Thankfulness in November

                                                Me n My Sis and her babies. Thxgiving 2010

Today is Thanksgiving Day, the day where we all eat lots of turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pie, (and in my house,) pancit and rice cake. We watch football, scope out the black Friday ads, and hang out with family. More importantly, this is the day where we are supposed to reflect on our lives and say what we are thankful for. I just wanted to make a quick post listing all the things I am thankful for in my life. These silly things and amazing people all make my life enjoyable in a way I could never truly express accurately in words. Here goes. . .
I am thankful for-
-Dark Chocolate therapy.
-Coffee that keeps me awake for life.
-Dancing.
-Beautiful music that I sing along to.
-Heated blankets that keep me alive during the winter.
-My wonderful friends that understand me, listen to my jabbering, and I can trust with everything.
-My mac, cause PCs are ishy.
-My beautiful niece and nephews that challenge me to be a good role model and constantly remind me that there is still a 5 year old inside me somewhere.
-My car that gives me the freedom to go wherever I want.
-My kitty cats that never criticize and are always purring and happy.
-Fairytales for allowing me to dream, even as an adult.
-My boyfriend that supports me, takes care of me, and makes me smile like no one else can.
-Sharpie pens because they make homework fun.
-Having such great coworkers that I can honestly call friends.
-My parents for molding me into the person I am today and providing me with everything I've ever needed.
-Being employed.
-Living in MN. As much as I complain about the snow and cold, I can't imagine a winter without it (complaining included).
-My brother for being my "big brother": for poking fun at me like a big bro, but also for protecting me like a big bro.
-Being in school; it'll get me to where I want to be in life sooner or later.
-My big sis for always, always, always listening to me ramble, giving me such great advice, and being there when I need anything.
-Much more, but I won't bore you any longer :)

We all have something to be thankful for, even if it's as silly as Sharpie Pens. :)
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving from my heart.

Love and Happiness,
Rach

The Expiration Date of Love.

It's been quite a while since my last blog. I have a horrible habit of thinking about what I want to blog about and even beginning my blog and saving a draft but I never actually publish it. Oops! I tend to forget my train of thought or lose passion for the topic so I never finish it. I will try my hardest to make publishing blogs my new habit! I love sharing and getting feedback so look out for my upcoming pieces.

This semester I am taking Interpersonal Communications at the U and I find this class to be SO intriguing. It discusses the different dynamic relationships we all have; covering family, friends and romantic relationships. There are several reasons as to why this class is so appealing to me- I can relate to the material so easily and can find couples that fit the theories to a T. But more importantly, I find people to be extremely captivating. I have always been fascinated with cultural anthropology and have considered this as a future profession multiple times. I love watching, studying and analyzing people and their behaviors that I find myself doing this daily anyway. Anyhow, I had motivation for writing this blog for one reason:

yesterday's topic was "Love."

Love and love lost is experienced around the world in every country, everyday. If you're lucky you have experienced love. If you're really lucky, you've experienced love lost. You learn so much about yourself when you fall in love, and learn even more when that love fails. 

I am very fortunate in that my parents are still together after about 30 years of marriage (Go Mom and Dad! :P ). My parents have provided me with a good example of what a lasting marriage looks like. Despite this, I am still fairly skeptical of marriage in general based on current statistics in America and the marriages I have seen crumble.

According to my professor, a study was recently held in California selecting 40 marriages that have lasted 20+ years. Of the 40 couples, none of the couples could stand their significant other anymore. NONE. 
WHAT?! None? Really?

In my research to find an accurate divorce rate, I ran into this rather surprising chart-
Age at marriage for those who divorce in America

Age	Women	Men
Under 20 years old	27.6%	11.7%
20 to 24 years old	36.6%	38.8%
25 to 29 years old	16.4%	22.3%
30 to 34 years old	8.5%	11.6%
35 to 39 years old	5.1%	6.5%

http://www.divorcerate.org/

Ok, so I guess in order to have the best chance at staying married I better wait until I'm 39 years old+ until I contemplate marriage and even then, after 20 years of marriage I might hate my husband.
How depressing! There are tons of reasons as to why the divorce rate is what it is today including the empowerment and education of women, autonomous lifestyle we live, narcissistic mindset, etc. etc. etc. The life expectancy is (and has been) slowly rising in America which pressures us to try to force the life expectancy of love to stretch over that lengthened time.

I'm not going to go into detail about these reasons because I hope they're pretty self explanatory but given these stats and facts, how can we feel sure about a relationship and the stability of that love over time? How do we walk into a relationship or marriage not already wondering if it will eventually fail? I have proposed an interesting idea, is there an expiration date on love?

Now that I am 22 years old, friends getting engaged, married and having babies are popping up EVERYWHERE. I never would have thought I would be seeing this trend so soon. This furthers the skepticism of marriage in my mind because it seems inevitable that these marriages will eventually fail according to the stats in America. It is said that after the first 15 months of a relationship, the initial passion and infatuation begins to wear off and the "real" personalities of people surface which determines the future of the relationship. I do not understand in the least bit these marriages that take place within that time frame. Love fades. To base a life and family "til death do you part" on such a temporary feeling seems so silly at times.

I am just rambling and throwing up mental love vomit on you and don't really know what my point is. I want to know how you interpret the statistics of divorce and how you maintain optimism on love, relationships, and marriage. And maybe there is no 'right' way to describe love. . .

“Love is just a word, a label; real love is unexplainable.” -Anonymous

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. (June 29, 2010)

I absolutely am in love with Ted Talks. They never fail to inspire me and uplift me like no other speech. This Ted Talk is about being able to live like you are dying, make use of your time and have faith that all will work out in the end. If we all could have such faith in our decisions, our futures and ultimately ourselves, imagine how different things would be. Would you still be working at your job that you hate? Would you still be stuck on that dead end road? Would you still be wasting your time doing meaningless things? This is how we get stuck. There are so many people I have met that are stuck in their jobs and roles they play in life. I always try to ask a variation of the question: “What is it that you would like to do instead of this?” And what really breaks my heart is when they have no clue. I feel like it is such a waste of time, of life, because it isn’t life that they are enjoying. They are just going through the motions, getting through the day waiting for the next day to waste on something they don’t care about.

So I ask you the question: What is the point to living life if you are living without any meaning to your actions?

I am too guilty of staying within my comfort zone because I do not fear what is already familiar.
Because of this, I try to challenge myself often and evaluate my life so I can make the changes needed sooner than later, to avoid getting stuck.

Recently, I decided to participate in a leadership workshop to help me step outside my comfort zone. This workshop concluded with a firewalking ceremony! How frightening and yet intriguing at the very same time! As my time approached to walk across the 12 foot path of 1200º  red and orange, burning coals I began questioning myself. I began to hesitate and psych myself out.

‘Why in the world would you want to burn your feet on purpose?’ ‘You’re going to regret this the minute you step on the coals.’ ‘You’re going to fall and burst into flames. Why would you put yourself at this type of risk?!’ -These were the thoughts rapidly surging through my brain as I took each step closer to the fire. I allowed myself to listen to the insecurities of others and they soon became my own insecurities. I doubted my ability to keep my mind in check and understand the underlying meaning behind the firewalk.

I eventually realized that if I failed to follow through with this firewalk I would regret it immensely because that would mean that I failed to step up to my mind and face the fear that paralyzes and prevents me from becoming more. I cleared my mind, focused, and walked across that fire determined and strong.






I now choose to think about my life in this way. I have aspirations to make something of myself and create an organization that represents my values. I have big goals for my future that many would say are unrealistic, that they will never happen. Fortunately, I know that I have the willpower and the motivation to constantly strive to better myself and I will not be satisfied in life until I obtain my goals. Right when I feel like buckling to the fear, I have to remember to clear my mind, focus and walk across that fire determined and strong.

It’s such a simplistic idea and yet we allow ourselves to become further and further away from acquiring what will truly make us happy because of the fear that arises, forcing us to question ourselves. We must learn to remove ourselves from this fear. We must know that what is best for us is not always going to be logical (like walking across fire!). We have to realize that getting to our goal and achieving what we truly desire will be difficult and trying. But persevere, push forward, let go of fear. HAVE FAITH.

Take risks. Be venturesome. Live unafraid.

Have faith.


Watch the video:
steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

The Inspiration Around the Corner (May 18, 2010)

Life is trying, difficult, and distracting. As Americans, we are raised to be busy. If we aren’t always in the middle of doing something, then we are wasting precious time. We are taught to use our time wisely, get as much done as fast as possible just so we can get more done after we have finished. We are built to follow “To Do” lists and jam packed schedules.
Lately I’ve been feeling like I cannot find the motivation or inspiration within myself to be who I want to be and do the things that I’ve always wanted to do for me. It is internally frustrating for me when I feel stuck in a rut, when I desperately want to be struck with a lighting bolt of encouragement and passion, and yet, find nothing.

I believe that a huge chunk of the problem is that I never even took the time to analyze what it is that I really want out of life and what kind of person I wanted to be. I often thought that the direction and inspiration would just hit me and then I would instantly know and want to pursue what I have been blindly searching for. Now I realize that this isn’t the case; you must be open and curious with your eyes wide open in order to be inspired.

I chose to name my blog, “Something Beautiful” after my favorite song by Needtobreathe for this specific reason:
In an interview with Bo from Needtobreathe, he said, “When I wrote “Something Beautiful”, I was in a pretty desperate state. I kinda felt like I hadn’t seen anything truly inspiring in awhile. And we’re taught that inspiration is just around the corner, but the problem is, it may not be until the fifteenth corner that we finally see it. We talk about that risk and we use a metaphor in the verse of being “ankle deep in the ocean” but “the water is rising quick” and the tide’s coming in, y’know, am I gonna drown, in search of this thing that i’ve been looking for. But I believe that anything worth having, is worth the risk of losing it.”

As the semester winded down, I began making a list of things that I want to accomplish this summer. This list has been rapidly growing as I think of more things I forever have wanted to do. One item on this list is being consistent in posting blogs at least weekly. I don’t always have the opportunity to share my thoughts and express myself or even take the time to press the pause button and reflect on my life and thoughts.

I want to use this blog to help me see the inspiration the fifteenth time around the corner. I have realized how important it is to take the time to do things for me and to allow myself to be inspired. I have to be patient, for it will take time to finally be touched by that something beautiful. I must not allow the busyness of everyday to paralyze me and disable me from seeing and experiencing all the beautiful somethings life has to offer me.

Another item on this list: sketching. I doodle on my notebook just as much as any other girl but I never took it seriously or as a way of expressing myself, but I’ve always wanted to. I have just began this hobby of mine and am loving every minute of it thus far! Here’s a preview of my first sketch:) It’s pretty rough, but I’m learning!

I will share more of these hobbies as I begin them during the summer. Keep an eye out!
Please take the time to watch the video of Needtobreathe playing this wonderful song that I cannot get enough of. Song: Something Beautiful by Needtobreathe

Lyrics:
In your ocean, I’m ankle deep
I feel the waves crashin’ on my feet
It’s like I know where I need to be
But I can’t figure out, yeah I can’t figure out
Just how much air I will need to breathe
When your tide rushes over me
There’s only one way to figure out
Will ya let me drown, will ya let me drown
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, ’cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I’m in reach
‘Cause I am down on my knees, I’m waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful
And the water is risin’ quick
And for years I was scared of it
We can’t be sure when it will subside
So I won’t leave your side, no I can’t leave your side
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, ’cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I’m in reach
‘Cause I am down on my knees, I’m waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful
In a daydream, I couldn’t live like this
I wouldn’t stop until I found something beautiful
When I wake up, I know I will have
No, I still won’t have what I need
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, ’cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I’m in reach
‘Cause I am down on my knees, I’m waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful (fade out)

Me in Threes (May 9, 2010)

It is crunch time! It is the Sunday before finals week and although I only have 1 final and 1 paper to write, I still feel a tad overwhelmed. I am currently sitting at a 24hour Perkins with my lovely Julia Davis devouring a mound of french toast and bacon, trying to maintain my focus on a paper. I have been pretty unsuccessful so far in absorbing any useful information, but I have been successful in remembering why Julia has earned the position of great friend in my life! We go to school two hours apart from each other and every time she comes back home, its like she never left. This type of friendship is such a necessity for everyone! Such fellowship is crucial to my sanity!

My [former :'( ] roomies, Jodi Buckentine and Katy Gunderson are two people that I DEARLY miss already and I’ve only been apart from them for a week!!!!! The frequent roomie-bonding activities we would partake in and quirky roomie habits such as: heart to heart talks from the porcelain throne, random shrieks from Katy at any given moment, romantic walks to the pop machine, naps on Katy’s bed, Soldier Boy-ing on Facebook video, 10 minute workouts, and gathering around the tv to yell at the characters on Grey’s, are just a few of the things I will miss!

I am so blessed to have such amazing women in my life. Thank you Lord for providing me with these people I know I can count on to distract me from the stress and burdens I carry. These women tell me the honest truth when I need it, they provide me with laughter and joy, and remind me of what is important in life. Thank you ladies! I will never be able to express to you how important you are to me!
Now, I must stop procrastinating on my studying and paper writing! But not before I leave you with a few fun facts about me…
Thank you to my Jodi for tagging me in “Me in Threes” ! This is a great way for you to get to know me a little better especially at the beginning stages of my blog
Three Names I go by:

1. Rachel
2. Rach
3. Tabalbababababababbabbbba

Three Jobs I have had:

1. Server @ Acapulco
2. Sales Associate @ Express
3. Event Setter Upper w/Gophers After Dark

Three places I have lived:

1. My parent’s casa
2. Dorms freshman year at the U
3. My apartment I miss SO much already!

Three favorite Drinks:

1. Coke is wonderful
2. Radioactive Green Juice (aka Mt Dew)
3. Milk

Three places I have been:

1. US of A
2. Philippines with the bro:)

3. Does the airport of Tokyo count?
Three places I would like to visit:

1. Spain
2. China
3. India

Three favorite foods:

1. Mashed Potatoes
2. Egg Rolls
3. SUSHI

Three makeup products I can’t live without:

1. Eyeliner
2. Mascara
3. Lipgloss

Peace. Love. Reflect. (April 24, 2010)

Recently have I discovered the importance of reflection in my life. In our society, we often go through life at such a rapid pace that there isn’t much time allowed to question, reflect, and understand our experiences or the world around us. I want to use this blog as a way for me to pause my life and take time to reflect on my thoughts and experiences of my everyday. My blogs may range from short pictures and poems to lengthy, intricate stories or thoughts. It will just depend on the day. I have never had a blog before and rarely ever write for pleasure so I am still learning and developing my reflective writing skills.
So, welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy it as much I will enjoy writing it!