For me, regret is not an option...

"Accept everything about yourself- I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end- no apologies, no regrets." ~ Henry Kissinger

     I recently turned 29 years old. And it hit me. I am a year closer to the big 3-0!!! What have I done with my life? As it turns out, I have done the usual. Laughed, cried, made friends, lost friends. Loved, lost, and thankfully gotten rid of :) Moved around a lot, settled down a little, and gained numerous battle scars.
     
     And surprisingly, of all the things I have done so far, the battle scars are what I am proud of the most. Until November. Then that will change when I finally get to see my first child, after an adventurous 9 months :)
     
     Without said scars, I would not be the person I am today. I have heard once or twice that I'm a pretty cool person. I will believe that when I get at LEAST 100 signatures on my petition ;) Anyways...


     I was asked once if I have ever regretted anything in my life. I can say with true, honest conviction that I live with no regrets. And that is hard to do. It is easy to let the negativity, naysayers, and everyday stress impact you. It is hard to live with some decisions made. 


     But you should try it. Instead of wishing you had done something differently, realize the lessons learned. After all, that is how we grow. You stop growing when you stop learning. Don't get down on yourself if things aren't turning out how you planned. There is a reason for that.


     Live as if it is your last day. Laugh out loud, even if you are alone. Love as if that person is the only one in the world. Take everyday for the blessing that it is.

Beauty is in the Reflection of the Mirror Gazer

     For those of you who participated in the Google Challenge, I have another one for you. Especially for you women :) But first, I must say a few words...

     I am so tired of hearing people say and do demeaning things to people who may not be super model material because we feel we are better than them. If we are ever going to grow as a society, we need to begin building each other up. Instead, people tear each other down just because someone's internal beauty falls on blind eyes.

     When I was in high school, I was verbally bullied about my body and it gave me some serious insecurities. I wasn't even overweight! It took me years to overcome the self doubt and feeling of not being good enough.

     And girls, I am calling you out. We are the worst when it comes to "hating" on people, especially other women. Who cares if her shoes aren't as nice as yours, or she doesn't dress as well as you. How do you know she didn't give her nicer things to somebody that needed it more than her? We should be ashamed of ourselves.

     Take a page out of this 8th grade girl's book. We have enough pressure to look like perfection from people that don't know us. So here is what WE, men and women alike,  are going to do.

     The next time you are hanging with your buddies and you see somebody you would normally make a rude joke or sarcastic remark about, stop yourself and find something about that person that warrants a positive remark. Or if you are standing in line somewhere, and you think a nice thought about the person next to you, give them the compliment. Let them hear it.

PAY FORWARD THE POSITIVE!!
   

The Google Challenge

     My sister and I have said on a few occasions "Communication may be the key but they keep changing the locks". This can be applied to many groups of people but right now I am targeting a specific group. Complete strangers.
     Why are we so afraid to talk to each other? I'm not saying you have to go up to a stranger and have the most mind blowing conversation to have ever been spoken into existence. All I am saying is, is when I smile and say "Hi" in passing, don't look at me like I am a complete weirdo. Return with a smile. It may be the best part of someone's day.
     So here is my idea to have some fun, and possibly make a friend you never thought you would have.
Stop Googling every little thing and ask someone for directions, or a general knowledge question, i.e. who sings the song "New York, New York"? You will find someone that knows the answer to your question. Even if you don't get your answer you can google it as a last resort. :)
     At least this way you are giving yourself an opportunity to meet someone new. What's wrong with that? Think of it as a verbal scavenger hunt.
     I know convenience outweighs everything, but I have done this in a restaurant while my friends sat at the table and plugged the question into their smartphones. Even though it took me a little while to find my answer, I sparked conversations at a number of tables, not just between myself and the people I was asking, but it gave them something to talk about other than the weather. And on a couple occasions it sparked a conversation between two separate tables. I don't know of any smart phone that can do that!
     So try the Google Challenge. Even for a day.

"Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends" ~Shirley MacLaine
    

Survival or Dependency?

     I often wonder what we are really teaching this generation. We live in a world that is on a technological fast track so speedy Jimmy Johns would make it employee of the month...every month.
     I recently read this article in The Oakland Press about a school district asking for funds to further support schools, renovations, programs, etc. That's awesome! I am all about giving students every opportunity to explore their interests and have a solid curriculum provided to them. The part I don't agree with is them asking for additional funds to provide students with iPads. I don't even own an iPad and I am pushing 30 years old! And this is where survival or dependency comes into play.
    Now close your eyes, figuratively :), and imagine a world with the possibility to transport a generation back in time. Would this generation be able to survive without smartphones, iPads, or, for heaven's sake, the internet?!?! Some of you are probably sitting there saying, "But you are using the internet to post this blog." I paid my dues by growing up without all this fancy stuff. I will use it and love it. :)
     Now I know this isn't the case for everyone, but when I was in school, I went to the library and used encyclopedias/ reference books, asked questions, and actually learned about the topic on which I was writing a research paper. Hence, I did actual research for my research paper. Hmmm... imagine that. I believe the lesser access to all this technology has made me quite resourceful, and I didn't, and still don't,  depend on the internet to teach me what I want to know.
     Case and point: When theaters were playing Titanic 3D recently, people were actually tweeting their surprise that the Titanic and the catastrophe that it ended with was real. While they were OMGing, I was mentally smacking their heads together, wondering what other historical events they were not aware of.
    Lord, help us, if this is what we have to look forward to.