After a while.

"After a while you learn the subtle difference 
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul, 
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning 
And company doesn’t mean security. 
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts 
And presents aren’t promises, 
And you begin to accept your defeats 
With your head up and your eyes open 
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child, 
And you learn to build all your roads on today 
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans 
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. 
After a while you learn… 
That even sunshine burns if you get too much. 
So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul, 
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. 
And you learn that you really can endure… 
That you really are strong 
And you really do have worth… 
And you learn and learn… 
With every good-bye you learn.
"

Jorge Luis Borges

"life is a blank canvas and the paintbrush is in your hands; 
some paint what they've already seen,
 some choose not to paint, and some 
paint the picture their imagination speaks to them."

"once you realize that dwelling on the negative emotions

and the heartbreak and all the imperfections of life,

does nothing to change them,

you can begin to move on."

I will be out of town this week. I'm going to Salt Lake City, Utah with the sweet boyfriend of mine through this Tuesday the 14th. Have a blessed week everyone!!!

beautiful.

The pressure on today society is the worst its ever been. The media pushes the "perfect" image on men and women alike. I personally have felt the pressure on my shoulders to conform to this world and honestly it is a daily struggle for me, as well as most young girls and women.

I've had to come to terms with my body. I'm slowly learning to focus on what really matters. I've come to find out that the happier I am and the more comfortable I am in my own skin, the prettier I look. And i have found that to be true with most women. A happy, healthy woman is the most beautiful and blessed woman in the world.

"Perfect." -Pink

Made a wrong turn, once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss knowing it's all good, it didn't slow me down
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated
Look, I'm still around

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less then perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You're perfect to me!

You're so mean, when you talk about yourself, you were wrong
Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead
So complicated, look how big you'll make it!
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game
It's enough! I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same

Oh, pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less then perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing

You're perfect to me

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in line, and we try try try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They dont like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that?

Yeah, oh, oh baby, pretty please!
Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less then perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're perfect to me
You're perfect, you're perfect!
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You're perfect to me.

Zest.

I work at a fashion boutique here in Dallas and today a girl came in whose attitude completely blessed my day. She wasn't really overly friendly or one of the over the top kind of girls. She was simple: yoga pants, cute tee, and black flip flops. She had long black hair pulled into low pigtails and was a small athletic build. She picked out at baby t-shirt similar to the one she was wearing, went into the dressing room, and came out with a smile from ear to ear. She said this shirt is "so me." She brooded over two different patterns in the same style of shirt and walked to the check out. She spotted our line of inspirational necklaces out loud with taken aback inspiration. She read them off one by one: "balance"," "be yourself, everyone else it already taken," "create," and so on. As I finished ringing her up she politely smiled at me and simply said, "I wish everyone knew how to live that way." And with that she took her bag and left with a grateful thanks.

This girl possessed a zest for life. She had confidence and was truly proud of who she was. I began thinking what it would be life if we all had that need to inspire and be inspired. How much different would the world be? What if we each were determined to bless one person each day. I'm talking like going back to the old days when people actually had real conversation instead of just ones in cyberspace. What if we took the time to slow down for 2 minutes and take the time to ask someone how they "really" are and carry on a positive encouraging conversation. What if we did that with everyone we met. What if we smiled at the police officer who just wrote you a ticket instead of flipping him off when he walks back to his light flashing police car, or help a sweet lady carry her groceries to her car. Not only would we leave a flicker of hope and happiness everywhere we went, it would take our minds of ourselves and onto the people around us.

 Zest. Do you have what it takes?

 This video is amazing and also a blessing!!! Enjoy!!!--->

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvifyY3a1OI

Life.

Life comes at us fast. It can be unforgiving, impatient, and demanding. It can tear you down, wear you out, and chip away at us until whats left is this mess we call "ourselves." I've learned life is what happens when you are in bed sleeping until 12 in the afternoon on a Saturday. It slips you by and robbs you of time before you even have a chance to take a grip of reality and take hold of the very thing that is happening right before your eyes. Life- something we crave control of, but have absolutely no say in. That is life. Its living that is the hard part to come to terms with. Life is going to pass by whether you choose to take part or not. 

I am a firm believer that we choose our happiness. I believe we do have a choice to take part in living and develop that zest for life we read about in the "self help" books on the best seller's shelf placed in the front of Barnes and Nobles. You have to be happy with who you are, and yourself before you can start truly living and enjoy life. This world we live in is full of pain and heartache, but just on the other side of the negativity and hurt feelings is a blessing. It is growth and wisdom and a continuous journey that brings you closer and closer to the finishline of a well lived life. A life consumed with blessings, challenges, happiness, and love. Life is what you make it. But only you can decide how your deck of cards will be played out. Only you can decide to live.