Happy Vernal Equinox!

I couldn't call this a blog if I didn't post a spring mood board, right?

It's been quite the semester, hence my minimal presence on this site. With classes, practicum, side-projects, and the like, there's been some offline soul-searching trying to navigate everything on my plate. That being said: I have learned so much about time (and stress) management in the past few months, despite what many of my friends and family members may think. ;)

In keeping with the title of this blog and what I've told you about myself, I'm sharing how I plan for a change in the season/how I hit the refresh button. It's all about the mood board. You may think, "Ugh, why do you call it a mood board?" Well, "mood board" is one of those terms everyone uses ironically until they realize they're actually making mood boards (along the same lines as saying "dude" or dishing out peace signs all the time). Pinterest is essentially one giant mood board. I don't know what else to call them. From the days of Teen Beat to my problematic Vogue phase, cutting and pasting images from the pages of magazines has been my self-care activity of choice. In no way shape or form am I artistic, so making these so-called mood boards allows me some method of creative expression—though, ultimately, it's really just a way for me to visually make lists/graphic organizers.

So onto my spring inspirations:

Solidarity, unity, equity. I think each week brings a handful of reasons to get involved, at a grassroots level and above, in advocacy and policy change. Here is Missouri's 2018 election calendar.

Academia. Whether it be my own education and research, the education of young children, or the laws and regulations that impact education as a whole, I'm there. Always will be.

Red. Lots and lots of red. On a more vapid note, red is one of the few colors I like to wear and I feel good wearing. Catch me in spring 2018 wearing red dresses, shoes, pants, tops, jumpsuits, etc.

Strong, savvy, intelligent role models. Collaboration over competition! There are so many cool and innovative people in the world whose accomplishments are fun to celebrate and also push me to examine my own plans and goals. Kimberly Rose Drew, Audrey Gelman, and Emma Gonzales are just a few of these people.

How do you get ready for a new season? What is your creative outlet?