Revealed: Why You Should Embrace Your Fears (Instead of Running From Them)

July 29, 2011 By

Remember the days when you felt alive and passionate about life?

When you had a million things you wanted to do, a million hobbies you wanted to take up, a million different career paths you wanted to follow?

I’m sure you remember.

And if you’re like most people, the memories flooding back into your head right now are mainly from your childhood.

So what happened?

Did you follow the rules of society and do everything “right,” only to find that years later you’re not doing anything even remotely close to what you actually want to do?

You’re not alone.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal growth, Self doubt

11 Things That Make Me Weird: #NicheAmnesty

July 25, 2011 By

Last week on DIYBlogger Stacey Herbert challenged bloggers to shut up about their usual niche topics and talk about themselves for a day.

I liked the idea, especially since I’m fairly new to the blogosphere and it wouldn’t surprise me if many readers and bloggers know very little about me.

Plus, it seemed interesting to get to know the people behind all the blogs I enjoy and to share my own point of view.

So here goes, a few things about what makes me weird:

1. I move a lot

I’ve moved at least once a year since I was 17, and most recently have lived in Amsterdam, New York City, and now, San Francisco.

I move because I like to see the world, but also because I’m scared of settling down.

I also went to five different colleges. In order, they were:

  • Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA (focus: photojournalism)
  • Emerson College in Boston, MA (focus: print journalism)
  • University of Sussex in Brighton, UK (focus: travel as much as possible)
  • Occidental in Los Angeles, CA (focus: who knows)
  • Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR (focus: international relations & communication)

2. I’m awkward

I consider myself an extremely socially and physically awkward person.

This is the reason why I’m not great at parties and don’t exactly know the rules of small talk.

It’s also why you’ll often see me covered in bruises, because I have a habit of running into things. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal growth

Why You Don’t Have to Desert Your Friends and Family to Follow Your Dreams

July 22, 2011 By

© Raisa Kanareva | Dreamstime.com

Recently, Chris Guillebeau, one of my non-conformist heroes, wrote a blog post on how the people close to you may just not understand the important work you’re doing (or trying to do).

It’s amazing how true this is.

There’s a reason why I didn’t send out my blog to every friend and family member when I first started it, despite the sheer numbers of them (there are over 50+ on my Mom’s side of the family alone).

I just didn’t think most of them would get it.

I knew they would support me, as friends and family do, but I didn’t think they would be enthusiastic. Or that they would even understand that I was headed down a path that would allow me to do really cool important stuff that matters. And how much that meant to me.

I didn’t want to hear, “Oh, isn’t that sweet,” when I told them I was finally pursuing my longtime dream of being a published author.

“Sweet” or “nice” aren’t the responses I’m looking for. Nor are such responses what any artist is looking for when they begin sharing their important work with the world.

As artists, creators, entrepreneurs and whatnot, we want to hear that we’re doing something right. That we’re headed down the right path.

Or, if we’re not, we want some goddamn constructive criticism. Some encouragement too, maybe, with a little helpful advice on how to steer ourselves in the right direction.

What we don’t want is a ho hum response. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balance, Creativity

My Quarter Life Crisis: Chasing Greatness in a Mediocre World

July 19, 2011 By

© Fernando Rodrigues | Dreamstime.com

I turn 25 this September, a number that is out-of-this-world crazy to me.

It’s hard for me to believe that I’m not that 16-year-old girl stuck in a small town in Washington State anymore.

There’s no high school drama to deal with, no mindless learning to do. Now, if I want to learn, there’s no one there to force me; I have to initiate it, I have to want it.

But the one thing I miss more than anything about being a kid: naivety.

Back then, I believed that the only thing holding me back was my small, close-minded school…

My white, middle-class Christian town…

My restricted status of being a teenager living with my parents.

I believed with all my heart that once I left my small town, my inconsequential life would be left behind and I would be headed toward amazing things.

That was my favorite word back in those days: amazing.  I figured everything had the potential to be amazing. And why not?

I was naive and I was hopeful. The best combination.

Of course, after going through the motions of high school, and the disappointing reality of college, I was left with a more jaded view of the world. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Changing the world, Creativity, Twenty somethings

7 Steps to Living a More Meaningful Life

July 16, 2011 By

© Sergey Kravtsov | Dreamstime.com

It’s a recurring theme of mine that I believe we were conditioned as school kids and into adulthood to half ass our way through life.

We’re taught to not put our heart into life’s constant challenges. And when we don’t put our heart into anything, we automatically care less.

Not caring about anything gives our lives less meaning.

Since for most of us the goal of life is to create more meaning, this is an obvious problem.

But don’t fret, my fellow human wanderers. Here are seven steps to take to start embracing a more meaningful and fulfilling life today…

1. Be Present

Make a conscious effort  to be fully aware of whatever you’re doing, whether you’re making dinner, writing your manifesto, or taking out the trash.

Eckhart Tolle stresses the power of being fully present in his popular book, The Power of Now, where he suggests that being in “the Now” can guide us toward a more connected and joyful existence.

If your problem is focus, don’t be discouraged: focus is something that can be learned; if your mind tends to wander, tug it back to the present thing you’re doing. You’ll get better, I promise. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balance, Personal growth
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