Just Take A Moment

It wasn’t until just recently that I thought to myself, “Holy crap.” I’m sure you must be thinking that if that’s the only thing I ever think to myself, then I might as well be better off not thinking. But give me a second to explain.

These last few days have been jam-packed with activities going on. Between class work, work for my internship, and other obligations I’m required to attend to, I feel as though I’m drowning in to-do lists. At this rate, you would never think that I had just had a week vacation, and believe me, this recent vacation is a mere memory fading away much faster than I could have ever expected.

Even before my break, I was feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed, so when I went back home, I visited a friend of mine who happens to be a certified hypnotist. She helped me forget about the world around me, put me in a great state of relaxation, and really stressed the importance of taking a moment to ourselves each and every day to meditate and feel tranquil. I even put a reminder in my phone that goes off everyday in the morning and at night to meditate.

So when I say meditate, what exactly do I mean? Great question. Of course I don’t expect you to whip out your yoga mattress while driving to work or in the middle of a business meeting, and begin feeling calm. Meditation can happen at any given point if you just give yourself a few seconds, while disconnecting from your surrounding environment. At any given point in the day, I would highly suggest taking a deep breath in through your nose, holding it for three seconds, and releasing it through your nose, while saying in your head, “Deeper Relax. Deeper Relax.” Really try to concentrate on your breathing, and when you do the above actions, you’ll begin to feel fresh and rejuvenated.

When you begin to feel like a big wave has just crashed over you and you’re trying as hard as you can to come up for air, it may be tough, but take a second to meditate. Really work on putting your mind at ease, and even do so before these feelings of exhaustion take control of you. I know life can be difficult at times, but nothing is more important than our well-being, so take care of yourself and just take a deep breath. The stacks of paperwork will always be there awaiting your time and effort, but your sanity and health won’t, if you don’t look out for your well-being. Remember: you owe it to yourself to take a moment to relax; so do just that.

What Will I Be Remembered For?

Alright, I’m going to be blunt here and say what no one wants to hear. We’re all going to pass away one day, and when that happens, there’s nothing left we can do. Hmm; it seems pretty obvious, huh? Well, here’s the catch… You have to read in between the lines to really understand what I’m getting at. 

If you want to leave a legacy behind, or make a difference in the world, you had better start now. We only have one shot here on earth, and in the game of life, there are no re-dos and no second chances. Yes, we will make mistakes and we will make them quite often, but this is the real deal. When people look back on your life after you pass away, no one will remember how big your flatscreen T.V. was, how many features your new car had, or how extravagent your house was. All of those “things” will be insignificant because people will only remember you for what you leave behind (and no, not the materialistic things you pass on to others).

Don’t get me wrong here, of course having a flatscreen T.V. will come in handy when watching the next big game, a great car will provide for smooth riding, and your dream-house will be of great comfort, but these aren’t the things that make life great and what shape the future. Making a differece in the community, going out and helping others, impacting generations to come, bringing joy and happiness to everyone around you; those will be the things that people remember you for.

Think of it this way: if you were to be looking down at your funeral procession, what would you want people to be saying about you? And for those who think this is meant to be a gloomy post (which I promise it isn’t), think about it like this, instead: if you were to be honored by your community for making a positive impact, what would you want to be honored for?

One person is all is takes to make a difference. And if you, yourself can help one person and one person only, you’ll have known that you made all the difference in the world. (Of course, we would all like to help as many people as possible, but even if it’s one single person,  you will still have made a positive impact). I hope I left you all with some food for thought today, and remember, you could be that one person! Have a great weekend 🙂

Believing In Yourself

Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you believed in yourself? It may sound silly but really try and remember. Was it when you were taking your most recent test in school and felt a strong sense of confidence? Maybe when you were submitting a work assignment and felt passionate about what you were about to hand over to your boss. If and when you are able to think back to this particular time, try and think of other instances in which you believed in yourself.

I’d like to fill you in on a little secret. Not everyone you meet is going to believe or have faith in you. I wish I could say otherwise, but many times, this is the truth. People will reject you for no good reason, they will laugh in your face at the thought of you prospering, and they will try and kick you when you feel down. So let me ask you this. Do you believe in yourself? Because if you don’t, other people sure as hell won’t either. And regardless of whether or not others believe in you, it is important for you to believe in yourself because otherwise, you won’t accomplish anything in your life. You have the power to do great things; we all do. But it starts with believing in yourself, and if you don’t, then I would suggest doing so immediately.

It may be difficult to trust in yourself if no one else does, or have confidence in yourself on top of the pressure of everyone else being confident of you. So put the whole world around you on pause and just focus on you and you only. Know that you can achieve anything you set out to do. You can conquer the world, but you have to believe. Anything is possible if you believe, and it all starts with you. Are you ready to do great things? Because I for one believe in you!

Time for Some Fun: Tag; You’re It

So I was tagged by nocturnefirefay and the aim of the game is to “connect bloggers in this WP jungle, get to know each other, meet new bloggers and connect and network through fun.”

The rules

Answer 11 questions

Link back to the person who tagged you/sent the questions

Formulate 11 more questions

Send the tag on to 11 more bloggers

I will tag 11 fellow bloggers, and if you would like to play, feel free to have fun with it.  Otherwise, don’t feel pressured to take part in it. 

Here are the questions I have to answer:

1)Favourite time of the day: Both morning and night time

2)Favourite day of the week: Friday

3)Don’t think about this question just react: It’s your last hour on earth- who was the first person that just came in to  your mind? : (I have a lot of family members following this blog so even though it’s cheating, to be safe, I’ll just say my family in general) 🙂

4) 5 famous/ historical figures who are no longer here that you would invite to dinner and why: 

1. Frank Sinatra to meet an all time classic; 2. Michael Jackson because he is one of the most talented people of all time; 3.     Lucille Ball since she is by far one of the funnest comedians in history; 4. Ronald Reagan because he was able to accomplish so much and was just a classy man, to say the least; 5. Mother Teressa because of her inspiration and contribution to society

5) 6 famous people who are still here that you would invite for dinner and why

1. Amma (Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) for all of her continuous contributions to the community as well as to society; 2. Nelson Mandela because of all the trials and tribulations he faced and overcame throughout this life thus far; 3. Author Mitch Albom because his books are so great, and I would like to speak with him in person about his experiences; 4. Janet Jackson because she’s very talented and an extremely inspiring figure; 5. Betty White since she’s such a positive, humorous human being and such an inspiration; 6. Jack Nicholson because he is such a talented, great actor

6) Morning or night person: Night

7) Favourite song: Smile by Michael Jackson (originally Charlie Chaplan)

8) Favourite film: Slumdog Millionaire

9) What makes you happy: Being with family, friends, and the feeling of accomplishment at any given moment in time

10) Pet hate: Snakes

11) What inspires you?: People who make a difference to unselfishly better the lives of others

The following is a list of the bloggers I’ve tagged:

http://inpursuitofmore.com/

http://francineinretirement.wordpress.com/

http://autumnsunshineandgabrielleangel.wordpress.com/

http://thescrumptiouspumpkin.com/

http://sugaredpecan.wordpress.com/

http://newheavenonearth.wordpress.com/

http://findingmyworth.wordpress.com/

http://winsomebella.wordpress.com/

http://optimistforever.wordpress.com/

http://jayjaysfavorites.wordpress.com/

http://scotzig.wordpress.com/

Here are your questions:

1) Who is someone that inspires you?

2) What are the things in life that make you happy?

3) What’s your favorite type of animal?

4) If you could meet one person in the world (living or deceased) who would it be and why?

5) Describe your perfect day.

6) What would you most like to accomplish?

7) What are you most grateful for and why?

8) If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be?

9) What is your biggest accomplishment in life thus far?

10) If you could learn and skill or trade, what would it be and why?

11) Why did you decide to start a blog?

That’s it for my questions. Hope you like them 🙂

Cheers From The Fountain of Youth

Having spent the last two days in St. Augustine, I did some touring around the city and made sure to stop at the Fountain of Youth. I’m not going to give you a history lesson about the historical site, because frankly I don’t want to bore you. Don’t get me wrong; It’s not a bad read, but I’ll let you check out the historical facts a different time. So once I got to the fountain and checked out the site, I was given a small cup of water taken from the spring by one of the employees there. Naturally, I drank it, hoping that the myth of being forever young would in fact come true. (If you’re wondering where I’m going with this blog post, stay tuned because I promise there’s a point to be made soon!)

Here’s the thing… Often times in life, we dread our birthdays, because, well, it means we’re one year older. There are certain birthdays to be celebrated such as the twelfth or thirteenth birthday (depending on your gender in the Jewish religion), your fifteenth birthday (a time when many Latin American girls have a Quinceñera), your eighteenth birthday (since you can legally smoke cigarettes, buy lottery tickets, and play poker… oh where did society go wrong?), and of course the big twenty first where you can legally drink. (Some people also celebrate their twenty fifth birthday for being able to rent cars, but to each his/her own). It’s incredible though because when you’re young, you can’t wait to be older, and when you’re older, you would give anything to be younger.

Having just celebrated my twentieth birthday a few days ago, I found it to be quite bitter-sweet. Of course I was thankful to have been able to make it another year with my friends and family members in good health, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I was a bit saddened by the number. Twenty years old… This means I am no longer a teenager, which means I can no longer be able to market myself as a “young teen” to literary agents and publishers for my book. (I know… You must be thinking, “Why does he always have to bring everything back to this damn book?” I apologize, but hey you can’t please everyone). I promised myself that I would publish my book before the time had come where I was no longer a teenager. Well, things happen, and hopes and dreams sometimes get pushed aside to a later day, but in the quest of becoming a writer, while juggling school, an internship, campus organizations, etc. I still ask myself every single day how I am going to publish my book; or if it’s going to get published; or if I should self-publish it; or if I should put it aside and begin working on a new project. There are so many questions I continue to ask myself on a daily basis, and this late-night pondering sure doesn’t help answer any of these thoughts.

People would love to be twenty years old again; young, wild, and free, so I really should look at it in a positive manner rather than a pessimistic one. There’s no point in looking back at the past, wishing I had completed my book earlier so it could have already been published before I reached this age. Instead, I will have to alter my goal and work with what I have. I’ll enjoy my small cup of water from the Fountain of Youth and end with this:

Here’s to another year, hopefully a successful one, and of course a healthy one as well, for me, for you, and for the ones we love. May we accomplish all our hopes, goals, and dreams, and never lose sight of them; regardless of whether or not they must be put on a temporary hold. We can and will accomplish all that we wish to. Cheers 🙂

Nursery Rhyme Conspiracy Theory

Since Spring Break has arrived (at least here at the University of Central Florida), I decided to post something fun and mood-lightening. Hope you all enjoy it and have a great remainder of the weekend 🙂

Mother Goose told a lie, for she’s really a hen,
She did this to attract the attention of men.
Humpty Dumpty didn’t fall off of that ledge,
He was frightened by a gardener, mowing a hedge.

Peter Piper didn’t choose to pick the pickled peppers,
He was threatened by a group of big dancing steppers.
The ants march together, and reside on their hill.
Not one by one, though; it was just a fire drill.

Working on the railroad was a mere second job,
Suggested by my unemployment clerk; his name was Bob.
The eencey weencey spider had no encounter with the rain,
He was evicted from his household web for being such a pain.

Little Bo Peep didn’t really lose her sheep,
She was tired from partying, and just fell asleep.
Jack didn’t fall as he tumbled down the hill,
He had a girlfriend on the side, and was pushed by Jill.

Everyone has stories to cover up their flaws,
But when the truth is revealed, you need a moment’s pause.
Don’t be naïve and believe all that you hear,
Because without both sides, the story’s never clear.