Inspiration all around.

Yesterday, as I was reading through a journal I keep of things that inspire me, I realized that these are things I'm surrounded with on a daily basis. My source of inspiration stems from many things I can see, feel, smell, touch and hear. Why limit myself?

For example - I often see inspiration just from observing the world around me. When I'm at work, I see the way a very nice lady looks a stranger in the eye and genuinely says thank you for holding the door open. I also get inspired to be a better person by watching people being rude, yelling, hitting their child in public and giving someone a dirty look. Inspiration doesn't have to come from a positive place. Seeing bad things has inspired me in positive ways that prevent me from acting inappropriately.

Being in love, the smell of fresh lemonade, a hug,  the sound of live music, a cheering crowd, a smiling baby, making jewelry, are all sources of inspiration to me.

Inspirations are limitless.

Be inspired!

Marissa

How to cope with stress

Often times after a long day of work, some of us (at least, the normal human being) are stressed, overwhelmed, angry, tired, and sometimes it leads to complaints.

Although, I fall under that "normal human beings" category, I chose not  to let stress get the best of me today. Instead of coming home and complaining to my family, I made myself strawberry lemonade, I read my favorite magazine, and I washed a few dishes while talking to my mom. 

Everyone has their own way of coping with stress, but the way I cope with it makes it easy for me to move forward and enjoy the free time I have. Imagine being free to do what I want from 6pm-11pm (bed time.) I'll take it and make the most of it! 

The list below are ways I cope with stress that can probably work for you. 

Several ways to cope with stress

• When you leave work, don't think about work. (You're not getting paid to think about work when you're at home. So why do it voluntarily?)
• If you can't change it, accept it. (Nobody can go back in time to change something that has already happened. If something went wrong, it's done and it's over. Deal with it and try to avoid that same mistake next time. Don't beat yourself up over it.)
• Smile when it's over.
   (I know this might sound cheesy - but think of it this way: You made it through the day and you're alive! That's certainly something to smile about.)
• Don't let people push your buttons. (That rude lady that raised her voice at you on the phone earlier? You'll never meet her - thank goodness - and you're upset over the way she talked to you? It's not your fault she's a grumpy old hag. You're wasting your precious time dwelling over that annoying phone call and she's probably sipping on a margarita on the beach.)
• Make anticipation your friend.
  (Anticipation gives you something to look forward to. I'm anticipating Friday's concert with my friend. It gives me something to think about that's actually going to happen, as oppose to stressing over something in the moment.)
• If you can't figure it out, ask.
  (If you can't figure out something, don't be embarrassed, ask for help! Chances are, no one is going to make fun of you for not figuring out a "simple" task. Believe it or not, some people like helping others out.)
• Do something for yourself
  (Yes I know, you work hard and you like to please. Do something for yourself. You deserve it. If you're that stressed out, it probably means you did something for someone else. You're not living for others. Give your body a break and be kind to it by resting, eating a delicious slice of pie, or whatever you consider a good treat.)

Have a stress free day!

Don't worry, girl.

At this point in my life, I started to look two years ahead and wondering what I'll be doing at 30. I quickly started to worry and wondered if what I'm working so hard on will actually pay off?

Today, coincidentally, I received my daily email from Joel Osteen (I love his books) and this is part of the message he shared with me (and millions of others) "...Worrying affects your physical body. It affects your sleep. You won't ever gain anything by worrying; in fact, you'll lose precious moments that you can never get back again." If that's not a strong message right in your face, I don't know what is!

Today I refused to worry. I decided that I'm not going to let any worries set me back. I will continue to work toward my goals; and although I'm taking small steps, I feel like I'm on a roll! This is such a great feeling! Small steps equal to big steps.

Today, whatever worries are taking over your brain, whatever is preventing you from getting things done, whatever is telling you that you need to fear something, get it out of your head. Only you can control the way you feel, so choose to feel worry-free today and always. It makes a difference in your day.

No worries!

Marissa

The inner challenge that drives me.

Although I'm still fairly new to blogging, I'm not exactly new to writing in journals/diaries. Before the term "blogging" spread throughout the internet, I used to use diaryland.com as a teen. I wish I never canceled my account. I would love to go back and read those old posts from 2001 to see what thoughts were roaming throughout my mind. I remember being so shy but my imagination went to places it had never gone to before. Diaryland.com was my escape and my source of freedom of expression.

With this blog, I hope to have that freedom once again.

I love being in my late 20's. I feel more at ease than I did in my early 20's and teen years. Several years ago, when I was faced with obstacles, fear and challenges, all I could do was hide my feelings, not speak of it and think about it over and over again. This never resolved anything. Now I like to think of myself as more of a problem solver. If I'm being faced with something that may seem impossible  in the moment, I look for ways to make it happen.

It took me many years to understand why challenges keep on surfacing throughout life. You may think "Why me? C'mon!" In my mind, challenges surface because it may mean that someone may need that extra push to walk up a very steep road in pursuit of their goals and dreams. I try to remind myself of that everyday. It keeps me going. To this day, I still question certain challenges, but they never bring down. I find reasons to think of them as exciting new projects to accomplish.

Hope your day was an exciting challenge!

Marissa