03Oct 2014 by CJ

Sometimes the only validation you need in life is yours

Life & Living
“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey through your day without attachment to the validation of others” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free Very often the choices we make in life don’t always make sense to those around us. It’s human nature to have an opinion about what everyone else is doing – forgetting that others are doing the same to us behind our backs. Ah humanity! Most of us crave validation and a feeling of acceptance in society – so much so that we sometimes make choices based more on what others would say then what…
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02Oct 2014 by CJ

Living in the present is the only thing that matters

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
“It's being here now that's important. There's no past and there's no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can't relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don't know if there is one.” ― George Harrison Job interviews are often filled with a series of generic (and very predictable) questions all would-be-employers feel the need to ask in order to get a better understanding of who you are. I have little difficulty answering such questions – all but one that is. Whenever I’m asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years” I’m often left dumbfounded. While I understand the logic behind the question, as they try to measure your…
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30Sep 2014 by CJ

Making decisions is never easy – but see them as possibilities NOT stressors

Life & Living
I’m usually always the first one to have something inspiring and thought provoking to say about any particular subject. But it might come as a surprise to you to learn that I currently find myself somewhat unable to formulate anything profound into words. The subject is making decisions. I’m not talking about what to have for lunch or what color shirt to buy at the store. No, I’m talking about decisions that will have a direct, long-lasting impact on every facet of your life. I hate those decisions because far too often you just never know if you’re making the right one – continually second guessing yourself even after a decision has been made. It’s odd, but I feel like the older I get the harder it is to confidently…
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26Sep 2014 by CJ

One who always complains has a tough time being thankful

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
When was the last time you said “thank you” to someone? I don’t mean a half-hearted muttering of words with little appreciation to back them up. But an honest and sincere expression of two little words that can mean the difference between feeling taken advantage of and feeling loved and respected. Saying “thank you” is just good manners, wouldn’t you say? To recognize an act of kindness by another human being lets us know that we’re making a difference in someone’s life – that we’ve been influential and inspiring, sometimes when people need it most. But I realize life isn’t a Hallmark movie, and people rarely if ever behave with any kind of moral conduct and compassion towards those living around them. For some they believe they are the entitled…
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23Sep 2014 by CJ

Everything worth anything is worth waiting for

Life & Living
“And you know what I realize now? That we're all waiting on something, no matter where we are in life. It's the human condition.” - Melanie Shankle Growing up, I would always stand at the front door patiently waiting for my grandparents when I knew they were coming over. Whenever I’d see a set of headlights turning the corner at the top of our hill, I found myself excited over the possibility that it was them. I did this ritual so often that I could identify their car by the shape of their illuminated headlights, and the fact that my grandfather was leisurely driving down our one-lane street at 15 miles per hour. It might sound silly, but when they finally pulled into our driveway I felt the anxiety of…
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