Californian Time

Californian Time

I love California. The beauty it holds is hard to compete with. Beaches, mountains, sunsets, whatever your heart desires can be found in a single state.

Venice Beach via Instagram

However one major issue I have with California is most peoples interpretation of time. People often say how Californians are laid back but the true extent to which people are did not hit me until I was there.

When someone says they are 20 minutes away, they are more likely to be an hour away.

When a party starts in the afternoon, it actually starts in the evening.

By no means is this true for all people in California, but it does seem to be the norm especially around Los Angeles.

The almost loss of concept of time can be seen as freeing to some, there are no boundaries or rules to adhere too. 

But to someone brought up with a need to not only be one time but five minutes early to everything it is a struggle.

Even though I do not fully understand the lack of time, I did learn some valuable lessons.

Taking a deep breath and not worrying about when you will get somewhere can do you some good.

Life is not a race, being a little late occasionally won't kill you.

Not having solid full proof plans does not mean the day or occasion will be a disaster.

Sometimes all you need is to forget time in order to have a good time.

Bringing a child into this world

Why bring a child into this world?

Usually while watching YouTube the adds that pop up before my video irritate me. 

However, one particular add inspired me not press skip after the first 5 seconds.

Although I am certainty not planning on having a child in the near future I do still sometimes think about it.

Why would I want to bring a child into the world that we live in now? 

The terrible occurrence in our world make me question whether a child would have a good life if they were born now. 

Our world is full of technology, war, loss, unemployment, insecurity, natural disasters and environmental change.

To me it seems like the world isn't quite bright enough to bring more life into it.

But after watching the ad on Project Sunlight that appeared on YouTube I have been given hope.

The world may at times seem bleak, but we as people can change the world and make it a better place.

Our (future) children can do the same.

The advances we have made are extraordinary.

We mustn't forget that our futures and our future generations futures are still bright.

Dance

Dance

"We should consider every dat lost on which we have not danced at least once."

- Friedrich Nietzsch

When I get stressed out with work or just life in general I put in my headphones, crank up my music, let lose and dance away.

The music takes over and my body moves to the beat any way it wants too. 

Life can be stressful, it can get you down,  but jumping around to a great song can make you feel like a new person. Emotions get stirred, your adrenaline gets pumping and life doesn't seem all that bad.

For any Grey's Anatomy fans out there Meredith and Cristina's "dance it out" moments are really the epitome of dancing and letting go. In fact, my roommate Rachel and I have had our own little dance parities several times when we just need to blow off steam and it works like a charm.

For me dancing is an integral part of life;  do it every day.

Whether it be at a concert, at a club or in my pajamas at home.

Via Instagram

So next time you get overwhelmed, just put on your favorite song and dance away

'Like'

Today in class I started to notice how often people use the world 'like' when they speak. It is a habit that I recently realized too many people in my generation have picked up. Unfortunately I have to include myself in the 'like' generation however I am trying to lose it as quickly as is possible. 

Once I started noticing how often others, and myself for that matter, use the word like I became instantly agitated every time I heard the word. 

I mean like its not like we actually write like with the word like all the time because like it is like not grammatically correct like.

Although the previous sentence might be an over exaggeration it proves my point as to how annoying the word is. I can be almost positive that not one of you can go re read that sentence and not want to blow a fuse.

Therefore I propose a challenge to everyone who has fallen into the like trap. How about we all try to go one day without using the word like. It may mean that you have to pause a couple of times while speaking but at the end of the day it may help you improve your conversation skills. 

I will certainly try to accomplish this and wish everyone else good luck with the challenge!

Everybody's Free

Everybody's Free

While listening to Spotify Radio the song "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" by Baz Lurhman made an appearance:

I vaguely remember being shown this in Secondary School, but have not come across it again until just a few hours ago. Listening to the lyrics of this song, or as I would more aptly put it words of advice, made me realize a few things.

Although this song was made in 1999, it applies to the world just as much now as it did back then.

People are not alone as we sometimes think. The lyrics express views and give advice that I feel everyone looks for. 

Even if not all the phrases apply to everyone, there are a few that I would hope everyone could relate too. 

Without being aware of it, I wrote about one message in my last post 20 Seconds, 

"Do something everyday that scares you".

Even if this song only brings you one inspiring message, it is still one more you had before you listened to the song.

Most of all the song shows that we all worry, we are not alone in our thoughts, and at the end of the day we can all make it through to the end. 

20 Seconds

20 Seconds

"All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage"-Benjamin Mee

Fear inhibits people from making tough decisions. 

Fear stops people from telling the truth.

Fear.

If people never did anything that scared them, the world would arguably be a boring place, where we all walk on egg shells.

Doing something that you fear, can end up changing your life. Whether it be a positive or negative, it can make you a stronger person.

Therefore there is great importance in doing something that you fear every day.

Fear isn't necessarily always the same. 

You can be afraid of sending that message to an old friend, afraid that they won't respond to you.

It could be that you fear that conversation you know you have to have with your parents.

You could be afraid to finally send in that cover letter to that internship you yearn for, but are afraid of being told you simply are not good enough.

The problem with not facing your fears, is that they can come to own you, to control you.

Fear can stop you from living.

But only if you let it.

Just do something, however small or big, that scares you because at the end of the day you will not know what happens unless you try.

20 seconds of insane courage can sometimes be all you need to do something you're afraid off.

Whether it be a 20 second speech, 

The 20 seconds you need before hitting that send bar, 

The 20 seconds before submitting your application to an internship

Try it.

Give yourself those 20 seconds.

Overcome a fear.

Peace and Quiet

Peace and Quiet 

In a world where every other minute people are checking their phones or tablets for texts, Facebook, twitter, instagram, news stories and more, finding pure peace and quiet seems almost impossible. Yet while traveling over fall break that is just what I found. 
A place that was pure bliss, where I was disconnected from the world. 

Bliss in Tuscany via Instagram

The ability to think without being interrupted by some bustle occurring has long escaped me. It was a joy to be able to get time to think uninterrupted. Thoughts often take people on walkabouts about their lives, other peoples lives, even the meaning of life itself.
When I was just letting idle thoughts float through my, admittedly sometimes over hyper mind, I was able to realize an important thing I wanted to do.
I wanted to write more.
I was not exactly sure about what and am still not sure.
However I will write, whether it be about my latest idle thought,
an issue I feel is important or simply what I did over the weekend. 

I. Will. Write. 

Hopefully my posts will be stir all sorts of thoughts and emotions. Most of all I hope they inspire others to think. to write, to realize all
the great things we can do with our lives.