Tecumseh's Poem

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."

You know how sometimes quotes or song lyrics can just hit you square in the chest? And you aren't sure why but that quote was significant to you? It is almost like all the emotions that you are feeling but can't express are somehow expressed through someone else's words and it lets you breathe a little easier knowing someone else is out there that gets you. It gives you a sense of solidarity that puts you at peace even if only for a moment. 

I gotta admit, that happened to me tonight. I was watching Act of Valor. Not really my type of movie but I thought I would give it a chance and this poem ended the movie. BOOM. Out of nowhere I felt it. That pang in my chest and that extra breath knowing that someone else felt similar to how I felt and the admiration that they were able to say it so eloquently. 

Man, that poem has been my mantra this past year. I got a giant wake up call last year. I realized that life is precious and short. So, I have set upon this journey to make life more meaningful and do my best in all ways to all people. I can say for a fact that my brother lived life to the fullest. He soaked up every experience he could and I'm attempting to do the same and make the most of this life I've been blessed with.

So I encourage you, what quotes have made an impact on you lately? What song lyrics made you stop and think? What lines from a movie? What quotes are you pinning on Pinterest lately? I can promise you they have an underlying meaning as to why they affect you. Take a moment to think about it and reflect. It can offer some insight as to why you are feeling certain emotions or acting a certain way. It can help you learn a lot about yourself and I think that's always a good thing.

 We all do things for different reasons and different things affect us for different reasons. So next time you find yourself crying watching the ending scenes of a movie or are singing along passionately to a song or writing "YEA!" as your caption for your quote on Pinterest, stop and ask yourself why. You never know, you may surprise yourself with the answer.  

Let it Ride

I'm not gonna lie, I like to gamble. Slot machines, black jack, roulette, all of it. The thing about gambling though, is you have to know when to cut your losses and walk away. Or if you're feeling good, press your luck.

Funny thing is though, I'm not a risk taker at all in the rest of my life. I don't jump into things with reckless abandon. (Sometimes I wish I would though). I think why I like gambling so much is that I am ok with the consequences. I have a set amount of money and I know how much I'm willing to lose.

All of life is a gamble. You gamble with relationships, job opportunities, career decisions,deciding where to live, heck deciding whether or not to buy a dog or a cat.  One way I judge whether or not to make a gamble is something my dad taught me. Whenever I was trying to make a decision he would ask me "What's the worst thing that could happen?".If I'm not ok with the worst thing that could happen then I'm not going to take the risk.

I'm having to deal with this right now. I'm currently looking for an internship and I'm having to risk one potential placement just to try to get a different one. This is a big risk for me especially when I need to get an internship ASAP if I want to graduate in December. Of course, I hashed it out with my wise daddy. We weighed the options and he goes well "I would just let it ride." AH.  I've been fortunate this far so I'm going to press my luck a little further and hopefully it'll pay off. If not, I'll try again. At the end of the day, I'm going to have to trust in the fact that God has a plan and I'll be exactly where I need to be.

Gambling can make life exciting. It can produce great rewards but it can also bring big losses. And in the end, it ends up being a gut decision but being aware of the potential losses can definitely make that gut decision easier.

So I'm taking my daddy's advice and letting it ride. We'll see what happens.

What has your pet taught you about life? (From Real Simple)

Although this post is not original, I thought it was worth sharing. I read this from last month's Real Simple and absolutely loved it. I'm an animal lover and a sucker for a good metaphor. This was the best of both worlds. They asked readers what their pet has taught them about life. Here's what was published.
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/pet-relationships-00100000081853/index.html

My fat, cantankerous cat, Pasadena, often rolls off the couch accidentally while she’s sleeping. Every time it happens, she gets back up and struts her stuff, as if to say, “Yeah, I fell down, but I’m still awesome.” She reminds me not to take myself too seriously.

Adriana Macias

Albany, California

When Jacques, my 12-pound silver poodle, got into a tussle with a mule deer, he lost an eye. For days afterward, I was devastated. But Jacques had a different reaction. His first morning home from the vet, he got up with his tail wagging, excited to greet a new day. By moving on so quickly, he showed me that you shouldn’t hold on to sorrow when you can be happy. I’ve given him a new nickname—Jacques Sparrow—because he’s the bravest little pirate I know.

Barbara O’Grady

Gardiner, Montana

My two cats do only the things that they want to do. I, on the other hand, often agree to take on responsibilities or accept invitations that don’t interest me, simply because I can’t think of a good excuse not to. But lately I’ve tried to take a page from the Book of Kitty andsay, “No, thank you,” when I wish to decline. Thanks, Stachie and Flow!

Barbara Selig

Shoreline, Washington

Living with a puppy who chewed my baseboards, destroyed my shoes, and stained my carpets made me realize that stuff is just stuff—it can be replaced. Now when anyone in the family messes up (the dog has a lapse in house-training; my fiancé breaks a plate or a mug), I simply take it in stride.

Maggie Drew

San Antonio, Texas

Wisdom from my shepherd mix, Boone: Taking a walk in the park (in any kind of weather) will always make you feel better.

Sue Elliott

Tempe, Arizona

The most wonderful things often happen unexpectedly. I’ll never forget the blustery day when I went outside to get the paper and saw a black-and-white rabbit sitting there. The Humane Society couldn’t catch her, but six weeks later I did. In no time at all, this bunny, Oreo, had me wrapped around her little paw. She has brought me so much joy and love—and I never planned on any of it.

Vickie Strayer

Omaha, Nebraska

I learned from my cats that you shouldstretch before you get up, especially if you’ve been lying down or sitting for a long time. Try it: Your bones, muscles, and mind will thank you.

Tammy Murphy

Maynard, Massachusetts

Last August we lost our four-year-old dog, Sandi, to a sudden illness. We were so sad. Recently, though, we brought a new puppy, Lucy, into our lives. She has made us realize that even while you grieve, it’s possible to share your love with someone new.

Kathi Banholzer

Glen Allen, Virginia

It’s essential to chase what excites you, even if you never catch it. That’s something I learned from all eight dogs I’ve been lucky enough to call my pets.

Shannon A. Clements

Dearborn, Michigan

Whenever I call for my dog, Casey, he takes the longest route possible. This serves as a nice reminder that I shouldn’t opt for shortcuts. Because of Casey, I park far away from store entrances and take the stairs instead of the elevator. It’s good for me, and it allows me to spend less time at the gym.

Susie Reeves

St. Louis, Missouri

My family raises service dogs for an organization called Canine Companions for Independence. We train the dogs and then they’re given to people with disabilities. People always ask me how we can give up these dogs after bonding with them for 18 months. I tell them that the difference the dogs will make in others’ lives is well worth the heartache. These pups have shown me that the greatest gift in life is giving.

Tory Cheshire

Great Falls, Virginia

Never pass up an opportunity to have a little something to eat.

Lauren Spengler

Cambridge, Massachusetts

I never worried about my cursing until my African gray parrot, Mojo, let loose an expletive, which he had clearly learned from me, while a preacher was paying me a visit. I was horrified and embarrassed. I thought, If this bird is picking up my bad language, what must my young son be taking in when I speak? Thanks to Mojo, I’ve tried to be more careful with my words.

Lucette Lucas

Aren't those wonderful?! Have a marvelous weekend! 

Give Yourself Permission

Now let me start this post off with a  disclaimer. I am not and probably will never be a yogi. So what I write in this post is my own experience of yoga when I take it every now and then. But yes, I put my hair in a braid and wear a flowy tank top and try to look the part.

That being said, I love yoga. It reminds me of taking ballet but also incorporates this other sort of spiritual side to it. Yoga helps you to take care of your body as well as your soul and I'm always up for that kind of exercise. If you listen to the yoga instructors words carefully, you can hear all sorts of life lessons within that hour class.

One in particular is my favorite and I've heard it from many different yoga instructors. Now I don't have the yoga lingo down but it basically says "Wherever you are today, that's ok". Now the instructors are mainly talking about the different poses but it is still applicable to the rest of life.

Confession: I am an over-achiever. I'm always in a competition with myself. I always need to be doing better than the day before and going on to bigger and better things. Don't get me wrong-that is not necessarily a bad attitude. It can be good to always strive for better. It helps you grow.

A bad attitude that can come with the achieving attitude? Beating yourself up after you don't achieve your goal. That,my friends, is not a good attitude. Yes, there will be those days where you are perfectly balanced in tree pose looking like you could take over the world one yoga pose at a time. But there will be those other days where try as you might your ankle keeps wobbling and you stumble. Those are the days where you want to beat yourself up but that is exactly the time to give yourself permission to take your leg down a little lower, take a deep breath, and try again. (Catch my metaphor there?)

Whatever you are trying to accomplish in your life, give yourself permission to do it on your own time and allow yourself to mess up. If you get it on the first try, that is truly great but it usually doesn't happen like that. Don't get down on yourself because you have to try again. Just like in yoga taking smaller baby steps and modifying your pose until you achieve your ultimate goal, doesn't mean you  are a failure. It means you are strengthening your muscles and ego so you'll be even stronger when you achieve your ultimate goal.

Give yourself permission when and if you mess up. Make a modification and know you aren't a failure.  Strengthen your mind and spirit and who knows, maybe you'll ace it the next time around.

Easier said than done right? I'm still working on it...especially when I couldn't get my frickin balance in warrior three pose today. Whew. Deep breath.

Namaste.

Amen.

Rainy Days

You know those days where it feels like a black cloud is hanging over your head? You're down, things aren't going the way you want them to and you just feel like hopping into bed and pulling the covers over your head?

Today is one of those days for me.  A year ago today, my brother passed away. Tough stuff. As I was driving back to Austin I felt gloomy and to top it all off, I literally had a black cloud hanging over my head. It is a rainy summer afternoon which is perfect for reflecting and looking back over the past year.

One major lesson that I have learned this past year is that bad days are going to come in waves just as grief can come in waves. Just think of it like the ocean. Sometimes, the tide is going to come in. Bad days will happen. Sad days will happen. But then the tide will go out and happiness will return.

And guess what? Those bad days are ok. It seems simple but it is a lesson I had to learn. It is ok to have a day or even just 15 minutes to cry your eyeballs out.

It is ok to feel every single emotion that you may experience. One emotion is not better than the other. We need them all. Plants need rain just as much as they need sunshine to grow and flourish. We need sad days. They help us appreciate the good days. Sometimes the hardest lessons learned are on the worst days. With each lesson though, we grow a little bit.

So if you're having a horrible no good very bad day, it's ok. Allow yourself to experience it. Feel it to the very core of your being. Just know that the sun will come back out. And when it does, soak it up!

Comfort Zones

Comfort Zones. We all have them for a reason. They help us feel safe and secure. They let us enjoy things more because we are familiar with what the results will be.

For example, my comfort zone is predictability. I like knowing pretty much what the outcome of a situation will be. I like going to events where I know people. I like going to my usual starbucks because I know the baristas there. I like going a certain way to school because I know what the traffic will be like. Like my wise professor told me: "Predictability and consistency lead to safety"
Bottom line: I like feeling safe in my environment.

Bad thing about comfort zones? They can also hinder us. They keep us from living life to the absolute fullest. They keep us from taking in new experiences and learning new things. If we are willing and able to dip even just our pinky toe into the unknown, then we just might grow from that experience.

I learned that first hand on Wednesday.

My worst fear? Groups. Groups where I don't know anybody. My introverted nature  is not kind to big groups. I get flashbacks of being "the six year old quiet girl" and I suddenly turn into that quiet girl and subsequently feel incredibly awkward. and weird. and anxious. and panicky. My brain just shuts down.
A couple of months ago I decided to volunteer for a play therapy conference. The only reason I did was that a bunch of my friends did so I did too knowing full well I would know people there (predictability, consistency, safety). Welp, lo and behold, I was the only one selected to volunteer. Yikes. Cue worst fear. But I knew I had to go. Not only would I pass up an awesome conference that I got to go to for free but I also would be hindering myself. I knew I had to push myself to go. So I went. And yea, I was quiet and yea, I felt awkward. But you know what? I survived. I talked to people. I made connections. And guaranteed next time I'm thrown into a group with people I don't know, I will be a little less quiet and awkward than this time around.

If you are willing to take the chance, your comfort zone can and will expand. And when it does, you will have the satisfaction deep down knowing that you tried your best and the little glow of pride knowing that you aren't wasting this life you've been blessed with.

"We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can't anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying."