Make the world dance…

The last few weeks have been insanely stressful for me. It’s officially 2013, which means in just a few short months, I will be finishing grad school and will officially be thrown head first into the “real world”. So, I’ve started applying for jobs and trying to decide where I’m going to end up (Pittsburgh, DC and Charleston are my top choices).

Everyone has been posting this video on their pages lately, and it really hit home for me:

“This is life people! You got air coming through your nose! You got a heart beating! That means it’s time to do somethin!”

“Keep going, keep going, keep going. What if Michael Jordan had quit? Well, he did quit, well, retired. But BEFORE that, in high school, what if he had quit when he didn’t make the team? He would have never made Space Jam! And I love Space Jam. What will you create thaat will make the world awesome?”

“We can cry about it, or we can dance about it. We were made to be awesome. It’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance. So get to it. Create something that will make the world awesome.”

I’m inspired.

We made a deal ages ago, we’re soulmates.

Tuesday, I was fortunate that my amazing friends Mallory and Katie came to town for ‘Sushi Tuesday’ (a tradition for us when we were all in school at OU) and a few drinks. This wasn’t just any visit, though, because Mallory and Katie have both moved on from OU and started their new lives one in Columbus and one is stationed in Germany in the US Army.

I’ve posted before about how my core group of friends from college has scattered across the country – California, Oklahoma, Illinois and various places in Ohio. When my final year at OU started in August, it really hit home that I would be having to spend the year that’s supposed to be the best without some of my very best friends. It was a tough idea to swallow.

Drinking our signature drink in one of our favorite places.

As I caught up with two of my best friends, I couldn’t help but smile because it was like no time had even passed since we’d been sitting in our favorite bar, drinking our favorite drinks talking and laughing and being ridiculous. When I had to say goodbye, I kind of lost it. Mallory is flying across the world to where she’s stationed in Germany, and won’t be back anytime soon. Yes, we talk, but it’s just not the same sometimes.

After all this I couldn’t help but think of the Sex and the City episode, when Charlotte suggests that the girls are each others soul mates, and men are just these great, nice guys to have fun with.

Doesn’t it make life just a little bit easier knowing that your friends, no matter how far around the world or across the country they are, are your soulmates? That no matter what you do or what happens, you’ll always be friends? It certainly makes my days a little better.

So here’s to you, my amazing friends, no matter where you are. You’re my soulmates, and you always will be.

A Reminder of What’s Important

This morning as I browsed through the blogs I follow, I came across one post that I really enjoyed from Bows and Sequins. She posted this on her blog, and I thought it was a great message, so I wanted to share:

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things–your family, your children, your health, your
friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else–the small stuff. “If you put the sand
into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles
or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time
and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play
with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your
spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to
clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls
first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is
just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee
represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

A great way to help you remember the important things.

Happy Monday!

xoxo

Things I Learned This Week

Last week, I had a crappy week. It just seemed like one thing after another was going wrong and I couldn’t catch a break. And it was my own fault.

After expressing  my sorrows in a dramatic woe-is-me Tweet (yeah, I know, who am I?) my mother Tweeted me back (yep, that’s as weird as it sounds. Sorry mom, it is!) “Sometimes you’re the bug and sometimes you’re the windshield.”

Amen to that.

Then, the other morning as I was browsing Pinterest and trying to wake up, I came across this quote:

It really hit home for me. My dad always says, “Just remember in a year, you’ll be laughing about this stuff.” Exactly. My crappy week will be a faint memory a year from now. We have to choose to sing as we climb, because regardless of your state of mind, you still have to climb.

One of my favorite quotes by Winston Churchill:

…Because we still have to climb.

Still having a crappy day? Check out Buzzfeed’s 23 Ways to Have A Better Day.

 

 

“Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” -John Wooden

Hi everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, but I promise now that school is back in full swing and I’m going to start regularly posting again.

Last Monday, I started my second and final year as a Master’s of Public Administration candidate. Crazy right? I’ve decided I’m going to enjoy my time limited remaining time in Athens as much as possible.

In other news, Labor Day weekend was bittersweet. The end of lying by the pool, getting tan, drinking sweet tea on the porch is sad, but fall is probably my favorite season. I love that everything becomes pumpkin flavored and I can get cozy in layers and riding boots. Soon, the air will get cool and fresh (ignore the fact that it is 90 degrees today) and my roommate and I will carve pumpkins in our yard and roast pumpkin seeds.

The perfect fall scene.

But I think my favorite thing about fall, is that every time it comes around it feels like a fresh start. It’s a new year, a new time for organization, whether it be organizing my homework schedule, getting into a new routine (which is super refreshing) or getting my life together. Regardless of what kind of change you want to make, fall is the best time to do it. I rarely make New Year’s resolutions because there is so much pressure to stick to them, I prefer making changes in the fall.

What have I done thus far, you ask? Well, I’m pretty sure I’ve become a morning person. This semester (it’s still weird to say semesters and not quarters) I purposefully made my schedule so that I don’t have anything before 11am. This way, I can get up and get a work out in, tan, read, sip coffee and watch the news, whatever. Now, I understand this will be unrealistic when I get a full-time job, but for right now, it’s a great way to ease myself into being a morning person.

In other news, I’m taking Political Leadership, Interest groups in American Politics and Program Evaluation this semester. I’m already loving all of my classes and have participated in some VERY thought-provoking discussions about what leadership is, and what it means to be courageous. I think it’s going to be a great year. Also, I’ve been trying some great recipes in the last two weeks and plan to do a post about them soon!

PS- I recently came across the quote in the blog title and LOVE it. Great attitude to have and way to life your life.

Oh baby!

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending my best friend’s baby shower. In early 2011, I had the pleasure of being one of two maid’s of honor in her wedding, just before she and her new husband set off for San Diego, where he is stationed in the Navy.

Her shower was held at the beautiful Gyuan Country Club in Huntington, W.Va. Her shower in photos:

The beautifully decorated candy bar.

Beautiful momma-to-be opening her gifts.

Kels, baby Torrey and her two very excited aunties.

I have to admit, sometimes it’s hard to for me to believe that I’ve known these girls for 10+ years and that we’re now old enough to get married and have children, but I’m glad we’re experiencing this milestone with her.

I’m absolutely grateful to have these two fabulous women in my life, I certainly don’t know what I’d do without them. ‘Auntie K’ and I can’t wait to meet baby Torren and be there with Kels and Patton as they start their new chapter.

Hankuna Matata: How to have a Better Monday

It’s Monday, and let’s admit, most of us feel like this:

This weekend was an absolute scorcher, and while many West Virginians traveled to the Greenbrier for the Classic, some were again knocked out of power by the storm that hit late yesterday afternoon. Apparently our state just can’t catch a break.

So it’s Monday, a day which is typically filled with a less than positive outlook for the day, and sometimes the week itself. It’s easy to do, especially if you’re coming off a fun weekend. So what’s the solution? How about a positive attitude? I know I harp on this all the time, but I truly believe that your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life. So how about this attitude:

Think of today as YOUR day by trying a few things:

• Avoid negativity at all costs. Everyone has a pessimistic coworker, friend or family member. When someone around you starts complaining about it being Monday – ear muffs!
• Say yes. You never know, you might end up with a whole new experience that causes you to look back at the end of the week with fondness for the dreaded day, instead of dread for the upcoming Monday.
• Splurge. Treat yourself to dessert at lunch. Drink the 1K+ calorie latte from the coffee shop. Whatever boosts your mood.
• Exercise in the morning. Yes, getting up early, especially on a Monday is hard, and getting up extra early is even harder. But once it’s over, you’ll feel great, I promise.
• Read the 13 Simple Steps to Get You through a Rough Day, for a super quick smile and pick-me-up.

Things I Hope to Do Better…

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about self-improvement. Specifically how I can constantly improve myself and make myself happier. I have to admit, it’s been a rough quarter for me. I haven’t felt connected to school, and am actually very excited to move home for the summer, not just to start my new job but for a welcome change os scenery.

A friend Tweeted about this article on the Huffington Post today, and it got me to thinking about things I would like to do better:

Unplug. I need to be less of a social media creep. I’m no certified stalker or anything but the article makes a great point:

“Facebook’s most frequent visitors often use it for social surveillance, as a way of checking up on people rather than as a way of catching up. Social spying bombards us with upward social comparisons, ones where our nights sitting on the couch with a Lean Cuisine watching TV–and surfing Facebook–feel low compared to the high life it seems everyone else is leading (at least in the photos).  See Facebook pages for what they are, as one of my clients calls them: “self-advertisements.” You have to be aware of what you’re seeing–and what you’re not seeing–or else you’ll never get off the couch and face the real world.”

This is absolutely correct. Not only do I need to be less connected in general (which I know I say  a lot, but in my defense it’s really hard to disconnect once your connected) but I also need to remember that Facebook is not life. Get off the computer and go do something!

I also really liked this image posted on TheBerry yesterday:

I know a lot of these have to do with personal health, but I feel like I’ve been slacking on that a bit lately. So I’m aiming do to better.

What are some things you’d like to improve in your life?

Mom, you were right: A Mother’s Day tribute.

As we all know, Mother’s Day is this weekend. My mother also has the pleasure of having her birthday fall in the same weekend. Because I’m unable to go home this weekend to see my wonderful mother, I thought I’d write a blog post about her awesomeness. Today happens to be the day between her birthday and Mother’s Day, so I thought it would be a good time to post.

In Orlando at Universal.

Over the years, my mom and I have had some nasty fights, that’s for sure. I would have hated to have such a bitchy teen for a daughter, and honestly I don’t know how she did it. I’m quite possible the most single-minded person ever and she had to make me do quite a few things I didn’t want to do, like dragging me out of bed every Sunday to go to church and visit my grandparents once a week and writing thank-you notes for every gift I ever recieved.

So I have to say, Mom, you were right.

Nowadays, I love visiting my grandfather when I’m home and I write more thank-you notes than you probably do. There has to be a fire for me to leave the house without makeup on – a lesson you taught me (thank goodness for that one).

Visiting me at OU.

Then there are the things you never made me do. I was never forced to stay in any sport I didn’t want to play. This resulted in me jumping from sport to sport (ballet, soccer, swimming, volleyball) before I found one that really stuck. You never made me skate if I didn’t want to and when I (almost) quit once, you didn’t force me to do it. You didn’t make me go to an in-state University just because I could go for free. Instead, you let me follow my dreams and go out-of-state, despite extended family tirelessly trying to convince me otherwise.

That first real boyfriend? You never liked him, despite my protests that he was, indeed, a good guy. He wasn’t. Big surprise, you were right, you’d sensed something bad from the beginning. At the time, I didn’t see it, but now I know that you were just looking out for me. I know you still worry about me being alone now, too. Always asking if there are any boys in my life, just because you want me to be happy.

Last Easter

I know you still worry. But don’t worry about silly things (like me driving at night) but don’t worry Mom, because despite your sometimes seeming paranoid-ness, you taught me well and I have a good head on my shoulders because of it.

So this weekend is all about you, Mom. Please accept this post as my gift to you, and know that I appreciate everything you’ve ever done for me, even if I seemed ungrateful at the time.

One of my favorite photos of my Mom and Dad.

Comparison is the thief of joy…

As someone who has essentially always gone after what I want despite there being obstacles, it’s really hard for me when I see those I care about not doing the same thing. It’s especially hard when I see people missing out on great opportunities because of uncertainty.

One of the most important life lessons I’ve learned is that life is full of uncertainty. Past experiences don’t always hand us a lesson to be learned neatly wrapped into a little box and left on your doorstep. Sometimes you just have to let things go and accept the fact that you can’t always learn a lesson right away. We are, after all, only human.

In order to move on from past experiences, you must consciously let go and turn your eyes to the future. Don’t let baggage affect who you are, you are certainly not what you did or how you’ve acted previously, that is a product of what happened to you. It’s so important to remember that you control your own destiny, so remember, your past is not your future. Remember, the rest is still unwritten, you can change your expectations of yourself and those around you.

Pardon my french, but it's true.

So I ask this of you, don’t let your past ruin something that could be potentially great. Each opportunity given to us is presented in order to make us better, or show us how great life can be. If you want or think you might want something, go after it, because the best opportunities often only knock once. Don’t let them get away, or I can gaurantee you’ll regret it.