Being present

Quarantine isn’t all bad.

I think most people can agree that quarantine isn’t necessarily fun, and no one wants to be trapped inside for weeks. However, this process of slowing down has highlighted how chaotic our daily lives truly are. We are so use to rushing around all the time that we have become blinded by the constant distraction, and it has showed us how much we habitually go through the motions every single day. Honestly, I have been thinking about the past few years of my own life, and I realized how absent I have been in my family. I guess I never fully understood the impact that my busy schedule had on my life at home, and I started to see how much I have been missing. There were many nights that I wouldn’t be home for dinner, and I certainly didn’t have time to garden, bake, play family games, or take a walk with my sister like I do now. My mind was just so cluttered, and I often let my “seriousness” interfere with my true happiness. The past few weeks have taught me the importance of being present… Although my busy schedule will eventually resume, I am going to be more mindful about how I spend my time and always be sure to set some aside for those who matter most. I love you mom and dad! Thanks for reading, and I hope you are all doing well. What is something quarantine has taught you?

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Starting a Blog?

Within the past few months, several people have come to me with questions about blogging, so I thought it might be beneficial to share my insight for all new/existing bloggers out there. I have been blogging for several years now, so I am very happy to share my personal tips and advice… Whether you are considering your own site, just starting off, or have had lots of experience, I hope this post is helpful!

1: It’s what you want it to be.

Embrace your unique style of writing because your blog is whatever you want it to be. Don’t feel like you have to follow strict guidelines because there is no right or wrong way to do it. Your blog is very personal, so be creative, have fun, and enjoy writing about anything and everything you want!

2: Be aware of your audience.

The entire world has access to your site at any given moment, so the publicity of a blog (without privacy settings) is pretty immense. Therefore, it is very important that you are aware of the information that you post and pay close attention to photos to ensure that your location isn’t outwardly revealed unless you want it to be. Blogging is one of my biggest hobbies, but safety is always taken into consideration before I hit the “publish” button. I don’t mean to discourage you; I just want you to be aware of your audience and make smart decisions when you post.

3: It takes time to grow.

One of the most common concerns that you may have when you first begin a blog is the lack of readers because it takes a while to become recognized in the community. Don’t become discouraged, but use this time to improve your site and become familiar with certain blogging techniques. I recommend that you engage with other bloggers by following, liking, and commenting on their sites, and it also helps to promote your blog on existing social media platforms. With time, you will gain more followers and your status/traffic will continue to grow!

4: Quality over quantity.

I think one of the worst mistakes that you can make as a blogger is forgetting that the quality of posts always overrules quantity. Don’t rush the writing process just to post something because this will lead to poor quality posts that will bore both you and your readers, so write when you are inspired. Your posts do not have deadline, so you can take as long as you need (days, weeks, or even months.) Whatever you do, you must always maintain quality over quantity.

5: Respond to readers.

When people take time to comment on your posts, it is always good to like and respond to them even if it is a simple ‘thank you.’ They made the effort to reach out to you and express their thoughts and appreciation for your writing, so don’t let that go unrecognized.

6: Research writing prompts.

There are going to be times when you really want to write something, but you just don’t know what. Whenever this happens, I honestly Google writing prompts to get my creativity flowing again. That is my little blogging secret…

7: Why not?

Blogging has really given me the opportunity to express myself, share my passion of writing with the world, meet hundreds of inspiring people, and document memorable moments of my life that can be revisited in the future. If blogging has ever crossed your mind, I really encourage you to at least try it because why not? You can always delete your site if you hate it, but you will never know unless you try. My blog has really impacted my life, and I don’t have a single regret. I am so thankful for all of my readers, and I hope to continue posting for many years to come.

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Please feel free to drop any individual questions in the comments section because I am happy to help you begin/continue your blogging journey! A few months ago, I released a post that provided a small overview of my experience on WordPress so far, so be sure to go check that out if you are interested. Thank you so much for reading, and good luck blogging!

What are your thoughts on this post? Do you have any tips or advice? Are there any questions that you still have? Ask away!

‘Don’t Be Beautiful’

“They keep saying that beautiful is something a girl needs to be.

But honestly? Forget that. Don’t be beautiful.

Be angry, be intelligent, be witty, be klutzy, be interesting,

be funny, be adventurous, be crazy, be talented-

there is an eternity of other things

to be other than beautiful.

And what is beautiful anyway

but a set of letters strung together to make a word?

Be your own definition of amazing, always.

That is so much more important than anything beautiful, ever.”

______________

 Nikita Gill

My Survival Kit

Lately, several people have asked me the same exact question, and I began to realize that this might make a really interesting blog post. People catch a glimpse of my overflowing list of of day-by-day tasks on my weekly planner and look at me wide-eyed…

“How do you do it all?”

My reply is always the same: “I don’t even know.” In reality, however, I guess there really is a method to manage this madness, but it is not easy! I will be completely honest and tell you that there have been many nights that I have gotten under four hours of sleep as deadlines crept up faster than expected, so I don’t want you to get the impression that I have mastered these strategies because that is far from the truth. For the most part, however, I think this survival kit has really been the reason that I have been able to “do it all,” so I thought it might be neat to share with you.

1: Staying Organized:

My agenda/weekly calendar is actually color coded so that I can quickly see the homework load for each class. I also write down the important projects, papers, quizzes, and exams for that week in a black pen and highlight it in bright yellow so that I don’t accidentally miss them or forget to study. My friends think I am a bit crazy, but I actually color code my notes as well by the units or lectures.

2: Managing Time:

I always go to the campus library at least 30 min (sometimes even an hour) before my class begins to get a head start on homework for that day. I use every free moment that I have to get things done, so I frequently work Friday nights or even weekends as well. Time management is extremely important, so use extra time to your advantage!

3: Routine:

I also think following a routine helps me a lot because my body has gotten use to the wake/sleep times. This doesn’t mean that I am never tired, but it just means that I don’t feel like a walking zombie everyday because my body has gotten into a relatively consistent schedule.

4: Support:

Family and friends have significantly influenced me to keep working hard because I know they believe in me. This ultimately helps me believe in myself too, and it really does feel good to have someone there to encourage me through difficult times with a “you can do it!” attitude.

I also wanted to let you all know that I am scheduled to get my braces off on March 15!!!

I hope that you enjoyed this post, and thanks for reading!

How do YOU manage your schedule? Would you like to know my tips for studying late at night without getting tired? What was it like to get your braces off? 

Believe

“Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more…

Believing In Yourself”

~Harry Potter

A New Perspective

Looking back, I am so thankful that I pushed all of the hesitation aside and took advantage of the opportunity to choreograph HOUR LIVES. This experience gave me a new perspective of my role as a dancer…

*I realized that the dance is a puzzle and the dancers are the pieces. If one of those pieces are missing, the entire puzzle is incomplete.

*I learned that is very important to “sweat the small stuff.” Little details (like angles and head placement) might seem insignificant, but they glue the entire dance together.

*I found out how crucial communication between the dancers and choreographer is. If there is a problem, it is important to speak up so that it can be corrected as soon as possible. Sometimes, the only way to fix a problem is to change the next sequence of steps, and that is very difficult to do on limited time.

This was definitely not an easy task… There are many moving parts in a dance that all need organization and separate movements, and it was very stressful at times. However, the reward of watching my “vision” come alive was absolutely incredible. This is definitely something that I will consider doing again in the future, and I want to thank all of my dancers for being so understanding with me. You all were amazing, and I couldn’t have wanted for a better group. Thank you!

Motivation on Monday!

“Maybe this day is not

One of your favorites, but

Never forget that every

Day you wake up is an

Amazing gift and it’s up to

You to make it count“

~Author Unknown

Keep this in mind today…

‘On My Toes’

I was literally “on my toes” this past week, as rehearsals and school crammed my schedule FULL. From a NYC Ballet choreographer setting a piece, 8 hours of rehearsals today, and doubled up schoolwork resulting from Hurricane Irma, this week was pure madness. Even now, I am staring at my half-sewn pair of pointe shoes that have been sitting on my dresser for two weeks now… Please forgive my frequent inactivity on Maysa Rose! It gets hard when I don’t have much time during the day, because it comes down to order-of-importance. As much as I love my blog, it isn’t on my MUST list. I hope that you all are doing amazing, and I am looking forward to reading your posts. I appreciate that you all have stuck with me through all of these times of silence, and it means so much that you all are continuously supportive and understanding through it all.

*High School Homecoming is getting close!! (October 7th). I am going dress shopping tomorrow, so I will post my dress if I find a good one. It may be a process…. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!!

When something is important enough… ~Elon Musk

When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.

~Elon Musk

Do whatever it takes… It doesn’t matter who you are or what your dream is. If it is important enough to you, you will find a way to make it happen (despite ANY obstacles that may stand in your way). Make the most of every opportunity that you have to get closer to your goal. That clock is advancing… Are you?

Determination. Hard work. Strength. Passion.

Happy Friday! 🙂

Important Updates!!!

It has been an incredibly busy week, and so much has happened since my previous post on Monday. I have decided to list a few important updates that you may want to know about before we finish this exciting season…

*First off, I just found out that I have been selected to take part of “The College Project” that will be performed in three weeks. A dance major came to our studio to audition dancers for her school choreography project, and I am so thankful to announce that I was once of the five chosen for this piece… 🙂

*Secondly, I was asked a few days ago if I could fill-in for an injured dancer in an upcoming showcase. I happily accepted the offer, and I greatly appreciated the choreographers trust in me to learn the dance on such short notice.

*Lastly, we finally finished our corps de ballet dance that will be performed in a festival this upcoming weekend. Our in-theater rehearsal is on Thursday, so check back for exciting updates and photos!!