Making a Comeback

Hey everyone! 

It's been a long time since I've written a post and I think it's about time I start back up again. Something that's been frequenting my thoughts in the past 7 months is being humble and grateful- for me this has been on my mind in times of loss, extreme happiness, and just about every other situation I can think of because I truly believe we could all benefit from being a little more humble and grateful! For example, this semester was one of the toughest I have ever had, as it was for a lot of people I know. I experienced the death of someone dear, the loss of several great friends, and an overwhelming amount of work and activity throughout the semester-but it is what it is. Personally, my theme for the past semester was exactly that, because in life, "stuff" happens. If you have control over the situation and can change it-great! But in many cases there are just certain things that are completely out of our control, in times like these it is so important to learn to adapt and accept it - stop harping on it, and move on.  So many people focus on what is lost rather than what still remains, they look at the negative instead of the positive-we all do it. Looking to negativity in a situation that is not ideal is natural, so let's break our habit! I'm not in any way saying that we have to be this happy , bouncy being every waking moment of our lives ; honestly that's exhausting just thinking about it ... But if we all make an effort to look at the positive side of one negative situation everyday, maybe we won't see quite as many situations as negative at all! For example, the passing of my late mentor this year devestated me for over a week, a natural and healthy reaction . But now, I look back and am grateful for all he taught us, I look back and am humbled by the wisdom he brought to every class and every life he touched. Recently, I made a visit to his classroom expecting to be flooded with emotion; yet I was comforted more than anything else. I made a vow to myself when I found out he had died that I would never let him leave my life again. Thinking back on his life and my interactions with him gives me direction and motivation. He has given me the aspiration to "do everything with purpose and focus" , a point that does not come so easily in our everyday lives. Not every move has to be calculated and precise, that was not his meaning - but when we do everything in such a rut , with such routine day in and day out, we forget why we're here. We forget our purpose! That's no fun...! Remembering to think in terms of humility and gratitude puts us in the mind set of purpose without us even realizing it, and with the New Year here , it's not a bad time to start. So with all the positive energy I can muster - Happy New Year, I can honestly say that I am so grateful and humbled by every single one of you! 

A Duck Reinspired