Be Patient, You Are Where You Need To Be

Sometimes I feel like I have so many things that I want to do and I let myself become stressed out, as I become impatient and dissatisfied with the position I'm in.

However, I have to constantly remind myself that I need to be patient and that everything is a process with a successful outcome. Although I have failed countless times, all my actions I recognize as successes. They are successes not because they turned out the way I wanted them to, but because they turn out the way they needed to in order for me to grow, improve, and learn. And if in every circumstance I grow, improve, and learn--that only makes me a better person and only furthers my evolution in all areas. And when I become a better person, that is a success in every aspect of the word.

Only when I was able to learn to appreciate the process of my work and everything else, was when I truly realized I am exactly where I need to be. If anything in my life were any different, if I would have rushed anything, or changed the way I had done a task, I wouldn't be exactly where I am right now. I wouldn't have learned the things I know now, I wouldn't have been put in the places that God and the universe wanted me in. I wouldn't have met all the wonderful people who have been put in my life at random and unexpected moments, who have learned from me and vice versa.

However, if you are a person who feels like they aren't where they should be, or if you are unhappy with the place you are in
--switch up the way you look at things. Be aware of the way you feel and why you feel that way. You can't blame people or circumstances for this, but instead take responsibility for not letting yourself be happy in the position you are in. Rather than seeing everything as negative or hindering to yourself, see these things as positive and necessary for your growth and happiness. Instead of creating negative energy that makes you feel shitty, let it go. Let the bad stuff go, and now try and only focus on the good. Become grateful for them, rather than hateful of them. Once you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

Being patient isn't always easy. Patience comes with the necessary action of trusting yourself--and unfortunately, many of us don't trust ourselves. That is one of the most important and vital components of being happy and succeeding, is being able to trust that you are capable, committed, and motivated enough to accomplish your goals. Without having trust in yourself, how can you have trust in the process of your actions? You can't. It doesn't add up. You must first establish the trust within yourself, which will then carry over into having trust with the process of everything that comes your way.

Often, I become very anxious because things don't go my way, or don't turn out exactly the way I expected them to. But I had to learn to appreciate the art of uncertainty and learn to see everything as a success, no matter how I felt about it. Sometimes we let our emotions control so much of ourselves, but what we don't realize at that moment is that emotions are just temporary states of being which we often act upon. I have learned that no real decision can be based off of emotion. Often times when we act off of emotion, we regret it or ponder on whether it was the right thing to do. We often say things or do things we don't mean based off of anger, sadness, or even temporary excitement and happiness. We don't take enough time to evaluate the process and consequences of the way things may turn out when we decide to do things differently then we are supposed to.

I have learned that I have to see things as a map, rather than just a pinpoint or destination. When I look at things through the layout of a map, it gives me the chance to see the bigger picture. I am able to see other roads I may take, shortcuts, roadblocks, and things that may get in the way of where I'm trying to go. I am able to better appreciate and see the process of the journey from a different perspective, rather than just focusing on the destination. When you focus only on the pinpoint of your destination, you are blinded to all the good and bad things that come along with the journey. You are unable to see the signs, pitstops, or detours along the way, that are ultimately there for your benefit.

Being patient has made me appreciate the little setbacks that come with everything. Rather than hating them or becoming irritated or anxious with them like I used to be, I now see them as necessary for my growth and improvement overall. I see them as tests and evaluations that remind me that everything, no matter what it is--is a process that involves twists and turns, ups and downs, that will eventually get me to where I need to be in life. Sometimes unfortunate events mask themselves to be negative, but they are only a test where you are the person who gets to decide whether or not you turn that negative into a positive. Furthermore, with every negative, there is a positive waiting to be seen from an alternate perspective.

We are all so desperate to understand why things don't go our way, or why things take longer than we expected them to. But we are the ones who actually fail to be understanding of the process. It's no surprise that expectation leads to disappointment, and I feel like I am constantly reminding myself and others that we have to be absolutely comfortable with having no expectations. We must learn to be patient and comfortable knowing that not everything will go our way, and that's OK. Once you master this and the art of patience, nothing will ever disturb your peace. And when begin to control that one aspect of yourself, you will slowly realize that you will always succeed, regardless of anything that comes your way. You just have to remember that you are exactly where you need to be. Everything happens the way it's supposed to.

My Uber Driver, Hannington.

So usually with Uber drivers, a conversation can be a very weird, silent, or awkward encounter. But today, Hannington picked me up & little did I know we would have such an in depth conversation about life. With a little small talk to begin, I learned that he was from Zimbabwe, Africa and he learned that I was a journalism major. 

He then continued in saying that I HAD to help him with a plan that he has to revolutionize , aid, and empower the African people with a new economic system. He told me he was dyslexic and had a hard time writing and reading--which then hinders him in pursuing and sharing his plan with others. We then continued in talking about why Africa is the way it is, which can also be relative to the human race as a whole. 

They don't understand anything more than what they've been presented. All they know is the tradition, culture, and oppression of their people in simply trying to survive in poverty. We agreed in that, all people's truth is imbedded in their perception and that individuals are incapable of reaching their full mental capacity and consciousness because of the framework they've been conditioned to. 

Hannington also shared his ideas about how we are so money driven in this world which creates a void in many people's lives--the market (who will always be making money) makes us think we need the perfect house, the perfect car, material things and they give us the opportunity to gain these things, but only if we take out loans or let ourselves fall in a hole of debt, while the rich get richer in the consumption and purchase of these things which we truly cannot afford. 

We also talked about the universe and consciousness, as well as the ability to manifest your desires based on a liberating and open mindset. He said the energy that you put out is what you will receive and that ultimately, thoughts become things. Which is one of the main ideas I live my life founded on. Immediately within our conversation, I explained to him that our paths had crossed for a reason (all because I needed an uber driver) but also because he needed my help in pursuing this plan of his, from me, a journalism student with a capacity to understand his passion and perseverance to create a better world. Our energies attracted to positively make a difference and to help each other further our evolution as a human race. 

It's very rare to come across a person to passionate about helping other people. In today's world, like I mentioned, people have a hard time having a conversation with someone who's helping them get a ride somewhere. Meeting Hannington was so motivating and empowering; to know that there are people like him trying to inspire and pursue their dreams while at the same time trying to help others is such a remarkable thing. His understanding of the world and ability to see things through different perceptions truly makes him a more liberated person, than any other. People like Hannington give me hope in our people to make the world a better place, regardless of where you come from--with a positive mindset and passion to pursue your dreams, anything is possible. 

Play Your Cards Right

Too many times we know the consequences of our actions, but still choose to take a wrong turn.

Eventually, you have to take accountability for the position you're in and if you aren't exactly where you want to be, then you should probably make some sort of change. Turn your circumstances around and put yourself in the position to succeed. Some of us are too complacent with being unhappy or don't mind the feeling of dissatisfaction.

I don't know about you, but I am the only person responsible for motivating myself. Although I do have a supportive group of people surrounding me in all aspects of life-- nobody ever told me what to do with my life, nobody ever held my hand throughout every part of my life. There isn't always going to be someone there for you every step of the way to tell you what to do and where to go. Things change when you grow up. Often times you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, but what nobody told you is that all you have to do is get a little stronger and after awhile it doesn't become so heavy.

Has anyone ever told you that you are capable of doing/being whatever/whoever you want to be? What do you want? Who do you want to be? What do you want out of life? Whatever it may be, go get it. Many of us have the answers to these questions, while some of us don't. If you don't have the answers, then take the quality time to figure out what truly brings you happiness. And, if you do have the answers, then start living your life in parallel to manifest those desires.

Everything you do is founded on a decision that YOU made. So, why don't we decide to start doing things we know will pay off in the future? Think about it--you are exactly where you are because of the decisions you made. They might have been subconscious decisions you made out of emotion or routine, but they were still based off of choice. Now instead of being so passive in our decision making, how about we try to become more aware of our actions and the decisions we make? Only then, are we are able to ponder on whether or not they will serve us good in the future.

A question I repeatedly ask myself throughout the day is, "What are you doing at this moment in your life that is going to get you to where you want to be in the future?", and if I'm doing something that isn't in correspondence with that, then I make a change. At that point, is when I give myself the power to change my life at will and hold myself accountable for the circumstances I'm in. In doing so, there is no way for me to make excuses or point the finger at others for where I am in life.

It is the most liberating feeling to know that you are capable of achieving everything you've ever wanted to. To some of us, this is a frightening thing. Some of us are scared of making changes because we are all too comfortable with life and see change with fear in our eyes. Or, some of us are just too lazy to put in the effort and hard work necessary to get to where we want to be. And instead, we decide to settle for something less than what we desire.

What good ever came from settling? Why not go the extra mile? Not everyone does, and at times it may be a little lonely. However, once you understand that you're allowed to be a little selfish in this way, you won't have a problem with being alone. Try not to depend on anyone too much, as you are the only person you truly need to be happy.

It's not always easy to take the road less traveled, but it certainly takes you places where others have never been. Play your cards right, and you'll realize that everything that once seemed so far out of reach, is now at your fingertips.

Don't Give Anything Too Much Importance

Throughout our lives we let ourselves worry and stress out too much over things that are temporary parts of life. We create this story in our heads about the past and then worry about what may happen in the future. All this time, many of us fail to realize that no matter what happens we have no other choice but to be OK. We can't worry about things that we have no control over. So why don't we instead, choose to be happy? Why don't we stop thinking so much? Why don't we stop giving so many things the importance that they really don't deserve? It's essential that we learn to let go of these things.

The only truly important thing in life is yourself, but isn't it ironic that we pay so little attention to us and instead worry about everything else around us? You would think we would take a little bit more time caring for ourselves, loving ourselves, and listening to ourselves--but instead we let our environment and the outside world distract us from the bigger picture. We are that bigger picture.

Nobody ever teaches us to really look deep down into who we are without letting our surroundings and experiences define us.

"Who are you?"--one of the most difficult questions people come across and many often have a hard time answering it. We let so many outside and insignificant things define us as an individual and many times they aren't positive influences.

We have to detach ourselves from these things that we give so much importance to. We hold these things up in our mind; whether they be people, material possessions, relationships, events--we hold them up to an expectation and when they disappoint us (just like we already know they will) we let our whole world crumble before us. And then we decide to blame everything/everyone but ourselves for our unhappiness. Now, that doesn't make a lot of sense.

So why do we give this power over ourselves to things that truly have shouldn't have the importance that we entitle them? We put so much of our energy and happiness into things and then wonder why we end up sad, mad, or disappointed so many times. In order to truly be happy we need to be comfortable living a life knowing that anything can happen. We need to get rid of expectation and give up attachment in order to live a happy life.

Take the time to write down the things that you give so much of your time, energy, and thoughts to and truly ponder on whether or not they have the power to alter your happiness. If they do, let them go. You don't have to delete these things from your life--but you must let them go, let them be, they don't belong to you, they are all temporary things that we let ourselves be affected by. Enjoy them, appreciate them, love them, see the beauty in them, find the humor in them, but don't let them control your happiness--there is a huge difference.

Find humor in the situations that cause you to question your comfort. Life is pretty funny if you think about it--you are reading this right now. You are in the moment. Regardless of how many years you've lived, how many things you thought would ruin you or make you unhappy, all the things that once made you mad, and all the people that once made you sad--are not important in this very moment. That is because they are all temporary things we let our minds grab onto and run with. At that moment we let those things make us who we once were--but contrary to popular behavior, you should always be YOU no matter what happens.

 There should be nothing in the entire universe that should ever make you anything but happy. It's all about what we give importance to.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

Positivity is the best thing you can surround yourself with--as it is the foundation for peace, love, and happiness.

The most important things that influence our actions and emotions, are often people. That's why it is essential to our well-being that we surround ourselves with positive people who love us and look out for our best interests.

Haven't you ever noticed that after hanging around someone you begin to feel the energy they give off?

Many times we let the behavior and words of others destroy our inner peace. Although it may seem like we have no control over it, you have to believe that you do. Frequently we give the excuse that "we're only human" or that we are "too forgiving" or "too nice".

But, there has to be a point in your life where you make a decision to start controlling your own happiness and make the effort to rid your life of toxicity and bad energy. After awhile, we begin to let people take a toll on us, which ultimately leaves us with the feeling of discomfort and unhappiness.

We have to learn to keep our distance from pessimism and people who assume the worst of most situations. It becomes an unhealthy environment to be in and a feeling of discouragement and negativity often lingers.

Many times we are our own worst enemies--in our minds and in our hearts. We don't need any other outside influence of negativity to keep us somewhere where we don't want to be in our lives.

Isn't it a great feeling when you have someone who is so full of positivity and encouragement it starts to rub off on you? These are the kind of people we need to have in our lives--people who are encouraging, drama-free, and those who will lift you higher. Those who refuse to let negative energy flow their way and those who recognize and appreciate the positives, are people who help us grow and improve.

We tend to keep people around that don't elevate us in any way, shape, or form. And most of the time we don't realize that this is keeping us from reaching our highest potential in any relationship--family, friends, or romantic. It is vital that we keep people in our life that truly motivate, love, inspire, and care for us. If you have people in your life that don't fulfill any of those, then it's okay to let them go.

I have learned from my own experiences that I am only going to be as good as the people I surround myself with, so I am comfortable with making changes to better myself as an individual and to let go of those who weigh me down.

The less you respond and engage with negative people, the more peaceful your life will become. We are the most important things in our lives, so we have to protect ourselves from what doesn't better us. Be with those who bring out the best in you and love yourself enough to know that you deserve everything good life has to offer.

Express Gratitude

When was the last time you really sat down and thought about all the things you're thankful for? It's probably been awhile right? This is something a lot of us don't realize can greatly change the way we look at our problems in life.

Instead, we focus our energy on our worries and the things that we see as negative. We often give little annoyances or events that are out of our control so much power over our happiness. We let those things dictate how we feel when we go to bed and when we wake up.

In doing so, we are conditioned to constantly think about all the 'bad' things that are making us feel sad, mad, or discouraged. After awhile, we let them take up so much space in our mind that we forget that we even have anything good going on in our lives. The negative aspects will always overpower the positives as long as we let them.

Spending your time focusing on problems only creates more problems that can be avoided.

My life greatly changed when I began to spend more time being thankful for everything, rather than let myself be a victim of everything that happened to me. I gave myself more freedom to create space for nothing but positivity and happiness. Before, I never took the time to acknowledge the little things that I am truly grateful for.

There are so many people who have life worse than we do. We don't always get what we want and things aren't always going to be great. In expressing more gratitude for what we have does nothing but good.

Frequently, we blame others or blame circumstances for our feelings of unhappiness. Many of us spend our whole lives searching for things that make us happy and when we finally find them, we realize that there's still that desire for something more. There is never going to be one point in life where you find the ONE thing that's going to make you happy. That is because the only thing standing in your way, is yourself.

Once we decide to be thankful for the things we have, is when we then lose the desire and empty feeling of something that's missing. We trick ourselves into thinking that we need more in order to fill a void where gratitude should lay.

I realized that happiness isn't about always getting what I want, but instead loving what I have and being appreciative of it.

Don't Give Up

Don't you love the feeling of finally reaching that goal you've been working so hard to achieve? It's one of the greatest feelings to know that you kept a promise to yourself to follow your dreams.

If you know me, you would know that I am a very competitive person, not only with others but first and foremost, with myself. I am always competing with the person I was yesterday. I enjoy setting goals for myself and challenging myself mentally, physically, and emotionally to make myself grow as an individual.

However, it's never an easy thing to do. When it comes to following your dreams or goal-setting, often follows discouragement, indecisiveness, and fear of failure. Sometimes we feel like giving up because it's the easy thing to do.

What you have to remember is that you set out to accomplish something for a reason. The reason being, you have confidence in yourself that you could reach your goal. Not too long ago, you believed that you were capable of following your dreams and you were right. It is so vital to our success that we not let those little thoughts of doubt or fear completely take over our minds into giving up. Not everything always goes smoothly, but we have to be okay with that.

We are going to go through hardships and reach road blocks, but that's not the time to quit or turn around the other way. There's always another route to your destination. You've made too much progress to let yourself take steps backward. These obstacles may seem impossible to overcome, but there's millions of people that go through these things everyday. It's part of life. In my opinion, I don't think we would ever grow as humans in any aspect of life without going through tough times.

Struggle is what makes us stronger. If you've noticed yet, things that used to seem difficult in life--once achieved--become so easy that you question why you ever thought of giving up.

We already know what it feels like to quit. We've all done it, and it's all too familiar--the feeling that we wasted our time or the feeling of temporary relief. But what we really end up with is a tiny ounce of regret or disappointment with ourselves for not pushing through to the end.

Good things never come easy. Good things take time. They come to those who work their tails off and never give up. I've learned that the peak of my growth is when I make the decision not to give up. That is the critical moment where I choose to keep going. I choose not to quit and that my goal is worth some extra effort. I choose to keep focusing on all of the progress I have made, rather than focus on how far away I am from my destination. I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday.

Stay motivated. Remember why you started. Think of how proud you'll be when you meet your accomplishment. It's just a process. Hold onto your dream and don't lose the power you once had in initiating the start to a great thing. I promise, it'll all be worth it. I'm cheering for you!

Say Yes to Opportunity

Benjamin Franklin once said, "To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions."

We are faced with new circumstances every day and when they arise we have a choice to make--do we want that circumstance to become a difficulty in our life or an opportunity for the better.

Many of us don't take advantage of opportunities in our everyday lives because we are most of the time, either too comfortable or too afraid. Paul Coelho, In Like the Flowing River, wrote "Sometimes, we are so attached to our way of life, that we turn down a wonderful opportunity simply because we don't know what to do with it."

Opportunities are often seen as a struggle to us and that's why we choose not to take the time to pursue them. OR sometimes we just simply don't recognize them as an opportunity.

It is important to wake up every day striving for new chances to take. This is what keeps life worth living. I've learned that fear is one of the main obstacles we place in our path that blinds us from the many great things life has to offer us. This fear we create in our minds keeps us caged up inside. We let it control the choices we make when it comes to work, relationships, family, health, and finances and countless other aspects in life.

What we have to realize is that there lies so much growth and possibility on the other side of fear and struggle. Once you change your perception about what you are afraid of or what is seen as difficult, you will begin to overcome these things and see them as opportunity.

Feeling afraid or feeling bad for ourselves when circumstances arise leaves no room for positive growth within. However, once we choose to create and/or recognize an opportunity is when we truly begin to embrace all that life has to offer.

Often we talk about all the goals and aspirations we desire to achieve, but we don't live in parallel to those dreams. We don't take the chances necessary to achieve those dreams we have. Instead, we see all the opportunity set in front of us as a misfortune. We talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.

Once we begin to take chances and try new things is when we will start to notice all the great possibilities we've been missing out on this whole time we've been 'alive'.

Opportunity is defined by Merriam-Webster as: an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done. Ultimately, our lives are defined by all opportunity, even the ones we don't take advantage of.

You never get the same moment twice in life. Every day is a new day, a new day to be excited about all the great moments that are yet to come. Try to see the good in every situation because once you do I promise it will make every second worthwhile.

So when opportunity knocks, answer --because old ways won't open new doors.

Help Others

One of the best things I've learned that benefits myself as well as others, is being compassionate and doing random acts of kindness.

For some people helping others comes naturally, for others it can be intimidating.

Many times we don't do things for other people because we feel we won't get anything in return. But truthfully, we shouldn't expect anything in return. It should be innate to help others. But instead, it's something that is sometimes frowned upon. You shouldn't need a reason to help people because we were all born with the ability to change someone's life for the better.

We are all here for the same purpose; we are here to live a happy life. And, in order to live a happy life it's our responsibility as humans to be there for family, friends, and most importantly strangers.

Have you ever helped someone and their reaction was so full of gratitude it actually made YOUR day? It's truly one of the most fulfilling things to see that just a little act of kindness may be so huge in someone else's heart.

As you'll begin to notice, the personal satisfaction you get from helping someone is one of the many things that contributes to your overall happiness. You'll feel better about yourself because you're putting out good energy which will eventually come back to you in a handful of ways.

Not only will you feel better about yourself and start to feel happier--imagine how the people you're helping may feel. Some may not acknowledge your actions and for others that may turn their whole day around.

We are  rarely conscious of how much our actions affect others, but we are the first to comment on how others' make us feel. Isn't that ironic? Sometimes it's okay to take a look in the mirror and wonder why we aren't feeling satisfied with ourselves, rather than point the finger at others for the way we feel.

When you see someone who needs help or who seems to be struggling, lend a hand. Pay it forward when someone helps you. It's not often that someone will go out of their way to help a complete stranger, but such things help make our world a better place. A happier place, for all who are living in it.

Being a positive catalyst in today's society is such a great thing. It's something that inspires others to follow in your footsteps. Know that your kindness will have a snowball effect on the universe. A few nice words or kind act can help a person a lot more than you think.

Don't Dwell on the Past, Live in the Now

Some of the biggest things we waste our time doing in life is wishing things went differently, regretting our actions, or worrying about how others' actions have affected us in the past.

But in reality, there is truly nothing you can do to change what has already happened in life.

We let ourselves go crazy over wishing we could've done things otherwise. We let our minds snowball on how people have hurt us and worry about when they will do it again next. This dwelling of the past ultimately leads us to living our lives in the past.

It's constantly, "she did that", "he said this", "I wish I wouldn't have done that". 

Things are going to happen. People are going to do things that hurt us. Sometimes we do things that don't even elevate our own happiness. 

However, one thing we need to learn to do is to just get over it, as harsh as it may sound. 

Living with that feeling of discomfort about past events only leaves us with worry and expectations, which then lead us to be disappointed or insecure about many things that we give too much importance.  

We have to teach ourselves to be comfortable with whatever happens. Sometimes it's okay to acknowledge that something happened, but the next step after that is to move on from it. 

Move on from the disappointment, move on from the paranoia, move on from the regrets. Be so comfortable with everything that happens, that you don't let it affect your happiness. 

We let so many things from our past determine our future. They become staples for us on how to live our lives and it shouldn't be that way. We can't let ourselves be the victim to our whole life's past. It's okay to let go of the previous and all of its pain in order to live a happier and healthier future.

Forgive those who have hurt you. Be thankful for everything you have gone through, instead of letting your experiences define you. You are who you are because of all the life you have lived, not the life that has lived you.

Make the most of what your future holds instead of worrying about things you can't change. 

We are given a clean slate every morning we wake-up to live a better day than yesterday. Don't continue to stumble over what has happened. Reclaim your new beginnings with peace and happiness. Live in the present moment, for it is called the present for a reason. 

By living in the now you refuse to let anything take away from you right in this exact moment. You are alive and well. You are at peace. You are in your natural state of being. You are happy. 

After awhile we will learn to appreciate the bad and the good. We will appreciate the past, for it has given us a better future. We stop the past from distracting us from all good that is placed in front of us. We let go, and live now. 

Don't Judge

Haven't you ever noticed yourself judging someone else because of their looks, actions, or circumstances that aren't parallel with your beliefs or lifestyle?

Growing up I've heard countless stereotypes applied to different races, religions, occupations, and lifestyles that we have never actually experienced ourselves.

Many times we aren't conscious that we are judging others and we fail to stop and take the time to ask ourselves, why? Why do we think this way? Why do we think we are any better than this other person or group of people? Who is to say they don't deserve just as much or more than we do?

I'm sure we have all heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover", but when have we actually applied this in our own lives? What makes us think that we know so much about this person or group of people that we have the right to label them based on our own predispositions. We often speak on things that we don't know about and unfortunately the majority of the time, it's about others.

Some people give the excuse of knowing facts about people as a reason for judging them, but even if we knew the life story of every individuals' experiences and reasoning for their actions--that still doesn't give us the right in doing so.

I don't know about you, but I don't like to be judged on false preferences or even true ones. I live my life to make myself happy and to be as positive as I can for myself and others around me.

I have also come to realize that some of us choose not to follow our hearts or make our own decisions because of what others will think of us. We live in fear of being judged by others. We fear that we will be rejected, labeled, or excluded by those who take part in it.

By living with this fear we become insecure about many aspects in our lives and we hold back the person we truly are from living a happy and positive life. We get so caught up in the negativity and drama in life that it becomes so hard for us to see the good in everything and everyone.

The next time you feel the need the judge someone or something, remember to ask yourself why you are and what good that does for anybody?

We already live in a world filled with so much violence, hate, and negativity--so let's try and change it for the better, starting with ourselves.

Take Time to Recognize Your Accomplishments

Often times, life moves so fast before us that we fail to give ourselves credit for all of the hard work and energy we spend reaching our goals.

One thing that we should do everyday to stay motivated and keep a positive attitude is to recognize all of the accomplishments we have made-- whether they be weekly, monthly, or yearly. By doing this, we learn not to make life so hard on ourselves and to remember that we are trying our best.

Don't ever let yourself get discouraged by your own thoughts or by the opinion of anybody else. Nobody lives your life, but you. Always be proud of the things you have done, and take pride in how far you have come. No victory is ever too small to go unnoticed.

As time goes by, we sometimes feel like we have done nothing with our lives or as if we are stuck in a rut. It's important not to let these thoughts overpower all of the important things you have taken care of. There's this little ounce of doubt always laying within us that peaks its head out to make us feel as if we haven't met some HUGE goal or made some MAJOR change in our life.

But the truth is, is that all those little accomplishments are the ones that actually make a difference in our life. Those are the ones that build us up and give us the confidence and willpower to continue on our journey to success--whatever that may be.

As minuscule as many tasks or goals may seem, you always deserve to give yourself the credit for accomplishing them. In addition, we don't always have the same aspirations-- so what may seem normal to someone else, may be a well-deserved pat on the back to you. These are the things that keep us on our feet and give us the motivation to do something with our day. Whether you lose some weight, get a promotion, do well on an exam, or simply get some chores done, you spent your energy on accomplishing those things.

When recognizing your accomplishments, it's okay to take a step back from everything and appreciate where you are in life. Take the time to treat yourself to something that makes you happy or spend some much deserved time with family or friends to have some fun.

If you're anything like me, you always feel the need to be doing something important or spending time doing the things you had promised yourself you'd do. But, I have learned that is the part of me that takes life too seriously. I can now get things done, while at the same time look forward to the time I set aside to remind myself that I can be rewarded for reaching my goals.

Be proud of yourself. We all need to realize when we need a little break from "reality" to relax and indulge in the pleasures in life.