A Summer to Remember

On the first day of summer vacation I thought to myself: I hope this is a really long summer. Now, just three months later, I cannot believe that it is already coming to an end. Summer went by SO. FAST. this year. It seems like the older I get, the faster time goes.

So, as the end-of-summer depression and nostalgia is really settling in, I decided to relive some of the best memories of the past three months AND I wanted to shared them all with you!!

So here is a look back at some of the ~highlights~ from a summer to remember.

I WAS AN INTERN AT THE INDIANA PACERS.

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to join the Indiana Pacers team as a Community Relations Intern. This experience was incredible, I learned so much, and I enjoyed every second of it.

I BECOME A PADDLE-BOARDING PRO.

I absolutely LOVE being out on the water and the more time I can spend out there the better.

 

 

 

 

 

I WENT NIGHT YAKING.

(Night Kayaking). On the water. Under the stars. It was basically the best thing ever. 11/10 recommend.

I WENT STARGAZING.

My best friend and I went out to a park 30 minutes away from my house for a fun-filled night of astronomy and stargazing. 

Because they were putting on a special event that night, we even got to look through some realllllly cool telescopes which was beyond incredible.

I FOUND A SUNFLOWER FIELD.

It made my heart really happy.

I MET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

I never knew what it really meant to be in love until I met this goat.

I MET UP WITH OLD FRIENDS.

I got to hang out with and go on adventures with some of my friends which felt SO GOOD. I will forever cherish these genuine friendships.

I WENT TO A BASEBALL GAME.

Actually two!

I love going to sporting events and although I am sad that summer will be ending, that means we are getting closer to football season and I AM STOKED.

I CLIMBED A TREE.

I love going on those little adventures that you'll remember forever.

In this case me and two of my friends went to a local park to take pictures and to climb some trees. It was so simple, yet so amazing.

I WENT BOATING.

Even though it wasn't the warmest day in the world, it was still a lot of fun and brought back some pretty great childhood memories.

I WAS SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.

West coast, best coast?

I went to Seattle for the first time ever, and although I ~technically~ slept, we went HARD non-stop for a week.

My favorite place in the city was Pike's Place Market (bless the donuts and flowers) and my favorite place in the state was Mt. Rainier.

I CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN.

Well kind of.

Okay not really.

We visited a mountain on our trip to Seattle, and we hiked parts of it. So I basically climbed it. Right?

Oh and there's a story with this mountain.

On the first day we visited the park, it was so rainy, cloudy, and foggy that we couldn't even see the mountain!

However, I must say, it was definitely worth a second trip back two days later and she did not disappoint!

AND I DID SO MUCH MORE!!

These are just the highlights :) There were sooooo many other things I got to do this summer which was sooooo amazing. I am incredibly blessed and thankful for each and every one of these memories, no matter how small they seem.

I am so fortunate to live this amazing life and holding on to these moments while knowing I'll make new ones is what keeps me going, even during the really tough times.

So here's to a summer to remember and even more good times in the future.

Top Ten Ways to Make This The Best Summer Ever

The days get longer, the sun feels brighter, the weather gets warmer. 

Summer is one of the best times of the year. I mean what's not to love? Warm weather. Less clothing. A break from school and routine.  Summer is filled with good vibes all around. With all of the exciting opportunities awaiting this upcoming season, now is the perfect time to live your life to the fullest and do things that will truly make you feel alive.

So with that, here are the Top Ten Ways to Make This The Best Summer Ever:

1. Soak up some Vitamin D. Nothing makes summer feel like summer more than the sun. Get out there and spend some time catching those rays. Whether you go to the beach, swim at the pool, take a walk, or go for a bike ride, there are countless ways to soak up the sun. Just go outside!

2. Take a spontaneous road-trip. There are so many places out in the world just waiting to be explored... go find them!

3. Catch up with old friends. Summer is the perfect time to reach out and reconnect with some of your old friends. Meet for ice cream, go for a walk, or have a lunch together. Not only will you be able to catch up, but you can tap into your nostalgia and relive the good 'ole days. Ahh.

4. And meet some new ones. Be fearless, spontaneous, and talk to people you have never meet before. Say hello to a complete stranger or reach out to someone you've always wanted to get to know better. Start a conversation, because you never know what might come from it.

5. Watch the sunset. What better way to end a beautiful day.

6. Have a late-night bonfire. Good food, good weather, good company. Need I say more?

7. Drive with the windows down. Blast your favorite songs and sing at the top of your lungs as you cruise down the road with the windows down. Feel the music. Feel the wind. Feel alive.

8. Go stargazing. Connect with the universe and admire the beauty of the world around you. Let yourself feel small as you realize just how big the world is. Suddenly your fears and worries aren't so big anymore.

9. Treat yo self. Treat yourself to something special. Try that new restaurant you've been wanting to try, go relax at the spa for a day, or go get some ice cream. Do something small to make your day a little better!

10. Live in the Moment. Be present. Put your phone down. Smile. Laugh. Love. Let go of your worries. Experience all of the incredible things the world has to offer. The best memories are made from the moments that we least expect them so go out there and live. <3

We Are Thriving

We. Are. THRIVING.

Those of you who see me on a regular basis can probably attest to the fact that I say some variation of this phrase at least 500 times per day:

I am thriving. You are thriving. He/She/It is thriving. We are thriving. You all are thriving. They are thriving. ~wow, that's a lot of thriving~

I mean, if you were given a dollar for every time I said this, you could probably pay off the national debt (did anyone suggest this solution to Congress yet?) or at least get a really nice car.

But it's true; I really do say "thriving" a lot, and while to some it might seem silly, trivial, or even annoying (sorry friends), over these past few months, this word has become an important part of my vocabulary, and this phrase has become an important mantra for my life.

Because, as trivial at it may seem, this phrase has the power to combat negativity, promote positivity, and encourage living the best life possible.

Now you may be asking yourself, but what does it even mean to thrive? What does thriving have to do with positivity? How do I thrive?

It all starts with mindset.

Every time I think or want to say something negative, or when something doesn't go my way, rather than complaining about it, I can quickly reframe my mindset and say to myself: "It's okay. I am still thriving."

Or in other words, "Yes, this thing did not go the way that I had planned, but this will not keep me from living my best life."

Because it's true!

We all, in our lives, have the potential to be great and do great things, and we are filled with the potential to be extraordinary. Just because things don't always go our way does not mean that we suddenly lose our potential to be great. Just because we mess up does not mean our life is a mess.

Think big picture.

Many times we associate thriving solely with success, and we measure this success based physical accomplishments. However, thriving involves more than just the tangible results and outcomes.

Thriving actually begins with growth, and growth begins with failure.

At its core, to thrive means to flourish and grow abundantly, and in order to grow, we have to be willing to put ourselves out there, strive for excellence, and accept the possibility of failure.

Yes you read that right: in order to thrive, we must accept failure.

As a perfectionist, this is something that is tough to hear. I completely understand how hard it is to come to terms with the potential of failure in our lives, and I still struggle with this.

However, I have learned that, unfortunately, not everything in your life is going to go as you have planned, and that is actually okay.

With failure and challenges comes growth and with growth comes the ability to evolve into the best version of yourself. So rather than letting the little things add up and weigh you down, focusing in on the bigger picture will allow you to continually push yourself towards this better you.

By changing your mindset, you have the power to change your life. By seeing yourself as thriving, you become just that.

So here's the exciting thing: no matter who you are or where you come from, you have the power to thrive.

What it means to thrive is much more than just being on top of the world. It's about growth. It's about pushing yourself towards becoming a better person daily, even in the smallest of ways. It's about putting things into perspective. It's about knowing that you are doing the best that you can in that moment.

So go out there and thrive!

And yes, every single day I will continually remind both you and myself that, no matter what, we are thriving.

Taking Control of Your Life

Like most of us ~probably~ would agree, life is pretty crazy.

It really is a roller-coaster ride filled with ups and downs: there are exciting, adrenaline-filled high points, terrifying twists and turns, some pretty deep drops, and sometimes it makes you throw up (sorry for that image).

But seriously guys! Life really is crazy.

All throughout our lives we experience the amazing and wonderful moments that life has to offer: love, connections with family and friends, the making of memories, laughter, goats, pillows and blankets, the release of Kendrick Lamar’s new album.

But at the same time, we all have our struggles. We all face hardships and have to fight our own difficult battles, because sometimes life is really, really hard.

These past few years, were especially tough for me. I did have some really high moments where I felt like I was on top of the world, but I also had some really low moments that completely broke me. These lows hit me hard, and sometimes it felt like every time I got back on my feet, I would just get knocked back down again.

In this crazy whirlwind, I felt stuck. I never could quite find my rhythm or my happy. I felt like I was stuck in the middle of my life as it went on around me, and I was just trying to get by. I felt like I was trapped in the roller-coaster ride of life instead of enjoying it.

So one day I decided I was MOTION-SICK.

I decided I was tried of feeling like I was just going through the motions of letting life happen to me, and I was tired of feeling like life was living me instead of the other way around.

So, I decided to do something about it.

When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day 2018, I said to myself: TWENTY-EIGHTEEN WILL BE MY YEAR.

*cue loud cheering, noise-makers, fireworks, and confetti*

In that singular moment, I completely transformed my life. I made the conscious decision to reclaim my life as my own, deciding that I was going to stop letting my life control me and take control of my life.

Now you’re probably asking yourself: does it really work like that? I mean realllly?

And the simplest answer I can give is yes.

Because life is what you make of it.

While ~technically~ anyone can make any claim that they want to (I mean fake news, am I right?), the intent behind the words are what give them the power. In this case, the meaning behind my words gave me the power to take control of my life.

For me, these words were more than just an empty New Year’s Resolution that I would give up on within the first week (sorry fitness goals). These words symbolized an empowering moment in which I was going to transform my life.

Now, just over one month into the year, I am the happiest I have been in a long time.

Why? Because I simply changed my attitude.

I entered the new year with a newfound sense of confidence, determination, and internal drive to make my life the best it could possibly be. So now, I see myself as thriving, instead of just surviving. I came into 2018 with the mindset that this year was going to be great, and so far, it has been just that.

If you change your mindset, you have the power to change your life.

Let me say that again: If you change your mindset, you will change your life.

You and only you have the power to make your life what you want to make it. And that is incredible.

I know some of you may be thinking: but how am I supposed to take control of my life when there are so many external obstacles keeping me from where I want to be?

By controlling what you can control.

I cannot stress the importance of controlling what you can control enough. There are certain things in your life such as your attitude and determination that you and only you can control. So while you may not be able to control your circumstances, you can control how you let them impact you.

How cool is that?!

You have the power to take control of your life and make it what you want it to be!

Some of you may be feeling like I did just a few weeks ago: stuck in the middle of your crazy life as it goes on around you. So by changing your mindset and focusing on the things you can control, you really can change your life. 

So I hope, maybe, just maybe, I inspired you enough to look for this power within and transform your life into the best version it can be. While life really is crazy, it's also incredible and we can all make this year our year :)