural hair. It was a clean one.

What I learned while taking care of my natural hair that I’ll carry with me in my quest for eating better is less is more. The least amount of products that I put in my hair the better my hair will look. Pure shea butter and olive oil do my hair justice. There really isn’t much required to keep my hair well. My hair growth is astounding. When approaching eating cleaner, I felt there would be a similar result for less. If I ate foods with little to no preservatives and added ingredients, my skin would glow and I’d appear more energetic. If I stick to clean eating, there wouldn’t be much I’d need to be healthy. I was correct. This is why I’m 30 lbs down. Alongside working out, I remember to keep my diet clean and as natural as possible. My skin is flawless and I created a healthy habit.

[Read 11 Different Ways to Start Clean Eating from Healthline]

What is a clean diet?

I eat a lot of Whole Foods and Whole Grains. I consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. I rarely eat processed food. I also cook for myself often, rarely going out to eat. My breakfast is usually a raw meal, meaning most times it’s not required for me to cook. I eat fruit and smoothie bowls for breakfast, salads or leftovers for lunch, and try to save warm and savory options for dinner. I repeat, repeat, and repeat this way of eating until it becomes a habit. I become a clean eater.

Starting Your Day with a Balanced Breakfast

Last year I shared a video to Instagram of my famous breakfast smoothie. I wanted to share my most important meal of the day to motivate others on how simple it is to get started.

Breakfast might not be your most important meal of the day. But starting on the right path at the beginning of the day, helps me stay on track for the rest of the day. I try not to go a day without eating breakfast. But missing out on lunch or dinner is okay as long as I still receive enough calories for the day.

Watch how I make my healthy smoothies for breakfast.

Protect Your Mental Health During Covid with Ashlee Banks and Brandon Johnson

This week new restrictions were placed on Maryland to promote a “stay-at-home for the holidays’ theme” as we’re near entering the 10th month of living through a global pandemic. Marylanders, along with many other Americans, are still grunting over the idea of needing to quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

While we deal with living in a state of constant uncertainty, like not knowing when the next time we’ll be able to visit the neighborhood grocery store, we’re also finding it necessary to seek ways of coping with living our newly socially distanced lifestyles. Protecting our mental health during the era of coronavirus is what many of us have had on our minds since early March 2020. But how do we know where to begin to handle this?

Former RT America news anchor and Baltimore Native Ashlee Banks sits down with Medical and Health Expert Brandon Johnson of Black Mental Wellness Lounge via her personal YouTube channel. The two discuss how to handle mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. They share tips on the best ways to handle isolation, depression, unplugging from social media and so much more. I’m sharing this as a YouTube Video Alert for Doc’s Castle Media because it’s my concern that everyone is doing their best to remain sane during these unprecedented times. So I listed a few important takeaways from Ashlee and Brandon’s interview to pay attention to while you watch it.

4 Best Takeaways: Mental Health Help, Tips During Covid-19

Prioritize resting and take a break.

Free yourself from burnout. Understand that everyone is going through changes during this time and it is okay to not have everything in order. So take your time. Drink some tea and exhale the doubt that you mustn’t keep up. You’ll be fine if the train stops for an oil and engine break.

Take a social media break for mental health.

Unplug from social media to avoid depression. It can fool you into thinking you’re at your worse compared to everyone you’re following. People put their best foot forward online and rarely publish their mistakes. No one should compare themselves to anyone because we’re not meant to be the same. So save yourself the stress of mentally attempting to make yourself a carbon copy of your online friend.

Remember you are not alone dealing with the trials of a Pandemic.

We’re all grieving a special kind of depression that has a grip on everyone in this world. There’s solace in knowing that you aren’t alone dealing with the effects of a global pandemic. Be patient with yourselves and give yourself the grace to process what’s happening. As you’re being considerate and kind to others about what’s happening, also show yourself that same kindness.

Practice positive affirmations, self-care exercises, and mindful meditation.

Spend time getting to know yourself and the things that you enjoy. This goes back to unplugging from social media. When you unplug, you free yourself from feeling like you’re missing things that other people that you’re following online may be getting into. We’re in a pandemic. Free your time and mind for what truly matters to you and the things that you place value. Do this and you’ll walk away better fulfilled.

Watch the full interview How to Protect Your Mental Health with Ashlee Banks and Brandon Johnson:

http://youtu.be/D39jVtdu9XQ

If you’re in need of speaking to a specialist via a mental health crisis hotline, please call the National Suicide Prevention at 1-800-273-8255.

5 Steps to Completing Your Vision Board for the New Year

Do you consider yourself a goal-getter? I am 100% a goal chaser. I love setting goals for myself to accomplish. That’s why I chose to start the New Year right by sharing my 2020 Vision Board to Doc’s Castle. Now I want to share my thought process for how I get it done so you can do it for the next year 2021.

Creating a Vision Board really isn’t hard. Since we’re now in December prepping to cleanse our 2020 sins away, many people should be aware of what they want to work towards in the new year.

[Read: The Reason Vision Boards Work and How to Make One from Huffington Post]

Generally, I make sure I have an idea of a direction I’m headed for the coming year. I’m not a perfectionist about completing the goals I make. But I do like looking back at previous vision boards with a sense of pride that it all started from a board when I achieved them.

Here are 5 Steps for Creating a Vision Board the Doc’s Castle Media way.

Review Previous Years Goals for Setting Goals for the New Year

Quickly jot down what you are proud of accomplishing during the current year. This is an important step in setting goals for the following year because it doesn’t give a feeling of starting from scratch. Doing this will have you walking into the new year proud of what was already done. Before you make your new list, give yourself a pick me up by listing what you’re proud of completing in 2020.

Categorize Accomplishments

This is definitely an extra step I take in creating my vision boards. It’s not necessary but it helps me build on my achievements. Some goals you may have can be combined because they can be very similar in getting to a mutual endpoint. I categorize these goals because it’s easier to find an image to represent a group of similar things rather than finding images for each listed.

For example, I am able to look at my 2019 Vision Board and see that the majority of goals were for personal development. I had goals to work on planning and organizing. I also had a goal to practice writing. I labeled these goals as self-development goals. When looking for relatable images, I’ll group all pictures for organizing and writing as self-development. This helps me later down the line when viewing my board because any self-development image in use should bring thoughts of these aspirations.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BdOQxMqHnKS/?igshid=75qjhkl68pfm

Choosing a Vision Board Template that works Best for You

When looking for vision board examples, you’ll find a variety of different ways people get creative making vision boards. Poster boards, Pinterest boards, and even goals and grids. My vision boards are digitally created, saved as a PDF file, and printed and posted in numerous spots. I like it best this way because I can manage the size of my vision board. I like posting my vision board as a screensaver on my phone or print it out to hang on my fridge. I make sure my goals are very visible.

I also complete my vision board using Adobe’s Photoshop each year. But there are many free apps and software, like Canva and Picmonkey, which gives the same digital flexibility. But if all else fails, you can always make one using pen, paper, and your imagination.

Search for visual representations for Vision Board Ideas

This is where you’ll focus on grabbing vision board supplies and images. My search for inspiration is quick and done using the Google search engine. I research images and terms I created by categorizing my accomplishments. But for many people who opt out of that extra step, they choose an image that will remind them of what they want to accomplish. You can include other cool visuals on your vision board like quotes, places you’d like to visit, and people you’d like to see. The point of your board is to inspire. So you should include any material that will motivate you whenever you see it.

Hanging Your Vision Board

http://www.instagram.com/p/B42bre8JmfR/?igshid=1w2td9m3hc9nw

When your board is complete, post it where you’ll always see it. By the computer workspace, next to the bathroom mirror, or on the refrigerator door are great places to post inspiration because these are places most people go at the start of their day. Posting your board wherever you look the most should trigger your mind towards what inspires you. But posting it wherever you start your day is an extra plus because of the anticipated motivation expected to gain from viewing it 365 days of the year. That’s even more encouragement towards your target. So I’d post it high and mighty if I were you.

Now that you have the steps, will you be making a vision board for 2021? Leave your comments below.

#Thirsty30Body: My Bullet Journal Methods That Help Reach My Fitness and Nutrition Goals

Bullet journals are not literal journals that house bullets.

In #Thirsty30Body: Essential Fitness Tools. Items You May Already Have Lying Around, I mentioned using a tracking system to help hold a person accountable for their weight-loss goals. Trackers, such as Lose It App or utilizing a fitness watch, are two major resources I use to stay accountable for reaching my Thirsty 30 Body. These trackers are easily accessible on my phone so that I mark my progress daily. I like having digital access most times, but I’ll always keep a special place in my heart for analog to-do lists and trackers. It’s just something about manually scratching something off my lists that makes the experience more personal and productive.

Bullet journaling is a method considered as an easy-to-use and basic way of tracking a weight-loss program. It can be achieved through using a simple calendar, planner, or notepad barely in use at home. Anyone with the time or simply the creative energy like me could turn a plain planner into their Thirsty Body Bible.

Filling the pages of a basic notebook is like filling a blank canvas. It’ll showcase all my habits of what makes me who I am. If done properly, I can look back in my notes from days, months, and even years ago and know why I react the way that I did in any situation. I attribute it to taking notes about my habits and activity.

[Read: This Is How I Bullet Journal My Fitness and Nutrition Goals Everyday to Stay on Track by Popsugar]

Today I want to share a few Bullet Journal Tips that I utilize to help push me towards Thirsty 30…

Choosing the Best Journal

A medium 5×7 inch journal is the perfect size journal to use for bulleting your methods. This size is super small and easily accessible. I love small journals mostly because they fit into any bag that I carry. Large journals are okay, but I don’t carry them as often if my purses don’t allow the space. I need something small that I know will be able to have in front of me when I need to get it. I also like journals without lines because every so often I like sketching random things on the blank pages. The whiter the page, the more space I have for my imagination.

Use Visual Charts, Pictures, and Lists to Visually Track Progress

Using weekly task lists and graphs help provide a little order in areas of my life I need to have control over. I follow a daily to-do list. I even use tables and charts in my bullet journal to keep track of my bills and expenses. For Thirsty 30 Body, my bullet journals include Meal prep, workout routines, motivational quotes, recipes, and anything that I’ll create into a bulleted list goes into my book.

A common chart I use in my notebook is my 6 to 12-week workout program. I have a Life Planner by Erin Condren that I live by that houses these workout plans. The 6 to 12-week workout plan is a chart that I use whenever I’m ready to go on a workout sprint. I created it to breed commitment. I recognize when it’s needed to call out time to focus on my goal to get healthy. So to train my mind to commit to this goal, I follow through by staying consistent with completing this plan.

I’ll share a few Thirsty Body Bible Pages with you to help you commit to a plan.

Download this printable chart of a 6-12 Week Workout Program, here.

Get Creative!

Gel and scented pens, sticky notes, highlighters, stickers, and washi tape are all essential items to have whenever I’m meditating in my bullet journal. It makes the process exciting to get through when I’m creating and designing from my imagination. It’s similar to telling a visual story. Many of the elements I put on the pages were placed there to recall times when I filled the journal page. Each page is unique. I could never be confused about where I am in my progress because each page in the journal is of its own design. So getting creative is necessary for building a personality for the journey.

[Read 21 Ways to Use Washie Tape by Journal with Purpose]

These are just three simple bullet journaling methods I use in my notebooks. There are many more that I have yet to explore. These three steps are good starter methods for analog tracking if digital isn’t working. They’re well worth the try if you’re looking for a better way of organizing your journey.

Do you know of any basic bullet journaling methods that should be added to this list? Leave them in the comments below.

#Thirsty30Body: Essential Fitness Tools. Items You May Already Have Lying Around

Starting before I was Ready provoked my search for finding what’s necessary to get through my #Thirsty30Body journey. It was when I made the conscious choice to get fit and take the initiative, I learned how frequently I should think about my health, small tasks I could include throughout my day to motivate me to remain active, and the essential tools that will assist me on this quest. Today I’ll be sharing the essential tools I use for reaching thirsty 30.

Last year, I trained at Hero Fit with only my gym attire, which was an old work T-Shirt for Baltimore’s HFS Alternative Rock station, a pair of navy blue sweatpants, and a cheap pair of easy slip-on tennis from Wal-Mart. I quickly learned that that wasn’t enough gear for this journey after attending class for 2 weeks. I needed to invest in my health, fully. As mentioned before I started Thirsty 30 Body on a mission to strengthen my will-power muscle. So I thought of registering for Hero Fit as enrolling in an expedited college semester because the program was in total 12-weeks (if you didn’t meet the initial 6-week challenge to lose 20 lbs of 5 % fat.) I already bet money towards joining so I equated investing in fitness attire and equipment similar to preparing for college coursework, like buying the textbooks needed for class.

I’ll keep it simple. What was beneficial for me to have last August at the start of Thirsty 30 Body Challenge as tools for getting ahead were all of the following that still remains essential tools in mid-progress. These are items that anyone could have lying around and don’t require you to go out of your way to purchase.

Perfect Pair of Tennis Shoes (or prepare to be barefoot)

So this is a little embarrassing. My shoes completely came off in Bootcamp class while working out. It’s because of the cheap shoes I decided to workout in weren’t being my friend at the moment. A couple of mountain climbers into the routine, my shoes started sliding off my heels. I had to take my shoes completely off in front of a class of about 20 people to finish the routine. When two of those people walk up to me suggesting where to buy some good tennis, I sort of thought maybe my feet stank? Reality settled in that nobody wants to see the feet of a stranger even if they’re decked out with 90’s Nickelodeon cartoons. Tennis is the first essential tool to have towards Thirsty 30 Body.

I scrolled through the Nike online store in search of the perfect shoes for HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), which was the majority of the workouts conducted in Bootcamp. Shoes suited for this kind of fitness training is what I felt best in investing. After I purchased tennis for HIIT, I also used them while participating in 5K walks such, as the Black Light Run, and even some free local Zumba classes hosted at a neighborhood elementary school. The shoes are good for most activities. Get a pair of great HIIT tennis and your feet will thank you. Maybe even your Bootcamp class, too.

A Sports Bra or Compression Shorts

People with extra cushion can attest to their bodies willingly flopping everywhere when they’re being active. So when working out during Bootcamp I spent 4 weeks struggling to breathe because my breasts kept hitting me in the face every time I did jumping jacks in Bootcamp class. Lawd, all my life…!

The other heavily blessed women in my Bootcamp class sympathized and pointed me in the direction to where I could purchase a sports bra suited for a woman of large breasts. Amazon was the spot. While I was at it, I made sure to get some yoga pants and compression shorts to hold the rest of my cushion together. These are all beneficial for anyone looking for that extra help during high-intensity workouts that sometimes makes us too jiggly for our liking. Compression attire is the next best essential equipment to have in your weight-loss journey.

Fitness Watch (Tracker)

Have you ever tried tracking your steps or your workout activity using a fitness watch or fitness tracker on your phone? It’s the perfect way to help form personal accountability and builds a view of individually-tailored goals. Almost all smartphones come equipped with fitness apps used for tracking physical activity, heart rate, and daily steps. I use the stats in fitness apps to give me a visual of my progress over time. It helps to keep track of the habits I already have and highlights things that need improvement.

[Read: Top 10 Benefits of Fitness Trackers During the Coronavirus Pandemic by Health Fitness Revolution]

Mi Band 4 by Xiaomi Technology is the fitness tracking watch I use for monitoring my physical activity. The band cost me less than $50 and has a battery life that expands pass 15 days. That’s this watch’s valued features. The watch comes with a Mi Fit app for download to a smartphone that tracks all progress using your personal profile. You also learn your progress measured amongst thousands of other Mi Fit users, which is beneficial for the competitive folks. It doesn’t have the full functionality as many popular smartwatches, like FitBit or Apple Watch. I like that because I believe it limits the multiple notifications and distractions that could occur using either of those smartwatches. Mi Band and Mi Fit are simple and straightforward with keeping its fitness features catered as a priority. That’s perfect for me for keeping focused on my physical activity.

Google Fit is a great and free app to download if your phone doesn’t have a fitness tracker. I would say it has all the generic functions you’d want to use for starting off and very similar to Mi Fit in having the same exercise tracking features.

Lose It App

I’m an active user of the Lose It Calorie Tracking App community since my college days when I used to live off bags of popcorn from the University convenience store telling myself that eating fiber from the popcorn would give me the energy to get through mid-day lectures. In turn, eating popcorn just made a lot of noise during class.

Lose It is a calorie counting app with“the goal of helping members reach a healthy weight by providing them with the tools they need for success.” Users can set goals, track meals, learn about the foods they eat and reach their goals to set new ones to build towards a healthier lifestyle. I use it mainly for calorie tracking. It has definitely been a challenge to use the app. But after spending literally 8 years using Lose It, I can say I now have a habit of calorie counting that Lose it has contributed to making healthy eating a lot easier.

In the next coming weeks, I’ll share on Thirsty 30 Body series a more in-depth Lose it App walkthrough of how I use the Lose App as a tool for meal planning and calorie counting.

Excellent workout attire such as a good pair of training shoes and compression pants are essential for your training uniform. Fitness trackers and calorie counters are essentials for keeping all your logistics in order. These are 4 tools that’ll always be great items to have at all stages of your workout journey. They’re all affordable and readily accessible at any time in your process, too. So the pressure for getting them can be very low, but the benefits of having them still remain.

What other essential items do you think are good tools to have during your weight-loss journey? Feel free to leave your essentials in the comments below.

#Thirsty30body: Are You Motivated to Get There? Four Tips to Get Started

So you guys want some #Thirsty30Body tips, huh?

I did a poll via the Doc’s Castle Instagram and Facebook pages and found out 88% of followers would like me to share a few tips towards my #Thirsty30Body.

Eff the 12% of haters who said no. 😂 Agreeing to share what I know about becoming more fit will help me stay motivated to stay on track, as well. So boo to you and hooray to everyone else who’s helping me stay motivated. I will be posting blogs, videos, and tips regularly to Doc’s Castle in hopes that some of you will want to join in with me.

As I am entering into the second half of Thirsty 30 Body Challenge, I want to share four starting tips that I keep in mind as I prep for these next coming months. Here they go:

Get in the mind frame to get healthy, not only to look good.

When thinking of getting healthy, I frame my thoughts to focusing on what makes me feel good and what are good habits to have. I’m not the type to worry about having an hourglass figure or needing a big butt or chest because the attention it awards isn’t what I want. It’s already hard on women when we feel the pressures of wanting to feel attractive and there are thousands of images being pushed of models and celebrities half-naked in the mainstream media. Those pressures I’ve never embraced. It’s nice knowing that I look good. But I welcome compliments that uplift me and enjoy getting attention based upon my intellect for what I do. I want to keep it like that. So what makes this weight loss journey a “Thirsty” one?

“Thirsty” defined in the urban dictionary means:

An adjective used in describing a person deliberately fishing for compliments, attention, etc.
Too eager to get something (especially play)
Desperate

But I’m defining what “Thirsty” means for me in year 30. I’m encouraging healthy living and hopefully aspiring to be thirsty for a healthier lifestyle. So it begins with what it means to look and feel healthy. It’s not about the physique though I will reap those benefits. The #Thirsty30body is the perfect body for ME! Thirsting for wealthy health.

Spend time getting to know yourself.

Knowing how much I weigh, though it’s good to start with, wasn’t enough for me to get moving and actively exercising because, as I said in the intro to the #Thirsty30Body Blog Series, I never looked at myself to be “big.” My motivation sparked after hearing results from my doctor’s visit to my primary care provider. As preventive care, it’s important that I know everything inside of my body is copacetic because I have things to accomplish, goals to achieve, and a life to live with people that I love. So I like to get bloodwork and vitals taken annually. I do this to be aware of what’s happening in my body so that I can control what happens to and within me.

I like to live by this saying: No one should know you more than you know yourself mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It just seems foolish to me to go an entire life doing what is told of you at all times. If you live your life questioning things, you learn new things about the world and yourself. I apply this to everything I do. It makes sense to do it while on this journey as well. So I say do more than weighing yourself on the scale. Really get to know your body past the numbers. Really get into the anatomy and understand what makes you feel good or bad.

Set your Goals and tracking system for accountability.

After getting my measurements, vitals, and all that is needed to understand my body, I went into the “Taylor University” mode, which is when I spend time meditating with my journal. Healthy living is better than simply losing weight because I prefer to not hear the same disappointing results again the following year. So I use my journal to make goals writing out everything about my body in its current state, and I keep track as often as I want of my progress.

There are multiple other ways that helped with tracking that don’t necessarily require you to drag around a notebook, like joining and participating in fitness groups and clubs online where people can help encourage you, taking and saving pictures whenever weight loss milestones are met, or simply regularly recording your weight loss in a monthly calendar. All these activities helped hold me accountable and motivated me in some way to stick to #Thirsty30Body.

Be kind and patient with yourself and keep pushing through it.

This is probably the most important tip I could give because at the end of the day, you are responsible for holding yourself accountable for getting healthy. People forget how hard they can be on themselves when critiquing their own work in whatever they do. They can start off strong, then fall off so fast because they didn’t pace themselves to be realistic in their journey. After that, they give up. Be kind to yourself and don’t get lost in disappointment if you haven’t quite met your goal. Be patient and allow a realistic timeframe to meet those goals. But also know when to pick yourself up to get the work done to achieve what you’ve started.

Something my mother would say whenever we’d talk about going through hard times is “There’s Always Tomorrow.” She’d say this whenever we’d hear crazy things happen like mass shootings or awful dealings that ended in demise or turmoil. Though resulting in thinking like this might be a little extreme for pursuing losing weight, it works perfectly for me. It won’t hurt me if I haven’t met a goal to lose 2 lbs in one week. I can dust myself off for the following week, and I’m not saying that without revisiting “Taylor University” to make changes to finally meet that goal at some point. I just keep pushing through it. Eventually, I’ll lose those two pounds. So be kind to your mind and body, and also remain determined.

What are somethings that you do to help prepare to lose weight? Leave your answers in the comments below. Also, subscribe to get updates to your email for the next #Thirsty30Body post via subscription form below.

WFH: It’s Your Essential Right. 100 Work From Home Jobs During #Covid19

Everyday the statistics of unemployment reach astronomical levels with billions of people laid off globally while we await for the reopening of a global shutdown. People are getting antsy to leave their homes for survival. As people label even the minuscule of tasks as essential in order to escape their homes, they’re ignoring precautions to keep everyone safe. Ain’t nobody got time for that! So we need to push the alternatives.

I have friends and relatives fortunate in finding quick fixes in hard times. Like turning on a switch to active “hustler mode,” they are fast at coming up with plans to tackle the changes that could come up physically, mentally, spiritually, and even financially. It’s a talent that I can admire when people put in the hustle during times of adversity and tragedy.

The benefits of living in the digital age and smacked in the middle of year 2020 is the ability to remain connected in so many different ways while remaining so far apart. Distance isn’t a factor anymore if we need to get things done. So when trials appear, if there should be any during this pandemic, financial stability is everyone’s essential right.

It’s recorded that over 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment within a six-week rolling period according to an article on CNBC. To measure this pandemic’s impact on a more local level, Maryland received over 37,000 unemployment claims within the last week! New approaches are necessary since we cannot determine when the country will go back to normal.

I saw a solution on my Facebook timeline. One of my friends shared a post of 100 companies that are currently hiring for work from home positions. I think this is useful for anyone. Take a look.

I pray anyone that is in need will find something in the list below.

“Laid off during #Covid19, or looking for a 2nd stream of income? Do you have stable internet access? Here’s a list of employers who are hiring for remote positions.

NOTE: You will need to copy and paste the entire post (not share it), otherwise you will only see the DOI link. 😉 I hope this helps those in need.

WORK FROM HOME POSITIONS

LIST OF REMOTE/WORK FROM HOME EMPLOYERS

1. Live Ops- http://www.liveops.com

2. TeleTech- http://www.localjobster.com/company5?company=teletech

3. Amazon- http://www.amazon.jobs/en

4.Teleperformance- http://www.teleperformance.com/en-us/work-with-us/

5. UnitedHealth Group- http://careers.unitedhealthgroup.com/

6. Dell-http://jobs.dell.com/north-America-jobs

7. IBM- http://www.ibm.com/employment

8. U.S Department of Agriculture – http://www.usda.gov

9. Working Solutions- http://workingsolutions.com