Author: faithjasminlab

NATIONAL MAKE A FRIEND DAY: 7 THINGS TO ASK YOUR NEW VINA

/ faithjasminlab / Leave a comment

Happy National Make a Friend Day! Hope everyone is feeling social, as today is the day to make a new friend! I have five questions to help you vinas break the ice. Talking to new people can be riveting yet equally terrifying, for it is hard to figure out what to say. Here are some suggestions to make things a little easier.

1. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

This one is easy to say, and easy to put into a conversation effortlessly. It will also show you what you and your new bestie have in common. Asking about their hobbies is a great way to ease into a conversation, as it allows the other person to share their personal passions with you. It will make you closer to this person, too! 

2. IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE TYPE OF FOOD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I suggest asking this one because I find everyone loves food, and many different types! Not only will you and your friend know what foods you like, but it is an easy way to then go get food together. It is a good question to ask to start hanging out more often.

3. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENRE OF BOOKS OR TV SHOWS?

You can tell a lot about a person from what they read. You can tell if they like fiction, poetry, non-fiction and more. Maybe if you have read the same book, you can then talk about it. If you don’t read, then ask about their favorite movie or TV show. It’s a great way to learn about a person.

4. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL ONE DAY?

This question is harder to ask unless you are true future friends. You really must be having a great conversation! Nevertheless, asking it helps you learn about a person’s hopes and dreams, which is a great way to become best friends.

5. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO STUDY YOUR MAJOR/GO INTO YOUR FIELD OF WORK?

Finally, this is a simple question and easy to start a conversation with. We all decide to study a particular subject for a reason, and there’s no better way to delve into a person than through what they do on a daily basis. Not only, but it’s a great segue into a multitude of other subjects that can arise out of asking this question!

6. WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST AMAZING ADVENTURE TO GO ON?

Adventure buddies are the best buddies, and finding out what they deem to be one is important! Whether that be running around the city capturing photographs of the daily grind, going hiking, or stalking your fave celeb who coincidentally is in town as per their Instagram posts, having a vina that shares these thrills is a major plus. There’s nothing better than having a partner-in-crime on these outings—plus, it’s fun to see how’ll they’ll answer this one!

7. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD DO AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIVES?

This one could potentially reveal two things: the values your vina finds most important in life, as well as their personality. Skydiving? The sense of freedom and thrill, and that they’re badass babes. Walking the pilgrimage Camino de Santiago in Spain? Nature-loving and perhaps trying to find their zen in life. The possibilities are endless, and this question is just vying for an answer that contains a great story!

Overall, I suggest asking these questions in any order you feel comfortable. Be fearless in the making a new vina friend. Be social and be happy. Ask as many questions as you need; just follow the conversation naturally and have fun!

Happy National Make a Friend Day — head over to Hey! Vina to start finding your gal gang!

FOUR WAYS TO STAY TRUE TO YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

/ faithjasminlab / 1 Comment

Happy New Year to everyone reading this! As 2019 has arrived, it is a popular time for people to be making New Year’s resolutions. These are notoriously hard to stick to, but check out these tips and tricks to help follow your freshly-made goals! As an example, I’ll be sticking to going to the gym as our main goal—but they are easily applied to any and all objectives you may have in mind.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

Don’t let the past control your present mind. The past is a series of moments which can never be relived. The future is moments which you can look forward to. Instead, to get yourself to stick to your gym plans (for example), you can look forward to how healthy you will feel after your workout or the fun of buying new gym clothes. This will keep you motivated to reach what you want.

I suggest using the SMARTER goal acronym. S: specific, M: measurable, A: attainable, R: realistic, T: time-bound, E: economical, and the final R stands for reward. An example of this would be losing 10 pounds in six months—this is specific. Measurable means how you will measure your success, for losing weight you would use a scale. For the goal to be attainable, you would have to make a plan. For example, starting a schedule to go to the gym five times a week, or setting aside Sundays as your day to prepare meals.

For the goal to be realistic, you must determine if it can actually be achieved. If the goal was to lose 10 pounds in 10 days, that wouldn’t be realistic. However, the time frame and goal is something that can actually happen with a plan. Time-bound is the time frame which you will try to achieve your goal, six months, for example. Economical refers to how much it will cost. If you are trying to lose weight and you hire a personal trainer, that will cost money. If this is too expensive for you, then it wouldn’t be economical. It is important for a goal to be within your budget or it will cause added stress, making your goal harder to achieve. Finally, you must reward yourself. You should plan the reward before you start trying to achieve your goal; this will give you something to look forward to. Setting realistic and achievable goals will help you stay true to your resolution.

new

EASE INTO IT

This resolution is a new part of your life. You must let yourself ease into it while breaking an old habit and forming this new one. For example, if your goal is to go to the gym five times a week, start with once a week for the first week. Then go twice a week for the next two weeks. After this, go three times, four times and so on. Starting out at five times a week would be overwhelming and could make your resolution harder to keep.

MAKE A VOW TO YOURSELF

What this means is you promise yourself that you are going to keep your resolution. It should be specific and realistic. I suggest writing it down and reading it every day. Vowing to yourself is an important step.

To go along with the SMARTER goals and making vows, writing them down and placing them in your everyday environment also helps. Write down your goals and promises on sticky notes and put them where you will see them as daily reminders to keep striving for the goal. Also, writing positive affirmations can create a positive environment, which makes keeping the resolution easier. My favorite positive affirmation is, “Everything I need comes effortlessly and naturally.” I have mine in my bathroom, bedroom and kitchen, as well as my screen saver on my phone and laptop. Some people like to put them in their wallet, car, or on something related to their goal, like a treadmill for example.

TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR RESOLUTION

You can do this to whatever extent you want: telling just friends and family versus posting on social media. Or shouting it from your window, and filling your uber driver in on your way to work. Whatever works for you! Either way, making your goals known will hold you accountable for keeping your resolution.

Let’s face it. New Year’s resolutions are not easy to keep, because they are often about changing something big in your life. My greatest piece of advice is to use these tips for any and every change you want to make, and don’t wait until the next new year. 2020 is far away, and you have a whole year to make your life amazing. Most importantly, live fearlessly and have a happy New Year!

Is your new year’s resolution to meet tons of new BFFs? Hey! VINA has you covered—start swiping! 

30 ACTS OF KINDNESS: MAKE THIS THE MONTH OF GIVING BACK

/ faithjasminlab / Leave a comment

November is the second last month of the year, as you all know. This means it is the second last month to make a difference in 2018. The second last month to be kind, and make those around you happy. And after all, it is the month of giving thanks! So why not give back? If you’re not sure where to start, here are 30 different ways to be kind in the month of November! Challenge yourself to a daily act of kindness, see how many you can accomplish in the next 30 days!

DAY 1

Since acts of kindness are a lost art and many people have stopped doing them, we’ll start with an easy one. On November 1st, call your mom and tell her you love her. If you live with her, buy her some flowers. If you live in a different city, she’ll love the call. Just call and say “Mom I love you, thank you” and it will make her day. And remember, a mother figure can be any woman of influence in your life that deserves to know how much you appreciate her.

DAY 2

On November 2nd, let someone go in front of you in line. Nobody likes lines, and it will make them happier. It’s simple and small, so why not?

DAY 3

On November 3rd, compliment a friend. If they did their hair up nice, say something. If they have been working hard, acknowledge their accomplishment. You never know how wonderful a simple “you look nice today” can make someone feel.

DAY 4

On November 4th, call up an old friend. See if they want to grab coffee. Ask them what is going on in their life. Spend the time to listen, laugh and love.

roman-kraft-669711-unsplash.jpg

DAY 5

On November 5th, write a letter to your family. Explaining everything you are thankful for that they have done for you. This one might be hard if you aren’t close to your family, but anything counts. You can write about any small moment that made you smile. You don’t have to actually deliver it unless you want to. This letter is to appreciate where you came from. You can use this to spread the joy within.

DAY 6

On November 6th, bring some toiletries to a homeless shelter. Even spare soap will help. Giving back to those in need is essential. We often forget how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and soap in our showers. Just a simple spare toiletry you bring in could change someone’s month. Spread the hope and joy.

DAY 7

On November 7th, donate food to a local food bank. Many grocery stores have donation bins by the cash register that are never full. Buy something, a can of soup or a loaf of bread. It will again change someone’s month.

congyi-yuan-1054736-unsplash.jpg

DAY 8

On November 8th, give away old gift cards. If you have gift cards that you haven’t used that you keep holding onto because you “may need it one day,” give them away. Hand them out on the streets, leave them in a coffee shop, give them to a friend. This will declutter your life and makes someone’s day all in one!

DAY 9

On November 9th, offer to rake your neighbors’ leaves. Once those beautiful colors start falling from the trees, the nightmare begins. It just becomes another item on the never-ending to-do list. Offering to take care of this chore will remove some stress for them, more than you think!

DAY 10

On November 10th go out for dinner, enjoy yourself! Bring friends and family and have some wholesome quality time. When it comes time to pay for the meal, take the check. Fight for it if you have to. Then leave your server a generous tip. If you usually tip 15% try 20% this time. Even if the service was horrible, tip them well. Give them a tip that they will brag about to their co-workers – trust me, I would know as a server myself. It will make their life a little brighter.

DAY 11

November 11th is Remembrance Day. On this day, go to a Remembrance Day ceremony, and take time to remember why we are where we are. Pray for those who are still in active service to our country, protecting our rights and freedoms, and for those who have lost a loved one in that same act of service.

mika-368862-unsplash.jpg

DAY 12

On November 12th, really challenge yourself. Only say positive things, both to yourself and in conversation with others. Avoid all negativity. You’ll be surprised at how hard it is, and again by how big of a difference it makes.

DAY 13

Make November 13th extra special. Buy a homeless person something to eat. If they are sitting outside a Tim Horton’s or McDonald’s, ask them what they would like to eat. If they are on a bench outside the mall, bring them a meal from the food court with a big bottle of water.

DAY 14

On November 14th, volunteer at a soup kitchen. Even if it’s just a one-time thing, it will make you value what you have. If you love it, go back.

DAY 15

On November 15th, give up your seat on the bus. There’s always someone who needs it more than you do. Whether it’s a pregnant woman, an elderly man, or a small child, they will truly appreciate this gesture.

DAY 16

On November 16th, lend your favorite book to a friend. Let them keep it as long as they need, and when they’re done, get together to discuss the plot and what you love most about it. This is also a great way to go screen free for a day.

DAY 17

On the 17th, donate coloring books or toys to a children’s hospital. This is another one that could be a one time thing, but once you visit you’ll probably want to make it a regular thing.

DAY 18

On the 18th take the time to call a good friend. Practice listening more and speaking less. Ask about their week or what’s been going on in their life. Even a 10 minute chat is worth the call.

kevin-laminto-608591-unsplash.jpg

DAY 19

On November 19th, buy someone a coffee. Go to your favorite coffee shop and pay for a strangers’ drink. You can buy the coffee for the person behind you in line. Alternatively, give the cashier some money so they can hand out “free” drinks.

DAY 20

On November 20th, buy a homeless person a blanket. By this time in the month it can be pretty cold outside and many suffer from low body temperature. It is terrible for their health and could kill them if severe. Buy them a big warm blanket, or a thick and heavy sweater/coat. You can give the blanket/coat to a homeless shelter or to them directly. Share warmth for the winter!

dan-gold-544435-unsplash.jpg

DAY 21

On November 21st compliment a stranger on anything. Cute shoes? Bright smile? Infectious laugh? Anything.

DAY 22

On November 22nd, post an inspiring quote on a social media platform. Instagram, Facebook, or even on a community bulletin board. You never know who’s looking for a sign.

DAY 23

On November 23rd, offer to read books for children in your local library. Many libraries have programs looking for volunteers, but if your local library doesn’t, you can start the trend!

DAY 24

November 24th: bring donuts to work. Need I say more? You might get employee of the month for this alone.

DAY 25

November 25th gives you five more days to make a difference. To make it special, donate money to your favorite charity. Choose an organization that means something to you and make a difference in the world. For me, it would be to a medical research foundation. Since it’s November you could follow the “Movember” trend and donate to prostate cancer. It can be any amount for any reason, you choose.

DAY 26

On November 26th, leave happy notes on people’s car. Happy little notes with smiley faces, cheesy puns, or any words of kindness.

DAY 27

On November 27th buy mittens, hats, and scarves and donate them to a homeless shelter, or give them to homeless families you pass on the street.

DAY 28

On November 28th hand out flowers on the street. Flowers are one of the worlds most universal ways of saying “I love you,” or in this case, “hey, you matter, someone cares about you, and you are important.”

DAY 29

On November 29th buy Christmas gifts for foster children. Foster families often have multiple children living in their homes, which makes it hard to supply Christmas presents. Angel Tree is also a wonderful organization that provides specific info about children in need of someone willing to support their Christmas this year!

jan-piatkowski-594335-unsplash.jpg

DAY 30

And lastly, on November 30th, wrap up the month by calling your dad. We started the month by calling our mom’s or an influential mother figure in our lives, and we’re rounding it out by doing the same for our dad’s or influential father figures. Let the people you care about know they are loved this holiday season!

However, the journey of kindness does not have to end after a month! Let’s make this apart of our daily routines. Spread the love, give back, and enjoy life, vinas!

Are you inspired? Get the Hey! VINA app now and challenge your vinas to the 30 day kind-a-thon!