change your patterns, even slightly today, so that a new world can find you.

“If you let it, life can become a simple pattern of staying in your comfort zone and never wandering out into the unknown to see what lies on the other side of its horizon. Today is Monday, the first day of the week; change your patterns, even slightly today, so that a new world can find you. Do ONE thing that scares you today, ONE thing that makes you a little nervous, ONE thing that you never thought you would do. If you do ONE thing every day you will have done 365 NEW THINGS in a year! Today, don’t try to tackle everything, but please do ONE thing!”

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special....Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever. I thank you and God bless you all."--Jimmy Valvano

This quote is on a sticky note on my laptop background.. Perfect daily reminder to live life to the fullest, no matter what comes our way, with passion, determination, and complete appreciation to the beauty of the world around you.

18 things i wish someone told me when i was 18.

1. Commit yourself to making lots of mistakes.
 – Mistakes teach you important lessons.  The biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you’re too scared to make a mistake.  So don’t hesitate – don’t doubt yourself.  In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance.  You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Most of the time you just have to go for it!  And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.  Remember, if you never act, you will never know for sure, and you will be left standing in the same spot forever.
2. Find hard work you love doing.
 – If I could offer my 18-year-old self some real career advice, I’d tell myself not to base my career choice on other people’s ideas, goals and recommendations.  I’d tell myself not to pick a major because it’s popular, or statistically creates graduates who make the most money.  I’d tell myself that the right career choice is based on one key point: Finding hard work you love doing.  As long as you remain true to yourself, and follow your own interests and values, you can find success through passion.  Perhaps more importantly, you won’t wake up several years later working in a career field you despise, wondering “How the heck am I going to do this for the next 30 years?”  So if you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop.  You’re on to something big.  Because hard work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
3. Invest time, energy and money in yourself every day.
 – When you invest in yourself, you can never lose, and over time you will change the trajectory of your life.  You are simply the product of what you know.  The more time, energy and money you spend acquiring pertinent knowledge, the more control you have over your life.
4. Explore new ideas and opportunities often.
 – Your natural human fears of failure and embarrassment will sometimes stop you from trying new things.  But you must rise above these fears, for your life’s story is simply the culmination many small, unique experiences.  And the more unique experiences you have, the more interesting your story gets.  So seek as many new life experiences as possible and be sure to share them with the people you care about.  Not doing so is not living.
5. When sharpening your career skills, focus more on less.
 – Think in terms of Karate: A black belt seems far more impressive than a brown belt.  But does a brown belt really seem any more impressive than a red belt?  Probably not to most people.  Remember that society elevates experts high onto a pedestal.  Hard work matters, but not if it’s scattered in diverse directions.  So narrow your focus on learning fewer career related skills and master them all.
6. People are not mind readers.  Tell them what you’re thinking.
– People will never know how you feel unless you tell them.  Your boss?  Yeah, he doesn’t know you’re hoping for a promotion because you haven’t told him yet.  That cute girl you haven’t talked to because you’re too shy?  Yeah, you guessed it; she hasn’t given you the time of day simply because you haven’t given her the time of day either.   In life, you have to communicate with others.  And often, you have to open your vocal cords and speak the first words.  You have to tell people what you’re thinking.  It’s as simple as that.
7. Make swift decisions and take immediate action.
 – Either you’re going to take action and seize new opportunities, or someone else will first.  You can’t change anything or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it.  Remember, there’s a huge difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it.  Knowledge is basically useless without action.
8. Accept and embrace change.
 – However good or bad a situation is now, it will change.  That’s the one thing you can count on.  So embrace change, and realize that change happens for a reason.  It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.
9. Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you.
 – For the most part, what other people think and say about you doesn’t matter.  When I was 18, I let the opinions of my high school and early college peers influence my decisions.  And, at times, they steered me away from ideas and goals I strongly believed in.  I realize now, ten years later, that this was a foolish way to live, especially when I consider that nearly all of these people whose opinions I cared so much about are no longer a part of my life.  Unless you’re trying to make a great first impression (job interview, first date, etc.), don’t let the opinions of others stand in your way.  What they think and say about you isn’t important.  What is important is how you feel about yourself.
10. Always be honest with yourself and others.
 – Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless.  Period.
11. Talk to lots of people in college and early on in your career.
 – Bosses.  Colleagues.  Professors.  Classmates.  Social club members.  Other students outside of your major or social circle. Teaching assistants.  Career advisors.  College deans.  Friends of friends.  Everyone!  Why?  Professional networking.  I have worked for three employers since I graduated from college (I left my first two employers by choice on good terms), but I only interviewed with the first employer.  The other two employers offered me a job before I even had a formal interview, based strictly on the recommendation of a hiring manager (someone I had networked with over the years).  When employers look to fill a position, the first thing they do is ask the people they know and trust if they know someone who would do well in the position.  If you start building your professional network early, you’ll be set.  Over time, you’ll continue talking to new people you meet through your current network and your network’s reach and the associated opportunities will continue to snowball for the duration of your career.
12. Sit alone in silence for at least ten minutes every day.
 – Use this time to think, plan, reflect, and dream.  Creative and productive thinking flourish in solitude and silence.  With quiet, you can hear your thoughts, you can reach deep within yourself, and you can focus on mapping out the next logical, productive step in your life.
13. Ask lots of questions.
 – The greatest ‘adventure’ is the ability to inquire, to ask questions.  Sometimes in the process of inquiry, the search is more significant than the answers.  Answers come from other people, from the universe of knowledge and history, and from the intuition and deep wisdom inside yourself.  These answers will never surface if you never ask the right questions.  Thus, the simple act of asking the right questions is the answer.
14. Exploit the resources you do have access to.
 – The average person is usually astonished when they see a physically handicap person show intense signs of emotional happiness.  How could someone in such a restricted physical state be so happy?  The answer rests in how they use the resources they do have.  Stevie Wonder couldn’t see, so he exploited his sense of hearing into a passion for music, and he now has 25 Grammy Awards to prove it.
15. Live below your means.
 – Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one.  Do not spend to impress others.  Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects.  Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you.  Always live well below your means.
16. Be respectful of others and make them feel good.
 – In life and business, it’s not so much what you say that counts, it’ how you make people feel.  So respect your elders, minors, and everyone in between.  There are no boundaries or classes that define a group of people that deserve to be respected.  Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.  Supporting, guiding, and making contributions to other people is one of life’s greatest rewards.  In order to get, you have to give.
17. Excel at what you do.
 – There’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it right.  Excel at your work and excel at your hobbies.  Develop a reputation for yourself, a reputation for consistent excellence.
18. Be who you were born to be.
 – You must follow your heart, and be who you were born to be.  Some of us were born to be musicians – to communicate intricate thoughts and rousing feelings with the strings of a guitar.  Some of us were born to be poets – to touch people’s hearts with exquisite prose.  Some of us were born to be entrepreneurs – to create growth and opportunity where others saw rubbish.  And still, some of us were born to be or do whatever it is, specifically, that moves you.  Regardless of what you decide to do in your lifetime, you better feel it in every fiber of your being.  You better be born to do it!  Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires.

But above all, laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can’t change.  Life is short, yet amazing.  Enjoy the ride.

marc and angel hack life. 

may you stay forever young.

Last Friday was my dad's 50th birthday. I'm so glad I got to be in town to celebrate with him, my family, and all of his friends and family. He is a daily inspiration to everyone he knows through his relentless faith and love for God. No matter what has been thrown his way, like short term memory loss and cancer, he refuses to give up and never stops believing that "everything is in God's hands". He wakes up every day smiling and ready to face the day, despite the confusion and disappointment in not remembering anything from the days before. He is a constant reminder to me, and to everyone, to face life with the determination and positivity that he has no matter what obstacles we may be facing. I love you so much, Dad, and I am unbelievably lucky and blessed to have an amazing dad like you. You are my role model in life and I hope that one day, I can grow to be as good of a person as you are. 

Some songs I love to blast when I need a good pick me up~

spring spring spring spring spring.

Today marked the end of my spring break. I really didn't want to go back to school, but my mood drastically changed when I got back on campus. It was absolutely beautiful out and felt like summer. Everyone seemed to be extra happy and full of energy, which rubbed off on me immediately. Now, I'm excited to finish off the year on the right foot and for spring to finally start! 

"To get the most success out of life, have no agenda other than to give whatever you can in the present moment.  A smile, a laugh, a quarter, a helping hand, an introduction or just your listening ear is more powerful than you can imagine.  Beneath every gift is the knowing that the universe is abundant and that you lose nothing by giving away what you have.  Others will feel comfortable in your presence and all good things will find you, without you seeking them."

we have negative thoughts for a reason.

You can't just think positive; it's not how it works. We have negative thoughts for a reason. The GOAL is to consult your positive thoughts, consult your negative thoughts and then let your neutral mind that is attached to the Spirit decide. Too much positive thinking can lead to positive denial, which can really mess you up in a way that isn't good. Too much positive thinking left unchecked with reality can be a bad thing. Just like too much negative thinking left unchecked can be extremely harmful. No amount of faux positive thinking will change anything if you are deep in the depths of a negative tailspin and your actions are, too. First, we must learn to take an honest assessment of reality and accept our negative thoughts and love them. Because our negative thoughts are a part of us, and if we don't love them, there is a part of ourselves that we aren't loving. We want to accept them, go INTO them, express them and understand them, but not DWELL on them. Sometimes you just need a good 5 minutes in a negative temper tantrum to let it out. I guided a few clients back to moments of severe trauma and, instead of avoiding the pain, they went INTO it, felt it and then gave that painful moment a new meaning. I can't get fully into the process here, but I call it Divine Reframing. It's a process through which we go back and see painful events through the eyes of The Uni-verse, through the eyes of unconditional Love. We use the negative as a gateway to understand the deeper meaning of events - not from a human perspective, but from the perspective of The Uni-verse. And the way my clients got healed was, instead of just talking about the past, instead of just talking around their pain, they went STRAIGHT into it, felt it and through a 20-minute closed-eye process, restructured the event to see it through new and unconditionally loving eyes.  the daily love.

life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.

Choose to be around the right people. – Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.  Relationships should help you, not hurt you.  Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be.  Choose friends who you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you – people who make your day a little brighter simply by being in it.  Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  When you free yourself from negative people, you free yourself to be YOU – and being YOU is the only way to truly live. 

marc and angel hack life.

This is an excerpt from one of the most recent Marc and Angel Hack Life blog posts, the title being "10 ways happy people choose happiness". I find this to be one of the most important ones. In my life personally, I find that I rely and trust my friends with a lot, especially if I'm going through a hard time. I expect them to be there for me because I try to always be there for them. Of course, some friends end up deserving different expectations, and that's okay, but overall, I find that I have high expectations for my friends because they are such a fundamental part of my life. Your friends should challenge you to be a better person; they shouldn't hinder you from reaching your highest potential. And if you find that they are not giving as much as you, maybe they aren't worthy of your friendship. Unfortunately, these flaws and disappointments usually come out during low moments, when you need them most. Rise above it and know that you are worthy of the best, and that you undoubtedly have more people caring about you than you realize!  

make kony famous.

"people can't hurt you unless you let them."

Lately, I've let certain situations get the best to me to the point where my happiness was completely revolved around it. This makes me extremely frustrated at myself because all I want is to forget about it all and move on and regain my happiness. I had the realization last week during a low point that I had to take full ownership of my feelings and start actively working to make myself feel better. Before, I was relying on the situation to mend itself and for others to somehow fix it all. However, there's only so much others can do. I can only be as happy as I let myself. It's not always easy, but it's possible and completely worth it. This might mean taking a step back from things/people that are making me unhappy despite how difficult it is or giving myself little pep talks throughout the day. As one of my favorite quotes says: ".. nobody said it would be easy; they just promised it'd be worth it." One day at a time, I am determined to get back all my happiness and be okay, and so can you. No matter what, you can overcome your problems and be led by the greater good of your dreams and your future. We'll do it together.

perfection.

obsessed.

"Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is."

'cause we like to party.

helloooooo spring

101 simple truths we often forget.

The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing.  Growing happens when what you know changes how you live.

You can’t have good ideas unless you’re willing to generate a lot of bad ones.

A good idea without action is worth nothing.

Change is often resisted when it is needed the most.

Discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want right now. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

People seldom do things to the best of their ability.  They do things to the best of their willingness.

You can’t change other people; you can only offer guidance, and lead by example.

Right now, there’s a lot you don’t know.  And if you never challenge your own beliefs, the list will never shrink.

If you’re talking to someone you don’t know well, you may be talking to someone who knows way more about the topic of conversation than youdo.

The most common and harmful addiction in the world is the draw of comfort.

Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone.  Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.

When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create things you don’t want.

It’s usually only as good or bad as you think it is.  Most of what we see is only what we think about what we see.

Most of the bad things you worry about will never happen.  Most of the bad things that do happen will have never crossed your worried mind.

Some circumstances are uncontrollable, but we can always decide how we react to those circumstances.

Those who complain the most, accomplish the least.

Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations.

Every problem you have in your life right now is your responsibility, regardless of who initially caused it.

It’s not so much about finding opportunities as it is about creating them.

Having a plan, even a flawed one at first, is better than no plan at all.

Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.

What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while.

What you don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow.

If you’re waiting for the perfect conditions, ideas or plans to get started, you’ll never achieve anything.

Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.

Putting something off makes it instantly harder and scarier.

You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.

The harder you work, the luckier you will become.

Kindness and hard work together will always carry you farther than intelligence.

Lots of successful people have failed as many times as they have succeeded.

Failures are simply lessons that help you prepare for next time.

Being successful is a journey, not a destination.

To be successful does not mean you have to dominate others; it means you have to dominate your own potential.

Your success isn’t just about you.  It’s about how you positively impact the lives around you.

Being busy and being productive are two different things.

Being happy and being successful are two different things.

You have every right to be happy, but it’s up to YOU and only YOU to exercise that right.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.

Everyone you meet is better than you at something.  We all have different strengths.  What worked for someone else might not work for you.

When you’re worried about what others think of you, you’re really just worried about what you think of yourself.

The bad news: nothing is permanent.  The good news: nothing is permanent.

You don’t have to settle.  It’s simply a choice you make every day.  If you don’t like your life, then it’s time to start making changes and better choices.

There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’  Everything you do or don’t do has an inherent risk.

No matter how smart you are, you will make mistakes.

Problems, when they arise, are rarely as painful and hurtful as the process of fearing them.

Confusion isn’t a bad thing.  It means you’re growing and thinking.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

In the beginning, you need to say “yes” to a lot of things to discover and establish your goals.  Later on, you need to say “no” to a lot of things and concentrate on your goals.

Even if it doesn’t cost any money, it’s not free if it takes up your time.

No matter how you make a living or who you think you work for, you only work for one person, yourself.  The big question is:  What are you selling, and to whom?

Money makes life easier only when it’s yours free and clear.  The stress of financial debt can change a person.

The fewer possessions you own, the more you will use and enjoy them.

Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.

There is good reason why you should wake each morning and mindfully consider what and who you will give your day to:  Because unlike other things in life - love, money, respect, good health, hope, opportunities, and many more - time is the one thing you can never get back once it’s gone.

Cutting your losses is often better than the alternative.

We sometimes do things that are permanently foolish just because we are temporarily upset.

Screaming at people always makes things worse.

Everyone likes a person who gets straight to the point.

First impressions are oftentimes inaccurate judgments of a person’s true character.

When you’re up, your friends know who you are.  When you’re down, you know who your friends are.

If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.

When someone truly loves you, they don’t ever have to say a word.  You will be able to tell simply by the way they treat you over the long-term.

We rarely lose friends, we usually just figure out who our real ones are.

Just because one person doesn’t seem to care for you, doesn’t mean you should forget about everyone else who does.

Family isn’t always blood.  They’re the people in your life who want you in theirs – the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.

Good looks attracts the eyes.  Personality attracts the heart.

In human relationships, distance is not measured in miles but in affection.  Two people can be right next to each other, yet miles apart.

Being nice to someone you dislike doesn’t mean you’re fake.  It means you’re mature enough to control your emotions.

If you aren’t happy being single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.  You have to create your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

Whenever you hate someone or something, you are giving that person or thing a piece of your heart.  Read The Road Less Traveled.

Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.

It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.

Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities.

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

You can raise the bar or you can wait for others to raise it.  Either way, it’s getting raised.

In life you get what you put in.  If you want love, give love.  If you want friends, be friendly.  If you want money, provide value.  It really is this simple.

Cynicism might seem warranted at times, but it’s never useful.

Everyone dies, some sooner than later, and often unexpectedly.  To know this means you are alive, with a chance to make the time you have left count.

You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.  You are competing to be the best you can be.

Trying to be somebody you’re not is a sure path to self-hate, and a waste of the person you are.

It’s better to be disliked for who you are than to be liked for who you are not.

Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.

Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.

You can’t make the same exact mistake twice. The second time you make it, it’s no longer a mistake, it’s a choice.

Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

You never have to deal with more than one moment at a time.

Many of the greatest lessons we learn in life we don’t seek on purpose.

You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.

A harsh fact of life:  Bad things do happen to good people.

Regardless of the situation, the sun rises the next day and life goes on.

You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.

We end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.

We meet no ordinary people in our lives.  If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer.

Every passing face on the street represents a story every bit as compelling and complicated as yours.

People are not as beautiful as they look, as they walk, or as they talk.  They are only as beautiful as they love, as they care, and as they share.

Silence is often the loudest cry.  So pay attention to those you care about.

Making one person smile can change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.

Blowing out another’s candle will not make yours shine brighter.

No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

Life is short.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

marc and angel hack life.