Living Life with Intention

There is a spinning class that I go to and the instructor always talks about having an intention for the ride. It can be anything from just making it through the ride or de-stressing for the coming day. But I think that this is an important  to have a goal for the rest of the class. You wake up early to go to the class and why not put forth your best effort possible towards the goals you really want.

This is why I think its very important to have an intention(s) for burning man. I don't want to set the bar too high and then not meet my expectations, but I want a purpose. My goal is to broaden my horizons and do things that are not typical of the person I have been for the last 27 years. I want to be open to new experiences and not scared to try new things. I want to try to not judge people, which will go with changing from the person I have been. In short I want to be open to what Burning Man has to offer.

All too often we get ourselves into a rut and think that just because things are the way they are now that it will never change. Well that line of thinking is false. The world is constantly changing and evolving, so why not embrace it?

I think the biggest thing for me is that because was so sheltered, I stray away from pushing the envelope and just stick to what I know, which I really hope I can break out of at Burning Man. I am not saying im going to go and be tripped out on drugs for the next 10 days. I am saying I want to see what else there is out there for me and expand my scope for a bit. I think it will help that my boyfriend will be by my side because I feel like he is a good person to be in this with. He is good about trying to get me to try new things and experience life and he is not as scared of everything like I am. 

All in all I hope to have a great trip and hopefully be able to make a cool vlog with the footage!

Container load to the Playa

Things I have learned so far about Burning Man Truck Load

Yesterday was the first Burning Man container load from Boston I have been apart of and as a burgin I had a lot to learn, which is why I wanted to share what I thought we did that worked and what I thought did not work. Being that I had gone with someone who has done this 2 years previously, I am not trying to say I did these things knowingly. I just feel it would be good to spread the knowledge now that I have gone.

1. Don't expect others to do things for you, come prepared to load- There was someone who pulled up their car containing all of their stuff, but they had not labeled anything or fastened the tops of the bins. Yes people are there to help you load your stuff, but they are not there to pack "your" stuff. Be considerate! People are there to take your stuff and put it in the container. They are not standing around to make sure it ships safely and everything is done before its packed, they are there to just load it on. If you still have some last minute things to do that is fine just don't pull up in front of the container and expect people to not want to load your belongings. We went off to the side organized and did some last minute labeling and then drove right up to get our stuff loaded on.

2. Zip tie your front bike tire to your bike- You want your bike to be able to stack easily with the other bikes so take your front tire off and tie it with zip ties to your frame making sure the handles are also flat to the tire. This will ensure that your bike can easily be packed away with the other bikes. Again be considerate and do what will make it easier for those loading the truck.

4. Take a picture of the truck number- Do not take a picture of the license plate because that will change, but the number on the side of the truck will not. Make sure you document that and not be concerned with the numbering convention of the group for example, I heard people referring to one of the trucks as truck 4, but that is not on the truck anywhere its just want someone called it aka not reliable.

5. Don't worry about when to load if you are not going to be there within the first day or two- People were delaying putting on the truck because they were going to be there early, but in some cases early is relative. its not that big of a deal to have to help unload to get to your stuff. Now I'm not saying to put your stuff all they way in the back and make your life difficult but if you aren't coming the furst day don't wait till the last minute. Don't stress placement too much, its a community effort.

6. Have fun! Meet new people, get to know people who will be in Black Rock City with you. Help in any way you can because it takes everyones corporation to make everything run flawlessly.

I have arrived!

Well May 1st has come and gone and I am happy to report I have moved to Boston! I feel so empowered that I set a date and stuck with it, however life on your own does take some adjusting to. One of the good things is that my roommates seem pretty cool so far, which is good! The downside, living on your own means you are responsible for yourself. You no longer have your parents to fall back on and take responsibility, it's all on you.  For example, when you forget to move your car on street cleaning night you are the one who gets to pay the ticket and when you don't go to the grocery store, you are the one that has to figure out a dinner plan. This may sound like I am complaining, but really its just something you never think of when you say you want to move out. Your roommates are obviously going to be there for you, but it is not their job to take care of you and vice a versa. It's after moving out that you grow your inner strength and really start to appreciate where you have come from. When you are living at home and have a job you go out and by fresh organic food, but when you are out on your own looking for work those prices do not seem worth your poverty.
I am glad I took the plunge because, yes, at times living on your own may not be the glamorous life I imagined, but it also offers you the chance to experience life and know that you can do it! As with any type of change you need to be open to new experiences and embrace life rather than running from it or staying in your comfort zone.

"She Said I think I'll Go to Boston..."

I have to admit I'm afraid. I fear the walls outside of my comfort zone. I have built them up so high that now i can not see past them and they consume my vision, but I must break free from them. I feel so safe in the world I have created for myself, but that does not mean that I should stay complacent with where I am because I also fear by staying where I am I will never be able to truly grow. I have always lived at home with my parents and for a few years in college lived with my friends, but now I feel the need to branch out and make a life for myself. But how do I leave a place that has been such a good home when I fear the unknown I will be pursuing?
Today i made a deadline that I will move to Boston by May 1st. Ideally I would like a good paying rewarding job before that time and I still do have three months to find one, but if not I decided I'm taking my savings and going. In a way i feel empowered because I am taking a stand in my life to do something, but in another way I feel as if I'm five and want to run into my bed an hide under the covers. I don't know why this is so hard for me people do this everyday they grow up and move out of their childhood homes. It's not a revolutionary idea, it's just something that every grown human being must go through at some point in their adult life. For some reason the thought of me actually doing it just makes me quiver. How is it that people do this? Am I the only one feeling this? Or maybe others are too, but they just try not to show it.
Its only natural to be resistant to change especially when the change you are undertaking will literally alter every aspect of your life. All I know is this house and these people who have raised me since I was born, it only natural to want to cling to the reliable and the situations I know, but who knows maybe a move will be just what I need. Maybe I want to be able to go up and down the stairs at any hour of the night, or talk when I have something to say at whatever volume I want or take care of myself instead of being doted on every second of the day. Don't get me wrong I am very thankful for all that my parents have done for me and given me the opportunity to experience, but at some point they need to trust that they raised me well and that I can make it on my own and its looking like that time is now.
I am someone that does not embrace change I like familiarity and predictability, but there comes a time in life where that can not be the case. In math class we learned about this theory called grow or die. Now I'm not going to go as far as to say that if I don't move out of my house I'm going to die, but the theory holds true that if you are not growing and moving forward in your life that you are not going to prosper. People need to constantly be challenging what they know to be their reality and do things that may not always be what is expected of them. what is the worst that could happen? Yes you could fail, but you have already failed if you don't even try to begin with.
So as I embark on this journey I ask God to watch over me and send good things my way because he is the one who has the power to bring blessings into our lives and he only wants good things for us. With him on my side who or what should I fear?
So hear goes nothing three months to move to Boston let the countdown begin! 

Congratulations!

Another year has gone by and another class has graduated from Assumption College. Not a day goes by that I don't miss the time I had spent there with people I could never forget. I remember two years ago as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma and shook President Cesareo's hand and it feels as if it was yesterday. Where has the time gone? Looking back I can see a lot of things in my life have changed, but not the special place that Assumption and the friends I have made there hold in my heart. As I look at photos and statuses all over facebook celebrating the class of 2013 I hope they are able to see what a great opportunity they were given to go to Assumption and use the skills they have learned to reach their dreams. No one knows where they will end up out of college, but what they can be confident in is that Assumption and its community will always be behind them. As the Class of 2013 embarks on the next chapter of their lives they will, like anyone, have hard times and things will not always go as expected, but they need to remember that in the end things will work out and no one at this age really knows what the heck they are doing. Now is the time to pursue dreams and explore what it is that will make your life fulfilling to you. Going into the real world can be a scary thing, but fear not because you can do it. You can make a life for yourself and should not be afraid or fearful to move on to the next adventures in your life. So good luck Class of 2013 and remember Assumption is always your home and will always be filled with the memories you have made, but now is the time to make new memories as you venture off to do great things in the world. Though you may not be close to your friends anymore and won't be able to meet up in charlie's for a cup of coffee the friends you make at Assumption are there for a lifetime and will always do whatever they can to lend a helping hand. So go forth doing Assumption proud as you conquer the world and bring a little bit of Assumption's sunshine to the rest of the world. Good luck and congratulations on graduating, you did it!

With Liberty and Justice For All

I have to say that I am disappointed. I just don't approve of the recent laws and rulings of the government. America is the best country in the whole world and I would never want to live anywhere else, but today we were truly tested on how far our elected officials are willing to take their "power". I personally am not an avid follower of politics, but do like to have at least some idea of what is going on in the country. I have felt the effects of our not so good economy, to put it lightly, as I search for a job and can tell that the country is not heading in the right direction.

Today the Supreme Court passed the individual mandate as part of Obamacare under the taxing power of government, but I honestly fear that the government will use this ruling to over reach their powers. If they can tax those that don't buy into heath care what is next? What if the government decides it wants you to own a certain size house or buy certain foods or only have energy saving cars, if you don't comply they can't force you to buy any specific product, but they can (according to the Supreme Court today) tax you for purchasing the undesirable product. All I can see is a threat to the freedom we have spent so many years to protect and defend and the worst part is that the threat is from within our own country.

Our country was founded due to the objections of our forefathers to the injustice of a tyrant, over controlling English ruler, so why would we want to go back to that now after all the lives that have been lost in order to ensure we would have our freedom and could live our life in the pursuit of happiness? Since when do we pass bills that are only explained after we pass them? And why are elected officials who claim that if things do not get better in their four years of office they will leave peacefully pour billions of dollars into their re-election campaign? Obama is even desperate enough to ask people to donate to his campaign in lue of a birthday or wedding gift...that is crazy! We believed that hope and change would come, but instead we got a government that wants to control everything and anything. You can't even buy the size soda you want in New York because it "leads to obesity" (even though there is no direct link), but don't worry you can celebrate donut day as long as you exercise moderation....what?? that makes no sense! The mayor claimed in an interview on the Today show that donut day was historic and should be celebrated in moderation, well what about soda can't the same be said? He claimed that that is what the soda ban was trying to help do, so basically what he was saying is he trust people not to eat too many donuts, but once people get near soda forget about it Americans need help...Do these politicians listen to themselves when they talk? or do they just like hearing the sound of their voices?

Today's decision has just further motivated me to stay involved in what is going on in this country and make my voice heard. Many who are upset know that this battle is not over and that come November our voices will be heard! We all need to band together to get Obama out of office and make sure we send the message to Congress that if they threaten our liberties they will pay the price and that their actions do hold consequences. One of the things that really annoys me about this whole healthcare issue is that whatever Congress or the President passes they will never have to be under it's jurisdiction. I feel that they need to get off their high horses and see what is really best for the American people and not what they can do to line their own pockets. So, yes Obama won today, but lets hope come November the American people will win and we can get back to the ideals and values that this great country was founded on. Lets hope that when we move forward that means great strides to keep government in check and not change into a socialist society. 

Appreciate The Life You Have

"Be thankful for whatever situation you are in because happiness will never come to those who don't appreciate what they already have". I think sometimes we are often too quick to judge our own situations without really seeing all that is going right in our lives. If your life is anything like mine then it is not always easy to see all the blessings you truly have until you actually take the time to step back and try to look for the good things in your life. All to often we see other people's lives as so much better than our own, but are they really? Why are we so quick to accept that others have their life together when we know from our own experiences that life is never actually able to be made that simple and neat?

I was taking with a former classmate of mine and I feel he brought up an interesting point. He asked me if I buy a scratch ticket and I win any money would I tell a lot of people and be really excited about it and I, being the person I am, would of course tell everyone and quickly post to Facebook and call my best friend in Thailand. However, he said what if you didn't win any money would you be so eager to share this information and I replied that I, for obvious reasons, would not be as eager to share this information with others, but would probably still tell my best friend :). Which he was quick to point out is true for many other events that happen in our lives. People tend to emphasize when things are going well in their lives and tend to hide when they are not, which just goes to show that you really should not be comparing your life to anyone else's because you are only getting what others are letting you see, which is the good things in their lives and all too often the bad is being de-emphasized and pushed to the side.

From Tara Burner Blog

This is just something to think about when you get down and feel as if your life is the only one spinning out of control. Just remember its not just you. Right now as many of my friends and I, along with other young adults, try to figure out what we will do in the world and how we will make an impact that is lasting we need to remember not to compare our lives to others and think that we are alone in this struggle, but remember that everyone has their struggles. In most cases no one really knows what their plan in life should be until it happens. So don't get discouraged if you are thinking that this is not where you saw your self in life right now just remember there is a whole generation in your same shoes and no one ever really knows where to go next we are all just stumbling around to find what will make us happy and how to live in a world that does not always seem to play fairly. Therefore, embrace life and do what makes you happy because you only get one life to live so you better make it count! Look to appreciate where you are now in life rather than looking down on it and feeling bad about yourself. Everything will work out in the end! Believe that and for now just enjoy the unanswered questions and the moments of doubt. Remember life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful; its all about your perspective on the situation you are currently in.

You Hold The Power

You are in total control of your life whether you know it or not. You control what you will do and where you will go in your life no one else can do it for you nor can anyone else truly know what is right for you. People may know the stories of your life and the drama that has unfolded, but they will never be able to know your deep inner feelings that words will never be able to express. Just going to show that others do not have the right to judge the way you live your life and the paths you will decided to explore.  In life you have to take the time to really evaluate what you want and not be ashamed to admit when you are on the wrong path. Everyday we make decisions that affect where we will go in the future. Sometimes you will look around and say wow I don't know if I like where my life is heading. The great thing about life is, however, you have the right to say that and make the appropriate measures to change your current situation.


photo from Bits of Truth



Life is not set in stone, nothing is ever guaranteed. If there is one thing I have learned about life it is that you have to enjoy the good times while they last and weather through the storm for just a short bit because life is constantly changing and evolving. People will come into and out of your life and you will make life decisions that will take you in many various directions, but one thing that will always be true is that through it all you will be in control of your actions. You will be able to change your course whenever you want, even if it is hard to see that in the moment.

We all needed to be reminded that our goal in life is to be happy and if the path we are on is not making us happy then we are not on the right path. If we continue on the is path then we will continue to get the same results, however if we are courageous enough to recognize we need to make a change great things can happen. We have to not be afraid of the unknown and step wholeheartedly on. We can not let the fears of failure or uncertainty get the best of us and we can not let the voice in our heads that say change is impossible defeat us. We need to realize the that word impossible really means i'm possible! Why waste another minute not being happy?

There is a story of a five year old who was asked in one word what he wanted to be in life and he said happy, the teacher then responded that he did not understand the assignment, but he thought she didn't understand life. This story just goes to show how much we need to find our happy place in a world that does not always foster it for us. So really take the time to evaluate where you are going in life and where you actually want to be. What can you do today to make this limited time we have here on earth the best it can be?

Friendships

"Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you the kind of person you are". I have gotten these words of wisdom from a fortune cookie, clearly the source of any great life advice, but if you really think about it your friends can have a huge impact on your life and the person you become. They are the people who you choose to help enrich your life and they are the ones you can truly be yourself with. I personally do not know what I would do without my friends they are always there for me and I hope they can say the same about me. They listen to all my trials and tribulations, hear my beautiful sounding off key singing and accept my pink obsession, even when I leave the house wearing a full pink outfit.They help to make me laugh when all I want to do is cry and I always have good memories to share with them whether its imaginative bedtime stories, watching Law and Order SVU together screaming Elliot, singing Taylor Swift, laughing at things only we understand or taking random trips to Boston on a whim. I am truly blessed to have the people I do in my life. Having good friends that help bring lift you up when you are down and who you can share your deepest thoughts with is vital to having a happy life.

Those people you have chosen also say alot about you as a person and the type of qualities you value. You should be with friends who help you look on the bright side of life and support you with the decisions you make. They should not belittle you or make you feel bad about yourself in anyway. They should standby you through the good and the bad because if they can't accept you at your worst why should they be able to have you at your best? Throughout life you will be faced with many trials and its always helpful to know you don't have to ride the journey of life alone.

As I try and figure out where I am going next in life and what my dreams and aspirations are I am very thankful to have the friends I do and hope everyone who reads this also feels the same way about their friends as well. If not you can always try and branch out to make new friends. Everyone can always use a friend and it really is all about the quality of the friends you have never the quantity. Sometimes all someone needs is to know that they have someone in their life that when they pick up the phone they will listen and not judge them and always try to put a smile on their face. So really try and take the time to thank those who you know you would never be the same without because they have forever had an impact on your life wether they have been around for years or just entered your life recently their influence can last a lifetime.

Take A Look Around

It is often said that life is not about the destination, but the journey. I was reminded of this on my drive home from grad school this weekend. I was trying to get back home as quickly as possible because I had an appointment I had to go to in town and I did not want to be late, as is normally my style. So I was driving along full steam ahead and on part of my route there was some construction, which made all the cars passing through have to slow down as they crossed the torn up road. All I could think was let's go I have to get home, I'm going to be late. However, upon looking around at my surroundings (while still keeping my eyes on the road) I noticed the cutest house along the side of the road. I had driven past this way numerous times to go home and have never noticed this house, but today as I took the time to really take in the scenery I was able to see it crystal clear. And this got me to thinking how often we do this same thing in our everyday lives. We are so busy trying to get places in the world whether it be in our cars or climbing the corporate ladder or finding the one we will marry that we often fail to see the good things that surround us in our current position.

We may think to ourselves once I get that six figure job or meet that perfect life companion I will be happy, yet we fail to see all the good things that are already present in our lives. Why do we have to wait to be happy? We need things like road blocks or wake up calls to really make us stop in our tracks and see the beauty this life has to offer. I definitely believe it is good to have goals and dreams for our lives, but i also feel that we should not get too wrapped up in where we envision our lives going that we fail to enjoy what life has to offer each and every day. We need to take the time to appreciate the people in our lives and not take for granted that they will always be with us on this life journey as well as appreciating each day we have because sadly that will end one day also. The journey of life must be enjoyed and not taken too seriously because as it has been quoted no one makes it out alive, so it is really just about making the most of the time you have and doing what makes you happy while still being kind to others.

"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Time To Start The Life You Always Wanted

So recently I have been wanting a change. I want to start feeling like I am living life and not just watching it pass by. I want to start accomplishing more than just what is expected of me and what I ought to do. So with this being said I am taking a stand in my life and diving head first into the next chapter of my life.

I am going to do all the things I have wanted to do since I could remember. I am going to go out and do things for the sole purpose of having fun and enjoying life. I am going to cook foods that I have never made before, take trips to places I want to explore and most importantly try to find out who I am and what I want to do in life.

For the past 17 years I have been doing everything that has been expected of me, but now it is my turn to see the fun side of life. I want to be able to look back and see that I did things for me and not just because it was the next logical step in my life. At this point I am young and have my whole life ahead of me why not explore the world around me and take the time to really see the person I am and the person I want to become. Everyone is always waiting for something in order for thier life to start, but why can't it start right now?

When I started this blog originally I wanted to inspire people to be happy and I also want to show people it is never too late to do what makes you happy, better late then never. I want to try and capture the magic of life and share it with those of you who choose to read. I want to start doing things that I would never imagine doing just because I want to do them. You are only young once and nothing lasts forever so you must enjoy the time that god has given you while it lasts. Tell people that you care about that you love them and take the time to be there for your friends because things change and people change. No one is guarrenteed any particular amount of time on this planet so we need to make the most of it while we can!

So As I open the next chapter of my life I hope to share it with those who read my blog and hopefully inspire someone to do the same thing in their life. It doesn't need to be life altering to make an impact on your life it could be as simple as taking an hour out of your day to just focus on you and where you want to go in life or taking a day trip exploring your state in ways you never have before. Just listen to your heart and what you can feel will make you happy. It may not be easy, but then again when is life ever guarrenteed to be easy? If it were easy we would all be to bored to enjoy it.

There is no maual to how to live your life you just need to ride the rollar coaster and hold on tight only sometimes falling off.

Judge Not

So recently I have tried to work to be a better person and as part of this transformation I have tried to resist the temptation to gossip and judge others. Each person has their own story and their own struggles in life and who am I to tell a person what they should or should not do or even have an opinion on how they decide to live their life? I have no more insight into this life than they do and on some issues I could never image being in such a position. I am fortunate in the life that I have and honestly have enough in my life to worry about I don't need the added worry of others lives. By judging others we are not defining others but ourselves. How we treat others around us is more of a reflection of the people that we are and less about the other person. Think about it when we judge others aren't we just commenting on weaknesses and failures we see in our selves. We bring up the failures of others to deflect the failures we should be trying to focus on in our own lives. But why do we throw stones at others as if we have no problems of our own? I think we would rather see how others are lacking than truly look into in our own hearts. Its our lack of self-confidence and our unwillingness to take a good hard look at our own lives that that leads us to see others and feel as if we have a say in their lives.
In the bible Jesus tells a group of people who want to stone a woman for adultery that the person who has not committed any sins can throw the first stone by doing this Jesus was trying to show people that no one is perfect and no one has the right to judge another since we all have our failings that we need to deal with.
We see people everyday and everyday we interact with them, but do we ever really know what is going on in their lives? We are only able to see as far into their lives as they let us and in some situations that is not very far. So then how are we, who are secondhand judgers, really going to make up in our minds how we feel they should live their lives? No one has the ability to judge your own life other than you because you are the only one who has all the information. Sure others know the stories and events that go on in your lives, but none of them know the feelings and emotions you have felt behind those events. 

So my new rule of life is going to be to try to be to only say something about another person that I would say if they were standing right in front of me. If you wouldn't say it in front of them then why are you saying it behind their back?

Now I am in no way saying this is easy to do nor am I saying that I have been able to accomplish this goal yet, but it is defiantly something to strive for. I am no better than anyone else and most of the time I find it extremely hard to say what is on my mind because of insecurities I have with myself. But I guess that is the thing about judging others you judge based on insecurities you have and project onto others who don't deserve such treatment. But who am I to judge I am just an average person trying to do what is right, but knowing that sometimes I will stumble along the way. In order to be truly happy you need to let go of the hate and embrace love and compassion for others around you. Each day gives you the chance to start anew and leave the worries and bothers of yesterday behind you. If you don't move forward you will stop growing and when you stop growing how will you continue to thrive?

Don't Worry Be Happy

We are all waiting for that one moment when we will be happy. When everything will fall into place and when our life will be in order. We say once we get that job promotion, or find "the one", or buy a house to live in, or have a baby our lives will be perfect and we will achieve everything we ever wanted in life. But all though these things will help improve our lives and one of them is a true miracle that will forever positively impact our lives they are not everything. They can not fix the unhappiness we feel today the instant they appear. They can not take away the years of agony we have felt. The are counterfeit happiness. On first thought they seem to be the answer to our despair but once we attain them we quickly see that they are not all that they are cracked up to be. If we want to be happy we need to start today this very moment.
Everyday we have a choice of how we will approach the day--with eagerness and excitement or anger and frustration. We choose no one else can choose for us. We need to start feeling happy today in order to ensure happiness in the future not just assume that one day when we have the right combination of life events or objects in our life that we will then gain the key to happiness.
So with that being said who will you be? and what kind of person will you let the world see that you are? Hopefully you can be happy and see that life is a gift from God and he would not give us anything we could not handle. 

Things I have Learned

Life is an unexpected and crazy ride that each of us has the ability to learn from and grow. One thing I have recently been able to learn from life is the quality of being honest and freeing yourself from previous burdens. There is no way to move forward if you do not examine your life and see where forgiveness can fit in. You must forgive those in your past in order to help your future and have a happier life. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone fails us at some point, but it how we react to this that will affect the happiness in our lives and the lightness we will feel in our souls. Sometimes this forgiveness will manifests its self in doing something nice for someone we do not particularly like, or telling someone they are forgiven, or even just letting go of the anger we hold in our hearts. Whatever works for us needs to allow us to resolve the issue in our hearts so that we can greet each day with a smile and not with pent up anger and resentment for the people around us.
Next we owe it to the people we care about to be honest with them and tell them when they have hurt us in order to move from a place of hurt to a place of healing. No one will ever know how you are feeling and the thoughts in your head unless you tell them! Even your best friend can know most of your thoughts and how you will react to different situations, but they still will never fully understand you as a person because you are unique creature of God that has thoughts and feelings every second of everyday.
God allows us to forgive others by forgiving us for our own shortcomings. How do we expect God to forgive us if we ourselves can not forgive others? Forgiveness is a big step and comes from the realization that we are all human and make mistakes. Freeing ourselves of this burden of holding ill feelings towards another will allow us to feel better about ourselves and the world we are creating to live in with those lucky enough to share our life. You never know where life will take you and when someone will leave this world for a better place so always leave loved ones with kind words to comfort them and never hold grudges that affect your well being for in the end none of us are going to make it out alive, but we need to make the most of everyday in every way possible :)

Letting Go

Moving on, we all have to do it at some point in our lives we move on from kindegarden to elementry school and eventually from college into the real world. We spend most of our young lives living with our parents and then must move on to growing up getting a job and supporting ourselves. And then there are relationships, we get into relationships hoping for the best and when they don't work out we have to move on, but how exactly do we do that? How do we go from loving someone with all our heart to cutting them completely out of our lives?
Breaking up with someone is never easy for the dumper and the person who is being dumped. Most people tend to side with the person who is dumped because they had no choice in the matter all the control for the decision was in the hands of the dumper, but what people fail to see is how for some dumpers they are just doing what they feel is right and that the decision they are making is not any easier on them because although they made the decision they really would have preferred not to. Now I know this is not the case in every relationship, but in my experience both sides still have equal right to miss the other. Because you got into the relationship in the first place means that something is there between the two of you that at one time you both recognized, but now you both have to let go.
What i have come to learn is letting go suck. excuse my lack of a better term, but I find that the more you have let someone in the harder it is to let them go out of your life and no matter how many people tell you, you will find someone else and that he was a loser you still know in your heart know how you felt and probably still feel about him.
We try to make the best decisions in life that hurt the least amount of people in the process, but sometimes as if often said the right road and the most difficult road are often the same. We often struggle to do what's best for both parties involved, but end up hurting both them and ourselves in the process. So what does that mean? I think it just means that in the process of letting go is also the hidden affect of us growing. Humans are only able to grow when they are faced with difficult times and getting through these hard times shows us how strong we really are. Did we make it through the day without going on his facebook page? Did you not text him recently? Those are the babysteps we need to be taking to let go and move towards where God wants us to be in our lives and that is happy.
Relationships end for many reasons, but the important thing is to recognize the good things that came out of them and identify the things that did not work so that the next time we enter into a relationship history will not repeat itself leaving us heartbroken for the same reason a second time.
Honestly I think I will always love him and he will always be a special person to me, but the fact is that I can not keep sitting here hoping things will change, but knowing deep down that they won't. I want him to be happy and not weighed down but my dissatisfaction when I am not happy with the way the relationship is going. I truly wish him all the best in life and in love and want him to find someone that will complement what a great person he is and I would like to find someone who makes me happy as well. Maybe sometime in the future we can be friends, but until that day I just want him to know that I never meant to hurt him and I wish much happiness and love to come his way.

Random Acts of Kindness

Today is random acts of kindness day so the only question is who will you chose to show your kindness to today? but really we should be doing random actas of kindness every day. Brightening someone eles's day can in turn brighten our own day as well without doing much on our part. How many times a day to we fail to even say hi to those around us...the driver of the shuttle we are taking, the man sitting on the corner of the street, the janitor sweeping the floor infront of us. We all have the power to recognize the people around us and make them feel valued yet why don't we? Are we too busy with the affairs of our own lives or do we just not want to get involved in the lives of others around us? Either way brightening up someone's day can really brighten up our own and give us benefits that go far beyond the simple gesture we did for another person. Helping others who are going through a rought time can make us see that we are not alone in struggles to our pursuit of happiness. Everyone has a story and everyone needs some support along the journey of life. Its funny how we look at others as being so much different than ourselves when in reality we are all just people trying to do our best and at times failing in our efforts. Each of us has a story and each of us has expeirances with hard times and suffering. We all fight a different battle, but our end goal is always the same to have a good life in which we can be happy and prosper. Sometimes, like the song states, we just need a little help from our friends. 
so as we go on our day to day routines and place our mark on the world don't forget to show some kindness and compassion to those around you and maybe in return they will reciprocate the gesture. Karma has a way of coming around and maybe something you do for someone else will inspire them and the cycle will only grow :)

Nightly Typings

what is happiness and how do we achieve it? That is the question I have recently been faced with as I go forward in my life. Is happiness an ever evolving ever moving aim that changes as we grow older or do we know deep down what will make us happy we just get too distracted by the noise of the world around us. What if in our search for happiness we become enveloped in sadness and despair? I feel like for the most part I am a pretty happy go lucky person, but recently I have the ever increasing feeling that happiness does not have as strong a hold over my life and that I am failing to grasp at the way it is evolving. Is this a normal feeling to have. I mean when you honestly think about it when we are young we have very little to worry about and very little responsibility so why not be happy most of the time, but as we grow older were are bombarded with worry about the future our lives will take, who we will be and how the choices we make today will effect us for the rest of our lives.

But is all this stress really the cause of our unhappiness solely or can we break free to a world of happiness by just changing our attitude about the things we are going through. How much of our happiness depends on the state of our mind and how we chose to view the world? Is it my mind taking over with negative thoughts and feelings that is the real problem at work or am I just coming to the realization that something in my life should or needs to change?

We all just want to be happy and have our dreams come true, but how do we do that when we feel like our life does not seem to be leading us down the path we want to be on. how to we make the right decisions when we have expectations placed on us by others and commitments to other people?

I guess my real question is how do we be happy in a world that does its best to tear us down and make us feel insecure about ourselves and our lives? I just can't remember when it all changed. when my carefree happy life turned into something that seems dark and bleak. Or was it ever as happy and carefree as I thought? Do we look back on the past more fondly than truly was the case? and if so are we able to do that with our present and future as well?

How do we live a happy life?  

Can Music Inspire Happiness?

I found this website while on the website stumpleupon.com and wanted to explore whether music can really change a person's mood and I truely feel that listening to the right music can take someone from depression to cheerfulness if someone is willing to let themselves succume to the rythum of the music. See for yourself!
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8V53zQ/8tracks.com/gamble/how-does-anger-exist-when-there-is-music-like-this

Songs for inspiration :)

The World by Brad Paisley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0ZcQW4hp_E

Who Says by Selena Gomez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzE1mX4Px0I

F***ing Prefect by Pink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkshHySfRD8&feature=related