Holy Cannoli!

I think this one sentence will summarize where I've been the past few months:

I finish graduate school on Thursday!!!

And this is how I feel about that:

I can't wait to get back on here full force in January and really see where things can go! :) 

I'm working on possible programs and intervention strategies 

(in the world of Public Health we call them interventions...)

that my professors and I think will be GREAT for helping young women be stronger, and I'm so excited for the future!! :)  

"If your destiny is not handed to you, you must go out and get it yourself!"

-Stephanie Cox, (soon to be) MPH!!

On Our Divine Nature

“It is difficult to make a man miserable

 when he feels he is worthy of himself and

 claims kindred to the great God 

who made him.” A. Lincoln

#ConfidenceProject

Have you seen the Confidence Project yet??

I love it!!

I recently read a study that reported that: 

1 out of every 10 people are on antidepressants 

and that

Women are 2 1/2 times more likely to be on antidepressants than men.

How awesome would it be if we could help the people in our lives who are depressed and feeling a lack of confidence?!  What an awesome difference you can make in someone's life! 

You just have to do it. :)

Too Funny :)

Negativity Triggers

               

Video Makin' a Comeback

Happy Friday!

Source: shopbop.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

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Source: womansday.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: annies-eats.net via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: projectfoodie.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: instructables.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

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Campaign #2: Think Positive!

I am SO EXCITED for October!!  Not only do I get to enjoy pumpkin treats nearly any day I want (hello pumpkin bread, sorry you have to disappear into my tummy so soon!!), but over here at That's Better, my October Campaign is 

OK girls, this is seriously one of my favorite things because it can impact so many different parts of your life!  From your emotional state, to your belief in yourself, how you interact with others and even the work you do!

And really, who doesn't need more positivity in their life?  

Everyone does!

I believe you can do whatever you want to in life, but in order to do that you must believe in yourself!

OK, lil' exercise here for ya.  Think of what something you want to do-

something that scares you..

and tell yourself you can do it!

and, here's the tricky part... do it again and again and again!

If you don't believe in yourself then you don't respect the amazing person that God made in you!

OK, moment of truth here:  

Here's my biggest, scariest dream.

Right. out. in the open.

And ya know what?!  

I CAN.

Watch me :)

-Steph

P.S. It's so funny how God inspires us sometimes and we don't even realize it :)  I planned my campaigns our for the next few months over the summer, and ironically enough 'think POSITIVE!' has come just at a time when I could use more of that myself!  Hey, I never said I was perfect, but I do work hard to make everyday worthy of a "That's Better" in one way or another. :)  Gee golly I love the Lord!!

Girls Party!!

I am so excited to announce my first event in correlation with That's Better. and Sarah from Hemenway Street!  Since we've been working on developing so many relationships with women, I thought: 

'Why not plan a fun event where girls can come, bring their girlfriends, meet new ones, and enjoy the beautiful New England fall with a lil' craft and treat!'

So.. here's the plan!  We'll be going apple/pumpkin picking just out of the city then back to Boston to decorate glitter pumpkins and make dipped apple slices with our goodies!  

Purchases at the pumpkin patch will be at your discretion, but 

the craft decorating/treat making is only $10 to cover supplies!

Oh my goodness I'm so excited!!  Can't wait to see you ladies!!

Email questions/RSVP to Stephanie.ThatsBetter@gmail.com 

Join the party and Grab a Button!!

<a href="http://stephaniejonnel.blogspot.com/2011/09/girls-party.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Punkin' Huntin'!" src="<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v305/bsballgysrhott/?action=view&current=button-comewith.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/bsballgysrhott/button-comewith.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

New City: New Girlfriends.

When I first moved to Boston one of the hardest things to leave behind was all of my old friends.  It's rough starting from scratch in a city you don't know, but there are ways to do it!  And hey, even if you're not in a city that's unfamiliar to you, but you'd like to meet other girls who are, check out this list and go make some new friends!  :)

15 Ways to Expand Your Single Girl Network- Meeting New Girlfriends in a City as a Young Single Professional

1. Say yes to every invitation!  Go to everything you discover, even multiple events in 1 night
2. Do things solo!  This forces you to interact with someone new.
3. Make the first move!  Get over your fear of getting out of your bubble and say hi to someone!  Most likely they’ll say hi back and boom!  Convo started!
4. Try new things and get out of doing just the familiar.  Get in new surroundings to meet new people.
5. Mingle mingle mingle!!  Set a goal to converse w/ a least 3 new people at every outing and to exchange info w/ at least 1
6. Put. the cell phone.  DOWN!  It is a security blanket, and makes you seem unapproachable.  Put the phone away, sit up straight, and take in your surroundings like you don’t have a care in the world and you will appear more attractive, more confident, and more interesting.  And much more easy to approach!
7. Join a volunteer organization
8. Join a sports league
9. Join a meetup.com group
10. Take a class (cake decorating: double bonus here...) or go sit next to someone new in class.
11. Go meet your neighbors!
12. Arrange a post work happy hour
13. Utilize the 6 degrees of separation.  Have a friend who knows a friend in your city?  go grab a drink!
14. Go to church
15. Invite someone out to lunch! 

Better Daughters, Stronger Sisters.

With this being the last week in September, and therefore the last week that I'm really focusing on changing how you view other women, I think it's kind of a big deal to mention one group of women in particular that almost everyone can improve their relationship with: 

the women in your family.

I am such a big fan of the family and the strengthening and unconditional support they provide!  And while I realize that not everyone has an ideal situation here to deal with, the reality is that nothing in life is ideal and you have to work with what you've got and move forward with it.

I lost my mother to cancer about 3 1/2 years ago, and in the time since my Dad has remarried I have come to know and love his new wife so incredibly much!  As you can imagine, this was not an easy situation for anyone to deal with, but thankfully the Lord put a new, amazing woman in our lives and she has been nothing but kind and loving since the day we met.

Her stout support for me has been so incredibly appreciated, especially during times where I'm not even sure if I can do what I'm thinking of doing!  

Just to give you an idea of how awesome she really is, here's a little story for ya.  I was a having a rough day earlier this week and in knowing that she would do it in an instant, I just sent a quick little text to her asking her to say a prayer for me that my heart would be still and my spirit would be strong in helping me get through the situation and be who I want to be.  

Here was her response:

"Yes, Stephanie, I had already prayed for you this morning, and will continue.  Of course!  Your spirit is and will be strong!!  And that dear heart, I pray that peace will was over it.  I know who you are Stephanie and why Heavenly Father saved your strong, valiant spirit to be here on earth now.  Whatever it is, you WILL come through!  Now I just have to calm my pounding heart over worrying about what is happening.  I love you.

Now, I promise I'm not trying to toot my own horn here by including her response, but isn't she just awesome?!  

I just think of what life would be like without having the sweet women in my family in my life and it makes my heart sink.  And while we're so incredibly far apart from one another (Utah, KY and Boston) it's so crucial to do anything in your power to keep that line of communication open and continually strengthen your relationship so you can give them as much support and love as possible in life. 

So as a few extra TBDs for ya, try out a few of the ways below in order to strengthen those relationship with the women in your family.   I know it's a huge source of joy and comfort in my life and it can be in yours, too! :)

1. Write your Mom a note today and tell her THANK YOU for giving you life, among other things.

2. Call your sister(s) today and talk for at least 20 minutes, even if you have nothing in particular to talk about.  See what's going on in her life.  CARE ABOUT THE DETAILS.

3. Ask your mom about what her life was like when she was your age.  What was she doing?  Was she in love?  What did she see in her future?

4. Having a fight with one of your sisters?  Put yourself in her shoes and try to understand her perspective first.  Then help her understand yours.

5. Having boy trouble?  Instead of keeping it in, try talking to your sister about it.  If it's not boys, what do you not talk to them about?  Share a part of your life with them that you normally wouldn't.  

6. You and your sister aren't the same.  Embrace your differences and try doing something their way instead of yours!

7. Have a clothing trade with your sisters!  (I used to do this all the time growing up, but they always got mad about it then... probably because I never told them we were trading! :) )

8. Introduce your girlfriends to your Mom today.  How well does she know your best friends?

9. Call your grandmother today.  If she's no longer with us, say a prayer thanking God for her and the legacy she left for you.

10. Gather pictures together of the girls in your family together.  If you don't have any, get together and take some!  Then make a collage and give it to everyone who's a part of it.  Pictures are worth more than a thousand words. :)

  

TBD

Oh my goodness,

just posted today's 

and just got 

GIDDY EXCITED!! :)

Go check it out!

That One Girl...

So I have this new love that I know many of you share...

It's called Pinterest.  :)

And it's awesome.

It's awesome for lots of reasons, but it's really awesome because it lets me put things that remind me 'I CAN DO IT' all in one place where I get to them when I need them.  

And lately, I've been needing them. 

Ya know how I've been talking about competition among women lately?  

Well it reflects what's going on in my life and how I think we can all be better.  But lately, there's one woman I've been competing with that I just can't seem to get over.

Myself.

I get down on myself for so much!  

I haven't done enough.

I don't look good enough.

I'm not social enough.

I eat too much.

That's Better isn't where I want it to be yet.

I know it's good to self-constructive criticize, but good golly sometimes it's hard to just stop there!

Negativity breeds negativity and that is a vicious cycle to start.

But really, it's all just in your mind anyways, 

and you can control what goes on up there!

So as a message to myself and any{every}one else out there who feels like they're just fighting a neverending battle all {or even just part of} the time... 

You Can Do It!!

Dream big.

Work hard.

Don't give up.

And above all else, 

Have faith.

My love to you AND me,

-Stephanie

Such a Thing as Healthy Competition?

Since I’ve decided to really run with That’s Better and see if I can make it my full-time future, I’ve been discussing my ideas with a lot more people than I ever have in the past.  As a subsequent result, nearly every project I’m working on in school this semester focuses around the intervention that That’s Better stands to be and how to do that in the best way.  As I was explaining my vision for That’s Better to a classmate today, I explained the current campaign we’re working on and how the women of our generation (but really women in general) have hyperstimulated drives to compete within our own kind.  

It’s like we’re a bunch of dueling peacocks here who just try to show up anyone else who could possibly stand in our way of getting what we want, despite the fact that these other ‘anyones’ could just be the key to actually reaching our goals due to the support and insight they can provide.  

But I digress.  :)

My colleague, however, brought up an interesting point that I thought was worth mentioning: Isn’t some degree of competition good though?  And if so, how do you identify when the competition is unhealthy?

There is a healthy degree of competition we can all be motivated by which can push us to work harder at school, get dressed in the morning, and fight for the things we want just a little bit harder.

And just as with everything else, everyone is unique in the levels of things they can tolerate.  While you may just love competing with everyone you see so you can always come out on top, your friends might not like it so often.  And even if you think you can hide it from them because it’s all in your head, they can still tell.  

Need I mention Jill and Bethenny?  :)

The whole reason those two “broke up” was because Jill couldn’t get the competition frame out of her mind.  She constantly felt like she was competing with Bethenny and that Bethenny was always winning.  But in reality, there was no competition at all and it ruined a totally great friendship.