Do something new.

"If you do what you've always done, then you will always get what you always got" -Mark Twain 

Whether it's eating or exercising, I have always loved trying new things. This week I tried something new that was fun and beneficially. I tried spinning for the first time. (Not the thread and needle type, but the exercising type).

By definition, spinning is an INTENSE form of aerobic exercise preformed on stationary exercise bikes and led by an instructor who sets the constantly varying pace. It is extremely INTENSE. I hope I have made my point about how INTENSE spinning is.

So it was my first time spinning and I was kind of nervous that I would find some way to mess up. I have to admit, my foot did fly out of the "foot-holder" a couple of times. Spinning was an excellent was for me to burn some calories and to relieve stress. They blasted the music, the lights were low, colorful lights were shining everywhere, and the instructor was yelling commands left and right.

My friends and I were only spinning for an hour and we came out with sweat-covered faces and barely moveable legs. It was a really fun and hard exercise.

Trying spinning this week gave me motivation to try even more new ways to keep myself fit. I am now going to try to motivate myself to workout more and more each week to get in shape. Now I can add that to my bucket list.

Volunteer somewhere.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill

Why do you volunteer? A hand full of students volunteer because it looks good for colleges, but you should volunteer because you want to. The key to volunteering is to follow your passion. I am volunteering this summer at Miami Children's Hospital. It's the right choice for me because I love kids and working in the medical field has always been my dream. Also, seeing all of the sick children's smiles spread across their faces as volunteers walk into their room will definitely make my summer.

You have probably read about families who have been impacted by certain diseases and created a charity to help cure those diseases. Those families are passionate about finding a cure. They want something good to come out of their tragic loss, in memory of their beloved family member.

Are there any particular causes that are important to you? You need to be happy with what you are doing and work in an area where you have ability. For example, if you are passionate about children (like me), volunteering at Miami Children's Hospital would be perfect.

Volunteering is not all about benefitting the people you know best. It's about helping a complete stranger who needs you most. It's one of those things that leaves you with a good feeling. It doesn't only make a difference in the community, but it changes your perspective on what is important in life. Volunteering reminds me that the world is way bigger than I think it is.

Volunteer work may seem simple but it means so much to those who are affected by it. It's never to late to start.

Eat healthy for a week.

So this week, I completed another task on my bucket list. I ate healthy for a whole week! I know it doesn't sound that hard, but trust me, not eating my favorite junk foods for a week has been a very challenging task. 

I started out most days with fruit. It really benefitted me because an apple or strawberries is easier to grab and go to school with than a bowl of cheerios. I usually don't eat breakfast and when I do it's not the healthiest, but this past week, I noticed that eating a healthy breakfast gave me so much more energy throughout the day.

My go-to early morning breakfasts.

When I get home from school, I'm starving. An easy snack to have while studying for an AP World History vocabulary quiz is a Naked smoothie. My favorite flavor is strawberry banana, but Naked has so many flavors to choose from ranging from sweet smoothies made of blueberries and bananas to cherries and cranberries.

My after-school strawberry and banana smoothie.

Over the weekend, while eating lunch with friends, I was still able to maintain my healthy diet. I ordered a salad crepe from The Crepe Maker rather than one of the dessert ones. Believe me, it was very hard to turn down a strawberry-nutella crepe.

Salad Crepe.

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live in." -Jim Rohn.

It's only too late if you don't start now.

Here is a question worth asking yourself: If you never had to work another day in your life, and money was no object, what would you do? I heard this question a couple of weeks ago and it made me really start to think. That night I let my imagination soar and came up with a list of things I want to do before my freshman year of high school ends. Being new to Miami, this is a great way for me to push myself to become more acquainted to my community.

• Start a blog
• Volunteer somewhere
• Do 10 random acts of kindness
• Eat healthy for a week
• Write letters to three people who I haven't seen in a while
• Do something new
• Eat something that I have never eaten before
• Take a yoga class

I called this list my bucket list. So what is a bucket list? By definition, it's a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. It could actually be anything you wanted it to be; a way to motivate yourself in school, a way to get yourself onto a higher-level baseball team, or even just something to get you out of bed in the morning.

If I don't take my goals seriously something is bound to get in the way. So I am putting my foot down and making this list my commitment.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -Abraham Lincoln.