July 2017 – thoughts of Melissa

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

Posted on July 31, 2017January 17, 2018 by melissaburgess

If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. I’m telling you, right here, right now: it’s okay to not be okay. All too often nowadays, we feel this pressure to always be okay; to never feel down, never let ourselves feel ANYTHING; to always be cheerful and happy and upbeat. We feel pressure to always answer the question “How are you?” with “I’m fine/good/great/whatever” instead of the actual truth.

Starting today, allow yourself to truly feel whatever it is you’re feeling. It’s okay to be sad about losing a loved one, a friend moving away, a job change, finishing a good book, whatever. It’s okay to be hurt. It’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to be angry (as long as you aren’t physically hurting anyone.) It’s okay to be happy.

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10 Things You Should Know Before Your Wedding

Posted on July 12, 2017January 17, 2018 by melissaburgess

If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’re likely engaged, or at least heading toward a wedding. It will be the most incredible, beautiful day of your life. You’ll probably deal with at least some stress beforehand, but when all is said and done, you’ll get to spend a wonderful life with your partner.

That being said, here are a few things I learned along the way to help YOU relieve stress and enjoy your special day!

It’s your wedding, not anyone else’s. It’s easy to feel pressure from friends, parents, etc. They’re all likely well-meaning, but it’s your wedding day, not theirs. It’s up to you how much input you want to let others have on things like your wedding dress (Say Yes to the Dress, anyone?), food, etc. We’ve all seen that list circulating the Internet about “stupid wedding trends” or whatever, but my thought is this: DO WHAT YOU WANT. WHATEVER YOU WANT. Seriously. Whoever you want in your bridal party, invite them; and whoever you don’t, don’t. Whatever band you want to hire, go for it! Same goes for the food, the venue, the dress, and all that jazz.

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Miscellaneous, Travel & Experiences

11-Day Power Play Makes a Difference

Posted on July 3, 2017January 17, 2018 by melissaburgess

In the course of a National Hockey League, a player will typically skate for anywhere from five to 25 minutes, with the occasional exception. Those minutes will be spread out over the 60-minute-long game, broken up into periods with a pair of 17-minute intermissions between.

Those players are professionals; they get paid to play, and train year-long to keep their bodies in top shape. When the final buzzer sounds after 60 minutes, they enjoy a meal, then go home to spend time with their families, rest, and relax.

The 11-Day Power Play was a hockey game… but it was nothing like that. This world-record breaking feat saw a group of 40 guys train for months to spend 11 straight days at the rink. Their shifts were roughly four and a half hours long, with only brief, strict 10-minute breaks for the Zamboni to resurface the ice or shovels to clean the ice every hour.

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