10 life-enhancing things you can do in ten minutes or less.

1.    Watch "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. See it online at Oprah.com. This is a deeply moving segment that may be the best ten minutes you've ever invested in front of a computer.
2.    Spend a little while watching the sunset with your mate. Nothing extra is necessary. Just sit and take in the natural beauty of the sky and appreciate being able to share it with the one you love.
3.    Sit quietly by yourself. It doesn't really matter where or when. Just let your feelings bubble up and then experience the thoughts flowing out of your mind. Clearing your head and heart will give you extra energy to get through the rest of the day.
4.    Write a thank you note to your mate. When was the last time you thanked your partner for just being who he or she is and being with you? Doing this in writing will give your partner something to cherish for the rest of his or her life.
5.    Take out your oldest family photo album and look through it. The experience will fill you with fond memories and perhaps make you a bit wistful for days gone by.
6.    Play with a child. Most kids have short attention spans; ten minutes of quality time from a loving adult can make their day. It will also help you stay in touch with the child inside of you.
7.    Visualize or imagine a positive outcome for any issue. Medical doctors recommend visualization to patients with chronic and potentially fatal illnesses. If it can help them, it can do the same for you. 
8.    Go to bed with the one you love ten minutes earlier than usual. Then spend that time just holding each other. Let the feeling of warmth from your mate move through you.
9.    Hang out by some water. Studies show that hospital patients who can see a natural body of water from their beds get better at a 30 percent faster rate. If you're not near the coast or a lake, try taking a bath. Doing so is also healing.
10.  Get your body moving. Shake, twist, and jump around. Let yourself feel the joy of moving to your favorite music, or just the sounds in your head. Run, walk, and bike to your hearts content. You will live longer and love it more.

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"the unexamined life is not worth living."

I think it's important to constantly seek opportunities to improve yourself. Today, I decided to make a list of self-improvements that will make my quality of living better and raise my level of happiness. Life is all about challenging yourself and learning lessons, even if the lessons are sometimes hard to listen to and experience. Self-reflection can sometimes be difficult, especially when overcoming faults and obstacles can seem daunting and impossible. Try to write down 5-10 things that you ultimately want to achieve. This won't cause pressure, but instead motivate you to start thinking positively towards your goal. Of course, everyone is going to have bad days and take steps in the wrong direction, but the important thing is to have the intention to help yourself be the best you can be! Here are some of the ones I thought of for myself:

- stop overthinking --> learn to fully be myself without hesitation

- don't be afraid to tell someone something that may be hard to hear

- maintain old friendships and challenge myself to constantly make new ones

- find 5-10 minutes a day for meditation/self-reflection/prayer

- don't beat myself up when i'm not happy --> accept/own my emotions

- get out of my comfort zone as much as possible

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose."

My sister just made a blog-- check it outtt, it's awesome.

lets do some living after we die.

“This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once; seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Live your dream, and wear your passion. Life is short.”



life goes on, it get's so heavy.

Last week was fall break for college, so I got to go home and see my family and friends.  It was so interesting because things that I used to be so accustomed to left me annoyed and unable to handle it.  For example, answering my dad's same questions over and over used to be routine and I wouldn't think anything of it.  When I was home last week, though, I found myself getting so frustrated and I couldn't find a way to patiently respond each time.  This left me mad at myself and more stressed than I needed to be.  These little instances taught me just how flexible I need to be throughout life.  Situations, people, places, etc. are inevitably going to change; it's our job to take it with ease and learn and grow from it.  I am learning a new level of patience and maturity with my dad after going to college, making me stronger and able to fully appreciate the rest of my family who have to continue to go through it each day.  These positive lessons are present for everyone; without them, we would never get to know ourselves and we would never grow to be the people we are meant to be.