✍ 1987 Digital Cam

Forgive others, not necessarily because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. Staying angry only robs yourself of happiness. When you have been wronged or treated poorly, it's easy to let your emotions take over. Like a Lamborghini, we go from 0-60 in a matter of seconds. Don't allow your feelings to get the best of you. Don't harbor anger or hate. Don't seek vengeance on those who hurt you or cause you pain. Mahatma Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind." If you want to find the true meaning of happiness, forgiveness is where it's at. It will allow you to move on with your life, no matter the severity or circumstance. Yes, to forgive is easier said than done. But who ever said life was easy? In all reality, the finer things in life are only obtained though working hard, earning, sacrificing and having patience while you drudge through the drudgery. It's okay to feel. We are human after a...

When others hate, show love. When others are fake, be authentic. When others are greedy, be charitable. When others are lazy, work hard. When others turn away, embrace. When others sit in silence, proudly stand up. When others lie, be honest. When others take for granted, appreciate. When others are selfish, be giving. When others lose faith, give hope. When others are weak, be strong. When others fear, have courage. When others are close minded, be open to new things. When others fight, extend peace. When others are arrogant, be humble. When others give up, persevere. When others are negative, be positive. When others cause pain, help them heal. When others speak down, speak words of life. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

5 unread text messages. 7 emails in your inbox. 3 missed calls. 2 new voicemails. 6 eBay reminders that your watch-list items are about to end. 15 new status updates on Facebook. 3 new Twitter followers. 5 likes on Instagram. 9 newly uploaded videos from your YouTube subscriptions. And don't forget Walmart's new Rollback Ad has been posted online. The list goes on and on... So many notifications, so many distractions. With all of these objects demanding your time and focus, it can make a person feel like they are losing their mind. It's as if you are playing a horrible, neverending game of tug of war with every person and every thing around you, pulling at your core; desiring to overtake all of your thoughts and actions. How can you fix this, you ask? The answer is simple: Take a break. Go on hiatus. Gain your sanity back with a digital detox by turning your phone off. I HIGHLY recommend it. Even if it's only for a few short hours, it's a smal...

Today is a gift. Yesterday is just a memory. Tomorrow may never come. Let the little things throughout your day that would normally bore you, fascinate and excite you. Appreciate your whole surroundings, not just the people and obvious items, but every single thing that appeals to your five senses. Take a step back from the busyness. Find a place to sit in silence. Listen to all the various sounds around you. Close your eyes and inhale deeply. Exhale slowly, letting go of any stress. Be thankful you are alive and well. Be grateful for all that you have. Bask in the beauty that is life. And... Just... Be. For it's the little moments that make life big.

What is the difference between I CAN'T and I CAN? In all honesty... One letter. We just have the tendency of overcomplicating the situation we are in. I commonly tell myself I can't do something with the excuse of "I don't have enough time" . I know that I have good intentions. I want to do the RIGHT thing. I truly think it's because I get stuck in my own selfish habits without even noticing it. We are creatures of habit and routine. We like schedules. We like planning our days out. We follow agendas. We write out itineraries. We create to-do lists. We do all of these things to try and manage our time more efficiently. But at what cost? I too love planning and scheduling. I do find both very beneficial in most cases. But I also know that too much of any good thing can turn bad pretty fast if you let it. It's okay to stray from the path to appreciate your surroundings. It's okay to put the map down to experience a new location you've...

Oxford defines the word overthinking  as, "to think about something for too long". I actually prefer UrbanDictionary's definition: Overthinking : the art of creating problems that aren't there. We are all guilty of this. Some just do it more so than others. We tend to take small pebbles and turn them into huge boulders. It seems that I do the majority of my overthinking during my thirty minute commute home. Something I said or did earlier that day will pop into my head forcing me to think of how I could have handled that particular situation in a better manner. Instead of finding an easy, simple solution and letting my thoughts quickly come and go, I inadvertantly pick apart every little detail. Apparently I am starring in my own version of Ramis' Groundhog's Day, where I relive the same moment of my life over and over and over again; trying to "make it right". In reality, I am only causing harm to myself. NO amount of anxiety will cha...

When new opportunities arise, do you sit back quietly to blend in with the crowd or are you the first to throw your hand up and volunteer? Sadly a vast majority let fear, anxiety and negative thoughts dictate almost every step they take in life. Their go-to move is actually not a move at all, but more of a defense mechanism: playing dead. We get so accustomed to making the same decisions day in and day out, we turn down new possibilities without hesitation. This causes us to miss out on so much insight, growth, understanding and knowledge. We stunt our own development and kill personal progress. Think back. On how many occasions were you given the choice to experience new things over the coarse of this past year? How many chances did you take? How many opportunities did you turn down? Great things never come from comfort zones. And life is way too short for anyone to live in fear. So if you want something, GO FOR IT! Whether the outcome of your decision is good or bad, i...

Quicker! Faster! Hurry! Run! There are 168 total hours in a week. You can do anything, but not everything. At least once a week, I hear someone from work say, "If only there were more hours in a day", "I wish there were two of me so I could get more done" or my personal favorite, "There's just no time". With all the obstacles and tasks that are constantly thrown our way, it's easy to let our circumstances and environment get the best of us. We've got to remember that stress is not something that happens to us, it is our response to what happens. It's not the load that breaks us down, it's how we carry the weight. Is the stress in your life consuming you? Here's some simple tips you can try to help calm yourself: Stop. Slow down. Breathe. Unplug. Relax. Go outside. Take a 15 minute break. Find a quiet place. Meditate. Take a nap. Listen to your favorite song. Sing. Go for a walk. Exercise. Smile. Vent ...

Surround yourself with positive people. Be around those who are thinkers, believers, dreamers, open-minded and free spirited. Energy is contagious. Positivity breeds positivity. Negativity breeds negativity. If you spend all of your time hanging around friends and family who are constantly negative; gossiping, lying and starting drama... You will start to catch yourself having the same type of critical thoughts they do. This is why your inner-circle needs to be filled with positive people. Positive thoughts lead to a positive attitude. A positive attitude helps you ease into taking more positive action. And positive actions can lead to a much more positive and meaningful life for not only you, but those you come in contact with. For just as you are influenced by the people around you, your words and deeds impact others too. There are 2 types of people in this world: People who inspire and people who drain. Which are you?