Check Into Reality

I have heard people say over and over that they do not know what they would do without technology, but hey, guess what? There was a time when such luxuries did not exist, there is more to life than having the newest smartphone, or knowing who posted what on Facebook. Go outside, go for a walk, read a book, jog, write, breathe.

I, myself, am guilty of this. Every morning the first thing I reach for is my phone (partly because that is my alarm clock). This then leads me to check my email, and other social media, my day starts out with a BIG dose of technology when I have not even washed the crusties out of my eyes. This sets the tone for the rest of my day.

We need cut back on the amount we are checking out of reality and checking in to technology. I am not saying that technology is a bad thing. There are many benefits that we have gained from technology, but we need to check into reality more often.

We are social creatures, we need human interaction, and having a conversation with another being is the best way to get it. I have come to a realization that I need to make a change in my life, and I know I am not alone.I feel like I can only have a conversation with someone through text message, or social media. Having a face to face conversation is hard to come by these days.

I have made a change in my life to check into reality more. On the days I do not go to work I take my dog out for a walk, and the only thing I take with me is my phone (in case of an emergency). This is an hour of my day for me to take in the fresh air and unwind.There is a pond where I take my dog, and sometimes I like to sit and listen. Hearing the running water, the ducks and people walking by makes me realize how much life there is.

The other day on my walk I witnessed the moment when a father successfully taught his little girl how to ride her bike. I saw as he gave her her final push, and he just watched her ride down the sidewalk with a big grin on his face, the grin of accomplishment. He turned around and began to walk the other direction, but he was still looking back to make sure she was ok when she realized that he was not holding her bike any more.

I also got to witness a man walking with a blind woman, he was telling her about their surroundings, describing the colors in the sunset, giving imagery to the two little ducks that crossed their path. The best part was the huge smile on the woman’s face. The man was putting so much thought into what he was saying to her that she knew that the warmth that she was feeling was from the setting sun, and that the woman who just passed them was walking a small white dog.

It was truly amazing that I had the opportunity to witness these events just outside my front door. I would not have been able to be apart of those events if I was looking at my phone.

We are already so busy in our lives that we do not take time to appreciate the small things, and if we are looking at our smartphones, those small things just pass us by.

Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves. I enjoy going on walks but you could also read a good book, or go for a jog, write or talk to someone new. The point is to step out of our smartphones and into our lives.

~Check out of technology, and check into your reality.

Family Appreciation

Family… what about family? They are important, let me tell you why. Family is everything, you may not agree with me but first let me make my definition clear. Family is just a term used to define a selection of people that you consider to be important in your life. I’m using the word ‘family’ as a loose term so that I may include the important people that aren't genetically linked to you. The people whom you grew up with, though you may not think so, have shaped you in some way and therefore are a part of you and your family.

For as long as I can remember I have always had my family by my side, and I can’t imagine living without them. We all need family, it’s part of a survival mechanism. Family will always be there for you in victory or defeat. The point is that your family is essential and you should take the time to tell each person that they are special. Although YOU may be aware that each member of the family is special in their own way, they may not. The simplest gesture of appreciation goes a long way.

There are countless stories of people who have lost someone before getting the chance to say: “I love you,” “you mean a great deal to me,” “ I appreciate you…” the list can go on. No one is  exempt from misfortune so regardless of the drama and heavy heartedness that tends to happen every once in a while, don’t forget that family comes first. Take it from me, I've lost a number of dear friends and family who I didn't appreciate vocally and I feel like those are loose ends that I cannot mend. Make things right with the ones you love, and you will be much happier for it. Don’t wait to love and appreciate your loved ones for a tomorrow that isn't promised.

Peace out, love you all.

Be NICE

“Treat others how you want to be treated.” I grew up hearing a phrase that is very similar to this one. In my experience I have seen that many people are treated like sh*t!!! It may be someone you go to school with, someone in the workplace, or even someone you see while walking down the street. The fact of the matter is that there will always be insensitive people, but how we treat people says a lot about who we are as individuals.

Regardless of age and status you are obligated to treat everyone with kindness and respect. The Egyptian philosopher, Philo said it best, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” We are all human and we all have human emotions, as a result we do not know what people around us are going through. With that being said we should also not over analyze what other people do to us, because we simply do not know what provoked the other person’s actions.

If you ever find yourself in the position where you feel that someone is not treating you right ,you have the right to ask them why that is. When you ask the other person it is very important that you stop and realize that your words and actions will carry weight, and you must really think about your delivery. Be kind and think about how YOU would want to be approached in this situation. Chances are they did not even realize what they were doing and will not know how their actions are effecting you unless you say something. I think that the most important thing is to realize that we are all human and we ALL make mistakes, what matters is not those mistakes, but the fact that we learn from those mistakes, and we become better people for it.

Treating others the way you would like to be treated can be an extension to the idea of being the change you would like to see in the world. Becoming a kind and more understanding person can effect other people because our moods are also contagious, be nice and nice is what you will get back.

I would like to leave you with the words of Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

~Be Nice :D

TROUBLESHOOTING HAPPINESS

Do you ever get that feeling where less things seem to move you? A feeling of apathy towards everything around you? I am currently dealing with this issue in my life. This did not just occur to me, I have been feeling this way for while. It’s a bit concerning since I’m finding less enthusiasm for the things that used to bring me joy. When I was younger I remember having more immediate reactions upon having a birthday celebration, or getting gifts but that is not the case anymore. I attribute this partly to aging and the number of things that one has to worry about as an adult. As a child the most simplest of things can bring you joy because the world is new, whereas when you get older it becomes clockwork.

Currently I am trying to make an effort to have a more positive response when I’m supposed to, as opposed to lacking a reaction. I keep replaying a scenario over and over and trying to narrow down the meaningful parts in any given situation, with this I hope to clear the path enough so my feelings can be easily triggered. I think it’s working. I doubt I’m the only one who is going through this, so if you are dealing with this similar issue, I understand you. I know it’s difficult to enjoy every second of your life when there are factors that take a toll on your happiness like anxiety, depression, stress from work, paying bills on time and dealing with the simple stresses of living.

Like everything in life, the key is balance. When you know that you will be facing stressful times, find the things that make you react in positive ways and incorporate them more into your life. For me, the things that have a positive influence are actually the things money can’t buy such as a smile, laughter, family, and friends. As long as those things are in place I’m less likely to keep falling into that state of apathy, at least that’s been working for me. I hope you can find the “positives” in your life that will bring you back to reality.

Peace out, Love you all :)

Valentine’s Day ... Let Me Count the Ways I Hate Thee

St.Valentine's Day … today this is a celebration of the love between two people. I hate this holiday!

I don’t hate it because I am in fact single … but because everyday should have the potential to be “Valentine’s Day” when you appreciate your significant other and make them feel special.  

There are 365 days in a year and this is the only day on the calendar that formally recognizes the love between two people. You should not need a holiday to remind you that you need to appreciate your significant other, they should be special every single day. This person is not there because they have to be, they choose to be, they choose to tolerate all of your flaws and support your endeavors because they love you.  

The fact of the matter is that we are all going to die one day; life is too short. If you appreciate someone then you should tell them. Valentine’s Day should celebrate all Love, not just the love of a significant other, but the love of a child, parent, or a really good friend. When it comes to this holiday we tend not to recognize the other types of love that exist. We go through our lives not showing other’s that we appreciate what they have done for us. We do not know what tomorrow holds, when will you have another opportunity to express your gratitude? The smallest bit of appreciation can go a long way.

I was watching a TED Talk a while back by Drew Dudley, on leadership. Dudley talks about how we as people are leaders without even knowing it, and we need to let the people around us know that they have made a positive impact on our lives. Dudley calls this point in time the “Lollipop moment,” this is the exact moment in time when the other person made the impact. We should apply this same idea to the ones we love.

After watching Dudley’s talk, I stepped out of my comfort zone and made more of an effort to let people know that I am grateful for that “lollipop moment” they have given me. As a result I have found it has made my relationships with those people stronger.Thinking back on my life, I do not know how often I have actually thanked people for the “lollipop moments”. If we treat every relationship in our lives with such appreciation just imagine how much value it would add to our lives. Give it a try!

You don’t need Valentine’s Day to show your appreciation.

Thanks for reading!

peace&love.

REFLECTIONS

The other day I was playing a game on my phone called Clash of Clans and someone asked what the game was about. As I was explaining it (mind you, I was hesitant at first to share and I'll tell you why) I had a gut feeling that I sounded like a complete nerd, and a childish one at that. I figured I've already stepped foot into this conversation so now it would be awkward to step back. So, I proceeded to hype up as I explained the game in order to establish my enthusiasm and the joy that this simple game gives me.

The reason I decided to share this scenario with you all, was to shed light on my vulnerability. Now, I know for a fact that everyone has a comfort zone where they can completely be themselves, but the trick is to be able to step out of that zone and still be comfortable with who you are. This not only applies to Clash of Clans, but in other aspects of our lives as well. When people judge others on their appearance, it is a reflection of who THEY are. When you see flaws in others, try to step back and reflect why those flaws even matter. Once you find the answer you will realize it doesn't matter, so find the good in people. With that said, no one should give two, three, four or any sh*ts, for that matter about other people’s opinions over you as an individual.

The point is that you should not feel bad if something about you, happens to bug someone else. Live your life at your own beat and let others dance to their own rhythm.

Peace out, love you guys.

You're Weird!! I Like It

Being weird is the norm! EVERYONE has heard that they are weird in one way or another. I do not understand why the word "weird" has such a negative connotation. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the definition of weird is of  strange or extraordinary character. You have to stop and ask yourself do you really want to be ordinary, or do you want to be extra-ordinary?

No matter what you do in life there will always be people there who will judge you if you do something right or if you do something wrong. I say that you should just be yourself and do what you think is right for you at that point in time, and if people think you're "weird" for being you, then take it as a compliment. Be happy being who you are, you will not find happiness in being who you think others want you to be. With that being said it figure out who you are and who you want to be, this means you will have to put down all this technology, and step away from media and popular culture, so that you are not influenced by others and really figure out who you are.

Just do what makes you happy, and be that person you want to be. Nothing should be seen as being "weird" it should be only seen as who you are. so we should change the connotation of the word. If there were not any weird people then we would all be the same so we need to embrace our weird side!

Thanks for reading!

Marriage

 

Marriage can be scary for many reasons, which will leave many individuals waiting and contemplating what's to come. None of us know what our life has in store for us, much less do we know what it will be like with a life partner, because lets face it (at least in my religion/culture) when you get married to someone it is forever. And this, for many people is nerve wrecking, but it doesn't have to be.

As human beings we are skeptical, fearful, and maybe, even these doubts are totally unnecessary. Sometimes these doubts may lead you to think that your significant other is not the right person for you, and maybe destiny has someone else for you to be with and we insist on doubting and this alone can set us up for failure before we even start. I know that when I think about marriage my mind is going at 100mps with no concrete substance for which to alleviate my doubts and fears, but this does not have to be the case. We have been raised to think that this is something that we have to do at this precise moment in time, but marriage is a step that should not be taken with a light heart. Marriage is a life changing step and it should only be taken when you feel that you are truly ready to take it.

Often I do consider the happiness of my parents surrounded by grandchildren but I need to stop and think am I ready for this? And the answer is no. No I am not ready because when I think about becoming someone’s wife and then later on someone’s mother the feelings of skepticism, and fear begin to settle in my mind once more, I know that I want this in my life, but now is simply not the time for me. In the future when I can think of marriage and no longer feel fearful, I know I am ready.

THE BEGINNING

Why this Blog?

Just like the mosquito we all start somewhere, this particular post marks the beginning of this thingy, whatever it turns out to be. But let us attempt to tell you what this mosquito is gonna do.

The wheels in our heads are always turning. Yes we will teach you how to make the wheels go round … nope not really.  we are aware that we as human beings do not like to admit it but we often have conversations with ourselves. (Yes… you ARE crazy) These conversations may take place while we are out on a walk, working out, driving, when we cannot sleep at night or even in the shower, but the point is whenever there is something on our mind we tend to think about it and most times we over think it. (Don’t worry you are NOT crazy … we all do it … talk to ourselves that is)

But as our friend from another lifetime, Confucius, once said to us, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. " The man had a point! So lets make things simple … shall we? We have talked about A LOT of random things … and we will attempt to make them simple, as they should be.