Break-ups, hang-ups, and opportunities: some advice and reflection

Life is beautiful, let's share a little....
It is a slogan I introduced to this blog because it is true for how I live my life. No matter how ugly this world can get I find beautiful things to be explored. The media news, by design, would like the general public to be upset and scared but I have learned that the world is not as sad as it seems on the TV screen. Media critique aside, even life events get in the way of your comfortability as a person. It is tough. How do I cope?

I saw a praying mantis outside my house, it was so peaceful.

Number 1: I meditate, it sounds cheesy but it helps to center myself. It is stressful juggling a job and a full time school schedule but it is very doable. I find strength in my friends that are going through the same thing. So to all those students who read my blog: Relax and reward yourself once a week with a quite place. You will be surprised at how relaxed you feel to be away from chatter, blinking screens, and the loveable but sometimes abrasive cellphone.

Me and Shannon, we went to shows together and bonded over silly emo bands

Number 2: After calming down a bit surround yourself with friends and/or family. I am lucky enough to have both within my reach. They ground me in different ways. Sometimes big problems seem so big because the stress is there. We think we have to deal with it ourselves. Just because you have to approach the problem (or stress) on your own doesn't mean you can't ask for help or advice. I would not be here as a blogger without support and encouragement from those close to me. Hell, I wouldn't have made it through the past three days without them.

I really love this tag that can be seen in and around the Copy Cat Building in Baltimore.

Number 3: What makes you happy? Hopefully, if you read my blog, you do not think expensive cars and beautiful men or women on your arm are ideals of happiness. Because they are not! Half the people that have those things aren't happy with their lives, trust me I know some. Encounters with this sort really helped me to understand that money is not the key. You might spend a lot of money and still not buy enough happiness. So save your dough for something special and significant. Find out if taking up a hobby or skill would make you happy. I know after teaching myself how to knit I was much happier because I was able to apply myself to something new to me.

my mom/my (crazy) foundation

Number 4: Know that you will make mistakes but also know that others will too. You are not perfect and neither is the guy/girl sitting next to you. Release unrealistic expectations of others and some tension will just melt away. Don't resist and put up a fight. One of the biggest pieces of advice that was told to me was: "People will be crazy, you can't change that. They must change themselves." If that was a little unclear my mom meant that you must let others decide who/how they are, the individual makes their own choices. This goes for relationships of all kinds. Trust me, this will take a few pounds off your life. Well, I hope this wasn't too long winded and it sure felt good to write after feeling so emotionally blah for a couple of days. Please let me know if this helped you too.

Joy D.