Alright, here we go...time for a quick post before venturing across town to contribute to society and put in a 5-hour shift at work. Tuesdays and Thursdays are typically my "no free time" days, other than 10 minutes here and there in between classes and work to throw down a quick meal or at least breathe for a second. Well, since I finished a midterm exam early today (no, I cannot believe it's midterms already either), I was able to acquire a laptop in the library, plop down in a semi-comfortable (and probably germ-ridden) chair to jot down my thoughts on the day's progress thus far. Progress is being made, one way or another. This morning I learned a very valuable lesson that I will take with me in my days following today: the 15 minutes of sleep after hitting snooze is never worth it. Sure, at the time it seems like a fantastic idea, drifting off for just 15 more minutes can't hurt anything. And that's probably true...it doesn't "hurt" anything. But it doesn't help my morning situation either. Although I did have enough time to get ready and prepare myself this morning, I sure could have used that extra 15 minutes to stretch, relax and gather my thoughts, or actually enjoy my bowl of oatmeal that I ate in literally 2 minutes. Lesson learned: don't hit snooze...just GET UP!
Okay, so the rain has finally stopped here in the city. Although, I am not against the dark and gloomy weather. It actually makes me feel cozy and relaxed, and gives me an excuse to drink extra coffee and squeeze in an afternoon nap (which time does allow me to do on Mondays and Wednesdays). But on a day like today, I would much rather NOT get drenched as I scurry around the city. You may ask, why don't you use an umbrella? Well, so far I've lost 2 umbrella's to the wicked wind here in Chicago. An umbrella does me no good when it's inverted and nearly pulling me across the street (in this case I usually laugh hysterically, gather my mangled umbrella, and face the rain head on).
Supposedly, the sun will shine tomorrow. Which means I have another beautiful day ahead of me. Happy Thursday!
My absence was not planned. Actually, the plan was to share my thoughts and write every day, but you can see how well that worked out. I let days pass without giving them recognition, fully aware that each one of them deserved some kind of acknowledgment. Perhaps this cloud where I sit is preventing me from coming back down to earth to face any realities, one of which including my blog. Actually, I've recently realized that this cloud I've found myself floating on lately is my reality. And in that case, I'm glad my blog found me up here.
Oh, but don't you worry...the 8 days that passed did not pass without valuable lessons attached to them. I remembered during this time how capable I am of longing for something...which in turn makes me feel very fortunate to possess this capability and to have those people in my life to miss. And it was made clear that time always passes, reuniting me with the ones I love the most. In fact, I realized how quickly time does pass. Something that you think is so far off in the distance is instantly brought to your near future, leaving you wondering where the time in between escaped to. This is both appreciated, but scary at the same time. Because of that, I learned that every second must be spent in pure bliss, no matter what circumstances surround you. Make it happen.
I learned a little bit more about love, a subject I keep gaining knowledge about every single day. And it left me feeling fortunate to have the ability to share this with someone. I learned that laughing is probably the most important thing in the world, and my cheeks hurt because of this realization. And I learned that the ones I love are not that far away, even though at times I feel like I'm in a different world.
The rain is falling in the city. And since there's nothing I can do to change it, I will simply enjoy it. This, I've learned, is a lesson to live by.
Another Monday is almost behind us. I know a lot of people who dread Mondays; I never have. For me, it's an opportunity to start fresh and set new goals for the week. Mondays give me motivation to try harder than I did the week before, to do something differently or better than I have in weeks prior. It's a chance to really push forward and get things done, so when the weekend does roll around again, I am able to relax and enjoy my time. Mondays equal productivity, motivation, and a new start. Although my day is far from over, I have still managed to cross several items off of my to-do list, making it virtually empty at the moment. This gives me the opportunity to sneak away from the busy world below me, take a deep breath, clear my head, and share my thoughts.
I've come to the conclusion that all Mondays should really start on Sunday night. Those who "hate" Mondays should perhaps investigate why they dislike it so much. I have a feeling a lot of it has to do with the lack of preparation. Most of us sit around and wait for Monday morning to arrive, as if it's some sort of plague that we're bound to get, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. But instead of just letting it happen (causing the anxiety, frustration, and complaining experienced on Monday mornings by a lot of people), why don't we try PLANNING for our Monday morning. And every morning, for that matter. You will be amazed and what a difference a little bit of preparation can make, especially when it involves your morning routine. For me, mornings are a chance to really wake up, take my time, prepare my body and mind for the day, and bring contentment to myself...before moving forward.
So for all of you Monday-haters out there, try taking a different approach! Make Monday mornings enjoyable, change your perception of them, and PREPARE for them. After all, there are 52 Mondays in a year...we might as well make the best of them!
Here's a link to an article that talks about things to incorporate into your morning routine: http://www.rd.com/health/24-ways-to-brighten-your-morning/
How will you make your Monday mornings better?
Life is full of options. When you think about it, every single little thing we do is just an option. Every choice we make has a counterpart or an opposing choice. And it's up to us to make that decision, to choose one of the options in hopes that it is the right choice. But, of course, everyone's definition of the "right" choice is different. Some may define the right choice as the one that holds the most monetary value. Others may choose something based on the effort they need to put into it (typically choosing the option requiring the least amount of work). Some may make the right decision, only because they know it is right, not because they necessarily want to. And some flat out make the wrong decision and know it's the wrong decision.
A lot of our decision-making is based on basic right vs. wrong. This obviously needs to stay intact in order for us to be decent human beings. But what if all of our decisions were based off of one simple question: Which option will make me a better person? Which option will bring me fulfillment? (okay, two simple questions) After asking yourself these questions, wouldn't the decision-making process be easier? And in turn, wouldn't your life be easier, knowing you made the "right" decision, strictly based on the idea that life is all about bettering yourself and bettering those around you?
That's what I learned today; that decisions can be made easier by asking yourself a simple question. Once the decision is made, there is no remorse. And life can continue to be lived, with a brighter and more positive road ahead of you.
What did you learn today?
The rain falls steadily as my fingers make the connection between thoughts and words. Of course the thoughts sporadically race around in my mind, and its my fingers' job to rope them in, decipher them, and share them with the world. Or whoever is reading this I suppose. It's days like this that really get the wheels turning and productivity brewing. Which seems counterintuitive, as I sit here on my comfy couch, still in my pjs, only moving to fill up my coffee mug. However, you must understand that productivity begins in the mind, where it sits right now. It will show its face as soon as I'm done spilling my thoughts.
Speaking of productivity, I want to share with you a revelation that has washed over me recently. One that was brought on by two minds collaborating in unison, creating a harmonious plan of attack for pure happiness. It happened (and is still happening) effortlessly and with little variance. The key, we have found, to living every second of this life to it's greatest capacity, is to never stop improving. The reason we must never stop improving is because there is always room for it. Bottom line. As an individual, there are many aspects of my life (mentally, emotionally, physically, other -ally words) that could always use improvement. And as part of a little unit (as we like to call ourselves), there is also room for improvement, no matter how right everything may be.
Life is an opportunity to learn about ourselves, learn about those we care about, and learn about life itself. The world is full of these opportunities. We just need to find them, apply them to our lives, and continue along on this journey, utilizing every chance to be wiser, more respected, and better off.
"If you know better, you'll do better." - Unknown Author
My mind runs free. It runs through my present state of being, frolicking like a little girl in a field of bright yellow rapeseed. With every step, it reminds me that its okay to find this unusual happening slightly humorous and giggle at the thought of it. My mind takes no time to mull over my whereabouts as it has been in this particular field before. Although, the flowers have never shown this passionate of a yellow; or perhaps my eyes just didn't see the forceful color during my last jaunt here.
The definition of escape is to slip or get away from restraint. This term has not been used in reference to anything in my life; escaping was never something I found intriguing or necessary, and for this I feel fortunate. But as I skip through this field of flowers, my mind leading the way, I can't help but notice that I have done something that I never thought I would do; I escaped. Upon this realization, my body goes limp, collapsing into a puddle of thoughts and elation on the ground. No wonder the flowers are beaming, shining a light so bright they are nearly burning my vulnerable skin; they are letting me know my escape was successful. I slipped away gracefully into this new, yet somewhat explored world. My mind can't help but wonder what I've escaped from. And since there's no sense in forcing my mind to be quiet, as this is something that rarely happens, I let it think.
The escape came quietly. It came with such a weak and soft presence that I was completely unaware of it's existence. I thought I was fine, content, happy. And I was. My progress over the last 8 months has left me feeling an unimaginable sense of pride and accomplishment, as you can clearly see in previous posts. My mind has been wandering without much purpose, unaware of what it would come across, unaware of where it would lead me. And thinking this was necessary for my happiness to come into play, or for lack of a better reason, I let it wander. I let it wander alone, in solace, from the moment the sun began to rise to the second I closed my eyes at night, and then some. The things my mind ran into while wandering were valuable to my presence, and the lessons learned are inextinguishable. My mind wandered alone, yet it smiled during the entire journey, mainly because there was no other option. Along with no other option came no stability, no sense of belonging, and no direction. My entire world was unknown, and although I nearly forced myself to believe not knowing would be okay, it simply was not.
I quickly realize, though, that my mind was not wandering aimlessly...it was searching. Searching for this field where I now run free, the wind blowing a gentle breeze around me and the sun shining its comforting rays on my fresh face. This is a place where the past is recognized and remembered, but never dissected for flaws. This is a place where tears are dried and smiles are permanently painted. Everything is okay in this field I've found myself in. Every breath is taken with new intentions, every second passes without a single worry, and every thought of the future comes with a wave of pure joy. I am where I belong...I am home.
Because no matter where life may take you, love always brings you home.
