A Switzerland Moment

I've had those moments. Those moments where you look at the people who care for and love you, the nature that welcomes you into its world with open arms, the summer breeze that blows in off the ocean right as the sun sets. I've been lucky enough to travel and to feed my constant craving for the new. I am incessantly chasing after the next adventure or chapter of my life-- so much so that I often don't appreciate what I've seen or felt until after the moment has passed.

There's something to be said for traveling. Experiencing a new place with new people is one of the only things in this world that reminds us of just how lucky we are to be alive. 

That aspect of travel is something that we love, it's the reason we keep embarking on new adventures, and yet, you'd think by now we would have learned to make it a part of our daily lives. I live in a beautiful place, one of the greenest states in America. I am so blessed for having grown up here, and I always forget just how gorgeous it is until I've climbed up a mountain and can look down on just what an amazing place it is. It's something that goes beyond the scenery though, it's the people too. But get this, I spend the majority of my days wishing I could be somewhere else.

Isn't that sad? I don't blame myself too much for it. If there's one thing I've noticed in people it's the unwavering feeling that there's always something better out there. But I think we could all benefit from acting like where we are, even if it's where we don't want to be, is some place worth loving.

I remember waking up in Switzerland this past summer. We'd stayed in a little ski lodge outside of Lucerne, nestled right in the Swiss Alps. The windows didn't have screens, you could push them right open and the crisp mountain air would fill the room. And the view out my window is one that has been engraved in my mind since that first glance. It was one of those moments that pictures couldn't do justice. It wasn't the unbelievable beauty of the mountain towering over me that made it so special, it was how looking at that mountain made me feel. I remember thinking how awesome it was that some random little place in Switzerland could hold so much natural beauty, and I've been to a lot of tropical locations, but still I've never seen water as blue as that of Lake Lucerne.

When I consciously took a moment to acknowledge the beauty surrounding me, to acknowledge how lucky I was to be there, in that moment, I felt so extremely happy to be alive. A lot of us experience this when we travel, and I'm sure some of it is the excitement that comes with travel. But I suspect there's just as much beauty surrounding me now as there was when I was in Switzerland. Between work and school and everyday normal life, it must just be something I have to look a little harder for. But it must be there.

This week I promised myself that I would take a chance every day to recognize why I'm thankful to be where I am today. Every time I've truly felt that this life is too good to be true I've been in the presence of nature. Or with my family out to dinner. Or with my friends on a summer night, huddled around the campfire, laughing and reminiscing beneath a starry sky.

All the things that surround us are so easily overlooked, but they're the things that make us who we are. The things we appreciate define us as humans. What if we appreciated every single little moment that passed us by to its full effect? What if every moment were like that moment in Switzerland?

Granted, not every day will be great. But there's beauty in that. It's the bad moments that make even the smallest good moments seem great. Focus on the good moments, focus on what surrounds you. Make one good moment a day your own Switzerland moment, and I guarantee you'll be happier for it.

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Have a great Monday!

xoxo

Good Karma

I'm not the biggest believer in karma. Although as of this past week I've been trying really hard to maintain more of a positive attitude (which is fairly difficult with only three weeks left of classes and multiple professors who are significant pains in my butt). It's hard to believe junior year is finishing up so quickly... I keep thinking this time next year I'll be about a month away from graduating.

Anyways, what I've been finding as of late is that for all the annoying little things I've been dealing with all semester, maintaining a positive attitude is key in making sure I don't get overwhelmed by it all. Maybe the universe really does throw back at you what you put out.

Think Good Thoughts

Challenge yourself.

If there's anyone who knows how difficult it is to be positive all the time, it's me. But just give it a try and see what you find! Do you believe in karma?

xoxo

Sundays In Bed

Oh, just how nice and inviting does that bed look like right now? It's finally Sunday... the day I've felt I've been waiting for all week, the day I love to spend lounging around my house in my pj's, catching up on shows, reading blogs, and doing whatever my little heart desires. Or at least that's what I do until work at four (Erg.)

BUT not every Sunday can be perfect and relaxing. Some Sundays are meant to be spent studying your heart out, in hopes of passing the test that you are quickly coming to realize is actually going to be a lot more difficult than you think. A huge thank you to my prof and his epically boring 8am class! #not.

As you can tell I'm in an extremely chipper mood. For the lucky ones out there though, I've rounded up this Sunday's readings so don't fret! Enjoy a day of relaxing for me, particularly if you're anywhere where the temperature is above 30 degrees.

"Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill."

1. I'm kind of realizing it's going to be hard to start reading regularly until summer rolls around. That being said, this book is going on my reading list. As is this one.

2. For all my girls who never had the issue of being in the "itty bitty titty committee". (Middle school scarred me for life.)

3. We got two more feet of snow last week, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't take a toll on my mood. But there's The College Prepster and her positive vibes for that.

4. Flawless. Classy. Respect. 10 Empowering Phases Every Women Should Wear Proudly Across Her Forehead.

5. The Backstreet Boys and Avril Lavigne? Touring together?! It's like my childhood all wrapped into one amazing concert. (For your viewing pleasure... you're welcome in advance.)

6. I love sleeping in when I can, but there are perks to being an early bird.

7. MTV was never that accurate. And now all they do is air unending seasons of "Teen Mom," so congratulations society. We've really hit rock bottom. Remember the days when MTV used to make us think spring break was everything? And when TRL was all that was good in the world?

8. If you're a yoga fanatic, or even just looking to try yoga... here ya go!

9. Lately I've been getting so hungry at night when I'm laying in bed. Avoid the cookie binge and try this healthy midnight snack!

10. If you missed Monday's post... how do you define "perfect"?

Enjoy your Sunday everybody!

xoxo

Monday Inspiration: Make Good Use of Today

As you're reading this, I'm probably sitting in class, willing my professor to stop explaining every last bit of the syllabus and begging the clock to tick a little faster. Going back to classes after a month of not having any obligations is kind of a bummer... kind of a blessing too though. I was surprisingly productive last week, so I'm hoping it carries through into this week.

Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily hate school. Now that I've passed the obligatory classes (taking courses that don't pertain whatsoever to my major is just SO fun!), it's really not so bad. But, classes are at the top of my list of anxiety triggers, followed by change and failure. I suppose in my world they all kind of go together interchangeably.

 So, confession time. I had a bit of a meltdown anxiety attack yesterday when I realized that none of my professors had put up a syllabus and some of them hadn't even posted what textbooks we need. (Go you, college!) I'm not proud of it. 

I tweeted the quote to the left on Saturday when I came across it on Pinterest. Nothing more true has ever been said, especially if you're me. I'm so good at making myself miserable if I want to be miserable (sounds awful, I know...), and I'm also immensely talented at being strong for myself and for others when I feel I need to be. It's a blessing and a curse, but the amount of work I put into either emotion is literally the same. 

After my moments of panic and anxiety, I almost always come to the conclusion that the thing I was worrying about (in this case, school...) was really nothing worth fretting about. When I was texting my best friend about how distraught I was, the first thing she said was, "Em, you'll get the syllabus in your class tomorrow. Don't worry!" And then I realized just how silly I was being. So, I'm a little crazy. In my defense though, what twenty year old isn't?

The bottom line is, if I hadn't spent all that time yesterday worrying about what was going to happen today, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache. Focusing on the positive things in life is so hard sometimes; I've spent the past year working on it. While I've improved, sometimes those days are just inevitable. For every down there is an up though, and I have found that there are some pretty great ways to turn a bad day around. AND even better? There's a pin for that. (Yay!)

Each morning I've been trying to take a moment when I wake up to decide how my day is going to go. On Friday morning I was even able to convince myself that my day was going to start off with an 8:15 am spin class! And I'm telling you, that hour to myself made all the difference in what ended up being an extremely busy day. Even if it meant losing an hour of sleep.

I know this post is kind of all over the place, but truth be told it's because my mind has been all over the place lately... Which, if I'm being honest, has made focusing on being positive all the more difficult. I know I can't be the only one with what seems like a trillion things to think about; but what I do know is that taking a moment for yourself, even if that moment is thirty seconds to compliment a stranger on their adorable shoes, can make such a huge difference. 

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you." ~Walt Whitman

January is a tough month, and full of so many expectations. We're nearly halfway through it already (scary, right?!), so don't let the winter blues get to you. Choose to be happy, choose to be productive, and choose to mold yourself into the best you you can be, every day. Choose to make good use of every day you're alive. I mean, when you look back on your life, do you want your memories to be of sitting on your couch or celebrating your hard-earned promotion over a glass of champagne with your best friends?

Happy Monday loves!

Make it a good one.

xoxo