I don't know about you, but ever since school kicked back up I roll out of bed, groan and complain, and run late to my first period class where I proceed to stare at the clock and count down the seconds until the final bell. It is really a drag and significantly brings my mood down 1000%. Something I've thought about lately is how to make each day a little better. Five out of seven days each week are either spent at work or school and people surrounding me are always grumbling about something or other. Each day deserves to be made special in its own way so I composed a little list of 5 ways you can make every day a little happier and better.
1. Wake up each morning and smile. This may sound really dumb and you may even feel a little dumb at first, but it seriously makes the day so much better. I woke up once and automatically smiled and I swear the day was unlike any day I've ever lived. I was smiling the whole day and insanely happy. I genuinely laughed at things that should've brought me down. It was incredible. So, start off each day with a smile and see where it takes you.
2. Compliment at least one person. It can be a stranger, a friend, a teacher, a sibling, or parent. Whoever it is, offer them a genuine compliment and expect nothing in return. You've just made someone else's day better which automatically gives you a positive feeling.
3. EAT BREAKFAST. I rarely do this, so I really shouldn't be suggesting it, but it is a habit of every healthy person. Eating more regularly is something I'm working on this school year. I'm often in such a rush that I run out the door without grabbing anything. Yet, I've realized that when I have had a substantial breakfast I am so much more attentive and productive. And, yes, it makes me happier because I'm not crabby from hunger. So just do it. I started out with an apple this morning and already noticed my mood was boosted.
4. Exercise!! Run, do some yoga, play some tennis, just get up and get moving. Exercise is a normal human thing to do so you'll probably just naturally be 10x happier. I know after a good round of tennis or even just a long walk with my mom at sunset I feel a lot more content.
5. Stay organized. Make to-do lists, mental lists, plans, or whatever else you have to do to keep on top of things. Life gets busy, especially around the start of the new school year and keeping everything organized and in its place will lead to simplicity later down the road.
This was a fairly rudimentary list but it's just a few things I'm working on and recommending to others to make each day a little better than the one before. Until next time xxx.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
How to Heal A Broken Heart... and Other Thoughts on Love
You clicked on this because maybe your heart is hurting and you were wondering what to do. Maybe you clicked on this because you thought "oh gosh, what the hell does this idiot know about love?" Either way, I'm glad you clicked around and ended up here. You most likely don't know me and don't particularly care about my opinion, but I'll tell you a little story anyways and tell you what I'm doing to get over it.
Love. Love is a funny word. It's something that either makes you feel on top of the world or at the bottom of the ocean, drowning with no way out. People have different ideas about what love is, and your idea of it is no more wrong or right than mine is. Love means something different to everyone, but for the most part everyone seems to agree that love can't be bought. It's something that either happens or doesn't. It can't be forced or controlled. Love just is. Love is all around us all the time, whether we realize it or not. It can be a loud whirlwind of reckless emotions or a quiet, simple feeling that rests soundly in your heart. It can be the perfect combination of crazy and calm. Sometimes it'll just be perfect.
Every love is special. I love my dog. I love my parents. I love my brothers and my true friends that stick by me. I love to read and play tennis and travel. I love lots of people and things. Everyone loves something. Yet, one day you will click with someone and it won't be like any other love you've felt before. It'll be love; the kind you read about in John Green novels or watch in Nicholas Sparks' movies. It will make you feel so many different things at once that you know it just must be true.
I thought I felt this kind of love. Actually, I know I did, but we are all young and lost and trying to piece together who we are when we stand alone. Adding another person into the equation just complicates everything, sometimes for the better and other times for the worse. Some days you'll lounge around, wrapped in a blanket, eating ice cream, listening to Taylor Swift songs, and watching Titanic and The Notebook. That's just the way it is, but not the way it will always be.
Anyways, I guess I learned a few things about myself and everyone else. I've talked with lots of friends and we share stories and connect over it and it is truly amazing, despite the fact that we've bonded over sad things. Something I will never doubt is the importance of strong friendships. Heartache and difficult times definitely reveal true friends and I am forever grateful for these true friends I have by my side.
I can't tell you how to heal a broken heart, because your heart is not broken. Sometimes the pain may be so extreme it feels like your heart has split in two, but it is still beating and you are breathing and you are alive. You are so alive in fact, that you are capable of feeling so much pain. In a tragic way, it is sort of incredible. You loved so intensely and deeply and that is never something to be ashamed of.
So you can't heal this heart of yours. You have to stop waiting for the pain to end, enjoy life, and let time do its thing. One day before you can think twice you will realize that the pain is over and you were too busy to even notice.
A few things I learned about this love thing through my experiences and the experiences of others are as follows...
1. Never doubt the love you felt and thought you once had. It was real. Your feelings are real and they mattered then and they matter now. Just because it doesn't seem real now doesn't mean it was never real at all.
2. You will feel everything at once and then nothing at all. Sometimes you will be bitter and angry and confused. Other times, you won't even care and you will laugh and forget you were ever sad at all. It's a rocky road and there will always be good days and bad days.
3. Only say what you truly mean. Whether you are in a relationship or not, just be honest. Don't say you love someone if you don't. If you do love someone, tell them. It is pretty simple and will make life and love a lot less complicated.
4. You fight for the people you love. It is that simple. If you truly love someone with your whole heart then you will do anything to love them forever. Love is love and it can't be restrained.
5. There is unconditional love and conditional love. Never settle for conditional love- that's the love that has to be earned or can be ended by any mistake or rough patch. Unconditional love is the type of love your dog has for you, okay? This love is unlike anything in the whole universe. Unconditional love is not saying "I love you" and holding hands. It is not "I love you if you love me" or "I only love you because..." it is just love with no reason at all.
6. There are more hurt people in this world than you realize. Everyone has either had a broken heart, is dealing with one, or will have one in the future. We are all humans and we all feel whether we want to or not.
7. True love never ends. You don't have to see each other ever again or speak another word to one another. It can go from endless "I love you's" each day to complete silence. They can move to Mars. Others will hold your hand and touch your heart. That doesn't matter. What matters is that if it was true once it will always be true, even if it is over. The end of something doesn't mean it was never real in the first place. It happened and for a time in history it was real and it'll always be that way.
8. Accept that sometimes things end before they truly ended. Does that make sense? Sometimes things fade away before it all is officially over. You will feel this drifting apart I'm talking about. If you've been through it, it makes sense. It's like when you're driving and know a stop is coming up, even if you can't see the red light yet. Sometimes there comes a time when you just know it's going to end and that's okay.
9. You are young and have a lot of life left to live. It may be a bit cheesy to say, but it really is true. You have a lot of people to meet in the future and a lot more to do than focus on love. When love is meant to be it will find a way to be.
10. Sometimes it'll feel like timing was just a bitch and the world was against you and nothing ended up the way it was supposed to. Well, I'll promise you this one thing: the way your life is at this exact moment is the way it is supposed to be. It may not feel like it, but one day you'll look back and all the pieces will fit together.
11. You are allowed to be sad, but you are not allowed to stay sad forever. You won't stay sad forever. You may be allowed to be sad, but you deserve to be happy, too.
Love is everywhere. Love is pure, even when it causes us pain. It is complicated and sometimes too difficult to understand but it is the most powerful thing in this world. Love is worth it. Until next time xxx.
Love. Love is a funny word. It's something that either makes you feel on top of the world or at the bottom of the ocean, drowning with no way out. People have different ideas about what love is, and your idea of it is no more wrong or right than mine is. Love means something different to everyone, but for the most part everyone seems to agree that love can't be bought. It's something that either happens or doesn't. It can't be forced or controlled. Love just is. Love is all around us all the time, whether we realize it or not. It can be a loud whirlwind of reckless emotions or a quiet, simple feeling that rests soundly in your heart. It can be the perfect combination of crazy and calm. Sometimes it'll just be perfect.
Every love is special. I love my dog. I love my parents. I love my brothers and my true friends that stick by me. I love to read and play tennis and travel. I love lots of people and things. Everyone loves something. Yet, one day you will click with someone and it won't be like any other love you've felt before. It'll be love; the kind you read about in John Green novels or watch in Nicholas Sparks' movies. It will make you feel so many different things at once that you know it just must be true.
I thought I felt this kind of love. Actually, I know I did, but we are all young and lost and trying to piece together who we are when we stand alone. Adding another person into the equation just complicates everything, sometimes for the better and other times for the worse. Some days you'll lounge around, wrapped in a blanket, eating ice cream, listening to Taylor Swift songs, and watching Titanic and The Notebook. That's just the way it is, but not the way it will always be.
Anyways, I guess I learned a few things about myself and everyone else. I've talked with lots of friends and we share stories and connect over it and it is truly amazing, despite the fact that we've bonded over sad things. Something I will never doubt is the importance of strong friendships. Heartache and difficult times definitely reveal true friends and I am forever grateful for these true friends I have by my side.
I can't tell you how to heal a broken heart, because your heart is not broken. Sometimes the pain may be so extreme it feels like your heart has split in two, but it is still beating and you are breathing and you are alive. You are so alive in fact, that you are capable of feeling so much pain. In a tragic way, it is sort of incredible. You loved so intensely and deeply and that is never something to be ashamed of.
So you can't heal this heart of yours. You have to stop waiting for the pain to end, enjoy life, and let time do its thing. One day before you can think twice you will realize that the pain is over and you were too busy to even notice.
A few things I learned about this love thing through my experiences and the experiences of others are as follows...
1. Never doubt the love you felt and thought you once had. It was real. Your feelings are real and they mattered then and they matter now. Just because it doesn't seem real now doesn't mean it was never real at all.
2. You will feel everything at once and then nothing at all. Sometimes you will be bitter and angry and confused. Other times, you won't even care and you will laugh and forget you were ever sad at all. It's a rocky road and there will always be good days and bad days.
3. Only say what you truly mean. Whether you are in a relationship or not, just be honest. Don't say you love someone if you don't. If you do love someone, tell them. It is pretty simple and will make life and love a lot less complicated.
4. You fight for the people you love. It is that simple. If you truly love someone with your whole heart then you will do anything to love them forever. Love is love and it can't be restrained.
5. There is unconditional love and conditional love. Never settle for conditional love- that's the love that has to be earned or can be ended by any mistake or rough patch. Unconditional love is the type of love your dog has for you, okay? This love is unlike anything in the whole universe. Unconditional love is not saying "I love you" and holding hands. It is not "I love you if you love me" or "I only love you because..." it is just love with no reason at all.
6. There are more hurt people in this world than you realize. Everyone has either had a broken heart, is dealing with one, or will have one in the future. We are all humans and we all feel whether we want to or not.
7. True love never ends. You don't have to see each other ever again or speak another word to one another. It can go from endless "I love you's" each day to complete silence. They can move to Mars. Others will hold your hand and touch your heart. That doesn't matter. What matters is that if it was true once it will always be true, even if it is over. The end of something doesn't mean it was never real in the first place. It happened and for a time in history it was real and it'll always be that way.
8. Accept that sometimes things end before they truly ended. Does that make sense? Sometimes things fade away before it all is officially over. You will feel this drifting apart I'm talking about. If you've been through it, it makes sense. It's like when you're driving and know a stop is coming up, even if you can't see the red light yet. Sometimes there comes a time when you just know it's going to end and that's okay.
9. You are young and have a lot of life left to live. It may be a bit cheesy to say, but it really is true. You have a lot of people to meet in the future and a lot more to do than focus on love. When love is meant to be it will find a way to be.
10. Sometimes it'll feel like timing was just a bitch and the world was against you and nothing ended up the way it was supposed to. Well, I'll promise you this one thing: the way your life is at this exact moment is the way it is supposed to be. It may not feel like it, but one day you'll look back and all the pieces will fit together.
11. You are allowed to be sad, but you are not allowed to stay sad forever. You won't stay sad forever. You may be allowed to be sad, but you deserve to be happy, too.
Love is everywhere. Love is pure, even when it causes us pain. It is complicated and sometimes too difficult to understand but it is the most powerful thing in this world. Love is worth it. Until next time xxx.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Senior Year Bucket List
It's officially senior year in five days. While my heart is shattered to see summer coming to an end (and the summer homework is piling up), I am so excited for senior year and all the adventures that await. I'm approaching everything this year with an open mind and heart. In one short year I will be off to college, most likely in Arizona or California (or even Europe; I've been tossing my options around).
While I am excited for the next chapter in my life, I know it will be hard to say goodbye. I have had various friends throughout my three years in high school and time in Colorado. I often wonder what my life would be like if I had never left California. It's crazy that I moved here for a reason and met the people I did for some other reason. Nothing is coincidence, and my life is showing me that. Whether I like to admit it or not, I will really miss a lot of my friends and especially my family once senior year draws to a close. I already grew so close to new people this year and summer. I know these friendships will strengthen within the next 12 months and the goodbyes will be difficult, but people who are meant to stay in your life will.
I've created a bucket list of sorts for things I want to accomplish my senior year.
"A lot can happen in twelve months, but tonight we are here together."
until next time xxx.
While I am excited for the next chapter in my life, I know it will be hard to say goodbye. I have had various friends throughout my three years in high school and time in Colorado. I often wonder what my life would be like if I had never left California. It's crazy that I moved here for a reason and met the people I did for some other reason. Nothing is coincidence, and my life is showing me that. Whether I like to admit it or not, I will really miss a lot of my friends and especially my family once senior year draws to a close. I already grew so close to new people this year and summer. I know these friendships will strengthen within the next 12 months and the goodbyes will be difficult, but people who are meant to stay in your life will.
I've created a bucket list of sorts for things I want to accomplish my senior year.
- Enjoy senior tennis season
- go to every football, baseball, and basketball game
- continue to bond with the peer counselors
- every month do a random act of kindness
- thank all my teachers
- spend time with my brothers and parents
- talk to my grandparents on the phone each weekend
- intern
- meditate when stressed out
- don't get as stressed out- let the universe do it's thing
- apply to multiple colleges
- throw a Halloween party round 2
- have a huge 18th birthday party
- score 4s or 5s on AP tests
- go on sunrise hikes before school
- build strong friendships above everything
- donate books to an underprivileged school or orphanage
- live in the moment
- enjoy everything for what it is
At the end of the day, I just want to enjoy everything while I can and make the most of every experience. Senior year will be over before I can blink.
"A lot can happen in twelve months, but tonight we are here together."
until next time xxx.
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