"Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have."
Louis E. Boone
"With love and patience, nothing is impossible."
Daisaku Ikeda
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong.
Ella Fitzgerald
Albert Einstein, three rules of work
1. Out of clutter, find simplicity. 2. From discord, find harmony. 3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
This week is about trying. This week is about patient with others but especially myself. This week is about not giving up regardless of trials.
I will get through this week despite mistakes I may make.
Well, I will go on to state that this blog post will not be a poem and it will not be sung as the term "ode" typically implies. However, I am filled with joy. It's bursting at my seams. How I've obtained this wonderful feeling I know is not my own doing. Sure, I've been smiling more, laughing frequently, and letting go of negativity; living life one day at a time. My heart has been softened and I know I cannot fully take responsibility for it. I have so much to be thankful for. Prayers are being answered, pieces are falling into place and I can only point to one source. God. In comprehending this blog and reading back on my posts, I realized that I was forgetting to mention on dominant constant in my life and that is my belief and utter faith in God. God has made Himself extremely known in my life for the past twelve months in a big way and I could not have made it through without him. I am forever changed in a beautiful way. Of course, I still have some consistent flaws and some not-so-beautiful moments but I know God is molding me. I want him to. I now know what it means to allow Him in. I did not know how closed off He was until everything I had known in my world came crashing down. Everything came crashing down for a major reason. God removed me from a lot turmoil and pain in my life and while the transition was difficult, the result could not be better. I'm free and alive. I'm joyful and I finally feel as though I am living the life He always wanted me to.
"High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven's joys, Oh, bright heavens Son! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, oh, ruler of all"
- Be Thou My Vision
"Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne"
So, I was rummaging through my refrigerator the other day in hopes of making some creation to subdue my appetite. Then I remembered I had left over cranberries that had been boiled down the night before in order to make syrup. I did not want to waste them so I saved them for something useful. I'm glad I did!
MC's Morning Parfait:
1/2 cup to 1 cup of boiled-down cranberries (should be like a thick jelly) 2 cups of Low Fat French Vanilla yogurt (brand does not matter) 1/2 cup to 1 cup of honey granola clusters 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate chopped (optional)
Believe me, it is so yummy! And the best part is, it lasts about two meals and it is even great as a snack. I'm making another batch tonight!
This book could not have reached me at a better time! My teacher assigned this book as part of our future homework. She mentioned what all it entailed and I could not help but go to the library today and read it. I figured it was much longer than it truly is but to my surprise, it is a fairly easy read. The best part about this book is although it only takes about an hour (give or take) to read, the message is simple, loud, and very clear!
POSITIVE CHANGE IS GOOD!
I highly recommend reading this book because anyone and everyone can relate to it's message whether we realize it or not. I related to this book more on a personal level but many others relate to it on a work level. Overall, this is a great book to read and it is positively thought provoking.
As I had written earlier, this year is geared towards positive change, learning, and growth. I have given much thought as to what it means for me. How am I going to positively change, learn and grow? I have come to the conclusion, in making small adjustments in my daily life will create a better foundation in obtaining my goal.
Here is the list I've developed so far:
1) SMILE more... If you know me well, and I mean WELL, I do not smile a lot of the time. This is partially due to the fact that I easily become lost in thought. A great description many people would give me is "quiet" or "serious". While I can be serious when needed, I know how to have fun and hold a conversation. I promise I'm friendly. However, I may not show this enough. Smiling more may just help me remove this veil of assumptions.
2)Healthier Lifestyle... I may be young now but it will not be long before my metabolism slows down and my bones ache. Internally, I am horribly out of shape. My poor organs and muscles crave for more activity. Their requests are being acknowledged and answered. I cutting out some nonsense from my diet, stretching every morning before starting my day (very important), running at least twice a week (for a solid 30 minutes), drinking more water and less garbage and allowing myself more sleep! I've done a number to my body and I am only 22! What a shame...time for a change!!
3)Read More... I never thought I was one for reading but actually, I am! I always devoted my time to other things and late night phone calls. Now, I have more time for myself, so I read for fun! Educating yourself, expanding your vocabulary,and getting lost in text is liberating. The best part of reading is always finishing the book. It makes me feel accomplished.
4)Endure life on a daily basis... I've come down to my last semester of college! It is now my last chance to take advantage of my school's activities and programs. I would say that I am accomplishing this goal by allowing myself to explore my new talents and some of my older talents :) This year I am looking forward to expanding my graphic design skills, putting together my portfolio, developing my senior show, going back into private voice, doing my internship, focusing more on photography, and practicing with Chorus for our tour in South America later this year! It will be a very challenging semester; this is how I desired it. I want to leave this place knowing I gave my all and challenged myself in all my interests and passions!
This past year, my brother and his wife mentioned to me a documentary they recently watched titled "Food Inc.". They expressed how startling it was on it's exact portrayal of today's food industry. I decided I would rent it at some point so that I could understand more about the documentary. Unfortunately, I never got around to renting it and then it became suppressed in the back of my mind. It was not until last month that my drawing teacher brought up the documentary. She had watched it one weekend and discussed with us in graphic detail all this documentary contained. I could not help but add the movie to my NetFlix queue. Today, I watched "Food Inc". and I have to say I was crying within the first 15 minutes. I am a huge animal lover but this does not imply I am a vegetarian either. I love meat and I will eat what this planet provides until the day I die. However, it is the treatment of animals I do not agree with. Since man has roamed the earth, we have eaten livestock and man seemed to have simpler ways in slaughtering ( I hate to use the word "slaughter") livestock. Today, it seems healthy treatment of the animals is unimportant; they are going to be killed soon enough anyway, right? WRONG! Now, we pump chemicals and antibiotics into chickens so they grow at a supernatural rate, causing their bones to collapse under their immense "unnatural" weight. Also, most "chicken coops" are now being transformed into "dark tunnels". Most chickens that are processed and slaughtered never see the sun or breath fresh air. Most cows never eat grass but corn instead which causes them to become fatter for man. Cows are herbivores, meant to eat grass, not corn! Sadly, in today's industry, there are a handful of corporations that dictate what happens to livestock and vegetation overlooked by farmers. They have a say in everything it seems; many farmers are required to never speak of what all happens but the ugly truth is now seeping out for all to hear. I am in absolute shock as to how all of this has been happening. I honestly had no idea as to how these animals were being treated before being processed into our daily meals. Also, the fact that we are subjected to chemicals such as ammonia is absurd. We have the right to eat healthy food and we also have the right to know any and every chemical that we ingest. I am now educating myself more on farmers markets, organic foods, and making my own garden. By doing a little more reading and investigating in supermarkets, it can make a difference. A little step can go a long way. Rent and watch "Food Inc.". Even if you do not eat fast food, dislike animals or do not care what you ingest, educate yourself. I have a feeling this extreme issue will effect younger generations to come. The more we know now, the less surprises we will face.
Do something. http://www.takepart.com/foodinc
5 Things You Can Do Now:
1) Buy Organic or Sustainable Food 2)Go without Meat Once a Week 3)Read Labels - Know where your food comes from 4)Drink More Water, fewer sugary beverages 5)Support companies that treat their employees, animals and environment with respect.
As I mentioned earlier, I am looking for ways to positively change my lifestyle. I’m looking for ways to physically be healthier as well as emotionally stronger.
This past week, my father had a massive heart attack. While the heart attack itself was massive, the damage was not. Yes, there is damage to his heart and we are still waiting to see how much actual scarring there will be. Since this occurred, myself and the rest of my family have been rethinking our eating habits as well as needed exercise. In an event like this, it is very easy to want to rethink all eating habits and health. I know I’ve been needing a new outlook on life and what all I am doing to my body.
2009 took a huge toll on my heart, mind and overall health. 2010 needs to the year I make a better lifestyle for myself. I want to be healthy. I want to help my dad get through this. I need to be strong for myself and for him. He has a long, long road ahead of him and I want to change for the better by his side.
I found this article on the Dr. Oz show site. It focuses on some easy changes to allow improved health.
Vitamin D increases serotonin, the mood neurotransmitter. It boosts your immunity, promotes healthy neuro-muscular functions and helps protect you from some forms of cancer. The easiest way reap the benefits of this nutrient is to spend 15 minutes in the sun a few times a week. Be mindful that sunscreen will prevent you from getting adequate vitamin D outdoors; try skipping sunscreen for just 15 minutes.
If the weather isn’t cooperating, get your vitamin D from milk, egg yolks or supplements (1000 units per day.)
Learn more about the health benefits of vitamin D.
Cut the Caffeine
Coffee increases anxiety levels, especially if you’re getting more than 300 mgs a day. Increased anxiety means increased irritability. Try substituting your coffee with green tea. It has ¼ the amount of caffeine found in coffee – and it’s a young tea, which means it packs some powerful antioxidants.
You don’t have to cut caffeine completely, but if you’re having more than 300 mgs a day and find yourself fighting headaches and fatigue when you try to cut back, you may be physically dependent. Get help kicking your caffeine habit with Dr. Oz’s Caffeine Detox Challenge.
Express Gratitude
Take the time to truly savor the good things in your life; things others have done for you, things you’ve done for others and all those small acts of kindness that make you smile. A written expression of thanks helps prohibit us from taking things for granted. So sit down with a steaming mug of green tea and express yourself.
Practice Acts of Kindness
It’s the little things.
It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.
These expressions may be clichés, but there is truth in their message. By practicing small acts of kindness, you will perceive yourself and others more positively. You’ll also appreciate your good fortune in comparison.
Pick 1 day a week and carry out 3 small acts of kindness. Research suggests that this provides a longer-lasting boost to the giver than practicing random acts of kindness spread out over the week.
Just Smile
Even when you don’t feel like it, the simple act of smiling makes you feel better. A response called facial feedback indicates that, when you smile, you send a signal to your brain that says, “I am happy.” Additionally, if you’re smiling, you’re likely to seem more approachable and happy to others – and people are more likely to smile back.
I’ve never been one for blogging nor would call myself a writer but I do indeed have passion for it. I have made the decision to endeavor the world of blogging in order to have an outlet of my thoughts, concerns, insight, etc.
It now being the year 2010, I want to push myself more than ever to not be so fearful of the future, resentful of past events, and dwell on present circumstances. I only have one life and this one chance to live it to the fullest potential. So the overall theme of 2010 is positive change, learning, and growth.
2009 was a year of hard lessons which most of us experience at one point in our lives. Bouncing back from those hard lessons is my current downfall. My heart is still healing from all the disappointments, betrayals and wake-up calls and I know if I do not focus on how to positively grow, I will only be hurting myself in the end.
This blog is purely for sharing and reflecting on life and all that I am doing to enjoy it. Whether I am sharing a new recipe, a difficult exercise routine, or a great book, etc., I want this to be an aide in my day to day walk. After all, I love what life has to offer and I love to take part in many different activities. After all, I’ve been called a woman of Renaissance.
