Love, you!

I have just recently visited Nova Scotia. I’ve been all around the world and only thirty four years later did I decide to travel across my country. Canada is beautiful, so earthy and full of different shades of green! It was lovely. Minus traumatizing my dog with the fifteen hour drive, the poor thing. He’s all good but slept for 2 whole days when we got back. Whenever I travel I always take the time to evaluate my life while staring out at the ocean, during the long scenic drive or just walking around new cities. So many different landscapes, so many different people. We all have one main goal tho.. happiness! With the times sadly being so much more abundant in depression, suicides, discrimination, racism and mass shootings, I’m guessing we all have one thing in common.. wanting happiness and an end of any sort of pain! Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, filled with joy and love. A lot of times we can ourselves forget that. So busy with other things that we tend to put ourselves on the back burner or even our loved ones. No need for an overwhelming sense of guilt tho, we’re human! It happens to the best of us! For myself it had been a while of me being stuck in a constant loop of stress. I had lost myself. The fun, spontaneous, care free, lover of all things funny disappeared. I would dwell on the what if’s. The coulda, woulda and shoulda’s. The not knowing of my future. It put a big strain on myself and my relationships. To be honest, I kind of became a jerk. Constantly agitated. I think sometimes we get so caught up in our heads we turn into someone different. It can be beyond our control and no matter how long it takes for you to get out of the rut, as long as you finally find your way back to your true self that you love and are happy with, you have succeeded. I’m not 100% back to normal yet but I will be! I was afraid for a long time that I would lose relationships over it but I think I have finally come to terms that if the people in your life truly love you, they will always be around no matter how far away from yourself you can be! They’ll stick it through with you. We have to love and take care of ourselves first before we can ever truly be able to take care of others. Even if you have lost yourself at any point in your life, don’t be ashamed of it. There’s always a new day to start all over. Everything that happens in life is to teach us and to make us stronger. I’m feeling stronger lately. I got to a point where I decided I couldn’t be in my head anymore! Above any other reason, because that is not who I am. I love me, I don’t ever want to lose her! I can’t really explain why I lost myself, it just slowly started happening. I’m sure most of it was to do with the anxiety that I had started having, damn you old age! Then the fact that it was happening made me feel worse, in turn losing myself more and more. One of the main qualities people admired about me was I was usually so content, care free, positive and strong. I mean your loved ones should always love you through the best AND worst versions of you, but I know it can take a toll on them as well as it did myself. I was always the person that made people laugh in hard times, told them to stick up for themselves when not getting what they deserved, hated fighting, didn’t overthink, was positive through all situations… that went away for a while. Yes i know I have written about this before, but I am writing about it again for all the people still in their ruts. You can pull yourself out of it! There’s always a chance for a new beginning! When you’re in the dark, try with all your might to remind yourself of the light. Your light! Or talk to someone, loved ones or professionals. When you don’t like the person you’re turning into, remember the incredible person you are and make that your goal to get back to!

I watched the MTV Movie Awards not too long ago and I loved Chris Pratt’s 9 rules to live by. If anything, it’ll put a smile on your face…

1- Breathe. If you don’t, you will suffocate.
2- You have a soul. Be careful with it.
3- Don’t be a turd. If you are strong, be a protector. If you are smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons, so do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.
4- When giving a dog medicine, put the medicine in a little piece of hamburger and they won’t even know they’re eating medicine. (I used cheese, it really does work!)
5- It doesn’t matter what it is. Earn it. A good deed. Reach out to someone in pain. Be of service. It feels good and it’s good for your soul.
6- God is real. God loves you, God wants the best for you. Believe that!
7- If you have to poop at a party, but you’re embarrassed because you’re going to stink up the bathroom, just do what I do. Lock the door, sit down, get all of the pee out first. And then, once all the pee is done, poop, flush, boom! You minimize the amount of time that the poop’s touching the air. Because if you poop first, it takes you longer to pee and then you’re peeing on top of it, stirring up the poop particles, create a cloud, goes out, then everyone at the party will know that you pooped. Just trust me, it’s science. (haha no comment)
8- Learn to pray. It’s easy, and it is so good for your soul.
9- Nobody is perfect. People will tell you that you are perfect just the way that you are, you are not! You are imperfect. You always will be, but there is a powerful force that designed you that way, and if you are willing to accept that, you will have grace. And grace is a gift. Do not forget that. Don’t take that for granted.

Ok well I know not all those 9 things are super spiritual and empowering but the goofy side of me loved them!! That’s the point, embrace yourself! Love yourself for who you are and never let your life’s stresses, your brain’s negative thoughts or anyone’s actions change you! There is only one you. Don’t lose yourself and love yourself more than anyone!!

Peace, Love & be easy on yourself xoxo