Introduction

In this project, I reflected on my thoughts and practiced focusing on the future for more effective results. I learned that three simple habits can change the course of your whole future. Healthy eating habits help you to concentrate in class, spacing your time out can help prepare for future assignments, and positive thinking prevents stressful situations. 

Part 1: Thinking in Writing

Based on my day of thoughts, I realized how much I dwell on things of little importance. For example, I lost my metro card in the beginning of the day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for almost the entire day. Also, I woke up feeling bad about not making it to my neice’s show at school and I beat myself over it the whole day. To be honest, a metro card and a show should be the least of my problems. I also came to n otice that I get hungry a whole lot. About 6 times a day I find myself wondering what I’m going to eat next. I feel like my life lacks excitement and I spend way too much time zoning out into random things like television, iPhone apps such as Instagram, Trivia Crack, Facebook, etc., and food. I need to focus my attention more to things like school and homework, and work. Even at work, I’m thinking about how long until I get to go home and eat! I need a hobby. In conclusion, I’ve decided that I will try to make the most of my days with more positive thinking, using my time more productive and efficiently, and get into healthier eating habits!

Part 2: Thinking Visually (i.e., Represent Your Thoughts as Photos)

http://instagram.com/p/zQ7Ey9wJsl/?modal=true
This is a picture of food. I chose to post this because throughout the day, I tend to constantly think about what I’m going to eat next. A lot of my daily thoughts consist of food.
http://instagram.com/p/zQ7RNlQJs9/?modal=true
This is a photo of my six-year-old niece, Alyssa. I live for this little girl. During my “Day of Thoughts”, I missed one of Alyssa’s shows. I really ruined my whole day to know I let her down.
http://instagram.com/p/zQ7zAuQJt0/?modal=true
This picture is my metro card that didn’t want to swipe. Because of this here metro card, I just missed my train. This caused a ten minute delay in my schedule. Because of this, I missed my second train, causing me to be late to class by 15 minutes. This incident also ruined my day.
http://instagram.com/p/zQ7UMywJtA/?modal=true
I chose to put a picture of my “Brain Rules” book because I’ve come to the conclusion that I spend too much time doing pointless things. I think I need a hobby and to focus on better things such as homework.
http://instagram.com/p/zQ7z6CwJt4/?modal=true
I took a picture of a Michael Kors bag because it’s supposed to represent money. Something I rather focus on is getting money so that I can buy all the materials that I want.
http://instagram.com/p/zQ7HkyQJsq/?modal=true
This last picture is a train coming. I took this picture to show that I want to make it a habit of being on time. It’s a much better view to see a train coming than to see it leaving.

Part 3: Thinking Reflectively (i.e., Reflect on Your Thoughts and Plan Your Future Thoughts in an Essay)

Dear Jennifer,

Right now, you are a full time student at City Tech and are working part time. I know it is kind of hard trying to balance school, work, and your boyfriend, but don’t worry because it will all be worth it in the end. You will eventually become a successfully licensed CPA and have your own business. However, everyone goes through what you are going through right now. In this letter I’ll show you what to focus on to achieve your goals. Right now, you need to concentrate on having a healthier lifestyle, learning how to manage your time better, and filling your mind with positive and productive thoughts. You will see how doing these three things will lead you into having a more positive and prosperous lifestyle.

One thing that I have changed were my eating habits. I was eating a lot of fast food (Burger King, pizza, Chinese food, McDonald’s, etc.) and it really affected me in many ways. One way that it affected me was by not giving me the energy that I needed to be able to stay focused during my classes. I felt tired all the time and I put on a lot of weight, about 20-30 pounds. By eating healthier, I found myself more energized throughout the day. I would concentrate in my classes, I was punctual, and took great notes. I also would get home and still had the energy to do homework, and all my assignments ahead of time. I generally had more energy throughout the day which helped me focus in all my courses. This is important because that brings me to my next point, being prepared.

By being prepared and having better time management life goes smoother. You are going to have to start giving yourself more than enough time to do things. For example, if you know it takes 20 minutes to get to school don’t leave the house 25 minutes before your class starts. Give yourself more than enough time to get there. Also, always make sure you get your 8 hours of sleep or longer. It helps your brain focus more the next day, as well as keeping you alert in school. Stop waiting until last minute to do homework and assignments. When you extend your time, you get to put in more effort and you have more time to go over and check your own work to make sure everything is correct. When you wait until last minute, you rush yourself and end up making careless mistakes. It can add stress to yourself as well. If you space your time out correctly, you can easily avoid putting pressure on yourself. By constantly rushing and living life in the moment, you can stress yourself out which may cause frustration. This brings me to my final point, having a more positive outlook on things.

You have the tendency to focus more on the negative. Instead of making the best out of a bad situation, you concentrate on the negative and let it ruin your day. I learned that one positive thought everyday can have a huge impact. Ways to practice this habit are by always trying to see the good in a problem. Imagine how things could have been worse. Also, think of ways to make the situation better because most problems have solutions. However, if a problem occurs where there is nothing that can be done about it, move on from it. There are going to be times where things happen and you can not change it or fix it, but don’t linger on them. Acknowledge that nothing can be done and walk away from the problem. By practicing these habits you not only are going to save yourself a ton of unnecessary stress, but you will also be having a more positive mindset towards new problems. When you think happier thoughts, your day will be more productive because your mind won’t be distracted by negativity. By having a clear mind, you will also be able to focus on everything that needs to be done. Everything falls into place with each other.

Three things to focus on that will improve yourself for the future are concentrating on having a healthier lifestyle, learning how to manage your time better, and filling your mind with positive and productive thoughts. By eating healthier you will be more energized and alert throughout the day. By managing your time better you will be more prepared and less stressed. When you focus on the positive things in life, your day goes smoother by stressing less on nonsense. It can also clears your mind from negativity which leaves space to focus on things worth paying attention to. I took these steps and it brought me exactly where I needed to be in life. These three steps are the key to success and the faster you start working on the them, the quicker your life will change for the better.

Sincerely yours,
New and Improved, Jennifer