Shannon Shares

Thanksgiving 2017

2017-11-20T10:03:00.002-08:00

I often sit and think about all of the aspects of my life that I am so thankful for. I hope that everyone does the same, take a step back and try to find at least one person, or event in your life that you are extremely grateful for. Sometimes if you have a bad day or even a bad week we tend to forget all the good that has also happened in those hard times. Some days may be easier than others but I will be forever thankful for is my family. Without them I would not have accomplished all that I have. Below I have added a little survey on what everyone is thankful for, it should only take a couple seconds!

Netflix Recommendation

2017-11-19T09:23:00.002-08:00

Another week, another show to binge watch on Netflix. I am sure you have all heard of the new phenomenon called Stranger Things. I tried so hard to not jump on the bandwagon, but I caved and it was the best choice i’ve ever made. I watched each season in a day.. and I honestly do not think I can wait until 2019 when the next season comes out. The main characters in the show are all very young, and it is mind blowing how amazing they are in their characters. Without giving away too much of the plot and spoilers, there is an alternate universe that was created called the “Upside Down”. In the town of Hawkins there is a lab that is participating in tests that are unknown to the citizens of the town. When one of the tests escapes it sends all of Hawkins in an uproar.

Book Review: Strong Looks Better Naked

2017-11-08T06:44:00.002-08:00

Dear all my Kardashian fans,

As much as I hate to admit it… I watch their show, and follow all of their social media (and check on it religiously). One of my recent Kardash journeys was Khloe’s book. It was published in 2015, and I purchased it within weeks of it being in the stores. I started reading it, but then life distracted me. I recently picked it up again and finished it. Bible, it was actually pretty amazing. She was very candid in the book, she didn’t sugar coat any of the events she talked about, which I thought helped her be more relatable to an average reader. Obviously we all aren’t millionaires with seven cars and houses in every major city. (I’m sure we all want to be). However some of those hardships (like losing her father and how she acted following the event) could be so relatable for someone going through this tragedy. Personally, this book helped me feel that she was more real, and not just what we see on TV or hear about in the tabloids. So I loved that the solutions to some of the tougher things she had to endure I could do too. One of the main way she got through some major obstacles was by working out. She discusses food, workout plans and how those things helped her cope. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book I did have some things that I didn’t love so much, as with most other books that I have read. My biggest complaint was that I felt she dragged on with the workout portion of it. I felt that every chapter was tied to working out, and maybe that could have changed a little. However, I also know that she got heavy into working out in the more recent years. Overall, I would recommend this book to people. I feel that a lot of people go through some, if not all of the stuff that Khloe is discussing.

With Love,

Shannon

P.S. I have attached a link to purchase the book, super reasonably priced!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Looks-Better-Naked-Kardashian/dp/1942872488

Seasons Poll

2017-11-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

To all my followers,

I wanted to change it up this week and add something that was interactive! I have created a short poll to help me get to know my followers a little better. I will create more polls in the future but for the first one I want to know which season is your favorite. Personally mine is fall, unfortunately since I live in Florida I really only get to experience summer. So when I take trips back up north, I really try and cherish the fall weather and scenery! I hope you enjoy the poll! Please click the Read More button to access the poll!

With Love,

Shannon

Netflix Recommendation

2017-10-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Y’all,

I have been out of commission all week, so as the week came to an end I found it hard to pick a topic for this week’s blog. As I am sitting on my couch binge watching Netflix it dawned on me…Netflix would be the inspo. I always see people posting on social media asking for a recommendation, and sometimes I even post to ask about a new show to watch. So to all my Netflix lovers.. here are my recommendations:

1. FRIENDS: Easily my favorite show, I have watched every episode at least 5 times and I have no shame.

2. New Girl: To me this is the modern version of FRIENDS… so obviously I love it.

3. Parks and Rec: I am late in the game for this one, but I finished it in a week. Absolutely hilarious.

4. Prison Break: I am counting down the days until the next season is put on Netflix.

5. Last, but not least.. Baby Daddy: Sadly, there is only a few seasons but 100% worth the watch!

P.S. I am always looking for a new show to watch, so if you have any recommendations please let me know!

With Love,

Shannon

Link to some information on my favorite show!

Also, please go follow and like my Facebook page : Shannon Shares

Book Review: Mandela's Way

2017-10-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

I personally think this book is absolutely phenomenal. I would choose this over his biography because there are comparisons and it shows how readers can relate Mandela’s philosophy and wisdom into our own everyday lives. This book proves that Mandela was not a manager but he was a leader. He chose to lead no matter where he was or what situation he was in. My career goal is to be a great leader. As I get into my career field I hope to embody what it takes to be a great leader rather than a manager. One of the main things I want when I have people who report to me is to make sure that I set them up for success, that I train them and teach them how to eventually take my job. The writing style this author used was perfect for the content of the book. He provided an array of stories that made Mandela feel relate-able no matter who you were or where you came from.

I want to start with my two favorite chapters. The first chapter is the Lead from the Front. Mandela’s view is that, leaders must not only lead, they must be seen to be leading. When I first read this I was taken back by it because we are always told to do certain things out of the goodness of your heart not just for selfish reasons. However, Mandela is right. With all the tragic things that are happening in the world today it is so wonderful knowing that there are still good leaders out there.

The second chapter is the Lead from the Back chapter. I felt like this chapter is one of the most important because I think one of the biggest differences of a leader versus manager is knowing when to step back from the spotlight. Knowing to lead from the back and allowing other people to succeed is what makes someone a great leader.

With Love,

Shannon

P.S. You can find this book pretty cheap on Amazon, I highly recommend it!

Libra Season

2017-10-11T08:11:00.001-07:00

To all my Libras,

My birthday is October 14^th and this year I will be turning 23, JORDAN YEAR. I have decided to write a bucket list of things I want to do before I turn 25:

- Cross one item off my travel bucket list: Greece, Paris, Thailand, Bora Bora, Ireland.

- Become a better person, I want to focus on some of my weaknesses and with the help of others hopefully better myself so that I am better for myself and the people around me.

- Volunteer- When I was younger I volunteered a lot and I loved it. As I got older, and busier I let it slip away from me.

- Try a new food- I am fairly adventurous when it comes to food, but I am always up to try something new.

- Learn sign language- I have always wanted to learn sign language and I think now is my time.

- Take a mixology class- I have always wanted to be the adult that had the cool house parties with all their neighbors, so why not start now!

- Donate to a charity every month- Out of every paycheck I want to donate a charity that is special to me. I have worked with an organization called Dreams Come True and after working with them I had firsthand experience in how many lives they have helped.

- Go to more concerts- Number one on my list is Eminem.

- Treat myself more- Sometimes I spread myself so thin I forget to take a moment to step back and enjoy all the great things I have.

- Read More!!- Make time for myself to read a good book, maybe while I am treating myself to a nice pedicure.

- Get a new tattoo- I already have four but I am craving some more ink.

I hope all my fellow Libras will join me in a birthday bucket list!

With Love,

The Birthday Girl

P.S. If you have any recommendations on anything on my list please comment and let me know!

An apartment nightmare

2017-10-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Dear all my apartment renters who have had horror stories,

I wanted to share a little story of a recent nightmare that I endured. My roommate and I were moving from an on campus apartment to a off campus one. We did heavy research and toured many places when we found our current apartment. We liked it the best because it was easily the biggest and it was close to everything! We were super excited to move in and decorate. Our new roommate was my current roommates older sister and this was her first time moving out of the house. We slowly moved in and started to make it feel like a home. However, we then start to notice several issues. Both of our shower heads were broken, under my bathroom sink was leaking so it flooded everything I put under my sink. Our neighbors upstairs had small children and at least three families living in the one apartment. They were so loud that our lights would shake and things would fall off our walls. Then we noticed the worst part.... bugs. Everyday we would kill 8-10 bugs, which some bugs are common since we live in Florida and on the first floor..but we knew there shouldn't be this many. Day by day the bug issue got worse and worse, now we are all girls living in this apartment so we do not do well with bugs. It got to the point where our one roommate moved back home, and me and my other roommate would barely sleep because we kept checking for bugs. At this point we hadn't even been living there for two months, we took these issues to the front office and... THEY KNEW. They said that they had been expecting us because the people before us broke their lease and the girl next to us has an infested apartment. Her bugs were then coming into our apartment... GROSS. Thankfully they let us break our lease, and we found a great place without bugs. So if you take one thing from this, research more than we did!!

With Love,
Shannon

P.S. I have attached a article about apartment horror stories, maybe you can get a good laugh out of them!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/worst-apartment-stories_n_2585320.html

College Rookies

2017-09-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

To my college rookies,

I graduated my undergrad in April, and I am currently pursuing a Master’s Degree. As I watch my friends who are younger than me going through college I realized that there is so many things I wish someone before me had told me, I thought I would share some of those.

1. Don’t be set on graduating on time. During my undergrad I was so focused on graduating in four years, and I took five classes every semester. Looking back on it I wish I would’ve taken more time, especially during my senior year. Taking one extra semester isn’t going to make or break you getting your dream job.

2. Focus on your mental health, know that it is okay to not know what you want to do after college, know that it is okay to feel overwhelmed and stress, know that it is okay to ask for help, and know that is it okay to feel homesick. There are so many resources on most campuses that can help you better understand what degree you want to pursue. If halfway through your degree you realize you are unhappy and want to change majors… do it. Talk with your advisors and make a plan on how you can take the necessary steps to change. If you are a planner, plan in times to treat yourself and do something you love.

3. Get involved, I 100% understand that you are probably already overwhelmed with classes. However, even if you just go to a free event on campus it will help you get better acquainted to the school. Most schools have a website of different clubs and activities you can join. I cheered at the University I attended and it was easily the best decision I have ever made. Being involved is also a great resume builder and a way to meet connections for post grad opportunities.

4. Be open minded. When you go to college it is going to be a far different experience than when you were in high school. You will be with people from all over the world all pursuing different dreams in life. Be open to new friendships, the people I met in college are the people I will be friends with for the rest of my life. If I wasn’t so opened minded I may have walked right past a potential lifelong friend.

5. Intern as much as you can. During my undergrad we were required to have an internship. However, that is the only one I did and I regret it. I wish I would have interned with at least one more company or organization. You will learn so much from interning because it is more hands on and you are working with a real company and doing exactly what you want to do after you graduate. Also, don’t focus on getting a paid internship. Obviously making money is a huge perk but don’t pass down a really good opportunity because you don’t get paid.

With Love,

Shannon

P.S. I have attached an article that I found very helpful!!

https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/first-year-success

To my fellow animal lovers

2017-09-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

To all the animal lovers,

ADOPT DON’T SHOP! This cause is very important to me, my family rescued a Bichpoo (Bischon & Poodle) from the SPCA in Buffalo, NY. Our sweet little boy was severely abused and was taken away from his previous owners. When we got him he was covered in bruises with several other heartbreaking injuries. After nursing him back to health we were blessed to be able to adopt him. He was the first dog we have ever adopted, prior to him we got our dogs from breeders or stores. After going through the journey of adoption I am not sure if I will ever go back. I highly recommend looking into adoption next time you are looking for a furry friend. There are rescue shelters all across Florida, some take in all different types of animals and some are more towards a specific breed. A lot of these shelters also have great volunteer opportunities, so if you aren’t interested in taking the animals home you can volunteer and take them on walks.

With Love,

Shannon

P.S. I have attached two links to some rescue shelters, and the cutie in the graphic is my rescue!

https://www.animalhouseshelter.com/

http://www.halorescuefl.org/

Forgive & Forget

2017-09-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

To my friends who have always wondered,

Do we ever actually forgive?

So many times in our lives we are faced with the challenge of forgiving someone. The act of forgiving someone is based on many different variables, the severity of the situation, the person and the act. But, do we ever actually forgive them? Your significant other may cheat on you, and you argue and apologies are made and possibly accepted but we live with that moment for the rest of our lives. Maybe I am the only one who might see the person they cheated with and instantly get an intense feeling that overcomes my body. What does that mean? I uttered the words that I forgave them, but am constantly faced with things that make me question that? There is so many situations where we forgive people but don’t forget it, so how do we come to terms with if the act has truly been forgiven? I try to live my life not holding grudges, life is short and I want to enjoy precious moments that only may come around once. But if I never forget, I never move on. So, if we forgive but never forget… do we actually forgive?

With Love,

Shannon

P.S Below I have attached an article that I found extremely interesting.

https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/12/10/4-reasons-to-forgive-but-not-forget/

To my Disney first timers

2017-09-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

To my Disney first timers,

I’ve only had the pleasure of visiting Disney World in Orlando. However, I have been there hundreds of times (I am not exaggerating). My uncle has worked there since I was born, so I go as much as I can. I wanted to share some of my Do’s and Don’ts and other helpful tips for either your first time, or when you take a first timer.

Do’s	Don’ts
Fast passes: You can get three rides at a time, and then once the times for those rides are over you can get three more	See all four parks in one day - spread the parks out over several days. Once you get more familiar with the parks then you can complete the Disney four Park challenge!
My Disney Experience Mobile APP: It is available for IPhone and Android devices, it has great features such as a map of the park	Buy water in the parks- Save some money and ask for water cups at the restaurants or bring refillable water bottles because there are water fountains in several locations.
Wear comfortable shoes- You will be walking a lot, so be prepared with attire that will keep you happy the whole day!	Stray away from water rides- It is Florida so it will be hot, go on the rides that will cool you off a bit!
Dole whip: offered at Magic Kingdom and Polynesian Resort. This will be a cold treat to help get through the long and hot day.	Forget to use all the transportation- There are boats, busses and monorails. If you can try out all three because they each offer a different experience.
Research- Have a general idea of where everything is, what restaurants you want (make reservations if you can) and different rides or activities in the park.	Over plan- Although you should do research so you have a general idea, it is an amusement park so don’t get upset or frustrated when something does go exactly as you expected.

If you take one thing away from this whole post it’s to have fun and enjoy yourself no matter what age you are!

With love,

Shannon

P.S Below I have attached a link to the app I talked about. It gives you some more of its features and the links to download it.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/mobile-apps/

To my friends who have never left their hometown

2017-08-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

To my friends that have never left their hometown,

LEAVE!!!! Even if it is for a short time, just leave. With each and every new city you’ll learn more about yourself. Take the jump of being in a city where you don’t know a soul, it will be easier for you to find yourself. No matter what you do in life you will find something that scares you. We are all afraid of what we don’t know, but the biggest thing to be afraid of is not knowing yourself. Staying in one area only shows a molded version of yourself. You only show what you’ve learned from those friends, teachers, coaches, role models and that culture. There is a world of potential friends, people and culture that you don’t know. When you do take the plunge, embrace it. Try things you’ve only watched on TV or read about in books. Indulge yourself into a new city’s culture, and allow yourself to grow and broaden your view on yourself and the world.

With love,

Shannon

P.S check out the link below to see the best cities for people under 35 to live!

http://www.businessinsider.com/vocativ-best-cities-for-people-under-35-2014-12