The Thought Bible by Chloe Blankenhorn
I am so so excited about this week’s post! My dear friend Chloe and I are kindred anxious spirits, retired dancers, and California Girls until we die. Chloe is full of love, kindness and wisdom which is just the energy we need here on the blog. Her “Thought Bible” is ever-growing, ever-knowing, and I can confidently say I will be living by it’s every word from now on. Happy reading:)
Hello everyone! My name is Chloe Blankenhorn, I am 19 years old and from San Diego, California! I have grown up in San Diego, Carlsbad specifically, my whole life and have soaked up every moment of it. I am currently a second year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo studying Food and Nutritional Sciences. Although SLO is a beautiful, vivacious and incredible place to live, it takes second place to San Diego for sure - you just can't beat it!
I met beautiful, talented Olivia through a local dance studio in Carlsbad. I initially was blown away by not just her breathtaking leaps, but also her presence in any room. Olivia, there is something so special about you…you bring light to every space you’re in and can talk to truly anyone. I look up to you so much and am SO proud of all that you have accomplished. I cannot wait to watch Help A Girl Out grow. <3
Transitioning from my small Carlsbad bubble to a four year university nearly twenty times as big was a struggle for me…I was quite overwhelmed to say the least. Trying to make friends, find my way around campus and do well in my classes while simultaneously missing the familiarity of home left me with a heavy heart. It was months into feeling this way and hours of phone calls with my mom when I knew I needed to make a change. This was when my “Thought Bible” was created.
I am someone that LOVES advice. Critiques, constructive criticism, relationship tips, how to get over a guy - all of it. As you can imagine, I received a LOT of advice my freshman year, and I still do to this day! With this, I began to write advice I was told in my notes, titling this page as my “Thought Bible”: a cumulative list of almost every quote, phrase and tip I’ve been given, seen on social media, and thought of on my own. I have been gifted the opportunity to share pieces of my Thought Bible with you, so here are some of my favorites!
1. “I am not afraid to be seen trying”
About a year ago, one of my closest friends told me that embarrassment is JUST a mindset. That shook me. To this day, I think this to myself whenever something slightly embarrassing happens to me. I like to think this affirmation aligns with that same idea. Personally, I would classify myself as a very self-conscious person (don’t worry, my therapist and I are working hard on this one) and it is something that affects my day-to-day life. If we're getting really vulnerable here, things like asking a question in class or even meeting new people can be scary and anxiety inducing for me. Trying something new takes a lot of vulnerability. However, repeating this quote as an affirmation helps bring me back down to earth when my head is stuck in clouds of worry, scared to be seen vulnerable.
2. “You still have all the time in the world to become all you wish to be”
I feel like in 2023 our generation is pushed to succeed at SUCH an early age: get a job at 16, go to a university at 18, graduate at 21 then work for who knows how long. It is so easy for us to get tangled in a web of what other people are doing and where we should be. I think it is so important to remember that we DO have time, lots of it actually. I know people say “Life’s short,” but it actually is quite long. You DO have time to do all that you want to do, see all that you want to see, and become the person you want to be.
3. “Give yourself permission to not have to know right now”
Shoutout to my mom for this one… I’ve probably heard this phrase 200 times in the past few years. As a worrier, I get caught up in my own thoughts a lot. It’s ridiculously easy for me to get ahead of myself and spiral unnecessarily. By allowing myself to settle with the unknown and find peace in what I don’t know, I can find comfort in the present.
4. “There is no value in beauty”
In today's society it is so hard to detach beauty from value. Influencers get followers because of the way that they look and even get sent massive PR packages because of their following. Simply put, you are not more valuable as a human being if you are “prettier” or “more handsome.” In my opinion, your value as a human being is based on the way you treat others and the way you treat yourself. Value is completely internal, never external.
5. JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out)
Being in college, there are so many fun things for us to do: go to themed parties, explore our college towns, meet new people, ect. Recently, I’ve been staying in a bit more due to personal reasons, and have come to find that there actually is joy in “missing out.” In fact, I don’t even consider staying home as “missing” anything, since there is no loss to me by working on homework or doing some self care. Although going out is fun and always good for the plot, the benefits of staying home can outweigh going out sometimes. This year, I have really been working on enjoying my own company and spending more time with myself. I am awesome and I am my own best friend! I don't always need to be around other people, which is normal and should be celebrated!
I hope you enjoy reading this and consider incorporating some of these tips in your life! We are all trying the best we can, so be gentle with yourself and with others. You are loved, valued, respected and needed in this world. Never forget you are stronger than you think and more capable than you know!
