Recent Updates

So not only is my background changing, but I'm changing as well. Never realized that your entire life could be thrown at you in one swoop and that you could have so many things going on at once to deal with. It's like having an ocean being poured on you....

but no worries. to that we say, "rock on. let's bring out the floaties."

Me and the Boy

:)

Wow.

One word to say. wow. It's definitely an experience. Not so much the easy going, let's lick the ice cream up slowly and watch the people walk by, summer that I'm normally used to. Clear example of this is that I haven't even managed to write one post since starting with LeadAmerica.

Things I've learned thus far:

• Don't judge an experience or make any decisions when you are tired and feeling overwhelmed.
• No evaluation until the first conference is finished.
• How to follow rules and uphold them even when you don't neccesarily agree with them or see the "why."
• Take things day by day. Step by step. It helps things to not seem overwhelming.
• Hold your tongue when you are exhausted, keep your energy in.
• How to decide when to be energetic and when it's okay to be quieter. Give yourself time to breathe.
• The importance of "me time"
• That growing and challenging yourself isn't easy.
• It's okay to re-evalutate decisions once they are always made, never feel like you're stuck in a situation. And sometimes, I truely think it's okay to choose the simpler path.
• Pick your battles wisely. Somethings aren't worth fighting for.
• Complaining doesn't do anyone any good. Be an example. If I don't complain, the students won't complain.
• How rewarding some one-on-one conversations with the students can be. How many kids in the world don't even have one person to take the time out of the day to listen to them and encourage them and generally just care for them.

In continuence with my "different mottos for different times in life" theme, I've come up with a new one. This season's theme: just keep plugging along.

We'll see where things go. Just taking it day by day.

Sum up the direction of my life in a quote,

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experiance to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiance." -Eleanor Roosevelt

It's not always easy at times. This newer, richer, utmost experience part. But it's the journey that I'm on :)

- and as mom says, might as well go on the adventures now. While all my peers are growing/learning about life, I'll be ready to place roots. In an exact quotation, "well look at it this way, by the time your down with school you would have already had all these experiences and adventures you'll so ready to settle down."

The summer's new motto: outward vs. inward.

My favorite thing to do in the middle of the day when I have some spare time just to think/pray, is to put myself in my place. I stop and think about where I am. and then about the town I'm in. and then about the state. and then about the country. and soon the world and then go to outer space. And when you take the time to do that you realize what a tiny little spot you are compared to everything else in the world. Too often it's easy to become focused on ourselves. We take everything and every person that comes across our life path and relate it directly back to how it effects us.

Instead we should put our focus outward. What can I do to better serve others. How can I make this person feel cared about? How can I be a better daughter, student, counselor, friend? When our focus is outward vs. inward we have a much better chance of making a good impact on the world.

Besides, it feels a lot better to go out of your way to make someone else's day special :)