what i was grateful for in january.

Hey guys, how are you all doing? I still have a bit of a cough, but I feel so much better, that after I write this blog post, I'm going to the gym (I'm saying this to you, so I feel more accountable).

I've been feeling on and off with my mood. The good thing that has been happening this entire week (only been three days so far, but I'm still super shocked by this) is the fact that the weather's been warm! Like end of winter, spring time weather! On Sunday, I didn't even need to wear a heavy jacket, just the sweater I was wearing for the day! While I'm loving this weather, I have to say that it scares me a bit, because this is definitely not normal.

Today, I thought I would go back to this series that I had last year, where I would talk about all the things that I was grateful for last month. I believe in the law of attraction, and when you talk and think about all the good in your life, you are more likely to attract more good and positive things into your life.

I think I mentioned this in my last gratitude post, but I've been using the 5 minute gratitude journal app and I've been loving it. It allows me to feel grateful every day (twice a day, when I remember), and it honestly really improves my mood. While it is a paid app, it is one of those things that I think is beyond worth it if you're going to use it. Your happiness is one of the most important things in the world, and if there are tools to help you reach your own happiness, then they're 100% worth it. So, please look into it! (FYI, definitely not sponsored, I just really love this app, and want other people to love it just as much as I do)

So let's get into it!

visited my brother in connecticut before he moved.

Most of you guys know by now, but my brother is in the Navy. I've been blessed to have my brother based so close to me. Whenever he has a weekend off and isn't deployed, we have the chance to visit one another.

In the next month or so, he's moving back to South Carolina, and so he will be much further away. Now, I was driving about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get to him, while South Carolina is about 10 hours away, give or take depending on traffic.

I was super happy that I had the chance to visit him one last time in the beautiful state of Connecticut, before he moved. I have to say, I'm also a bit excited for him moving to South Carolina, because I loved Charleston as a city! The downtown area is so cute!

went to a shooting range for the first time.

The weekend I went to visit my brother, I tried something I had never done before. I went to a shooting range. I have never shot a gun before, much less hold one, so I honestly didn't know what to expect.

We went to this spot in Rhode Island.The place was super clean, organized, and welcoming. Since my brother had a license, we didn't have to do a beginner's course. They lent us some headphones, we had to wear some clear glasses, and they brought us into this room.

The first thing I'll tell you is that it is super loud, even with the protective head gear. They have 2-3 people supervising about 6 rows, so I really liked that. They set us up in a few rows. One row for each gun you're going to use. The purpose of this is that the guns don't move, they stay put in the row they're assigned to.

So I shot three guns, a 22 caliber, a 9mm pistol, and an assault rifle. My favorite was the 22 caliber. There was little to no recoil, and so I was extremely accurate with it. My least favorite was the 9mm because it had a lot of recoil for me, and I felt like I couldn't accurately shoot where I wanted it to. You would think that the rifle was my least favorite, but the rifle is actually pretty steady. You put it against your shoulder, and so you have a lot of control with it. I didn't like how loud it was when you shot though.

Overall, it was a great experience, and I would honestly go back! Being in a controlled environment like that made me realize that shooting guns can be fun. Guns can be such dangerous tools, that I didn't expect to like an activity like this. I was scared of guns, and holding one in my hands was weird, for lack of a better word. Being in a room full of instructors/supervisors, and being able to shoot at a target was actually enjoyable! Have you guys ever gone to a shooting range, or would you? Let me know!

my best friend got her first apartment!

Okay, so this title is a bit misleading. My best friend, Erika, actually got her apartment in November, but the first time I have had the chance to see it was last month. I've been so happy for her throughout the entire process, but seeing her home in person, it much more read to me and made me so so so happy.

She deserves it so much, and I just had to mention that I was so grateful for the milestones of my friends as well.

the bachelor premiered.

I told myself that I wasn't going to watch this season. I'm not a fan of Colton. At. All. The funny thing is that I've still watched most of all the episodes (I did take a nap during some of them). This season has actually been so funny to me! My favorite is probably Demi, because she cracks me up.

While I'm not a fan of him, it's extremely entertaining to watch, and just makes me laugh almost the entire time.

So this was my month in a nutshell, how was yours? What did you do throughout the month of January? What have you been grateful for recently? Let me know in the comments down below! As always, thank you so much for reading. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. Sending you love, strength, and positivity.

-Melina xxx