Gratitude, waking up with me, inspiration people, and the weather

It's one of those days. The sun is shining, but not too much. It's 82º degrees with a cool morning breeze filtering through the backyard, and the birds are chirping. In other words, it's a beautiful morning. I doubt it will stay a bearable temperature for long, because it's the end of June in Texas, but I'm enjoying the conditions while they last. I'm in a Lana Del Rey mood today, so we're currently listening to Norman f*****g Rockwell, which will eventually shift into Chemtrails Over the Country Club.

So far, my day has been going well. I'm sitting outside, in sweatpants and my Florida Gators baseball cap, which I wear to annoy my friend. (He's from Georgia.) I make it a point to send him a picture every time I wear it...

I woke up around 5:30, drove to practice, and had a good workout. Now I'm showered and home. I made some potatoes and bacon with an egg, and it was real good. Like really, really, good. Now you might be asking,"Leigh, why do we care about your baseball cap and the weather in Texas? Get to the blog already!"

Good question, my friend.

Part of today's blog is going to be about gratitude. I'm so grateful that I woke up this morning, and to a beautiful day. I'm blessed that God has given me yet another day, another opportunity to work on fixing myself, my mental health, and my relationships. The weather couldn't be more perfect. I'm happy today. Today is a good day.

Why don't y'all repeat that with me?

Today is a good day. I am blessed.

I considered adding my preset filter to these photos I took this morning, but decided against it. I liked the natural look, and wanted this to serve as a reminder that not everything has to be perfectly themed or aesthetic all of the time! Your Instagram and Pinterest aesthetics and feeds don't define your real-life aesthetic. Keep that in mind, my lovely people. 💫

Speaking of being blessed, I've ordered some supplies to begin bible journaling! I'm rather excited about this. I will be sure to do a haul in a blog post, when those supplies come in. I'm really trying to use the time I've got this summer to get closer to God. I actually have my bible with me out here, and I plan to do some readings and notes in between writing sessions today.

This is what I've got in my cart! Erasable highlighters, bible tabs, and a bible. This is no ordinary bible, though. This book is specifically for bible journaling. It's a full-length King James Version bible, with extra space in the margins for notes. And get this- there's pages for coloring. I think that being able to have plenty of space to doddle and write my thoughts in while reading will be therapeutic for me. My order should come in sometime this weekend, fingers crossed. When it does, I'm going to be posting a lot more about bible journaling and my faith. If you aren't religious or Christian, don't worry! My blogs will still cover other topics.

Other thoughts and inspirational people:

I wanted to recognize some of my favorite authors and influencers. Victoria Aveyard, Tahereh Mafi, and Veronica Rossi are three authors I look up to, and hope my writing style is positively compared to one day. Danae Mercer is one of my favorite influencers. Her account is all about working out, self-love, self-care, positive body image, and mental health. She is an American journalist living in Italy, and her account is so inspirational to me.

https://www.instagram.com/danaemercer/?hl=en

Today's goals:

I have another workout around five, but until then, I have nothing else to do. I'm hoping to hit my word count goal for In the Midnight Blue, which is about 2,500-4,000 words. (This post itself is about 4,500 words, if only I could write that much in under an hour for my books.) I'm rewriting and adding right now, so it should't be too difficult. I'm also going to continue to plan for the first book in the Infinite Midnight Kingdom universe, which chronologically occurs before the Midnight Trilogy, but will likely be read after the trilogies conclusion.

Tomorrow's post:

Tomorrow, I'll be introducing this new story and its characters, as well as the updated aesthetics and face claims for the Midnight Trilogy! Maybe I'll link some of my edits too.

With all of that being said, do something for you today. Step outside. Read your bible. Watch an episode of your favorite show. Go for a drive with the windows down and the radio on. You are strong and loved. 💫

Signing off,

Leigh

Be sure to leave a comment, and comment ideas for my writers workshop please!