The World is Waiting.

Sometimes the world seems so broken. I wonder how the world will be when I decide to have kids. To be honest, it frightens me and makes me not want to have kids. I feel the world nowadays has lost its touch when it comes to compassion, love, respect, and truly giving.

I think the biggest problem is people are always waiting. They are waiting to be loved. They are waiting to be heard. They are waiting to be respected. They are waiting to give. They are waiting to show compassion. They are waiting for healing. They are waiting to pass on the generosity.

I believe that's the root of the problem. We shouldn't wait. We should anticipate. We should be proactive and not reactive. We should just love, listen and give without waiting to be compensated.

We should show compassion not because someone has shown it to us but because we simply know how it feels to need that helping hand.

If there are two things my mom taught that I'll never forget are...

1. Just because you didn't make the mess doesn't mean you don't have to clean it up.

To be honest... this is the reason I re-rack people's weights and grab a clean tissue to pick up the dirty tissue someone used to clean up the elliptical before using it.

But the one thing that was so bizarre for me to witness growing up was seeing my mom's kindness to everyone. Whenever. Wherever.

And so she'd say...

2. Just because someone is mean/rude to you... it doesn't give you the right to treat them the way they treated you.

I'm glad my mom chose to be the woman she is. Her patience and her good-will are admirable and to be frank I think that is why God allowed me to keep her.

So if I ever have the opportunity to become a mom (which will be an honor in my humble opinion). I want to make dreamers out of them. I want them to advocate kindness in the most simplest of ways. I want my kids to talk to the lonely kid sitting at the lunch table. I want them to open the door for the elderly lady. I don't want them to wait for someone to start cleaning the mess before they feel compelled to help out.

I wish I could say I'm not guilty of waiting but I am. When I'm in a public place sometimes I catch myself asking what's their story? Are they in school? If not do they wish they could go to school? (Woah I'm lucky to have had that opportunity) I hope all is well at home.  Are her kids keeping in touch... if she has kids? What's his dream? I hope he has someone who makes him feel like a million bucks! I hope she has a great Monday.

So to the guy who is on his third cup of coffee reading that trilogy of a science book... I'm sorry but I'm sure you will ace that exam!

Embrace the Journey.

 

XO

-J

Flying Solo

“Oh my gosh why would you that?” 

“You sound bitter… (He’s like a brother so he gets away with way too much.)” 

“Are you serious?” 

“If you want me to go with you just ask me…”

 Above are the responses I have received from my family and friends when I tell them I'm planning a trip by myself. 

 My feelings have gone from excitement with a side of nervous to just plain doubtfulness. What if I am really crazy...? What 22-year-old goes on solo trips? This prompted me to think about what I do on a day to day basis.

 

Examples of my craziness/weirdness:

1. I don't mind going to the movies by myself.
2. I have gone to dinner at a semi nice restaurant and sat at the bar reading a good book.
3. I love working out by myself.
4. I signed up for a half-marathon and trained all on my. [It's next Sunday in Dallas. Wish me luck!(:]

I absolutely have an amazing group of friends who would join me in a heart-beat. I feel incredibly grateful and proud to call them my friends. But I'm the type of person that needs to be reminded that I am able and capable. Of what exactly? Of anything!

 

I feel in your twenties you should do things that scare the crap out of you but empower you and inspire you to be a better person. Confidence and self-esteem are like muscles that we must exercise. 

 

I feel that when you graduate college it is so incredibly easy to settle and stay in that comfortable job that pays the bills and allows you to have a decent life. But to be honest, I have a million and one dreams in my suitcase that terrify me and thrill me at the same time. Those dreams will require confidence, fearlessness, determination, fire, resilience and thick skin. 

 

So a question I ask myself often is how do I prevent myself from settling. How can I remind myself of the fire that is within? How can I remind myself that I only have one life?

How do I remind myself in the middle of all the chaos of being twenty-something not to store my suitcase away but to keep it open and by the door? How can I learn to silence all the voices even from the people I love the most and say my decision is enough. I'm not crazy or being unreasonable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. Embrace the Journey.

 

p.p.s I'm so going!

 

 

XO

 

 -J

Your Dreams.

Stop it! Don’t do it. You see, your dreams are yours no one else’s. Your vision is unique and no one will be able to understand it as much as you. You know that dream like the palm of your hand so why would you ask someone to redraw it for you or for direction… Why?

Often times we want to hear someone else say you got this… you can do it but we often hear ummm but have you thought about this or that or worse we get blank stares like we just told them we are planning to move Mt. Everest to China… on our own. Sometimes if you keep telling all your friends and family members your most intimate desires about the life that you want to create for yourself it starts to become blurry.

Don’t ask people for permission about living your dreams instead tell them, be assertive, be confident, don’t ask and just do. I’m not saying not to share your dreams with people but instead consult your mom or dad or find a mentor and God to make it easier. Find that one person who dares to believe wildly in you, without hesitation, without question.

Sometimes we may ask ourselves what our dreams are and we might feel unsure but find a quiet place, sit down, write down what you are good at and what makes your heart happy. Dreams come in different shapes and sizes.

It won't be easy. It will be hard. Sometimes I find myself becoming unsure. When this happens, I find my quiet place and make a list of all the awesome qualities I have that will get me where I want to go but more importantly I always make sure to consult with God. Also it helps to think about that one person that thinks you are the bee’s knees! They see the potential in you, so believe in you like they do! Get ready to walk the walk, have indestructible faith and never give up.

p.s. Embrace the Journey.

XO 

-J

The Real World

I graduated college a couple months ago and all I keep hearing is, "When the real world hits you… just wait…" along with a polite laugh to compensate for the awful truth they know that I don't. I politely smile back and nod.

In retrospect, I believe the real world has visited me a couple of times, but then again I do admit… I'm only 22 which makes me as green as a kiwi. Please don't get me wrong I appreciate and need all the advice I can get.

Many people credit my enthusiasm for life as that of a recent college graduate who thinks he/she can conquer the world and in part you're right! I think to myself on daily basis how blessed I am… I have ten toes, ten fingers, I have food on the table, a roof, the opportunity to thrive, I can run a mile in 8 minutes, I'm starting to get some ABS definition and I have a mom and dad that truly care.

However, my enthusiasm for life is not merely that of a recent grad that hasn't experience enough disappoints in life to feel like the only thing they are going to conquer is finishing a whole series on Netflix in record time.

The real truth behind my enthusiasm is that I know I'm young but I know I am not invincible. Life is nothing but short and sweet and my mother reminded me of this about two years ago. Seeing my world laying in a bed of a trauma unit made me realize that life is brief.

Tomorrow is not promised… so I will continue to pursue my passions, continue to love on the people who mean the world to me, smile/laugh even when I don't want too and dream like it is impossible to fail. Life is going to happen regardless of the type of attitude I decide to have… Life is going to continue to move forward whether I choose to make my passions a reality…

I also know I'm going to fall flat on my face a couple of times and I'm okay with that reality.

I know that my generation is known for being lazy and expect everything to be handed down to them… but world we're all not like that… (:

p.s Embrace the Journey.

XO

-J

"The Only Girl Who Could Fly...

... Was the lonely girl in the sky."

Sometimes chasing our passions and believing in ourselves without hesitation can leave us feeling a bit lonely.  As humans, I think we all hope to find people who will believe in us wildly. And just maybe along the way they will perhaps become our mentors that will help us nurture our dreams. We hope to meet beautiful people who are or were just as hungry as we are but until then I guess we all have a little bit of lonely.

p.s. Embrace the Journey.

XO

-J