Sophomoritis? Didn't think there was such a thing...

Where the heck did my motivation go? That seems to be the question of the semester. It is hard to believe that I am only a sophomore and I am already having intense feelings of senioritis...I guess we will call it sophomoritis in my case. At this rate, it is going to be a long couple of years until graduation. However, I do have a lot of things to be looking forward to that will make the time fly by fast. Work week in Colorado, Puerto Rico with my dad and sister, my sister's wedding, summer staff in Minnesota, YL camp....this summer is going to be crazy busy but I will love every second of it. This time of year always seems bittersweet for some reason. Despite the fact that I want to be done with school SO badly, I'm not quite ready to accept the fact that I     am signing up for classes for my junior year of college and      the fact that I will be away from the amazing people in Manhattan that I love. While I dread my classes every single day, I need to continue to embrace these last few weeks I have before my life will really start to pick up! I would be lying if I said I hate being constantly on the go....in reality, I thrive on the fast-paced life that I live. I just need to continue to set short term goals for myself so that I stay on track and stay motivated because I don't want to regret a single moment of these next few weeks. Life advice: live in the moment and find your motivation! Don't allow yourself to get lazy...finish that homework, hit the gym, hang out with your friends....and finish unpacking your spring break stuff finally (this is advice that I definitely need to follow!). God doesn't want us to just constantly be looking to the next thing, but instead He wants us to live each day as if it is just as exciting as the next! 

                                                         SPRING BREAK 2011 in Gulf Shores :) 

Surround yourself with positivity

One of the most valuable things I have learned so far in my life is to surround myself with positivity. Whether it is the activities you are involved in, or the people in your life, it is absolutely vital that you seek out those activities or people that build you up. A laugh and a smile are not only contagious, but they are the perfect medicine for any Negative Nancy. I have been involved in some organizations before that just looked good on paper; they did not bring me joy or fulfillment whatsoever. What is the point of being involved in activities that you don't love? There is no point in the long-run. Young Life is an organization that I currently volunteer for and no words can even describe the amount of fulfillment I get from the things that I have the opportunity to do. In addition, I haven't always been friends with people that were the most positive influence. While it is completely fine to be friends with most people and to love everyone, check and make sure that the people you spend a majority of your time with have a positive affect on not only your actions, but your mood and well-being as well. A lot of people tell me that I am an incredibly positive person, which I believe to be one of the best compliments possible. However, I have my times when I have a negative attitude and look at the glass half empty. It is times like these when the positive environment you surround yourself with comes in handy. And while we are on the topic of positivity, quit being so negative! You are blessed with so many things in your life and it is important to acknowledge these things. You are allowed your bad days and bad moods, but try to look for the ray of light shining through each day. Life advice: Surround yourself with positivity and the feeling will be contagious. Don't let little things bring you down; people will notice your incredible attitude and the positivity will catch on like wildfire. 

We all have a story

I can say, without a doubt, that one of my favorite things to do is talk. I love communicating with people and more than anything, I love sharing stories. I truly believe that every experience we have is perfect criteria for a story that can be passed on and shared with others for years to come. A few nights ago, I spent about 2 hours sitting in the dining room of my sorority with a group of girls, telling and listening to stories. My face hurt from smiling and my stomach hurt from laughing by the end.  I am incredibly thankful for the memories that I have; I have enough stories to last a life time. Think back on the experiences you have had; remember the embarrassing ones, the happy ones, the sad ones, the scary ones...every single one of those memories you have is an incredible teaching and learning tool for you to utilize. Every single human being has a different set of stories. How cool is that? We all come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences; not a single person is the exact same. We are shaped by our experiences...that is why we are all unique from one another. Each one of us is writing our own book made up of chapters; some of them are short, some of them are long, but nonetheless, we are all creating our own best-sellers. Life advice: Don't keep these stories and experiences to yourself. Share your stories. Be open about your life. Re-live those memories. God gives us the opportunity to live our lives and create the stories that are ultimately inspired by Him; so get out there and keep the words flowing on the pages of life.