tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70457371234944031902024-03-13T01:32:56.065-04:00Jax in a BoxRileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.comBlogger500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-48039138263070188512018-09-03T03:11:00.003-04:002018-09-03T03:12:15.492-04:00500I’m ashamed I lost sight of this blog. And looking back through it, I’m even more ashamed that I wasted so many years on so much trivial garbage. I’m ready for my reset button/blue screen/red ringRileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-14632846657318136722015-06-19T23:36:00.001-04:002015-06-19T23:36:00.770-04:00Everything Wrong with America<div id="fb-root">
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<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153384540526800">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153384540526800"></a>"I heard someone on the news say, 'Tragedy has visited this church.' This wasn't a tornado. This was a racist. This was a guy with a Rhodesia badge on his sweater. I hate to even use this pun, but this one is black and white. There's no nuance here." -- Jon Stewart ► Jon addresses the Charleston church shooting: http://on.cc.com/1J7SSdx<br />
Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show</a> on Friday, June 19, 2015</blockquote>
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Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-88473139572191398802015-06-16T16:52:00.001-04:002015-06-16T16:52:08.703-04:00Everything Wrong With Comcast<br />
Die Comcast. And let Universal Studios go. But mostly die.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iGKGK_qn9lI" width="480"></iframe>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-72602232063687908162014-05-19T12:02:00.000-04:002014-05-19T12:02:00.318-04:00Doing Fine<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">People ask me all the time, “How are you doing?” To most people I simply tell them “I’m doing better” or even in some cases just simply keep the conversation moving. I tell them “I’m doing fine” but the truth of the matter is I really don’t know how I’m doing. I really don’t.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">How are you supposed to be doing after you’ve lost your babies? After cremating your children’s bodies that barley had begun to grow. After getting ready to start picking out things for their nursery. It seems even with all the answers found in beautiful poetry and the overwhelming outpouring of thoughtful words from family & friends, and even in the very promises of God about heaven, the real answer seems to remain elusive.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">How do you simply “go on” when every day you see the empty belly that once was big & round? How do you get back to normal when the only normal you’ve ever known will never be the same? How do you process all the what if’s which pour through your mind. Especially, the ones we work so hard to convince people we don’t have.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">How am I doing?…I’m not doing well. I’m consumed with sadness. The awkwardness of not having my son & daughter has in many ways only increased. I can be in the middle of my day making dinner and start crying for no reason at all. Oh, there’s a reason alright, maybe a million of them. I see swings in the park and know that our babies will never swing on them. I often find myself wondering–mostly unconsciously–what our babies would have been like as they grew up. What it would have been like to hear them say “I love you Mommy”. Would they have loved music? What would their favorite ride at Disney Land have been? … I do believe in God’s flawless plan for me and my Husband. And while my trust in Him does not remove the emotions that make me human, I believe He loves me. Thank you Father for our babies. Please take care of them until I get there to help you.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-28846281334463784292014-04-16T04:04:00.000-04:002014-04-16T04:04:00.530-04:00<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">...I think I may be crushing on him again. I feel that doesn't bode well for me.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-45180909073747051772014-04-13T01:15:00.000-04:002014-04-13T01:15:04.280-04:00The Learning Curveball<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've learned a lot. Being back in actual healthcare (as opposed to the
behind-the-scenes business) has forced me to learn and understand and
appreciate a lot.</span></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
I used to throw fits over my fibroids. Why me? What did I do to warrant
so much pain and stress and aggravation so early in life? and for so
long?</span></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
But then patients were admitted to my unit with co-morbids. So <i>many</i>
co-morbids. More than I even saw in my renal patients. To have CHF &
pulmonary sarcoidosis & random ischemias & fully metastasized
cancers...I can't even fathom. Fibroids are technically curable,
depending on each woman's circumstances. And the only "co-morbid" I
boast is anemia - a pale-in-comparison side effect of the fibroids.
These people can't cure one condition and be ok. A lot of them can't be
cured of any of their conditions. So, I find myself whining less about
my fibroids, and taking it all in stride. In the game of life, I may not
have the perfect hand...but mine is far from the worst on the playing
field.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-77387485016095964722014-04-05T21:05:00.000-04:002014-04-05T21:05:08.249-04:00Art<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"We read and write poetry because we are members of the human
race, and the human race is full of passion. Medicine, law, business,
engineering - these are noble pursuits necessary to sustain life. But poetry,
beauty, romance, love – these are what we stay alive for. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">To quote from Whitman – o me, o life of the questions of
these recurring. Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities filled with
the foolish. What good amid these o me, o life. The answer – that you are here.
That life exists and identity. That the powerful play goes on, and you may
contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a
verse"</span></span></div>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-13039551536409556112014-03-18T02:30:00.004-04:002014-03-18T02:30:42.128-04:00Kismet<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Last night, I shared an intense conversation with someone
who has become close to me in the last couple of years. We've always had
in-depth conversation...I guess because we both have still waters running
pretty deep. But last night was especially sobering for me. He told me about
his now ex-girlfriend and what it was like, for him, to go through a
miscarriage with her. He told me how he felt, knowing he’d never hold his
daughter or see her grow up. And I could tell he was fighting back some of the
emotion of it. He also shared his understanding of what a miscarriage does to
us – the physical, the mental, the emotional. With him being so candid, it was
more than easy for me to offer my perspective and tell him of my recent
experiences with the same situation. It was simple for me to relate to his
thoughts and feelings on the situation, as well as his ex-girlfriend’s. And
likewise, by him being so open with me, he gave me insight into what it’s like
for the father involved in a miscarriage. While he was learning about
miscarriage trauma for us, I was learning about miscarriage trauma for him.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I’ve said that people go in and out of our lives for a
reason. It’s the right people that keep coming around, for one purpose or
another. I feel like he’s come back around to remind me that sometimes,
emotions can be shared. and mirrored. and support can come from the most random
of places. Our conversation was a pleasant reminder that this same support can
be provided even when we don’t ask outright. Why deny each other a shoulder to
cry on, or an arm to lean on? Fate has, at the bare minimum, made us friends
for a lifetime.</span></span></div>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-40286415338618857082014-03-14T18:41:00.003-04:002014-03-14T18:41:32.193-04:00Things I Learned<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">About love<br /><span></span><br /><span>1) You will enter your next relationship as healthy as you left your last</span><br /><span></span><br /><span>2) Real love allows you to be who you really are</span><br /><span></span><br /><span>3) The heart is every bit as strong as the mind; often stronger</span><br /><span></span><br /><span>4) When love bites, you can move on</span><br /><span></span><br /><span>5) You can only love others as much as you love yourself</span></span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-79597892366027143582014-03-09T18:06:00.000-04:002014-03-09T18:06:00.373-04:00Inquiring Minds<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">why does what I do & say, how I choose to live, affect people so.
Why does it UPSET people so? why do they persist to talk down on me
simply because I don't conform to the ways they want me to. if you are
not my parent, husband, child, or caregiver it shouldn't even be a
concern of theirs. my religion or culture don't have anything to do with
you. actually. I take that back. it isn't even a matter of religion or
culture or environment or anything of the sort. regardless of one's
choice/role/position in any 'group' of people, we are allowed to look at
life, experience it, and choose our own path to follow. I don't
conspire to the 'norms' of any of my cultures. I'm not catholic just
because my parents chose to be. I don't look down on people who didn't
go to college, whether it be by choice or circumstance. I don't have the
time to entertain someone's attempts at undermining my way of living.
I'm not going to stand here and let you shame me into following into
your footsteps. fact - everyone is entitled to their own opinions and
views. misconception - everyone is required to impose those opinions and
views on everyone else they meet.</span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
Jeez...if we were all that alike we may as well have a hive mind, just
one thinker for all. Where's the fun in that? I need diversity. My
nature is too curious to be stuck in one box sitting in the middle of a
dead end road. I fancy growth and change; understanding of the world
around me and others role in it. afford me the same courtesy I give you.
Let. me. live. Don't misdirect your anger at me just because you can't
comprehend how I can be so free and open. It's not as hard as you keep
telling yourself it is.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-35262985787611687822014-03-08T03:56:00.003-05:002014-03-08T03:56:47.485-05:00Wordle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH_7lPo3GXEfmssC373Xm-JkhaioYU4smZPJ2cbanWgairCuXKJek2gVh3uFmxxamsWTaAAOnPlR7tukFLprXG4dl98HySm5VikajtX5ylfzXlr7mnu9-c9jaTRMFW7vZzdjl43YkWr8/s1600/Wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH_7lPo3GXEfmssC373Xm-JkhaioYU4smZPJ2cbanWgairCuXKJek2gVh3uFmxxamsWTaAAOnPlR7tukFLprXG4dl98HySm5VikajtX5ylfzXlr7mnu9-c9jaTRMFW7vZzdjl43YkWr8/s1600/Wordle.jpg" height="340" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I collected 35 words from 35 unique people for my wordle project. 3 of
them, 3 completely unassociated people offered 'loyal' as their
definition of me. while each word (and reasoning behind it provided)
touched me deeply, the fact that loyal ranked top means a lot. And
adventurous cane in twice! I didn't expect to have doubles, let alone a
tripling of one word. but I'm grateful that so many see me in such great
ways. And I appreciate every kind word offered.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-16441414446538401642014-01-31T20:08:00.000-05:002014-01-31T20:08:00.788-05:0050 Questions<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.</span></span>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Which is worse, failing or never trying?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They
all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your
friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Would you break the law to save a loved one?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What’s something you know you do differently than most people?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why are you, you?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What are you most grateful for?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Has your greatest fear ever come true?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If not now, then when?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What is the difference between being alive and truly living?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you
making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?</span></span></li>
</ol>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-89350499235946409472014-01-24T17:37:00.000-05:002014-01-24T17:37:57.822-05:00Karma<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">sometimes it takes way too long....but I couldn't be happier that karma has finally come around. It was a long year, and the pay off has come.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I owe you nothing. Don't you <i>dare </i>ask.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-25029596526248412052014-01-13T00:42:00.000-05:002014-01-13T00:42:00.254-05:00Service<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was thinking back on my past lives, at least the ones I can remember. And I noticed a pattern - in all four I died young. and in all of them I died trying to save a family member. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In one, sometime in the 1700s, my brother and I are peasant children, in the service of some wealthy woman. We are happy, until the flood comes. They leave us, locked in the basement. watching as the waters come. all I can think about is my brother. he couldn't have been more than eight years old. I made sure that he got out of that window before the water overcame me entirely. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In another, somewhere in the 1950s, I'm walking home alone one night. I could sense something was really really wrong. And then those men came. robbed me. beat me. left me for dead. I crawled for miles, until I came across a young man. And the only thing I could say to him before it all ended was to save my baby.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then there's the escapist flashback. There is a group of us running from this house. I have no idea why. I just know I don't ever want to go back in that house. There comes a point where the group gets separated. I trip. and I stumble across a toddler. I look at him and I know he's mine, but there's no one else around him. he's scared, crying. and they can hear him from miles out. To save him, I wrap him up in my jacket and hide him at the next house I come to, while I imitate his cries and run in the opposite direction.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lastly there is my wedding. I just took my vows, we said our "I Do"s. I've just been introduced as his wife. And the doors to the church are blown open by gunshots. I watch friends. family. the priest. take bullets all over. All I can think about is saving Him, making sure He survives it all. I watch as one of the gunmen raises a Tommy and points it square at His chest. Without thinking, I dove in front of him, taking a blow to the stomach. I knew I was dying, but in true, hard Italian fashion, I pulled at the Tommy, turned it on the gunman, and caught him square in the chest before it all ended.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why did these all come to mind? Because randomly at 11:54 at night I had this urge to find those two foster kids my sister had when I was young, and save them. from their horrible dad. from a life they didn't ask for. from a future they didn't deserve. I have this...need, to save people. I've prostrated myself on many an occasion, just so someone else wouldn't have to.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Service is my life. I think I love to serve others. Not in the literal sense, but in the sense of it making me unabashedly happy to see others make it. To see them succeed. And I love to be a part of it in any fashion. Healthcare is where I need to be. Where I love to be. As long as I get to make my patients' day even an iota better.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-60031586950543735242014-01-12T13:01:00.000-05:002014-01-12T23:09:37.749-05:00Perception<div class="entry_text">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">He who learns must
suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop
upon the heart, and in our despair, against our own will, comes wisdom
to us by the awful grace of God. —Aeschylus <br /><br />It's a scary thing.
To think that everything you know, the life you have, can not only
change...but completely disappear in the blink of an eye. To hear Abby
say that her husband, 5-year old daughter, and 19 day old son, all
because of one man's careless actions. She said every role she'd held -
wife, mother, caregiver, lover - had been taken from her in a matter of seconds.<br /><br />I
can't imagine a loss that substantial. It's beyond my capability to
even fathom. But she's inspired me. Her courage. determination.
perseverance. survival. Losing Austin, losing Aunt Cheryl. I can't even
compare. I hadn't had the chance to really know who Austin would have
been. Aunt Cheryl...she was my aunt. Like a sister, but my aunt. If she
can overcome, I think anyone can.</span></span></div>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-50581323006520899692014-01-11T21:12:00.000-05:002014-01-12T23:13:45.168-05:00An idea<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">there are man-eating sharks in every ocean, but we still swim</span></span>
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
every second somewhere in the world, lightning strikes, but we still play in the rain</span></span>
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
poisonous snakes can be found in 49 of the 50 states, but we still go looking for adventure.</span></span>
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
a car can crash, a house can crumble. but we still drive and love coming home</span></span>
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
because I think deep down we know, all the bad things that can happen in life. they can't stop us from </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">making our lives good</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-4688028868202328502014-01-10T23:11:00.000-05:002014-01-12T23:11:41.739-05:00Two Lines<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">there's a first time for everything. and a last time.</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
detach with love. don't let them drag you down</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
don't become addicted to your own self-pity</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
if you don't know who I am, your best course may be to tread lightly</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
when you care about people, hurt is part of the package</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
to live in the hearts of people we leave behind, is not to die</span></span>
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
you can't lose me when I'm not yours to lose</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-37475616155236718562014-01-09T22:58:00.000-05:002014-01-11T13:04:46.859-05:00umm...<span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">why are some people seemingly caught in an endless loop of despair?
they're like washing machines - wash, rinse, repeat. Keep doing the same
things and expecting change. I don't think it's
insanity...just...something else</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-87080787131557710912014-01-08T16:01:00.000-05:002014-01-08T16:01:00.286-05:0020 Things Life Is Too Short To Tolerate<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Misery loves company, and unfortunately I have to hit decline on every one of those invites. I just don't have it in me anymore. But I hear it's a sign of great progression for me. Starting now, I stop tolerating…</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><ol>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>People who bring you down.</strong> – Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>A work environment or career field you hate.</strong> – Don’t settle on the first or second career
field you dabble in. Keep searching. Eventually you will find work
you love to do. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every
minute of it, don’t stop. You’re on to something big. Because hard
work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Your own negativity.</strong> – Be aware of your mental
self-talk. We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we
aren’t always conscious of what we’re saying or how it’s affecting us. Start listening to your thoughts. If you hear negative thoughts, stop
and replace them with positive thoughts.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Unnecessary miscommunication.</strong> – Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Speak clearly. Ask questions. Clarify things until you understand them.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>A disorganized living and working space.</strong> – Clear the clutter. Get rid of stuff you don’t use. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Your own tardiness.</strong> – Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness and other unnecessary headaches.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Pressure to fit in with the crowd.</strong> – Oftentimes,
the only reason others want you to fit in is that once you do they can
ignore you and go about their business. Don’t conform. Be you, because
that’s the only person you can be.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>An unhealthy body.</strong> – Your health is your life. Don’t let it go. Eat right, exercise and get an annual physical check-up. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Fear of change.</strong> – Life is change. Every day is different. Every day is a new beginning and a new ending. Embrace it and make the best of it.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>All work and no play.</strong> – Enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can. If you’re smiling, you’re doing something right.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>People or beauty ads that make you feel inadequate.</strong> – Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart. Be proud to be you. You are already beautiful.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Not getting enough sleep.</strong> – A tired mind is rarely productive.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Doing the same exact thing over and over again.</strong> – You are the sum of your life experiences. The more you experience, the more interesting your life story gets.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Personal greed.</strong> – Don’t let greed and deceit get the best of you. Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>A mounting pile of debt.</strong>
– Always live well below your means. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.
Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and
stick to them. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Dishonesty.</strong> – Living a life of honesty creates
peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don’t be
dishonest and don’t put up with people who are.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Infidelity.</strong> – Intimate relationships are a sacred
bond – a circle of trust. If both parties aren’t 100% onboard the
relationship isn’t worth fighting for.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>An unsafe home.</strong> – If you don’t feel safe at home
you’ll never feel safe anywhere. Build a loving household in a safe
area that you are proud to call ‘home.’</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Being unprepared.</strong> – Life is unpredictable. And there’s a big difference between being scared and being prepared. Always be prepared.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Inaction.</strong> – Either you’re going to take action and
seize new opportunities or someone else will. You can’t change anything
or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">....you only live once, but when you live it right, once is enough.</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-30752846325132265952014-01-07T19:51:00.001-05:002014-01-07T19:51:48.994-05:00Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cDDWvj_q-o8" width="480"></iframe>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-80965364900489295612014-01-07T09:52:00.000-05:002014-01-07T09:52:00.280-05:0015 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist<ol>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Appreciate the great people and things in your life.</strong>
– Sometimes we don’t notice the things others do for us until they stop
doing them. Don’t be like that. Be grateful for what you have, who
loves you, and who cares for you. You’ll never know how much they mean
to you until the day they’re no longer beside you. Truly appreciate
those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly
appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it to live. <em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Ignore other people’s negativity.</strong> – If you allow
people to make more withdrawals than deposits in your life, you will be
out of balance and in the negative before you know it. Ignore nonconstructive, hurtful commentary. No one has the right to judge you. They may have heard your stories, but they didn’t feel what you were
going through. You do not have control over what others say; but you do
have control over whether or not you allow them to say these things to
you. You alone can deny their poisonous words from invading your heart and mind.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Forgive those who have hurt you.</strong> – I forgive
people, but that doesn’t mean I trust them. I just don’t have time to
hate people who hurt me, because I’m too busy loving people who love
me. The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the
strongest. The first to move forward is the happiest. Be brave. Be
strong. Be happy. Be free.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Be who you really are.</strong> – If you’re lucky enough to have something that makes you different from everybody else, don’t change. Uniqueness is<span id="more-426"></span>
priceless. In this crazy world that’s trying to make you like everyone
else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self. And when they
laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the
same. It takes a lot of courage to stand alone, but it’s worth it.
Being YOU is worth it!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Choose to listen to your inner voice.</strong> – Life is a
courageous journey or nothing at all. We cannot become who we want to
be by continuing to do exactly what we’ve been doing. Choose to listen
to your inner voice, not the jumbled opinions of everyone else. Do what
you know in your heart is right for YOU. It’s your road, and yours
alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. And be sure to appreciate every day of your life. Good days give you
happiness, bad days give you experience, and the worst days give you the
best lessons.<em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Embrace change and enjoy your life as it unfolds.</strong> –
The hardest part about growing is letting go of what you were used to,
and moving on with something you’re not. Sometimes you have to stop
worrying, wondering, and doubting, and have faith that things will work
out. Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy
your life as it unfolds. You might not end up exactly where you
intended to go, but eventually you will arrive precisely where you need
to be.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Choose your relationships wisely.</strong> – The best
relationships are not just about the good times you share, they’re also
about the obstacles you go through together, and the fact that you still
say “I love you” in the end. And loving someone isn’t just about
saying it every day, it’s showing it every day in every way.
Relationships must be chosen wisely. Don’t rush love. Wait until you
truly find it. Don’t let loneliness drive you back into the arms of
someone you know you don’t belong with. Fall in love when you’re ready,
not when you’re lonely. A great relationship is worth waiting for.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Recognize those who love you.</strong> – The most memorable
people in your life will be the ones who loved you when you weren’t very
loveable. Pay attention to who these people are in your life, and love
them back, even when they aren’t acting loveable.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Love yourself too.</strong> – If you can love children, in
spite of the messes they make; your mother, in spite of her tendency to
nag; your father, even though he’s too opinionated; your sibling, even
though she’s always late; your friend, even though he often forgets to
return what he borrows, then you know how to love imperfect people, and
can surely love yourself.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Do things your future self will thank you for.</strong> –
What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a
while. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day
of your life for it. Make sure it’s worthwhile.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Be thankful for all the troubles you don’t have.</strong> –
There are two ways of being rich: One is to have all you want, the other
is to be satisfied with what you have. Accept and appreciate things
now, and you’ll find more happiness in every moment you live. Happiness
comes when we stop complaining about the troubles we have and offer
thanks for all the troubles we don’t have. And remember, you have to
fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. <em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Leave enough time for fun.</strong> – Sometimes you need to
take a few steps back to see things clearly. Never let your life become
so filled with work, your mind become so crammed with worry, or your
heart become so jammed with old hurts or anger, that there’s no room
left in them for fun, for awe, or for joy.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Enjoy the little things in life.</strong> – The best things
in life are free. There is absolute joy and wonder to be had in the
simplest of moments. Watching the sunset over the horizon or spending
time with a family member. Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Accept the fact that the past is not today.</strong> – Don’t
let the past steal your present and future from you. You might not be
proud of all the things you’ve done in the past, but that’s okay. The
past is not today. The past cannot be changed, forgotten, or erased.
It can only be accepted. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even
regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not
your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Let go when you must.</strong> – It’s not always about
trying to fix something that’s broken. Some relationships and
situations just can’t be fixed. If you try to force them back together,
things will only get worse. Sometimes it’s about starting over and
creating something better. Strength shows not only in the ability to
persist, but in the ability to start over again with a smile on your
face and passion in your heart.</span></span></li>
</ol>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-6681892514329477962014-01-06T12:14:00.000-05:002014-01-06T12:14:00.215-05:0030 Things to Start Doing for Yourself<ol>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start spending time with the right people.</b> – These
are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage
you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who
make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also
embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start facing your problems head on.</b> – It isn’t your
problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from
them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you
can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about
taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches
count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start being honest with yourself about everything.</b> –
Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be
honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be
honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one
person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so
that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better
understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be
better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. <i></i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start making your own happiness a priority.</b> – Your
needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and
stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS
possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for
those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far
more capable of helping those who need you most.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly.</b> – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual<span id="more-404"></span>
inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be
the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your
terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in
it, take yourself out of it.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start noticing and living in the present.</b> – Right
now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.
Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in
the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past.
Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s
happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right
now.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you.</b> –
Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re
not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re
not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try
again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and
improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at
the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear
might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start being more polite to yourself.</b> – If you had a
friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to
yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The
way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who
you are or no one else will.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start enjoying the things you already have.</b> – The
problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a
certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss
with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on
the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there,
and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind.
You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new
without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet
moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are
and what you already have.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start creating your own happiness.</b> – If you are
waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile
because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in
the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity
inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and
where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the
opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you
constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that
too. <i></i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance.</b> – In
life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance.
You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure
doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it!
And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it
should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start believing that you’re ready for the next step.</b>
– You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right
now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the
opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re
gifts that will help you to grow.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start entering new relationships for the right reasons.</b>
– Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect
the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you
are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect –
people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention
to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important
than their words or how others represent them.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start giving new people you meet a chance.</b> – It
sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People
and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow.
Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go
of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new
relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory.
Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet
someone that might just change your life forever.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start competing against an earlier version of yourself.</b>
– Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know
that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition
with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to
be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start cheering for other people’s victories.</b> –
Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an
appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good
places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those
who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for
their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or
later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations.</b>
– When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and
look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind
yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And
remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in
your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you
haven’t.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start forgiving yourself and others.</b> – We’ve all
been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of
these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We
relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or
forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment
and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on
with your life.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start helping those around you.</b> – Care about
people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others,
the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and
kindness. And so on and so forth.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start listening to your own inner voice.</b> – If it
helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself
enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say
what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks.</b>
– Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and
move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a
brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your
recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start noticing the beauty of small moments.</b> –
Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big
promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that
happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in
the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal,
or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or
holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start accepting things when they are less than perfect.</b>
– Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest
challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the
world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better
to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are,
rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an
impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but
learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start working toward your goals every single day.</b> –
Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every
day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you
work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point
during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only
an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean
consistently devoting oneself to the end result.<i></i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start being more open about how you feel.</b> – If
you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but
be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth
about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things
off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good
again.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start taking full accountability for your own life.</b>
– Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary
steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your
life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to
their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the
only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it
won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of
them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome
these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere
existence.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start actively nurturing your most important relationships.</b>
– Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love
by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis.
You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few
people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like
royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a
number of friends you can be certain of.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start concentrating on the things you can control.</b> –
You can’t change everything, but you can always change something.
Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond
your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation.
Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes.</b>
– The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of
actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and
destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are
stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace
negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation
seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next
positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to
you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has
positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and
successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus
on. <i></i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Start noticing how wealthy you are right now.</b> –
Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully
experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to
keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to
wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a
minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have
access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can
read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be
grateful for all the things you do have.</span></span></li>
</ol>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-12226387328562544022014-01-05T10:00:00.000-05:002014-01-05T10:00:03.728-05:00Growth<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There are many, many ways an individual can grow during the course of
their lives. We grow physically. chronologically. spiritually.
emotionally. mentally. intellectually. philosophically. socially.
Looking back on the last couple of years I have seen a lot of growth in
myself. <br /><br />I grew chronologically, as we all do every year. I
celebrated my 28th birthday and started my 29th year; I grew
intellectually, letting fear go and stepping out on my own - daring to
try new things and, oddly enough, fall in love with them. I grew
emotionally, discovering what true unconditional love is while almost
simultaneously learning to accept a harsh reality and let go of a love
that (in retrospect) has been a bit toxic for me. Being introduced to
that unconditional love led me back into the orbit of Jennifer who has,
in a real shock for me, re-ignited a flame that went out long ago and is
helping me grow in spirit every single day. Her words keep me
motivated, and have really sparked something in me leading into this
year. I grow mentally, as often as I can. I read, as much as I can, as
varied as I can. And my love of learning already has me going back for
another semester of school. I try to keep growing philosophically as
well. Having a background in Sociology and Psychology, I find it hard to
see the world in black and white anymore. I find it hard to take what
I'm told as fact. I learn to question things - outwardly and in personal
reflection. I've also gained a <i>much</i> better understanding of who I
am, who I am becoming, and what the future can hold for me. All I have
to do is get out there and get it. I've also grown socially. I think
that might be the only growth that I was forced into by taking the
initiative to get out on my own. I had to go out and make new friends,
new connections. And surprisingly (and with so much gratitude on my
part) I fell into two groups of people that push me. We make it a point
to do at least one new thing every month. There's always something to
look forward to and no shortage of good times. Bonus on my heart that
they took an interest in volunteering with me.<br /><br />A couple of nights
ago, I had a dream. I dreamed about a former friend. I have no idea how
that dream started, but I think it was the re-introduction of J into my
life that caused it. I'm thinking now that divine intervention had to
move her off of my radar so that I would have the room I needed to allow
J to trigger my change. In this dream, remarkably, that friend apologized for her
actions. She apologized for telling stories about my past to anyone she
could. She felt bad for trying to make herself look better by making me
look worse. Then she asked if we could hang out again. I wasn't mad
though. I've never been mad, dream or not. I smiled and told her I
forgave her, but we'll never be anything again. Friends come and go.
People are close one day and once-a-year calls the next. But we were
friends. And experiences we shared as friends shouldn't be demonized and
made into something they aren't. It was made clear to me what kind of
person she is. Mom taught me early to avoid people that do nothing but
talk. Eventually, when they run out of things to talk about, they'll
turn to conversations about you. She never has to worry about me speaking against her,
because I will never speak of her again, positively or negatively. I
don't have it in me to spread malice. But I'm so thrilled to know I have
it in me to forgive so completely. <br /><br /> I've found that it's no
good to stay the same. Growth is almost...required to get through life.
I've seen what becomes of people who get stuck in any one "stage" or
point in the path of growth. I'm proud to say that I've grown and
changed. I'm not the person I was 10 years ago. I'm not the person I was
5 years ago. I'm not the person I was last year. I'm not even the
person I was yesterday. And I'm so OK with that.<br /><br />“My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing.”
―
Marcel Proust<br /><br />“Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you are.”
―
Cherie Carter-Scott<br /><br />“Just because I liked something at one point in time doesn’t mean I’ll
always like it, or that I have to go on liking it at all points in time
as an unthinking act of loyalty to who I am as a person, based solely on
who I was as a person. To be loyal to myself is to allow myself to grow
and change, and challenge who I am and what I think. The only thing I
am for sure is unsure, and this means I’m growing, and not stagnant or
shrinking.” ―
Jarod Kintz</span></span>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-27254221857656930262014-01-05T07:43:00.000-05:002014-01-05T07:43:00.064-05:0030 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself<ol>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop spending time with the wrong people.</strong> – Life is
too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You
shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to
someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not
the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the
ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true
friends.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop running from your problems.</strong> – Face them head
on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of
flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to
be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In
fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because
that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and
solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us
into the person we become.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop lying to yourself.</strong> – You can lie to anyone
else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve
only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we
can take is to be honest with ourselves. <em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop putting your own needs on the back burner.</strong> –
The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving
someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help
others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow
your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to be someone you’re not.</strong> – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like<span id="more-402"></span>
everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be
smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.
Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people
will love the real you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to hold onto the past.</strong> – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop being scared to make a mistake.</strong> – Doing
something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive
than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it,
and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the
things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop berating yourself for old mistakes.</strong> – We may
love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how
things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person
and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have
struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your
mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power
to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever
happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to buy happiness.</strong> – Many of the things
we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really
satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our
passions.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness.</strong> –
If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy
in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create
stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone
else. <em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop being idle.</strong> – Don’t think too much or you’ll
create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate
situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse
to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it
to second base with your foot on first.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop thinking you’re not ready.</strong> – Nobody ever feels
100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great
opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which
means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons.</strong>
– Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to
be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to
be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for
the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work.</strong>
– In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you
meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.
But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to compete against everyone else.</strong> –
Don’t worry about what others are doing better than you. Concentrate on
beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU
and YOURSELF only.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop being jealous of others.</strong> – Jealousy is the art
of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself
this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself.</strong> –
Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a
direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand
everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back
on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often
see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of
mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a
lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop holding grudges.</strong> – Don’t live your life with
hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the
people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is
okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my
happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace,
liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other
people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and
try to do better next time.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop letting others bring you down to their level.</strong> – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others.</strong> – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break.</strong>
– The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.
If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re
getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments.</strong> –
Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover
they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the
small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to
you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to make things perfect.</strong> – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. <em></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop following the path of least resistance.</strong> – Life
is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something
worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t.</strong> –
It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to
pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that
everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other
people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed
your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile
again.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop blaming others for your troubles.</strong> – The extent
to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you
take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what
you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop trying to be everything to everyone.</strong> – Doing
so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one
person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their
world. So narrow your focus.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop worrying so much.</strong> – Worry will not strip
tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to
check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this
question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five
years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen.</strong> –
Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the
forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with
the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today,
and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong>Stop being ungrateful.</strong> – No matter how good or bad
you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere
else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about
what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else
is missing.</span></span></li>
</ol>
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045737123494403190.post-64981649005369972182014-01-04T10:19:00.000-05:002014-01-04T10:19:00.274-05:00Lost Generation<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I read this poem...</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<![endif]--><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><strong><i>Lost Generation.</i></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I’m a part of Lost Generation</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">and I refuse to believe that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I can change the world</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I realize this may be a shock but</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">“Happiness comes from within”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">is a lie, and</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">“Money<span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/www\.tumblr\.com\/dashboard\0022 \\o \0022\\\0022Click to Continue > by Giant Savings\\\0022 ";"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span></span></span>
will make me happy”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So in thirty years I’ll tell my children</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They are not the most important thing in my life</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My employer will know that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have my priority straight because</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Work</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Is more important than</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Family</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I tell you this</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once upon a time</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Families stay together</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But this will not be true in my era</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This is a quick fix society</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Experts tell me</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Thirty years from now I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my
divorce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I do not concede that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I will live in a country of my own making</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In the future</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Environmental destruction will be the norm</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">No longer can it be said that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My peers and I care about this earth</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It will be evident that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My generation is apathetic and lethargic</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It is foolish to presume that</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There is hope</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And all of this will come true unless we reverse it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">...and it would have been very valid to me circa 2013. But for this version of me...reading it in reverse fit much better </span></span><br />
Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396761251450802017noreply@blogger.com0