Independence Week

Happy (early) Fourth of July!

The 4th of July is Independence Day, the celebration of the birth of America’s freedom. Therefore, this week I want you to celebrate YOUR independence from your Mean Girl! Use this week to not listen to any of those doubts or negative thoughts that pop into your head. Stay positive and simply enjoy the week and especially this weekend!

It may be hard. But I know that you’ll feel so amazing once you stop listening to those haunting thoughts. July 4^th is typically a day where you go to picnics, pool parties, and other gatherings where you could meet new people. Sounds fun, right?! Some would disagree because you start to feel self-conscious around new people.

Stop comparing!

The second you hear a thought in your head about how she has a cuter outfit on or he would never talk to a girl like me, shut them down! Recognize the doubts and the negativity and give yourself a little pep talk in your head. Pause and remember how unique you are. There is no one in the world exactly like you! Come on – that’s SO special!

Take back your independence this week and enjoy those fireworks!

"Me" Time

We have all experienced a very full and hectic schedule. For me, May was one of the busiest months of my life! The hardest part was working 40 hours a week and being a part-time student at UC Riverside. On the days I had class; I woke up at 5am to be at work for 7am. I then left at 4pm to drive 2 hours to class from 6-10pm. I did not get into bed until earliest 11:30pm. I did this twice a week and it had been exhausting! My free time after work and on my lunch breaks were filled with homework – accounting is SO much work! 

I didn't have any free time!

And that’s exactly what this post is about. When you’re life gets crazy you need to make sure to fit in some time to relax and quiet your mind. It’s extremely important to find that “me” time in order for you to continue to succeed when things get difficult. 

Because I spend so much time at a desk, in the car, or in the classroom, I take a walk around my office building at least once a day. I also try to walk up the stairs (to the 7th floor!) in order to get my heart pumping. This time-out is for me to reset. I do not think about anything that I need to get done; I listen to the birds and the nearby fountain. I feel the sun on my skin and the wind on my checks. I let the beauty of nature fill my heart. This activity only takes 5 minutes so it’s very easy to fit into that chaotic schedule!

Another trick of mine is to watch a 30 minute TV show I like during dinner. Two birds with one stone! (That’s so morbid…) I love TV; it helps me to relax because instead of worrying about my problems, I’m consumed by the characters. Therefore, on the days I’m on my own for meal time I take advantage. All the health blogs tell you not to eat while watching TV but I can’t take any extra time I have away from homework. So with my plate in hand, I cozy up on the couch and join the world of Younger or New Girl! And by the time the show is over, my plate is empty. No precious time has been wasted and I feel refreshed. 

These tricks are what helped me survive the month of May. I look back and wonder how I stayed strong and realize that I never felt drained. On paper I should have been but I did a nice job of balancing my responsibilities with my “me” time. 

What tricks do you use to optimize your “me” time? Let me know in a comment below! 

Cage Diving

Vacation is one of the best times to discover new dreams. You research and plan and then comes along that “I HAVE to do it” task! Well, when I was preparing to study abroad in South Africa I discovered shark cage diving. South Africa is known for its large number of Great White Sharks and the county has many opportunities to have a once in a lifetime experience with these creatures.

Now you must be thinking, 

"SHE’S GETTING IN THE WATER WITH A GREAT WHITE SHARK!"

Yes, yes I did! And to this day, it’s one of the most fun dreams I caught. Lucky for me my friends were very interested in doing this with me; it was something that was on all of our to-do lists before we even met! So the 7 of us scheduled our outing and made the trek out to the coast.

We had a wonderful lunch together and learned facts and interesting tidbits about the sharks as well as rules to keep us safe so we can have the most fun! We headed to the boat and found a spot on the top to watch the waves while we headed out to sea. No nerves yet! But finally we stop and drop anchor. The shipmates are luring the Great Whites to our boat with fish guts and a foam board shaped like a seal. And the shadows arrived. Slowly swirling around the boat; they look so graceful but the memories of past Shark Weeks just pop right into my mind!

We get the cue that our group is next. We head to the deck of the boat and slip into the wetsuits. We are laughing and goofing around but I can feel the nerves creeping in. We walk to the edge where the ladder leads into this metal cage alongside the boat. I was very nervous now and too scared to be the first one in, so I waited until I would be in the middle of the cage. The water was cold and you could feel the suit suction to your body as you took each step down the ladder until you were completely submersed!

Once you’re in, there’s a bar you can stabilize your feet on and another bar to hold onto above you. Shaking from the cold ocean water and the nerves, you wait until you hear the shipmate yell a command. She would yell front, left, or right. This was the direction you were supposed to look and there you will find that wonderfully ferocious Great White shark.

FRONT!

I dunk myself, the goggles are clear but the water is foggy. I know the shark is going to be coming from the front but I didn't know she was coming straight for me! Through the dark water the figure gets closer, the teeth are seen first and then the black eyes. Directly in front of me she swims until she senses the cage and slips to the side, her fins grazing the cage in front of me. Her nose just about slipped into the small opening for our unobstructed viewing. At times the cage would shake because she bumped into it. (Apparently this one female shark circled the boat for a very long time and just wanted to be near our cage while in the water, we had to stay in longer because she wouldn't leave).

The extremely close proximity I was to such a powerful animal was invigorating. I can still feel the adrenaline when I think back on this experience. I could not have dreamed of how rewarding this was going to be. The ocean is so mysterious and magical to me and I am frightened to be in the deep dark water, but this was a dream I had to catch. I never let fear take over, and used my friend’s energy to power me through. Reaching dreams with others is important. So if there is a mutual adventure you and a colleague share, take that journey together! It’ll bring your friendship to a more meaningful level and will create a memory that you both can hold special in your hearts because it is yours, something created by both of you and no one else. And personally, sharing a rewarding experience with another is WAY more fun! You can reminisce for years to come, reliving that incredible memory! 

Comment below and let me know if there are any dreams you have caught with a friend? 

Year 25

Today is the first full day of my 26th year of life. I don’t feel too much older but I am starting to hear a clock ticking! (Yikes) Last year at this time it was an important birthday for me; it was a quarter of a century! I made a vow to myself to make 25 my best year yet. The main goal was to reach for the stars and start moving forward with a career and to grow into a strong woman. I’m not sure if I can say it was my best year, but I do know that is was a successful year! I wanted to see progress and I did!

Early birthday dinner at Disneyland!

I started the year out strong while I began to grow towards a more active, healthy lifestyle. This has slowed down but what I learned about my health was important and I will always have that. I have also found that I enjoy the benefits of daily exercise – has that motivated me enough to be active every day, no, but life is a work in progress right? I’m listening to my body more and trying to give it what it needs in that moment. That’s the main lesson I learned; 

Listen to your body to create the healthiest lifestyle for you! 

I also went in 100% with starting my career. I made a plan, which has changed from time to time, but I am constantly working to move forward. The best part of my journey so far is taking classes at UCR Extension. What was holding me back for so long was the fear and doubt that I didn't have enough knowledge to own my boutique. But in year 25 I eliminated that doubt! Each course completed feeds my soul; I am that much closer to my dream job. Now I have a time-line that has “Open for Business” on it and I couldn't be more excited! The main lesson I learned:

No obstacle is too big to get over! 

Year 25 may have been filled with an immense amount of joy but it was also tainted by a dark cloud. I struggle with acute long-term depression and this past year was a very hard one. There is no particular reason, as depression is from a chemical imbalance, but it is very hard to move forward and grow when it’s there. However, this dark cloud might have been the most important part of my 25th year. I have fought so hard to continue to grow into someone I am proud of. Despite what my mind tells me some days, when I go to bed each day, I know I am that much stronger because of that fight. I have changed into someone who values her body, her health, and her heart. I have grasped my life’s mission and have charged forward by starting an I AM THAT GIRL local chapter, going back to school to own my own business, and started writing a motivational book. 

Looking back, year 25 has been one of my strongest years. I grew so much that I can’t help but be overwhelmed with excitement for year 26! The strength I gained will help me to continue to take control and demand my best life. Year 26 will be filled with so much fierceness and courage – I’m so excited for YOU to see where I go! And through my strength I hope YOU find your courage to charge forward as well! 

Aquatic Dreams

While I was growing up, my family spent many vacations at our condo in Florida. We were a close drive to the beach and many magical attractions. I had been to SeaWorld a handful of times, always admiring the trainers. I would daydream about what it would be like to swim with dolphins and orcas whales. I mean, what 90’s kid didn't want to be best friends with an Orca named Willy?!  

A few years ago, my boyfriend and I went to SeaWorld in San Diego. We had a long weekend therefore it was time for an adventure. I was reminded of how much I love getting to know the animal species from the ocean. It’s a whole different world, mysterious and magical. And lucky for us, our ticket came with a year free of park admission! We made our way back a few months later. This trip was a surprise birthday gift for me. And what a way to spend my 25^th birthday! Because we had free admission, my boyfriend registered us for multiple animal encounters.

All of my aquatic dreams came true!

We started the day at Dolphin Cove to meet some of the swimmers. We learned training tricks and spent quality time with adult and baby dolphins. We got a little wet but to have a dolphin do a flip because you signaled it to, was an experience I had always imagined. The second encounter for the day was something special just for me. I slipped into a SeaWorld wetsuit, climbed into Arctic water, and met the most wonderful Beluga whale! I was in the water hugging and training the Arctic’s sea canary. We bonded so much that she even gave me a kiss! And after our interactions, we ended the day relaxing with a delicious dinner by a private training pool for the Orca whales. Just on the other side of the glass wall were the beautiful creatures. The close proximity to this animal was just enough to make tears of joy trickle down my cheeks.

This my friends, is a once in a lifetime experience; a dream of mine that I never expected to reach. I know you have them too, goals or dreams that are so fun to think about but you feel that you may never get the chance to actually reach it. That’s why it is so special when you have a support system. Sometimes you need help reaching a dream, and sometimes the journey is that much better when you work with someone else. In these moments, when you catch that intangible dream, be grateful for whatever got you there! Remember how blessed life can be.

What dream did you catch that you never thought you would?