3 Best Coffee Shops to Work or Study in Peace – Greenville, SC

As someone who is sensitive to noise and large crowds, I know the importance of finding spaces where I can produce good work in peace. So, if you are looking for some peace and quiet, keep on reading. 

 

There are certain qualities that I look for in a space when I am looking to study or work. First, how bright is the space (I know it might sound silly, but there are a lot of people like me out there), how busy and loud it gets, how much space there is ( is everyone on top of each other) to sit around, and how good is their coffee or tea (because we are all about that good coffee ya know)? 

 

Fortunately, there are many coffee shops in Greenville and surrounding, but only a few that I can comfortably recommend if you need to sit for a full study or work session in peace. Here are my top three favorite coffee shops based on sensory sensitivity:

#1 A20

A20 is a new coffee shop with a beautiful selection of curated gifts and fresh-cut flowers for you to take home or gift a loved one. What I love about this place is how it has only a few sitting spots, which makes it less busy and crowded allowing you to do your work or study in peace.

 

The music is always soft, and the room is filled with natural light making it feel cozy and not sensory overwhelming.

 

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#2 Junto

 Spacious, plenty of sitting, lots of natural light, and soft music ( if any ) make for the perfect place for someone as neurodivergent as me! I always feel productive here. 

 

 

Ps.: Make sure to check for their hours of operation as they usually close early in certain days.

 

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#3 Leopard Forest Coffee Company

Another favorite spot. It is a quaint little space and on the outskirts of town. Delicious coffee and only a few sittings make it also perfect for a getaway from the house to get some study or work done.

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Do you have any other place that you enjoy working from in the Upstate and want to share, just drop a comment down below.

Failure, Self-Reflection and Release Practice

We are conditioned to not embrace failure as part of our growth and to push the feelings of failure as far away as possible and numb ourselves from the idea that failure can be a good thing.

But what if embracing failure and a shortcoming as the fuel you need to step into a whole new self? What if failure is your secret ingredient to thrive?

I have come to the conclusion that in my shortcomings failure was actually meant to be looked at with kindness and nurtured instead of pushed away and ignored. 

In this journal entry, I want to share with you why should you embrace your season of failure, how to embrace it, and some afterthoughts. 

Shall we begin?

It all begin with Why!

If you search for the word failure it will say that failure is: ” a lack of success.” or “the omission of expected or required action.” Can you feel the heaviness of the word.

Now, let’s look at it from the angle that you might have stopped putting in action in a certain project that you have been working so hard for a while and you are not seeing results. The reality is that there are many projects that you might have started and you didn’t see fruit, but that does not mean that you are not capable of, it just means that your original plans or blue print for that project wasn’t sound enough, or maybe the timing wasn’t right.

I personally have a tendency to be extremely hard on myself when it comes to not “achieving” success or completion of projects. 

So, I invite you to look at the conditioned words that you have been labeling yourself, and give a different meaning to it.  Why not create your own vocabulary and meaning and look at words differently.

Design Your Own Dictionary Exercise

Begin with the words that have a negative connotation like failure, and give a new meaning to you. Make it fun take the negative stigma and shift your mindset.

The world Dictionary

FAILURE
  1. lack of success.
  2. the omission of expected or required action

My Dictionary

FAILURE
  1. you are almost there, try again!
  2. stop to reflect and see if that goal is still something you want to pursue, check within yourself if it feels true to you.

Run this exercise with every word you believe have a negative connotation and keep it in a notebook with easy access or in your digital planner. Now, you might be wondering what will that do for you? 

Here is what will happen, as soon as you start to give a different meaning to words that once had a heavy weight in your life and literally and emotionally put you down, you will being to shift your perception and start feeling in control of the world you live in. 

So, whenever you face a moment in your life that was not expected you will then empower your mind to look at things from your perspective. Cool, no?

How to embrace a hard seasons?

Having a goal and not achieving the “expected” results might feel like you are not good enough or are just not cut out for something in particular, but the reality is that any perceived shortcoming is just good feedback.

Feedback as shown in the dictionary is: “information about reactions to a product, a person’s performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.” 

Now, that you are looking at words in a whole new way, and shifting your mindset to live more in purpose, take all of the feedback received and readjust your plan(s) or take a break.

Take Inventory & Release Exercise

In a simple piece of paper(or digital), write at the top the goal you have been working on or maybe just your name, and below write all of the words that come to mind for you

You will notice that as you write each word, a feeling will arise inside your body, it can be a pit in your stomach, a burning in the belly, a tension in the back, or even just a light feeling throughout your body. Don’t ignore those feelings, just work with them because the truth is that your body communicates with you all the time about areas that you might be feeling good or bad about.

One of the easiest ways to release or increase the sensation (good or bad) in your body is by facing it and getting to release it with breath work, meditation, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique ), and other techniques you are comfortable with.

So, once you are done adding those keywords to your piece of paper/digital notebook, move forward to determining if it feels good or not, you can then apply the dictionary technique and modify the meaning of the words(if negative) in combination with shifting your mindset and feeling of the word.

After Thoughts

This exercise should be done in parts in case you have a lot of areas you want to work on. Here is my challenge to you, begin small, work through the sensations and negative mindsets, build your own personal self-reflection and release practice, and watch the world change around you.

Share your experiences in the comment section below. in the comment section.

A New Season with a Dash of Healing

Where to begin…

This season feels different since I started to do some self-introspection and soul-searching since the start of my business two years ago.

Starting something that you are deeply passionate and not see it flourish took a town on my emotions and it brought me to a place that I just didn’t know what to do.

I found myself sad, depressed and burned out – a sad reality to a lot of us. I had to make a decision and bring everything the business, myself and my ideas to a full stop in order to recover.

I moved out of the commercial space that I invested thousands of dollars, removed myself from all social media, and took a much needed break.

And since it all came to pass I still find myself recovering from extreme burnout, experiencing insomnia, and discovering more and more what I am not longer willing to force myself to do. I feel like I have lived this season before, but I guess this time is different since I am not finding the energy to pick myself up and restart again. It feels like my body cough up to my fight or flight response, where we are no longer fighting.

 

Moving Foward

Im order to strucure a healthy transition and build some structure in my life, I decided to go back to school this fall. 

College has been a dream that I had for a really long time, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. A time where I found myself in major conflict with all the choices I made in my career. All and all I know one thing for sure, and that is that It doesn’t matter if I choose what I want to do career-wise, I know I will be good at it, but the question remains, will I be “feel” happy and fulfilled?

I guess that is the question I have pondered more and more, which is what is work that will make me feel fulfilled and satisfied? Is taking this path what I am supposed to be doing? Or should you follow what other people (parents, significant other, friend, boss, etc.) think is best for you?

Educare, meaning to draw forth, bring out, develop from a latent condition. To unfold and refine what is wthin.

Human Givens: A New Approach to emotional health and clear thinking (pg 13)

How can I trust myselft?

This is the first time that I am having a hard time trusting myself. I have been that go-go-go girl for so long, and always picked myself up whenever I felt flat. 

There was this energy in me that always allowed me to come back and start over again. But this season is different, that energy is no longer there, and I have a funny feeling that it was never meant to be there to begin with. 

 

You see, when you immediately stand up and dust off your shoulders and get back in the game, there is something fundamentally important that needs to first happen, and that is, processing your emotions before you get back in the game.

Now, I am convinced not that I never allowed myself to process my emotions thoroughly, due to living in a survivorship state, plus I had no immediate family support around me, and so in my fight or flight response I alway found myself in fight mode.

This time around, I could not get myself to fight anymore as much as I wanted to. All of the fight responses accumulated to a point of chronic exhaustion and depression

So, the questions still remains, on how can I/you trust yourself?

And the best answer I could come up with is to listen to mybody. There is a reason why we feel a certain way, and understanding that when traumatic events occur the first step is to check in with yourself, and avoid picking yourself up too quickly. 

Also, consulting with a professional to guide you and provide resources is also very important.  

Next Steps

I am the type of person that I wears my emotion on my sleeves, and so It is easy to know when I am well or not. I don’t pretend to feel something when I am not in the best state of mind. Now that I am processing my emotions, and building some structure around my healing journey with school and slow living, I have to say that rebuilding trust on myself is something that I now know will take time, and for that I am grateful, because I need time to just be with no pressure and expectations. 

I hope this passage helps. I would love to hear your comments.

Two apps that changed my ADHD life (academia + work)

Life can be quite a challenge, especially for late-diagnosed adults with ADHD. The constant struggle to stay organized, meet deadlines, and remember important tasks can be overwhelming. However, in this article, I’m thrilled to share two apps that have been nothing short of a universe-sent blessing for me: Notability and Notion. These two productivity powerhouses have not only helped me regain control of my academic and work life but have also transformed my cluttered desk into a paper-free haven. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or anyone looking to boost their productivity, these apps, with their free and paid versions, are worth a test drive.

Notability: A Digital Note-Taking Marvel

Notability is a digital note-taking app that seamlessly combines the advantages of both handwritten and typed notes. For someone with ADHD, this app is a game-changer for several reasons:

a) Flexibility in Note-Taking: Notability allows you to jot down notes with a stylus, type them out, or even record audio alongside your notes. This flexibility accommodates various learning styles and preferences, ensuring that you can capture information in the way that works best for you.

b) Organization Made Simple: The app offers robust organizational tools, making it easy to categorize and search for your notes. Color-coded notebooks, tags, and a powerful search function help you quickly locate any piece of information you need, reducing the frustration of sifting through stacks of paper.

c) Sync Across Devices: Notability syncs seamlessly across all your devices, from your iPad to your smartphone or laptop. This ensures that your notes are always accessible, no matter where you are, which can be a lifesaver for individuals with ADHD who may misplace physical notebooks.

Notion: The Ultimate Productivity Hub

Notion, often referred to as an all-in-one workspace, is an incredibly versatile tool for individuals seeking better organization and productivity. Here’s why combining Notion with Notability can be a game-changing duo:

a) Centralized Information: Notion provides a centralized hub for all your tasks, notes, projects, and more. By integrating Notability into your Notion workspace, you can have your handwritten or typed notes seamlessly linked to relevant tasks, projects, or deadlines. This linkage ensures that you don’t lose track of essential information.

b) Customizability: Notion is highly customizable. You can design your workspace to suit your unique needs and preferences. For someone with ADHD, this means creating a clutter-free, distraction-free digital environment tailored to your workflow.

c) Task Management: Notion’s robust task management capabilities enable you to set deadlines, create to-do lists, and track your progress easily. You can even set reminders to help you stay on top of your tasks, which is particularly helpful for those with ADHD who struggle with time management.

Define Your Purpose: Why Knowing How You'll Use the App Matters.

While both Notability and Notion are powerful tools on their own, it’s crucial to have a clear idea of how you’ll use them. Simply downloading the apps won’t magically improve your productivity. Instead, consider the following:

a) Identify Your Goals: Determine what you want to achieve with these apps. Are you using Notability primarily for note-taking during lectures or meetings? Are you incorporating Notion to manage your tasks and projects? Knowing your goals helps you use these apps more effectively.

b) Establish Routines: Create routines and workflows that incorporate these apps into your daily life. Consistency is key for individuals with ADHD, and having a structured approach to app usage can lead to better results.

c) Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins with yourself to assess how the apps are helping you. Are they streamlining your tasks and reducing your stress levels? Are there any aspects that could be improved or customized further to better suit your needs?

In the journey to improve productivity and regain control of your life, the combination of Notability and Notion can be a game-changing strategy. However, the true power of these apps lies not just in their features but in how effectively you integrate them into your routines and workflows. By defining your purpose, setting goals, and maintaining regular check-ins, you can harness the full potential of these tools to manage your academic and work life more efficiently. Additionally, going paperless can significantly reduce clutter, improve accessibility, and enhance searchability, making it a beneficial choice for individuals with ADHD. So, take Notability and Notion for a test drive and experience firsthand the transformative impact they can have on your productivity and organization.

This text has been created with my original ideas and polished up with ChatGPT.

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (August 3 Version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

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Switching from Shopify to WordPress (2023)

In this video I share my feedback and experience in the past two years using Shopify and how did I switch it. It might be a good starter video to learn more about some limitations within Shopify and see if this is an option for you.

Let me know what you think.