Before the dawn

“Night is always darker before the dawn

and life is the same, the hard times will

pass, every thing will get better and

sun will shine brighter than ever.”

~Ernest Hemingway

During a time like this, it can be difficult to see the light in the struggle, and negativity seems to surround us in the aftermath of COVID-19… Fear continues to grow, and so many people are left desperate for relief as the impact becomes more widespread.

It is easy to feel consumed in this darkness, but it is our own decision how we are going to react to it. There is still so much to be thankful for, and we must keep these things close to heart despite the hardships. Things will not stay this way forever, and there is always sunshine behind the storm. Remember Ernest Hemingway’s words and know that hope is never lost. It may take some time to get back up, but when we do, we will be stronger than we ever were before!

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I just wanted to share this inspiring poem because it is so relevant to what we are all going through right now. I hope that this reflection was moving or gave you a new perspective as it did for me… Feel free to share your own poems or quotes in the comments section, and I hope that you have  a great rest of the week!

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in the end…

“in the end, she became

more than what she expected.

she became the journey,

and like all journeys,

she did not end, she just

simply changed directions

and kept going.”

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*quote: r.m. drake

*photo: richard jean-louis

Decisions

“Decisions. We can think about things, turn them over in our minds a million times, play out possible scenarios, but really when it comes down to it, you have to go with your heart and move forward. Maybe things will go well. Maybe they’ll turn out poorly. Every decision brings with it some good, some bad, some lessons, and some luck. The only thing that’s for sure is that indecision steals many years from many people who wind up wishing they’d just had the courage to leap.”

~Doe Zantamata

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It can be scary to make a decision especially if it entails major changes in your life. Sometimes, you are put in a situation where you are given two very different options, and you are forced to choose which path to take. You are not sure which one is “right” and you don’t really know where you are meant to go, so you spend time contemplating the alternatives. Days go by, followed by weeks, and even months. Your gut feeling tells you which path to take, but you are too paralyzed to actually make things happen because you worry that you are wrong and fear the pit of regret. However, you cannot spend your entire life dwelling on the unknown because the truth is that you are never going to be 100% sure of every outcome. It is not possible. You are wasting so many opportunities if you let fear take complete control and if you allow other people to sway your direction in life. Do what you want to do, and go where you feel like you should be. Definitely consider the outcomes, but don’t spend your entire life sitting around waiting because you are afraid.

Make a decision. Make it happen.

Reflection from the week…

*Photo Credits: Claire H.

Breathe Easy…

Small problems have a tendency to invade our minds as we obsess, overthink, stress, and worry about them… Over time, it becomes hard to stop these negative thoughts, and the small problems ultimately end up feeling much bigger than they actually are. However, I have realized that most of the things that are stressful right now wont even matter in a few months, and our brain often over-analyzes situations that are actually quite simple. Everything will be sorted out the way it is suppose to with time, so don’t allow these thoughts and situations to create unnecessary chaos in your daily life. Instead, remind yourself that most of the stress that you are feeling right now is simply a cluster of small problems that the brain has manipulated to feel much bigger than they actually are.

“90% of what you are

stressing over today won’t

even be relevant in a year.

Breathe easy.”

~Wesley Snipes

What are your thoughts on this? Was this post helpful to ease some of the tension in your life? How do you deal with stressful situations? Happy Friday!

Readers, I Need You!

Help! I have compiled a small list of upcoming post ideas, but I need you to vote on what you would be most interested in reading. You can drop you top choice(s) in the comments section, and the post with the highest vote will be released on February 5th! Your input is very much appreciated because it will help me develop fun content that you all enjoy! All of these ideas will probably be used sometime in the future, but I am wondering which one will generate the most interest… If you have any post suggestions, you can add it in the comments section along with your top choice from the list below. I love inspiration from other amazing bloggers, and I am looking forward to hearing from you!

*Embarrassing moments: I will reveal some memories that left me cringing or laughing at my own foolish actions.

*Backstage Secrets: There are some things non-dancers never know. Discover some of the weird tricks and backstage secrets that is not public knowledge…

*First Few Months of Driving: My thoughts and experiences as a newly licensed driver.

*Guilty Confessions: Do you want me to admit some concealed truths about myself?

*Playlist: I will share my top favorite songs that I am listening to right now!

*My Blogging Experience: Find out about my experience with blogging and some of the things that I love/hate about owning this internet space. It might surprise you!

Important notice: Your votes will be counted until February 1st, so you have about a week to make your decision. Now, go cast your vote! 🙂

College Lessons: Semester 1

My first semester of college was such a neat experience, and I am just so grateful to have this opportunity to attend classes as a dual-enrolled student. Although it was quite stressful and exhausting at times, I am excited to continue working for my degree and getting to know all of the amazing people around campus. It is a bit late, but I thought you still might enjoy this post… These are lessons that I have learned from myself and other students throughout my first semester of college. Hopefully you find this beneficial!

Read the Syllabus: You can’t expect the professors to remind you about homework assignments or specify every upcoming due date in class. They provide a detailed syllabus at the beginning of the semester that contains a list of everything you must complete and when. If you don’t look through it, you will likely have a lot of missing homework assignments which definitely won’t help your grade.

Learn on your own: In two of my courses, there was not enough class time to cover all of the material on the exams, so it was extremely important to read and look over all of the chapters on our own. DO THE WORK! It was definitely not fun to be reading textbook pages at 1:00 in the morning, but it really paid off in the end.

Meet New People: The experience is so much more enjoyable if you establish a small group of friends to spend time with between classes. It is also quite interesting to learn about different people and their post-graduation goals, so talk to the person sitting next to you! Build relationships with other students in your classes, and you will have a much more enjoyable experience.

Stay Organized: I don’t know about you, but I get really bad anxiety when I try to keep track of too many dates and times in my head. I was, honestly, shocked with how many students didn’t have an organized method to group all of the day’s assignments together. Many people just scratched things off of the syllabus, but that means at least four important packets must be carried around everywhere (and not misplaced). It is also easy to skip or miss things especially when you’re taking multiple classes. I recommend a weekly planner or agenda!!! You will relieve yourself of so much stress…

Ask for Help: Don’t be hesitant to ask your professor or other students for help! My friends thought I was a bit ridiculous, but I got almost every paper read by another peer or professor before I turned it in. I learned so much more by taking feedback, and I was much more staisfied with my grades when they came back on those assignments.

And lastly… BE YOURSELF:

“Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful, and magical person that you are.”

~Unknown

If you have any questions or things to add, feel free to drop them in the comments. Thanks for reading! 🙂

Uncertainty

“Sometimes you don’t know what steps to take.

Sometimes you are not sure what choices to make,

because the decisions that you choose now can effect your future ways.

This contemplation can put you in a daze

as you stare into this maze

of uncertainty.”

~Maysa

For some reason, I felt the desire to rhyme today…