myanook

Author: Mya Jones

  • Gentle Self-Care Tips for When Life Feels Heavy

    Some days just feel heavy. Today is one of those days for me. I feel sad, not for one specific reason, just life in general.

    But even in the sadness, I’ve been learning how to care for myself in small, gentle ways. I’m not trying to fix my mood or force myself to be okay. Instead, I focus on reconnecting with myself through things that feel peaceful, comforting, or creatively fulfilling.

    Here are some of the things that help me connect back to myself when life feels rough:

    1. Baking

    Baking helps me get out of my head and into something simple. Mixing ingredients, putting something in the oven, and waiting for a warm treat to come out brings me comfort.

    When I’m feeling a little more creative, like today, I’ll try developing a new recipe. I’ll set up my phone to film the process and jot notes in a notebook. It doesn’t take much out of me, but it makes me feel present and peaceful.

    What I baked Today: Cinnamon Rolls

    Recipe Video linked here: https://myascottage18.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/delicious-cinnamon-rolls-a-quick-and-easy-recipe/

    2. Meditating

    Meditation didn’t always come naturally to me. In the beginning, it felt a little awkward, and I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing.

    But once I found what works for me—headphones, a neck pillow, and frequency music—it became a way to slow down and hear my thoughts without judgment.

    As someone who overthinks a lot, I’ve realized how important meditation is, especially for creatives. We carry so much in our minds and bodies. Meditation helps us sort through that and actually connect with our vision.

    3. Writing

    In person, I tend to trip over my words or blank out. I leave things unsaid without meaning to.

    But when I write, I can finally express what I’m trying to say. Writing is how I process things and how I find clarity.

    It’s the reason I started this blog. I needed a space to speak freely in my own way. Writing is also where I get most of my video ideas from, especially when I’m stuck in a creative block.

    4. Creating with My Hands

    I love anything that lets me get my hands messy. Clay, painting, drawing, anything creative.

    On sad days, I don’t force myself to make anything perfect. I just let myself explore. Sometimes I go for something super chill and simple, other days I try something new. Either way, I always feel a little more energized afterward.

    5. Watching Slow and Beautiful Films

    There’s something about slow, peaceful movies that helps calm my mind.

    Studio Ghibli movies are my go-to. They’re soft, immersive, and beautifully animated. They don’t feel like background noise. I actually have to sit and watch. When I do, I leave feeling inspired and re-centered.

    6. Moving My Body

    Sometimes the best thing I can do is just move.

    Whether it’s dancing around my room( which I can do for hours), stretching for five minutes, or doing a super light workout, movement helps me release tension.

    I don’t push myself too hard. I just let my body move the way it wants to. The goal is to shake off the stress and feel more grounded.

    7. Nourishing Myself

    Taking care of my body helps me feel safe and supported.

    That could mean doing my skincare routine, breathing deeply, or gently parenting myself through a tough emotion. These little acts of care remind me that I’m allowed to slow down. I don’t have to push through everything.

    8. Doing What I Want to Do

    So much of life is spent doing things out of survival. Jobs we don’t like, routines we never chose.

    But when I let myself create the way I want to, live how I want to, and follow what feels aligned for me, I start to feel like I’m actually living intentionally.

    The day-to-day doesn’t feel as draining when I give myself permission to build a life that reflects who I am. Not someone else’s version. Not society’s idea. Just mine. Currently, doing what I want is me creating on Youtube and my blog. No hassle no expectation just creation.

    9. Rethinking My Phone Habits

    Yes, it really is the phone sometimes.

    But instead of forcing a full disconnect, I’ve learned to reprogram the way I use it.

    I unfollow people who drain me. I follow accounts that make me feel inspired and uplifted. I delete apps that flood my mind with negativity. For me, that’s TikTok.

    One app I’ve been loving lately is Substack. It gives me something nourishing to read each morning, which is helping me get back into long-form content.

    Here are a couple of Substack Post that i have been loving:

    Even if I can’t take a month off social media, I try to unplug for just one week out of the month. During that time, I only use my phone to talk to the people I care about. That small change makes a big difference in how I feel.

    10. Resting and Sleeping

    Sleep is the reset button I forget to press.

    Sometimes I feel guilty for resting, like I should be doing something more productive first. But I’m learning that without rest, my body has no fuel. And without fuel, I can’t build the life I want.

    You don’t have to earn your rest. You don’t have to stay up one more hour to check something off your list. Just sleep. Let your body recharge so you can wake up with new energy and a clear mind.

    Lately, I’ve been trying to take the moment to sleep slightly longer or just take power naps. Honestly, It’s something I have to grow used to, just giving myself the space to sit and do nothing for a bit.

    Final Thoughts

    You don’t need to be perfect to deserve peace. You don’t need to always be happy to care for yourself.

    On hard days, you’re allowed to move slowly. You’re allowed to pause and tend to your spirit.

    These rituals are what help me reconnect with myself. Gently, honestly, and without pressure. I hope they remind you that you’re allowed to return home to yourself too.

    Questions: How do you make yourself feel better when you are in a slump? What methods works for you that you would love to share?

  • Delicious Cinnamon Rolls: A Quick and Easy Recipe

    Quantity: 5

    Prep time: 15-20 minutes

    Cook time: 15 Minutes

    Total time: 30-40 minutes

    Dough: Pillsbury Buttermilk Southern Homestyle Biscuits 

    Cinnamon Sugar Spread

    • 2 ½ tbsp brown sugar
    • ¼ cup butter (room temp)
    • Splash of vanilla extract
    • ½ tbsp cinnamon (I just followed my gut, add more if you like it extra cinnamony!)

    Instructions:
    Mix everything together until the butter is soft and everything’s nicely combined.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    (I totally eyeballed this, but here’s my best guess 😭)

    • ¼ cup cream cheese
    • 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • Splash of vanilla

    Instructions:
    Mix it all up until smooth and creamy.

    Quick Tip + Baking Info:

    When assembling, I spread a layer of the cinnamon sugar inside the biscuit dough, then folded it hot dog style to seal it in. Place it seam side down, cinnamon sugar side up! Any extra mix will drip down and make a delicious sugary crust at the bottom. Bake the biscuits based on the instructions on the can!🤎

    Enjoy!!! This is small batch recipe for those who want a quick treat☺️

  • Change is hard, but not changing is harder

    A personal story

    Why is it that for some of us, change feels so hard? Sometimes it even feels harder than suffering in comfort. That strange sense of comfort, even when it’s uncomfortable, can feel safer. Honestly, that’s how I felt for most of 2025. Like I was Simply existing.

    There were moments throughout the year when I was jolted out of that feeling, but the fear of change quickly crept back in and consumed me. It felt unnatural to want more for myself, so instead of working through those fears, I sat with them in silence. I ignored them, hoping they would go away. Eventually, the things I once found comfort in began to fall apart. The blissful fruit withered. I came to realize what I was experiencing wasn’t burnout from overworking, but from settling. For a while, I faded into the background, not wanting to be a burden or add more stress. In doing so, I dimmed myself. I tucked away parts of me that deserved light.

                A few weeks ago, I wrote an essay for my English class about the path I’m currently on. In my first draft, I noticed something was off. There was a huge disconnect. Rather than acknowledging my fears as internal, I found myself pointing fingers at society, at my family, and everything but me. While those external pressures are real and valid, I realized something important: in the end, only I can decide how I live. Whether I’m liked or not, I’m the one who has to live with me. So why not be the person who creates the life I’m meant to live. I submitted my first draft, even though I felt disconnected. And, as expected, both my peers and professor noticed it too. It wasn’t until I truly reconnected with myself that I wrote the final version… and I loved it.

                These days, I often remind myself: “It’s not a matter of if, but when.” Why deny myself something I was born to experience. That mindset is what led me back to my blog (again). It’s this intuitive pull that keeps telling me: I’m meant to be here. I’m meant to write. No matter the circumstances. Creative expression is how I leave my mark.

                Change has opened so many small but meaningful doors for me, ones I wouldn’t have seen if I had stayed still. I wouldn’t have discovered my love for school if I hadn’t gone back. I wouldn’t have discovered my love for writing if I hadn’t started my blog. And I wouldn’t have realized I’m actually pretty good at storytelling if I never tried creating for YouTube.  Each of these steps felt uncomfortable at first, but right. While these changes may seem small, choosing to make them, rather than staying stuck in a cycle of just existing, is what helped me emerge from burnout. Honestly, it might even be what’s dissolving the fear I’ve held onto for years.

                So, here’s what I’ve learned: never be afraid of the vision planted in your mind. No matter how limited things may feel, your dreams wouldn’t exist if they weren’t meant to be lived out by you. Nourish the plant within you. Water it with belief, intention, and movement. Because yes, change is hard, but never changing is harder.

    YouTube Video Audio Version:

    change is hard, but not changing is harder

  • 3 months on Youtube Reflection

    Sometimes I forget that YouTube doesn’t have to be a space where everything is perfect. I lose sight of why I started my channel in the first place: to have a space for creativity, to challenge myself, build a community, and open up new opportunities. It’s a place where I can simply exist and appreciate the beauty of that existence.

    Lately, I’ve been preoccupied with producing stronger, more engaging content, but this focus pulls me away from the bigger picture. Since starting YouTube three months ago, I’ve realized a few things. For one, I don’t want to create short-form content anymore. It feels like it’s distracting me from the essence of why I began my channel.

    I started this journey to embrace a slower pace of life, to create long-form content that allows me to savor the experience. Short-form content—on platforms like TikTok or Instagram—feels rushed, and while I’ve stopped using TikTok, I still find myself consuming short videos on Instagram and YouTube Shorts. My brain craves it, and for a while, I thought I needed to create that kind of content too, just to stay relevant. But that’s not what I want.

    I enjoy the slower process, the quiet moments. Yet, my mind has been conditioned to find that boring. I know I need to combat this. Through my channel, I have the power to retrain my mind—to enjoy the slower process, to focus on the meaningful work that fulfills me.

    What sparked this reflection is:

    1. Three months of commitment: YouTube has become a meaningful part of my life. I can genuinely see myself doing this for a long time because I love it. Recently, I sat down and watched my own videos, something I hadn’t done before. Watching them made me realize how much I enjoy what I create. It feels calming and inspiring, a space where I can fully embrace my creativity.
    2. Inspiration from travel content: I watched a video of a girl enjoying her time in the Swiss Alps, and it reminded me of my love for travel—especially solo travel. It’s during those moments that my mind clears, and creativity flows. That video also reminded me to stop being so hard on myself about my channel.

    When I started, my intention was to create a space where I could simply exist, but lately, I’ve been consumed by numbers and engagement. If a video doesn’t perform well, I feel disappointed. But why? I’ve achieved so much in three months. I’ve shared pieces of myself and created something meaningful for me. That’s an accomplishment worth celebrating.

    In modern society, we often forget to pause and appreciate the progress we’ve made, big or small. I’ve hit so many of my goals in these three months, yet I haven’t celebrated them because I’m always asking, “What’s next?” It’s hard to sit in silence and simply acknowledge my wins.

    Watching that travel vlog reminded me that this slower, intentional way of living is something I can create for myself. I don’t view my channel as a monetary venture, but as a space to open new doors. The abundance YouTube offers isn’t just financial—it’s mental and emotional. Every day, I understand myself better, meet new people, and create something meaningful.

    This journey has shown me that authenticity is a gift. When I embrace my truest self, amazing opportunities arise. Financial gain may come in time, but what drives me is the ability to explore, create, and nurture a loving, authentic community.

    After three months, I’m beginning to understand who I am and who I want to be. I’m discovering the kind of art I want to create and the goals I can accomplish through it. In time, I hope to become the version of myself who is comfortable moving slower, embracing the flow, and creating what I love.

    The story I want to create is beautiful, and I need to lean into it—trusting the process, even when it feels uncomfortable.

  • To Live Life or be consumed by it.

    Short Essay by Mya Jones

    When I reflect on the past couple of years, I think about how much I allowed life to consume me. It hurts, if I’m being honest. I knew from my teenage years that my 20s would be a challenging time, but I didn’t think it would be as demanding as it actually is. I’m still trying to grow peace within myself, knowing that sometimes things just take time… that life has nearly just begun. I grew up with the impression that by my early 20s, I would be living my best life—hahaha. I imagined having this extravagant lifestyle, like the ones I’ve seen online.

    As I continue to figure myself out, I’ve realized that what I truly want is peace, independence, and abundance. I want to wake up and truly feel calm. I no longer have the desire to consume material things; instead, I want to immerse myself in life. I’ve noticed that when I seek instant gratification, I’m still unhappy in the long run. It’s only when I allow myself to slow down and do what may be uncomfortable in the moment—but ultimately fulfilling—that I experience pure joy.

    My 20s so far have been hard; they’ve taught me a lot that I wasn’t quite ready to learn. But through these lessons, I’ve discovered so much about myself. The lessons I wasn’t taught by parental figures, schools, or any higher educator, I learned through hard experiences. I figured out what I no longer desire from the hurt I’ve experienced. I find a sense of peace in that, even if, in the moment, it was heartbreaking or upsetting.

    Right now, I feel like it’s time to slow down. As I let life consume me, I realized that my body is taking the heat for it—emotionally, physically, and mentally. I am being consumed. At this moment, taking the time to just enjoy life and find peace in the mundane will bring me bliss. Previously, I avoided the mundane; I thought it was boring and too slow. But I’ve grown to realize it’s necessary—to just live in the moment and simply be. Sometimes, I forget to express gratitude, to just sit down and think of the blessings I currently have, the small things that bring me joy. Like this blog. Just typing this relieves me. I love it.

    Truthfully, I feel like the life I seek is waiting for me to seek it—to actually trust myself and follow the path of my soul. The more I avoid it, the harder I make my life. I don’t know my purpose, but I do know what I feel called to do right now. Yes, life has brought its challenges these past couple of years, but why am I allowing it to consume me? To break my very character? To hide away the version of myself I know I am meant to evolve into? My life has just begun, and I have to live it. Or I fear I will grow a bitterness, a sickness within myself, that will never let me live it.

    What if I actually pursued the life that I want? How would my life change? I’d rather take the risk of the unknown than settle for the societal obligations of adulthood. I want to allow myself to love the person I am, to grow confident in myself. I don’t want to feel a constant wave of stress and sadness anymore. I don’t want to be in the energy of disappointment and settling. I seek abundance and joy. I want to feel alive.

    In time, everything will work out. I just have to be patient with myself and take it day by day. Trust in myself and the person I desire to be. Life has just begun. Live it. Document it. Share it.

    Note from Writer~

    Thank you for reading my short essay, I just wanted to share a piece of my 20’s so far. If you are dealing with something similar or have thoughts about going into your 20s I would love to hear them. Thank you again and I wish you a peaceful day and sweet dreams 🌱🌤.

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  • About the author

    Hi, I’m Mya, the host of this blog! I created this space to explore and share my creative interests, personal growth, new passions, and much more. My goal is to offer a welcoming space where other creatives and anyone eager to explore new interests can feel safe and inspired.

    Hi!! Let’s dive a little into my hobbies

    Culinary Background

    I studied culinary arts for most of high school. Initially, I joined as an elective, but I soon realized that I enjoyed the challenge it brought me. This led me to join the Culinary 2 program. I enjoyed the class so much that, for one assignment, I decided to bake macarons for the class to try—mainly to impress the culinary teacher and show my eagerness to join the competition team. About a week later, I became a member of the Florida ProStart Competition team, along with four other teammates. We trained for about a year and a half, creating various dishes for the competition.

    Together, we crafted a three-course meal that ranked 8th out of 52 schools in the state of Florida. Since then, I’ve earned five culinary certifications and gained some really cool job opportunities. This experience sparked my passion for culinary arts and food. I began to see food as an art and now love creating pieces through my cooking.

    Media

    Well, I’ve always been someone who really enjoys all kinds of media. I basically grew up on the internet and loved the communities I built online. It’s honestly my favorite way to connect with people since I can become friends with others from all around the world. I find that really cool, to be honest. I think my love for media definitely comes from my Gemini and Virgo placements, haha. I love to chat and hear others chat too.

    Besides social media, I really enjoy online forums and real-life communities. Book clubs, movie think pieces, and similar discussions are things I tend to consume a lot of. I especially enjoy hearing others’ opinions after I’ve read or watched something myself. For example, after watching Sex and the City for the first time, I went on a month-long research project. I watched many YouTube videos, TikToks, and even read Reddit subtopics about it. I was just trying to understand certain plot points within the show and see if others shared my dislike for certain characters (Carrie, Big, Steve, and I know this one is crazy, but Aidan as well). What I gained from this extensive research was personal insight and a more grounded perspective. I realized that in the characters I disliked, I could also relate to some of their traits, which triggered me in a way. I had to do a lot of internal work on myself—still am, haha.

    Anyway, that’s basically my history with media—I just really enjoy it and naturally gravitate toward it. Since I took a break from social media in August of 2023, I had to find other outlets for my thoughts, which led me to journaling. Now I have a couple of journals that I just brain dump into, along with my phone’s notes app, of course.

    Spirituality and Astrology

    These two things are very important to me! They really helped me heal from a heartbreak I experienced a couple of years ago. Without spirituality, I feel like I wouldn’t know who I am today. I won’t lie, when my spiritual awakening happened, I was going through the worst heartbreak of my life, haha. That was when I truly began to question myself and my past traumas—childhood wounds, unhealthy attachments, and ego boosts. It felt like everything crumbled for me, and it took me years to even begin recovering internally. Spiritual awakenings are not easy and can be very lonely. You question literally everything. The systems that once worked no longer do. Everything just feels like a lesson, haha. To this day, I still don’t know exactly what my purpose is, but I do know that just being is enough. Internally, I feel great, but externally… I’m still trying to catch up. The world we currently live in is really hard for me to grasp. I don’t understand how we’re conditioned to work until we’re old, only to have a few years of retirement before death. I don’t understand so many things. Maybe as time goes on, these questions will be answered. The more I delve into this practice, the more I grow to love it. I cherish my little meditation moments, connecting with crystals, the hard moments, learning oracle, and understanding myself. It seems like the more I connect with myself, the more I connect with the earth and higher beings. I like it.

    On the topic of astrology, I love it! As a teen, I was into sun signs and the random personality traits associated with them. As I reached adulthood, I began to research more—full-on birth charts, how to study them, houses, asteroids, transits, aspects, you know, the fun stuff. I won’t say I’m as familiar with astrology as I am with tarot and oracle, but I do enjoy learning new things about it. On a scale of where I am with astrology, I’d say I’m slightly intermediate. As this blog grows, I hope to connect with more astrologers and gain some of their insights.

    Health, Skincare, beauty

    You know the saying, “Health is wealth.” Well, I love that statement… or at least I did. Lately, it seems like health has taken a backseat for me, haha. I’ve been so consumed by stress and not building healthy routines that my health is just all over the place. Another reason for me to create this blog is to document my journey of rebuilding the relationship with my health that I once had—something that makes me happy and strong, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I simply want to become the healthiest version of myself, haha.

    My favorite things to talk about are hair and body skincare. This year, I made it my intention to really nurture my hair and find routines and products that make it happy. Two things I’ve committed to reducing this year are heat and coloring. I made this promise to myself mainly because, since high school, I’ve always used these two things on my hair and felt like I didn’t really let it be in its natural state. My goal is to allow my hair to grow healthy and strong, embrace its natural state, and find hairstyles and color alternatives that aren’t so harmful to its overall health. Since making this promise, I’ve found products that work for my hair, styles I love, and have noticed it growing in a healthier state.

    As for my skin, I’ve been dealing with eczema my whole life. As a child, it was terrible—I would have rashes on my neck, the back of my legs, arms, everywhere. I hated it and felt so insecure about it. But I wonder… would I have felt this way if the people around me didn’t highlight it so much as a terrible condition? I know it’s bad, but I feel like my overall opinion would’ve been different if it wasn’t seen as such a visually unappealing condition. Anyway, as an adult, it’s still really bad. Stress and overall lifestyle habits have made it spread like wildfire—on my hands, neck, armpits, arms… gosh, it itches, haha, and I just feel so insecure about it. BUT I’m not letting that stop me. To this day, I am still actively trying to find solutions to manage my reactions, outside of steroid creams. Goodness, I hate steroid creams; the withdrawal effects are the worst—spreading, extremely dry skin, thinning skin, the list goes on. I am seeking not only external remedies but also internal ones to keep it in check. I know for sure that healing my gut health and nervous system will most likely help clear it up faster.

    small facts:

    Age: 23

    Hobbies: Writing, research, media, arts, baking and cooking, laying in bed

    I also really enjoy traveling and wish to do more of it in the years to come hehe. Here are some photos from my past new york trip. Omg i should make a post of cool places to go in NY.

    Thank you for reading❤️ let’s connect

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    Check out my other post on how to make a yummy blueberry matcha hehe