:) have a nice day

AN OPEN LETTER TO YOUNG ADULTS

Dear young adults (you know who you are),

I know, I know. The world is a little messed up right now. Okay, a lot messed up. It seems like every time we turn the news on, another tragic event is unfolding somewhere in the nation. Events that have happened before and that are further dividing us and pitting us against each other. In other countries, we see that everyday citizens continue to get hurt and killed, yet nothing seems to be getting better. When we look to the government for help, we see name-calling, stereotyping and greed rather than guidance, hope and answers. We look to our education in hopes of growing and learning. Instead, we find extreme pressure, standardized testing and the need to excel at everything and more in order to pursue a college. And, once we are in college, we find that we are pushed on paths to study whatever is most practical for the job market rather than what is our passion, leaving us feeling unmotivated and stripped of creativity and excitement. We look at our environment, and see that we are destroying it. We are contaminating the air, pouring cement over the earth every chance we can get, cutting down trees and polluting the ocean when we know we have the technology and intelligence to avoid doing so. When we look around us, we see our heads looking down, staring at our phones, stuck in social media and false realities that keep us from living in the moment and interacting with the world. Our world is not the world we thought it would be when we were young. We thought we could be anything and do anything. We thought adults were there to protect us. They were smart, strong, and selfless. They could solve any problem we had. The world is not right.

Okay, did that cover everything? I get it. That is how we feel sometimes, maybe all the time. But, it's time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves. A teacher once asked my class, "How come your generation isn't scared?" She explained how back when she was a young adult, they were worried about everything. Terrified for their futures and for the future of the country. In that moment, I thought the answer was that we weren't scared because we were different. We were strong, smart, creative and prepared. We could take on anything. We were problem-solvers. We were hopeful. Maybe a little too idealistic, maybe naive. But, we were still hopeful. However, now, I find myself coming up with a new answer. Maybe, we just don't care. Maybe we pretend to care. Posting articles on Facebook, complaining about the elections on Twitter, joking about getting no jobs after college to each other...Are we hopeless? It's time to start acting like we thought adults were supposed to act. It's time we start being smart. We need to be strong. We need to be selfless. I know we can be these things. I know other generations make fun of us. They say that we are lazy, absorbed in technology, unable to communicate, entitled and lack motivation. Let's prove them wrong. Let's use the technology to create things, things that can better the world. Let's be creative. Let's be hard-working. Let's do these things for each other. Let's be problem-solvers. We have a lot of problems right now, but there have always been problems in the world. Let's solve them. 

That's all for now.

-m

Late Night Thoughts (Part 2)

There are stories all around us. As I drive in the car and glance into the window of the car beside me, I see a family. A mom, dad, and two kids in the back seat. That family has a story. The parents have a story. I wonder, how did they meet? Where did they grow up? What have they been through? Within that one car is an endless amount of stories waiting to be shared. This has been something I have always been curious about. I have found wonder in the stories of others for as long as I can remember. Since I was young, I would imagine what the lives of perfect strangers were like. Walking through the park with my parents, I would create these stories for whoever I happened to see. This has always amazed me. It is crazy to think about really. A lot of the time, people do not see value in their own personal experiences, lives and journeys. They don't think that their stories are worth being told or listened to. I've sometimes felt this way about myself. Sometimes, I spend so much time comparing myself and my own life to others. I devalue my own experiences. I take away from what I have gone through. I've believed that my life isn't worth sharing with someone else. How could it be? It's just me, right? Wrong. Every story is worth being told. Every person's life is worth being listened to. We can learn from every person's journey. They are all different. All unique and all impact the world, in some way or another. Take a minute and think about this. Think about how, as you walk down the street, go to a concert packed with thousands of people, fly on a plane or go to work, every single person has a story. We have all been through hard times. We have all gone through the best times. We have all done something we regret and we all have done something we are proud of. This is important. So, open your eyes. See how many stories there are out there. And, open your ears. Listen. Listen to these stories. Maybe someone will then listen to yours.

That's all for now.

-m

Late night thoughts

Hey there. Tonight I just wanted to get a few thoughts out of my head. The topic: moms. The concept of being a mom is so amazing, scary, wonderful, confusing, and so much more. Imagine how beautiful the relationship between a mother and her daughter could be, or really any parent to their child. It does not even have to be a parent, but anyone who cares for a child, raises them, guides them and helps them. It was a strange day when I realized that my mom was a person, not just my mom. She had an entire life before me. She once was a young innocent kid. At one point a lost, confused teen. Maybe then even a more lost young adult trying to pave her life. She is a person. She is far from just being a mom. However, that is all I know her to be. She has emotions, pain, funny quirks, likes and dislikes, dreams, and many things that scare her. My mom is so smart. I didn't realize this until lately. If she puts her mind to something, she can do almost anything. However, almost is the key word here. It was a strange day when I found out that my mom cannot do everything. She messes up sometimes. Makes mistakes. She is a person just like me. It was a strange day when I realized that my mom was also like a friend to me. I remember leaving for college and she asked sadly what she was going to do without her best friend. That opened my eyes a lot. My mom is my mom. But, she is also like my best friend. I can talk to her about anything. I can hang out with her and have actual fun. We laugh at the same things. We think a lot of the same things. It's overwhelming when I think about how much I actually appreciate her. She's a great mom. She's not perfect, but hey, I'm nowhere near a perfect daughter. She's as close to perfect as a mom can get. So, if you have someone, a mom, dad, grandparent, teacher, or anyone out there who cares about you, helps you, guides you, and looks out for you, recognize the beauty in this and tell them how much it means to you.

That's all for now.

-m

FAVORITES OF THE MONTH

Hey guys! Today I thought I would share with you my favorites of the month of June. I've been home for the month of June and have slowly acquired some new favorite things of the month, since I have a lot of extra time on my hands. There is not really any category for these favorites, so here we go!

1. The gym. This month I have been focusing a lot on exercising and going to the gym every single day. I don't really know what I am doing there, but every morning I work out for 40 or more minutes on the elliptical, cycling machine and treadmill. I've been trying to do a lot of cardio to lose some extra pounds and to try and shape up my legs. Working out has made me feel a lot better about myself and made me more positive.

2. Hamilton. I hope this is not too pretentious of me, but I have definitely been loving the music from the musical Hamilton. I bought the CD and play it almost every time I drive. Check out track numbers 17 and 22 on the first CD!

3. Making plans. I've found that it's very easy to sink into a routine of staying home all day, watching television or movies and finding time slipping quickly away until it is night and the routine is repeated. Therefore, I've been trying to make plans as much as possible with friends in order to both keep busy and to spend time with them, since friends are a huge part of what makes me happy.

4. Outdoors. This is a more recent favorite. I have recently realized that the outdoors make me very very happy and are where most of my best memories take place. I've been doing some hiking, exploring in nature and just being outside during this month of June and it's been a lot of fun!

5. Writing. This month I have rediscovered my passion for writing. Writing lets me release all of my thoughts and always makes me feel happy.

That's all for now.

-m

HOW TO: GET YOUR MOJO BACK

Hey there! Today I am writing to you guys from my couch, surrounded by my two rambunctious dogs and half-watching Chopped on Food Network. Lately, I've been feeling like I've lost my "mojo." What I mean is that I haven't been feeling that certain spark or joy. I don't mean to make it sound too dramatic, but I've been just hiding out in my house for the past week, watching too much television and invested in my phone way too much. This has made me feel a little blue and made me have a lack of passion for doing things during the day. However, today I feel like I'm gaining my mojo back. I realized this as I started singing to myself and becoming more light-hearted and silly. After analyzing what I've done differently today, I've come up with a short list for how to gain your mojo back.

1. Get off of your phone. Stay away from social media. Lock it up and look up for once. Pay attention to your own live and the moment you are in!

2. Go outside!! Get some fresh air and don't hide out in your house.

3. Interact with others who make you feel happy and positive.

4. Change your routine. Be spontaneous.

5. Don't feel sorry for yourself.

6. Do something productive. Get something done. Anything!

7. Get ready for the day, put on a cute outfit and feel good about yourself.

8. Exercise!

9. Laugh!!!

10. Spend time with your family! Quality time! 

That's all for now.

-m

Little Moments

When I reflect on my past, I see glimpses of memories. They appear in my mind, sometimes in slow sequences and other times flashing by in an instant. These memories are always moments. Little moments. I see my friends and I in line at a drive-through at midnight listening to our favorite song on the radio. I watch myself laying on the couch with my dog, wondering if she has thoughts just like me. I remember driving my sister to school, asking about her classes and teachers and friends. I can picture my family sitting in the kitchen, mom at the table reading the newspaper and dad making breakfast by the stove. These are the little moments. When they happen, you don't think much of them. They are insignificant. Just small parts of your day. Nothing big or special. Unplanned and unnoticed. But, I have found that it is the little moments that make up our life. They may be small, but they are perfect. And, when I look back on my life, those are what I remember. So, find happiness in the little moments.

That's all for now.
-m

What I Learned My First Year of College

1. Find yourself at college, not a boyfriend.
2. Say yes a lot and say no a lot too.
3. Do things that make you scared. (nothing illegal or dangerous please)
4. Find ways to be truly interested and passionate about your education.
5. Don't be so hard on yourself.
6. Work hard, play hard.
7. Remember that your family misses you.
8. Don't worry, you will find your people.
9. Let things go, it is not worth the stress.
10. Have fun!

Confused

How is it possible to be so incredibly happy and so terribly sad at the same time? It's hard to explain, not only to you guys but even to myself. I find myself having these conflicting feelings and I don't know why. Sometimes during the day I look around at my situation and I am filled with so much happiness and appreciation for my life. I know that I am going to be looking back on these times and wishing I had not taken it for granted. I have amazing friends and know I have grown so much as a person. However, something is also just not there. I cannot tell if I feel like something is missing. I don't know if this thing is in myself or if it is something outside of myself. It's a strange feeling and I have no clue what to do with it. This feeling will attack me in a quick wave, crashing down and washing over me, but then slowly pulling away. I have thought about this for hours and hours on end. Maybe it's the fact that I need change again in my life. Sometimes when I get too settled into something I feel trapped and need something different. Maybe it's me missing home a little bit. Maybe it's knowing that what I have right now is all going to change and be different, so maybe it's the change that is making me feel this way. Whatever it is, I still am a very very gracious and happy person on a daily basis. But this feeling has me so confused at times. Any advice?

That's all for now.

-m

Lessons

Hey guys! Today I kind of feel like rambling so just bear with me. This year I've learned so much. Like a lot. One thing I've learned that has really stuck with me is that you should stop worrying about what other people are doing. So often I've been obsessed with comparing my life with the lives of other people, people who I barely know and aren't really involved in my life at all. You need to live your own life. Entirely your own. Make your own memories. Live in your moment. Be with the people who make you happy, make you laugh and bring out the best sides of you. Who cares what those other people are doing. Another thing I've learned this year is to stop being so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we make a mistake and then make another one and then even another one. Mistakes are okay. We are not perfect at all and should never strive to be perfect. It's more fun that way anyways. I have also learned that some people are only temporary. Not everyone who touches your life will be in it forever. They aren't meant to be. Some people are supposed to be in your life for just a moment to teach you something. It's okay if they leave. Stick with the people who will last forever and learn from those who do not. Another lesson I've learned is that social media is not real. People only show parts of their lives on social media. Mainly, they show their happiness moments. However, you cannot truly know a person through social media. No matter how happy they may seem to be or how perfect their lives may be depicted, you can never know the truth. Live in the real world. Finally, I have learned that you need to love yourself. There is no one out there who is exactly like you. As cheesy as that sounds, it's true. Embrace your so-called flaws. Discover new things about yourself every day. Enrich your mind with the things you love. Make yourself as happy as possible. Be confident in yourself.
     Life is so so short. As they say, the days are long but the years are short. This year has been crazy. It's been a mess at times. But I've grown so much and still have a lot of growing left to do. We grow every day really. Take risks. Say yes a lot and say no when you need to. Do whatever makes you happy. Embrace each day and never take a moment for granted because looking back, do you really want to have any regrets?
    So, here's a shoutout and a thank you to my first year of college. It's been fun.

That's all for now.

-m

Thought of the Day

I hope today you have had peace of mind.

That's all for now.
-m

Sunday Night Thoughts

Hey there. I just spent almost an hour or so freaking out about what I am planning on studying in college. Fun fact: I have never been good or interested in math or many sciences as a student. Therefore, I am left with a different set of possible majors to choose from. Many times I feel like I don't know what I like. Recently, I have been drawn to many history classes, however, I often feel like that major is not taken seriously and only leads to jobs as a teacher, which I am not interested in. Life is pretty confusing at times. I feel so so lost right now. It's odd because I feel like I know who I am as a person but I don't know what I want to do in life. What do you all think is more important? Who you are or what you do? Both? I just wanted to ask this question and see what you all think.

That's all for now.
-m

Wednesday thoughts

Hey guys! This morning I have been thinking a lot about a certain issue I've struggled with for a long time. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to please people. This need to please people has come in many different forms.  When I was in middle school it was staying passive in conversations, leading me to be very shy and self conscious because I didn't want anyone to not like me. As I got a little older I started growing out of my shyness. However this did not stop me from wanting to please everyone. Still I tried to always focus on others first rather than myself and while some may call this being selfless or generous, I have found it to be very destructive. Focusing on other people's happiness led me to constantly invalidate my own feelings, experiences and worth in general. Now looking back I want to go up to my younger self and tell myself that everything I feel and experience is worthy of sharing and being proud of. Wanting to please people used to also make me hide parts of myself that I was afraid to show other people too. Now that I am much older and hopefully a little wiser I have come a long way. However I still continue to deal with this issue at some level. Sometimes I find myself worrying about what others think of me and desire perfect relationships with everyone in my life. Sometimes I still want to make everyone happy and appease everyone. This is what made me disappointed in myself this morning. After all I have gone through with this struggle I need to start focusing on making myself happy and not in a selfish way but in a self-love kind of way. I need to stop spending so much time thinking about people who although I may feel like need to be in my life, maybe don't need to be. Things happen for a reason and happen in time. And in the mean time I need to spend time on people who want to be in my life and want to get to know me. This is where I am at now. 

That's all for now. 

-m

Gratefulness

Hey there! I had a bit of down time today and thought I would sit down and write a little post! Today I've spent a lot of time thinking about gratefulness and what is truly important in life. I've been really conflicted on the whole concept for a while now. Bear with me, this is where I get rambly and confusing. A part of me has always been ashamed of myself when I get too invested in something small. For example, how could I possibly get so excited over purchasing an adorable new dress-sometimes so excited that I absolutely convince myself that it will make me an even slighter happier person. Whenever I used to encounter a situation like this, I would try to talk myself out of that excitement and feel bad about it. I would try to explain to myself that that dress did not really matter in the big scheme of things. That it is silly to think a simple dress could make my day or week or even month. It is superficial. It is not really important. However, last summer I read a book, and forgive me I cannot recall the title at this moment, but it was about a woman experimenting with her happiness. This woman found that the key to perpetual happiness is daily happiness. Now, she did not mean that one has to be happy all day every day. However, she explains that it in fact IS the little things, like a new dress that brightened my day, that make us happy on a long-term scale. After reading this book, I became more accepting of my little indulgences that make me happy. I try to remind myself of this often. I also still believe that gratefulness on a grander scale is what can also make us happier. I came across a video, which I will link below, that really changed my perspective on happiness and the meaning of life. This video taught me that we should be grateful of each day we have and that each day is spent well as long as we have spent a least a second of it being grateful in some way. This may sound silly, however, I thought about this video the last week as I have been very very sick. I was unable to eat solid foods, unable to hang out with friends, unable to just relax without being in any sort of pain and much more. I know that people go through a lot worse than what I experienced last week. That is not the point of my story. My point is that when I got well again, I realized how much I take granted for in my everyday life. I take for granted the fact that I can eat whatever food I want to eat and enjoy this food too. I can spend time with my friends and laugh and share stories. I can breathe deeply and sit still in peace. These are privileges. These are things that after my week of being sick I felt very appreciative of. So, I have come to realize that happiness for me comes from the smallest of pleasures to the grandest of notions. Be grateful for every breath you take. Be grateful for the warm sun. Be grateful for your ability to walk down the street. Be grateful for those new pair of shoes. Be grateful for that delicious lunch. Be grateful for that new dress. Be grateful.

That's all for now.

-m

ps. Here is the video.

Favorites of the Month

Hey guys! Tonight I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things of the month. So, here we go!

1. The "Serial" podcast!
2. Chai tea!
3. Documentaries...any kind. Any recommendations?
4. Wearing my hair naturally.
5. Speaking effectively and expressively.
6. Appreciating my family and friends.
7. Granola cereal.
8. Slam poetry.
9. The library.
10. Giving advice.

As much as I would love to go into depth about each thing, it is indeed finals time here at college and I must get my rest for a big day of studying. However, the above list of ten things have made me a happier person this past month. What are some of your favorite things this month?

That's all for now.

-m

Goals

Hey guys! It seems like I finally have a moment to sit down, breathe and just write a post for you all! For anyone out there who may be reading this, I hope you are having an amazing and lovely day. Recently I've been doing some self-reflecting. I kind of do this a lot actually. It's exhausting to be honest. Anyways, Ive been thinking about ways to make myself be a happier person. Now, this is not to say that I am not happy right now. In fact, I'm an extremely happy person at this time in my life. However, Ive learned a few things that I know will make me an even better version of myself. Here are some goals I want to achieve in the near future.

1. Spend quality time with quality people.
2. Be open to new people.
3. Drink more water!
4. Talk to my family more often-I'm in college.
5. Say yes more often.
6. Say no more often.
7. Listen to music as often as possible.
8. Write more.
9. Don't worry about what others are doing.
10. Have a fun kick-ass time, all the time.

That's all for now.

-m

Challenge

Take a risk today. 

That's all for now. 

-m

Just wanted to say hello

Have a lovely day today. :)

That's all for now. 

-m

Food for Thought

Today I felt very overwhelmed. I felt like I did not have enough time to do the things I wanted to do. Or to find the things I wanted to do. However, I came across this quote and it brought me a lot of peace of mind. You really can achieve anything but do not be upset at the fact that you can't do everything. Focus on what makes you happy. Focus on finding what makes your life your own.

That's all for now.

-m

Thursday Thoughts

Hey there. With the recent deaths of both David Bowie and Alan Rickman, the topic of death has found its way on social media and created many discussions among people all over the world. These tragic events have made me take a minute to stop and remember how lucky I am to be healthy, loved and alive. Just in case you needed a little pick-me-up...

Life is full. Life is unexpected. Life is happy. Life sad. Life is magical.

That's all for now.

-m

Songs I've Been Into This Week

Hey there. Today I am going to share with you some songs that I have been listening to on repeat this week. They range in style so I can't really categorize them. Feel free to check them out, they are amazing!

1. Let it Go by James Bay

2. Rollercoaster by Bleachers

3. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

4. Reflections by MisterWives

5. All Night by Icona Pop

6. What the Hell by Avril Lavigne

7. Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy

8. Boston by Augustana

Basically these songs have defined my week so far! Hope you enjoyed!

That's all for now.

-m

Food for Thought

Thoughts I have as I walk to my 8 AM lecture. Wish me luck. :)

That's all for now.

-m

Saturday Thoughts

Hey there. Last day in my hometown before heading back to college. It's weird how easily one can slip back into old habits. As I spent almost a month back at home, it felt sometimes as though I had never left. It was definitely a weird feeling. However, I also noticed how much I had changed. College has made me a more confident, relaxed and brave person. Although I am sad to leave my home and my amazing friends here, I'm excited to go back and see all of the new friends I've made so far and to get back into a new routine. Going back to college I know that I am going to change a lot of things. What I mean is that during the fall I learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes haha but also had the time of my life. However, now I know some of the Do's and Don'ts of college life and personal values and goals that I want to stick to. My biggest goal is to remember that I need to make decisions for myself, ones that will make me a better and happier person. Sorry this post was very much a ramble, it was mostly for myself to sort out my thoughts. Anyways, I have to go pack up my life again and head back to college. Have a great day!

That's all for now.

-m