Lifestyle

Culture

Travel

<h1>Rediscovering the Multi-Passionate You During a Global Pandemic</h1>
By: Molly O’Toole
Self-assuredness has been something that has always ebbed and flowed for me. When I was a little girl, I was sure that I was going to be the next Indiana Jones, going off on amazing adventures until I was told very pointedly in my fourth-grade class that obsessing over King Tut in my spare time was “so not cool.”
So, I changed my tune and took up sports like every other girl my age, until I was told I didn’t have what it takes to be an amazing player by the girls in my class that wanted to my starting spot. So, even though I felt confident playing ball, I changed again and found love in the theater community.
Can you guess what happened there? Yep. You guessed it — I had a difficult time forming into the collegiate theater community because I wasn’t a true theater kid. So I found myself once again finding a way to change my path. During all of these encounters, I found that I loved what I was doing, but let the opinion of others and what others thought of me change my choices.
Society tells us that we need to pick one thing when we are 18 years old (with really no life experience behind us), focus on it, and be the very best at that one thing alone. Well, what if I say screw that? I found that after college, I was having to change my path once again because I wasn’t fitting society’s norms of what others thought of me. It was only during the pandemic that I actually took the time to self-reflect on what it was that I wanted in life. What I saw myself doing. Ultimately, what would make me happy. Because guess what? Everyone is going to have an opinion on what you should do with your life, but ultimately you are the one living those choices. So you mine as well make them your own.
This is something that I am still struggling with, but find that I’m starting to build my own path in life. I love culture, history, media, people, art, helping others, and always having variety in my day. When I look at that list — I see some really amazing things that can make up a wonderful and fulfilled life. So, why does it still feel like society is saying I can’t have them all?
I’ve decided to walk to my own beat — someone who is pursuing multiple passions at once and luckily there are parts of society today that are embracing these types of individuals. I love seeing “girlbosses” out there rocking multiple hats and trying to reinvent themselves over and over. These women are brave. They are confident. They are inspiring. These are the women I am choosing to be like.
I am still in my rediscovery phase — I am focusing on going back to school, finding a new job, and creating side hustles that inspire me every day. I am learning to love the new (well, maybe that’s the wrong word), the true me. If you are struggling with what life has thrown at you or are pivoting in life — know I believe in you and you are not alone. Listen to your desires, you got this.

Magma makes every moment matter. Create digital, mini-magazines to share your life’s greatest experiences.

It’s time to rediscover the true you that’s inside. Embrace that multi-passionate you - here’s how — @undefined's mag on Magma

Mental Health

<h1>Letter to My Younger Self: The Over Anxious 16 Year Old</h1>
By: Molly O’Toole
Dear 16-year old me,
On the cusp of my/your 26th birthday, I find myself thinking back on the last 10 years with equal parts awe and pride. Thinking of where I thought I would be in life as an anxious 16-year-old girl and where I am are a world away from each other. So let me tell you, girl, you need to start learning to relax.
Here’s the sitch on the last 10 years:
The friends you have now may seem wonderful, but soon you will learn that heartbreak doesn’t only come from romantic relationships but friendships as well. It will hurt but will teach you that it’s okay to start over with relationships and you will meet your people

You go to an amazing university (one you’ve never even heard of yet!), meet an amazing guy you are still with after almost 8 years (I know, I can’t believe it either), make an amazing group of friends, and live abroad in your dream city- London, baby!
You move to the city of angels after graduation to follow your dreams and hate it. The pressure of making it, the toxic culture, and the overall reality bubble of college getting popped gets to you and all you want is what you know. You leave to start your own business, struggling to make it work for two years before a global pandemic puts you and everyone in this world on hold for an entire year.
Oh, and you get the most wonderful puppy that makes your every day just that much brighter.

So, here we are; ten years later, trying to figure out what you want life to look like in a world that is alien to what you know. You still struggle with anxiety on a daily basis, but during this time of uncertainty, you have found some clarity about yourself.
I won’t claim to know everything — in fact, I really feel like I am having to relearn all I know, but this is what I’ve figured out so far.

1.	Make decisions with your life in mind: no one has ever forced you into any decision, but your need to please everyone has forced you to upset the one person that matters, yourself. You have dreams and they will ebb and flow as you experience more things in life and guess what? That’s okay. The people that love you only want you to be happy — they may have their own ideas of what that is — but you are the one living those choices. Make them your own.
2.	Life is short:I know this is a cliche but it has never rung more true than after this year. It has forced everyone to quarantine, fear for the lives of their loved ones, learn what an “essential job” truly is, and at the end of the day, re-evaluate what we all thought we knew about life. You’ve found a new purpose and it gives you an immense amount of relief and anxiety in equal measure, but ultimately it brings you peace. Peace in that you are starting to listen to yourself.
3.	The key to start finding happiness: Stop caring about the opinions of others. Stop comparing yourself to those Instagram photos that have yet to take off, stop thinking you’re unsuccessful because you aren’t a millionaire by the age of 26. Just live what you love. Focus on the small things — what makes you laugh, brings you peace, what calms that constant storm living inside of you.

Now, these are lessons you are still grappling with and trying to impart in your everyday life, but you are taking minor steps every day to learn more about yourself and follow these steps for a more authentic you.
At (almost) 26 you are starting over. Listening to yourself. Learning to re-love yourself. And you are okay.
So relax, study hard, and listen to your mom. She’s right most of the time (That’s always supposed to be the best advice right? Well, in this case, it’s true).

Life is weird and wonderful. Start learning to go with the flow, because life is going to throw you on a path you never would expect.
Peace out girl,
the older and maybe wiser you

Wisdame Letters | Letter to My Younger Self: The Over Anxious 16 Year Old — @undefined's mag on Magma

Health

Beauty

<h1>I Got an IUD | Here’s How My Body Changed</h1>
By: Molly O’Toole
Alright, ladies. Let’s talk birth control. Whether you are sexually active, have problems with your period, looking to clear up your skin, or any other reason, odds are you have decided to start birth control. While looking for birth control, you know you are faced with many options when it comes to deciding what form of birth control is right for you.
For years I was on the pill and it worked wonders for me (I received mine to help with my many period problems). While the pill did not stop my period altogether, it did help clear up my skin, help my mood, and made my period as tolerable as a period can be. That is until my body decided that it needed a change.
I noticed that my body was starting to have heavier periods and my mood swings were getting worse as I was entering into my twenties — I know, prime time to have all this sh*t start back up again. So I talked to my OBGYN about what my options were and we landed on the Kyleena IUD. My doctor felt that Kyleena was a better fit for my body type over Mirena, but talk to your doctor and see which option is best for you.

If you are thinking of starting or changing your birth control, talk to your OBGYN about the different birth control options and find which ones right for you.I chose to try the IUD for three reasons:
1. To make my periods become tolerable and maybe have them disappear altogether.
2. To not have to worry about taking a pill simultaneously every day — my period was so bad that if I didn’t take it at the exact time I needed to, then BAM, my period would start.
3. Because my doctor felt I needed to try a different type of hormone as I was becoming older.
Now, with any birth control you take, there is always a risk of side effects and I had heard that the side effects with an IUD can be pretty bad for the first six months or so. Well, I’m coming up on six months with this sucker, which is how my body was affected.

The Procedure: Make sure to bring someone with you to drive you home after because let me tell you — getting one of these suckers in is not an easy feat. Now it is completely tolerable ladies, but you will have some cramps for the following hours and you may get lightheaded while it’s being put in. I had to stay and drink Sprite to make sure that I wouldn’t pass out.
First Three Months:&nbsp;My doctor felt it would be best for my body to transition to the IUD rather than switching right off the bat, so she had me stay on my birth control pills for the first three months. During those months, I really didn’t notice any difference in my body or mood other than my period went from being unbearable to pretty much non-existent in a matter of two months! WHOOHOO!
Okay here’s the good part:&nbsp;After I finished my birth control pills and was only on the IUD, I noticed my body started to change (essentially it feels like my body is going through a second puberty).
I noticed that I started seeing acne, not much, but enough to notice a difference when it was close to my time of the month and in random places on my body (my shoulders, chest, top of legs).
My body has gone from being stick-thin with very little curves, to a curvier woman in about the span of two months. Now, don’t get me wrong — having a bigger butt and a little bit of bigger boobs is nice — but in the span of two months, I gained about twenty pounds while also eating better and working out more. I know doesn’t really make much sense.

Here’s what didn’t change:&nbsp;My mood overall has remained the same and guess what ladies — NO PERIOD! Now, I can tell when I’m having my period because I still feel the cramps and still need to wear panty liners for discharge and things (sorry, I know it’s gross but I’m just being honest).
As any OBGYN will tell you, they can not definitively say that weight gain is a symptom of birth control, but I wanted to share what my reaction is for those out there who are also scouring the internet looking to see if anyone has had similar issues that you are experiencing. I’ve talked to quite a few ladies about birth control symptoms, and all are different — some lost weight on ones that others gained. Maybe if we are more open to talking about our birth control problems, we can help find a solution. If you have had any experiences with any form of birth control and would like to share — comment below! Good luck ladies, it’s a rough world out there. PERIOD.

Let's talk birth control | here’s how my body changed with an IUD — @undefined's mag on Magma

Blogging

Boston

<h1>THE EXPLORER: 24 HRS IN BOSTON, MA</h1>
By: Molly O’Toole

Who doesn't love cobblestone streets, charming coffee shops, and fun celebrations? So when passing through Boston, MA, I knew I had to make sure I made time to spend a day in this charming city, and Boston, you did not disappoint! I have always been a pretty extensive history nerd and was beyond excited to see many of the historical landmarks this city has preserved. With only 24 hours in the city – here is our guide on everything you can not miss while visiting Boston, MA!

The Freedom Trail: Boston is full of history, so much so that you can walk the freedom trail and learn more about the events that helped shape our nation. Because we only had 24 hours in the city, we did not have time to make a stop-off at every location, so here are a few of our favorite stops!

•	USS Constitution – the oldest commissioned warship. Start the Freedom Trail here at the USS Constitution before entering the central part of the city. This is also a great spot to see Boston's amazing city line.
	•	Old North Church – "The British are coming! The British are coming!" Make sure to stop off at the place that started the American Revolution and is best known for the midnight ride of Paul Revere and "One if by land, two if by sea."
	•	Faneuil Hall: Faneuil Hall hosted the first town meeting in America, also known as the home of free speech. Located in the heart of Boston, it is located near many restaurants and shops! It can be hectic, so make sure to keep your party together!

Brattle Book Shop: one of the coolest outdoor bookstores I have ever visited. Great place to pick up a classic at a reasonable price and take some fantastic photos! Located right off of Boston's public park.

Tatte Bakery: I love a good bakery, and Tatte Bakery definitely took the cake (pun intended). With an incredible atmosphere, great food, and reasonable prices, Tatte is a definite when visiting the Boston area.

Public Park: I never realized Boston had its own Central Park. Boston's Public Park is a great place to walk around and take in Boston's greenery and cobblestone streets. It is located in a great neighborhood, very clean, and near a lot of the action, Boston has to offer.

Quincy Market: Located next to Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market is a great place to grab a bite. And listen up Cheers! Fans – you can live out your fandom at the Cheers! Restaurant located at Quincy Market! It gets jam-packed, so maybe try going at an off-hour for food to avoid the big crowds!
All in all, Boston has some fantastic landmarks and is a definite must if you are stopping through!

Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@reddalec?utm_source=magma&utm_medium=referral">Redd</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=magma&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a> — @undefined's mag on Magma

<h1>Welcome Wisdame Women</h1>
By: Molly O’Toole
This is Wisdame, a lifestyle editorial about women sharing their wisdom on culture, travel, love, + life. We have created a safe space for women to share their thoughts on culture, travel, love, and everything in between.
It can feel isolating to see that everyone on Instagram seems to have their life figured out. I know we have been in that boat before, and we always think, what could I be learning from them? What are they doing that I’m not doing? Can we please talk about how I’m feeling, the stresses that I’m facing in my day-to-day life? If you have had any of these thoughts, you have come to the right place.

We want to start conversations around all things happening in life and see what we can learn from one another, highlight the fantastic accomplishments all of you are achieving, and get real about the struggle we all face in our day-to-day lives.

So, come along for the ride! We hope reading along and seeing that you are not alone can help brighten your day just a little bit. And hey, if you have something you would like to share, reach out and say hey! We would love to hear from you! 
Let’s start the conversation and share what wisdom we have in life.
Welcome to the Wisdame community!