Thought-provoking Tuesdays:

We live in a world where people don't typically pay attention to the changes we undergo because human nature has allowed us to be absorbed in our own worlds first. We instead judge who people have become based on their new surroundings, environment, new clothes, and new appearances; we forget that they may have adapted to that new way of life without changing the core of who they really are. We see them in  new light, making different decisions based on what we think are different morals, standards, and values. We, as people, have a hard time looking at others, and taking a moment to think that they may be leading a different life than what we see on the outside. We want to make assumptions and create a story that fits what we think is happening in order to validate our feelings. And when that person comes along in our lives that does observe our superficial changes; it may be too hard for them to understand that the essence of who we are hasn't changed- that it may really just be the environment we have adapted to. Our clothes, drinking habits, life choices, and the car we drive may sometimes be an indication of who we are, but more often than not, they are not aligned with who we are at core, and who we want to be. We strive to meet the expectations of those around us, and that may mean that we live up to higher standards with people who expect more from us. We meet people that bring the best aspects of our personalities to life and exist to keep us afloat-- to keep us living to our highest potential. People don't really change-- they grow, experience, adapt, and sometimes make mistakes. The essence of who we are and what makes each of us unique is a constant part of our personalities. We may travel the world, use Celsius instead of degrees Fahrenheit to tell the weather, learn different languages, begin to cook on our own, wear button-downs instead of T-shirts, dye our hair, and acquire different habits-- but who we are deep down, without the world altering our appearance, the type of people we are drawn to, the people we love, our morals and values stay the same.  Only those who connect with us on a deep level will be able to see that those superficial changes are only differences on the surface and not who we are, and will always be deep down.

Quote of the Day: 
A friend posted this on Facebook and I couldn't help but share it and comment about it!

"People paint this image of you and when their picture doesn't align they become angry and you become a fraud"

>Sometimes people's paintings have been accurate all along, and they just have a new perspective of that image. It may be that you aren't a fraud, and they just feel failed. 

Song of the Day: 

[[ Whatever it Takes - Lifehouse ]]

Shout out to the one and only: I'm sorry.

Monday's Madness
Let's end our long President's Day weekend with a moment where we set our intentions for the week. We will have a positive and productive week readers, where we remember to take care of ourselves each day within the madness of our lives!

Song of the Day: 

     [[ Clarity - Zedd ]]

Lyrics: 

Hot dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life

If I fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time

Hold still right before we crash cause we both know how it ends

A clock ticks ‘till it breaks your glass and I drown in you again

Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn’t need

Chasing relentlessly, stick fight and I don’t know why

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?

If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?

If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity

Walk on through a red parade and refuse to make amends

It cuts deep through our ground and makes us forget all common sense

Don’t speak as I try to leave cause we both know what we’ll choose

If you pulled and I push too deep then I’ll fall right back to you

Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn’t need

Chasing relentlessly, stick fight and I don’t know why

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?

If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity

Why are you my clarity?

Why are you my remedy?

Why are you my clarity?

Why are you my remedy?

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?

If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity?

Drink of the Day: 

     [[ Coffee Bean's Iced Hazelnut Latte ]]

Happy Hump Day readers!! 
It's almost Valentine's Day.. the pressure is on couples, make this a special one!! For those single ladies out there, find the love you have for yourself and make it an equally special day!!

Quote of the Day: 
"If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our smallest actions. But we can't know better until knowing better is useless."

Song of the Day:

[[[[Stay - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko]]]]

Fav of the Day: 

I hate that feeling of being alone.

The one where you realize that the person you could share you deepest and most darkest thoughts, is further away than you could ever have possibly imagined.

The feeling that you both have somehow managed to grow apart, and that feeling of loss.

The feeling of knowing that deep down there is no longer anything for you with them, you've gotten everything you could from your relationship together.

The feeling of missing them, even though they're right there, on the phone with them.

That sparkle you once felt, now replaced with that of a heart wrenchingly , blank, nothing.

Although visibly close, you're now so very separate, you've changed.

I loved for you, but all along, I was hoping this wasn't it.

Who are you. We've lost it. You've lost me.

You've lost it.

Yes, the 55th Annual #Grammys were amazing to say the least. While the opening was quite disappointing with T.Swift attempting a Lady Gaga performance, Jay-Z and JT saved the show, and made quite a comeback!! Let's not forget the Marley Tribute and Rihanna's stunning performance, and who are we kidding, Frank Ocean received his first Grammy!! Miguel and Wiz, you gave a breathtaking performance, and thanks for hosting LL but really, you could have spared a few moments of your bio there. Let's be real though, nothing tops Beyonce's half-time show at the 47th Super Bowl.

Happy Hump Day readers! It's been a while, but I'm back!!

Quote of the Day: 
"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware-- joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware."

Song of the Day: 

[[[Used to Love you - John Legend]]]

Snack of the Day: 

Recipe:
Prep time:  5 mins    Cook time:  60 mins   Total time:  1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 6 

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup flaxseed
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup honey

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. In a bowl, combine oats, flaxseed and walnuts.
3. In another bowl, combine applesauce and honey.
4. Pour the applesauce mixture into the oat mixture. Stir well to coat.
5. Pour the oat mixture onto the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minute to avoid burning

{A special thanks to  http://www.feedmeseymourblog.com/   for this great snack recipe!}

Look of the Day: 

[[Vogue's Fabulous-50's Inspired Fall Fashion]]
{Vogue: August, 2010}

Fact of the Day: 

Drink of the Day: 

[[[Strawberry Superfood Smoothie]]]

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 banana (frozen)
• 4 ounces apple juice (no sugar added)
• 4 ounces water
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1 tablespoon acai berry powder 
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds 
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ inch piece of ginger

{A special thanks to Allen Stern's post on foodgawker.com for this healthy recipe!}

Song of the Day: 

[[[Between the Raindrops - Lifehouse]]]

It's a rainy and gloomy day; undoubtedly more people than not are in their "thinking" and pensive mood. Old memories arise, old songs and old movies arise, and immediately, old emotions come rushing.  But that's all old; it's in the past. The only thing that brings the past to the present is our thoughts-- those things don't exist anymore but are merely present in our thoughts. What's so good about the past, we ask? Well, in fact, it’s a luxury we have. When we flip through old memories we get to rewrite the past; we are allowed to remember the past for what we want to remember it. We can think back on a relationship and remember it for its sweetness and love; our memories can completely eradicate the yelling and unhappiness we once felt and we can remember the relationship for what we wanted it to be. Sometimes its not such a gift—sometimes our minds only remember the bad, the unhappiness we felt, the anxiety tied to that relationship and it hurts. Our thoughts can bring life to the pain we once felt, when we would actually prefer that stay in the past. Questions come pouring, we starting missing the good, and regretting the old. Sometimes I wonder how it is that, that other person and I, who shared the same two-month experience, could remember it so differently-- how our thoughts can create such distinct memories for us and carry us through life having rewritten the past to our preference. At the end of the day, those are the memories we hold on to, and that’s the reality we make of it. At the end of the rainy day, there’s a rainbow that comes out with the luxury of forgetting the past, as we delve into re-runs of our favorite old-school episodes. 

GORGEOUS CHAOS

Song of the Day: 

[Sorry - Buckcherry]

 "Its impossible" said pride. "Its risky" said experience. "Its pointless" said reason. "Give it a try" whispered the heart."

"Power is being told you are not loved, & not being destroyed by it." 

"I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than depression and I am braver than loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me."

Drink of the Day: 

Starbucks' Peppermint Mocha

Manic Monday

In the midst of a much needed, uplifting talk with a real and amazing friend, I was introduced to "Eat, Pray, Love" and inspired to read it. I haven't gotten the book yet, but in the mean time I've been reading random quotes by Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) and this one really resonates with me.

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. 
A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. 

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master...” Elizabeth Gilbet, Eat, Pray, Love

Happy Monday readers, don't let the madness of a Monday make you forget to set your intentions for your week!!!

[[[ Manic Monday - The Bangles]]]

Dear Hope,

Two years has lapsed since you told me that you didn't feel the same about me anymore. Two years since you told me you wanted to build boundaries between us. Two years feels like not a minute has gone by, it feels like time stopped but I kept living, and I never really heard those feelings.

Two years later, today, I woke up and realized that time actually does not stand still and that I've been living a life that didn't recognize your lack of love in hopes that it never wavered.  I couldn't consume that boundaries meant halting a series of anticipated daily rituals-- morning texts, late night calls, slip-ins of sexual remarks, etc.. I couldn't understand playing such a different role in your life-- if at that point I even had one.

Today, I look at the canvas of our lives with clarity. I realize that we are now painting two completely different portraits in far distanced galleries with altered intentions. I realize the fight I've had in me all these years must be redirected in fighting for myself, in hope to find the love I have for myself. I have to fight the fear of not being in your life, the fear of moving on and starting over, the fear of never being capable of feeling emotions that run so deep for another soul again, and the fear of exploring myself outside of who I grew to be with you. I have to fight the desire to run back in your arms, the desire to cry on your shoulder, the need for you to bring my chaotic world to a calming peace, and the habit of dialing your number when any heart-pounding, heart-shattering, life-altering event occurs in my life.

Today, I grasp the concept of time and recognize each day will be a step towards the light. I have faith that I will get through this and on this journey I will learn all sorts of things about myself.  I won't lie, in the back of my mind, at the bottom of my heart, I want to be able to let go in hopes that one day you will realize that you want to fight for me, and that having faith in our love is enough.  But all that hope does is confuse my clarity, and then I remember, this new portrait is about hopes and faith and my dreams, only about me-- apart from you, apart from "us" and as scary as that sounds; it is okay, it will be okay.

Today, I know that I love you, and that I will always love you, but today I am letting go just a little more. I don't know how you feel today, but I have faith that whatever you may be feeling, and whatever I'm feeling is something that the both of us can handle. With faith. With belief. With dreams. With Hope.

Love always and forever,
Love today,
Faith

{Friday Favorites}

Favorite Wedding Dress:


Favorite Movie Scene:

Favorite Quote:
"Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer."

Favorite Smile:

Happy November!!!

Hottie of the Day:

[[[Adam Levine]]]

Meal of the Day:

[[[Zucchini Cherry Tomato Ricotta Toast]]]

Song of the Day:

[more for the video than the song itself ;) ]

Quote(s) of the Day:
"When a lot of things start going wrong all at once, it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born- and this something needs for you to be distracted so that it can be born as perfectly as possible."

"And when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter. They are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the same small cramped dark inside you for so long, but that someone finds a way to make sense of it all and you find a way to hold on."

....... is it really already No-Shave November again?!

Tough Tuesdays

Song of the Day:

[[[Better Than Me - Hinder]]]

Quote(s) of the Day: 
"Your pinky is the smallest finger, but is capable of holding the biggest secrets."

"No person has the right to condemn you on how you repair your heart or how you choose to grieve, because no one knows how much you're hurting. Recovering takes time and everyone heals at their own pace."

All about boys-- all about the Gentlemen 

Ryan Gosling ^^^ or Ryan Reynolds >>>

 Something about this look just gets every girl going.. every time. 

Hmm.. Channing Tatum..

Smile of the Day: 

Shout out to the San Francisco Giants!!! 

The Giants played the Cardinals last night and won with a score of 9-0!!! 

This is an exciting time for all my friends from the Bay Area.. headed to the World Series!!!

**Fingers Crossed**

Acceptance.

Thats's it! That's the word of the day. Acceptance.

According to Wikipedia: "In human psychology -- a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition, often a negative or uncomfortable situation, without attempting to change it, protest, or exit."

Yes, it seems so simple-- easily defined by Wikipedia and so loosely thrown around. As many peple say, "I accept that we can't be together but.." followed by a reason proving that they don't agree with the higher power's plans-- or do they even believe in a higher power? 

But do we all actually understand the meaning of acceptance, and more importantly do we actually accept situations in their entirety? Or do we just yearn to accept our surroundings and the situations we are put into. Or is it that we think that repetitively saying that we accept something, will in fact bring us to the acceptance and peace with a situation-- without any other work to accompany that mere montra, "I accept..., I am at peace with..."

Just something to think about..

And as always...
Song of the Day:
[[[White Houses - Vanessa Carlton]]]

Quote of the Day:
"Great, real true love, should feel like an inside joke that only you and them can laugh at. No matter what the world does to either of you."

I can't believe it’s been about a month since I've written. Sure I've missed it, and it has felt like a few weeks, but a month? Well, time does have a way of catching up with us- with our busy lives. 

Lately I have come across a handful of articles about being a "20-something" year old. I don't know if my eye has been on it since I will be 20 years old on Monday, the 15th, or if there has been an influx of people writing about this unique time in our lives. So, it brought me to write my own thoughts- how to be a 20-something year old, why being in your 20s is amazing, what I've learned until now in these 20 years and how this transition, above all others, is an overwhelming change in our lives. 

It’s a time in our lives when we learn to work hard and in all honesty player harder.

It’s a time in our lives where we get to carve out the life we want for ourselves. 

I’ve learned that it’s a time in our lives where we actually experience betrayal, addiction, dishonesty, and all the forms of behavior that hurt you.

It’s a time in our lives when we can work at a coffee shop and still feel hopeful about our careers in PR, medicine, whatever.

It’s a time in our lives where we can meet our soul mate and fall deeply in love, but also a time in our lives where we can date someone we know we’ll never be able to love.

I’ve learned it’s a time in our lives where we get to make a mark on the world. Make a stain that we existed and our youthful 20s were amazing—or just make something.

It’s a transition from adolescence and teenage drama, into a decade where we enter and exit college, enter the real world where excuses of “I’m too hung over to come in to work today” just don’t cut it anymore, a time in our lives where we start with a lot of friends and leave with a few good ones, and a time in our lives where we go from acting like children to thinking of having our own children. 

It’s a liberating time in our lives. We are free. 

It’s a time in our lives where we think we know everything, but in fact, we don’t even know ourselves. We feel stuck, but we aren’t. We’re moving forward. We are changing. We are moving to different cities, and experiencing different countries and trying things we never knew existed before our 20s. 

It’s the time in our lives that will be remember for the nights we spent hours putting make up on, changing three million times, waking up with 5AM hangovers, smoking out our apartment window, cramming for midterms, and taking Adderall to make that paper deadline. It’s a time we will miss, and a time of luxury. It’s time where all these silly nights will be completely justified because “we were 20.”

“You should love every single moment of this hot mess of a decade. Chances are you’ll miss it before you even get to say I’m 30.” –Ryan O’Connell

And as always....

Drink of the Day: 

Song of the Day: 

[[[Shattered - O.A.R]]]

Quote of the Day:

"Right now is the oldest you've ever been and the youngest you'll ever be."