“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” ~Ferris Bueller

Many people take life for granted.

So often, we wake up feeling drowsy and think, "I don't want to get out of bed, today is going to be rough."  And, as we're going about our day, we complain, "Today is the worst day, everything that could go wrong is going wrong."  When we come home, we say, "Thank goodness that's over."

I caught myself in this kind of mood today.  Sometimes, we may act and think negatively and not even notice it.  And I know that, whenever I am in a bad mood, I often just want to feel sorry for myself and mope because it is easy (and occasionally oddly satisfying).

However, I think that bad moods, negativity, and moping do not solve anything, and they certainly do not allow us to live our lives to the fullest.

Iconic movie character Ferris Bueller says it best: "Life moves pretty fast.  You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."



There are so many things that we miss when we're set on brooding.  Lousy moods bring our eyes down and hunch our shoulders.  For instance, today was a beautiful day on campus with lightly falling snow gently coating the trees and sidewalks, but I didn't even notice until I snapped out of my sulking.

Photo Courtesy of Penn State

Life does move fast, and many times, we just want it to move faster.  Whether we just want this week to be over so we can be done with our exams, or if we can't wait for spring so that the days are lighter and longer, or even if we are wishing for the whole semester to be over because we are stressed, we should try as best as we can to live in the moment and appreciate life for what it is right now.

Of course we are stressed, tired, and occasionally unmotivated--that is just the nature of being a college student.  It is our choice, though, whether or not we want to act stressed, tired and unmotivated, or if we want to live more positively and always look for the good things in our worst days.

When you have an exam, sit in the coziest lounge with your favorite hot beverage and enjoy being comfortable and at ease.  When you need to write a paper, take five minutes to call a friend you haven't spoken to in a while just to catch up.  When you're late for class, make sure to keep your head up so you can still take in the beautiful scenery as you rush down the sidewalk.

Don't be so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you don't stop to see what's going on every now and again.  The truth is, we don't know how much time we have left on this planet.  It could be a day, or it could be a million, but the only thing that's certain is the present, so make sure to live in it.

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” ~Vernon Sanders Law

Think about the hardest test you ever took--the test with the most red slashes, dashes, and corrections; the test that gave you an awful, sinking feeling in your stomach; the test that made you feel like you might need to drop out or at least move to Canada.

For me, this test was in eleventh grade, in AP Calculus with Mr. Burkhardt (seeing the combination of these two names on a schedule at the beginning of the year meant certain peril).  Mr. Burkhardt was an extremely intelligent man who loved calculus and who loved teaching.  Yet, he was easily the most difficult teacher in the entire school because of his extremely high standards.

His tests were hard.

And I fought those tests with all my might.  I used to go to Mr. Burkhardt at all hours of the day for help, I worked meticulously on the homework, and I watched an immeasurable number of Khan Academy videos.  Yet, a majority of the time, the lessons always came after the test.

The test that sticks out to me had to do with taking the volume of the cross-sections of 3D objects (some application of integrals that has not crossed my mind in a good two and a half years), and I was absolutely terrified to get my grade back

As soon as the paper landed on my desk, I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I took one glance at all the red marks and my less-than-stellar score, and quickly stuffed the exam in my backpack, out of sight.  At that moment, I swore off math completely, gave up, and wallowed in disappointment.

The next day, I took the test to Mr. Burkhardt for one last look-over, and he helped me to understand every last problem better than I could have ever expected.  Although I was frustrated at myself for not solving the problems correctly in the first place, I gained a greater understanding of the concepts on the test by seeing those humbling red slashes and seeking out help.

In the words of Vernon Sanders Law, "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards."

Like Mr. Burkhardt, life gives the lesson after the exam.  In life, we must constantly learn by trial and error.

Sometimes, we have days when we get everything wrong.  Our recollection of these days is riddled with red slashes--we say something hurtful to someone we care about, we forget appointments or responsibilities, or we get a mediocre grade on a test.  Our memories from our entire lives have countless red slashes as well.  The overarching, large, memorable mistakes we've made are the ones that we can learn from the most.  When we make a huge mistake and are angry, embarrassed, or ashamed, our negative memories of the event drive us to improve and avoid making the same mistake again.

That is the wonderful thing about mistakes, missteps, and mishaps: we hardly ever make the same mistake twice.  Even though we may feel irked that life doesn't just give us all the answers right away, it is much better to learn from experience and to take the test by simply living our lives, accepting the red marks, and seeking improvement when things don't go our way.

“There is no such thing as a quantum leap. There is only dogged persistence—and in the end you make it look like a quantum leap.” ~James Dyson

New Year's Day is one of my favorite days of the whole year.  I love to wake up, after a satisfying night spent celebrating with friends and loved ones, with a sense of purpose and a feeling of renewal.  Fresh starts are wonderful, and with the new year comes the promise of new beginnings, greater successes, and endless possibilities.  This time of year, we all write our goals and aspirations meticulously on a sheet of paper and adorn it with the title: New Year's Resolutions.

Photo courtesy of gigi_nyc

New Year's Resolutions--a phrase that has a quasi-magical connotation.  With just one sheet of paper, we can erase all our flaws, fix broken relationships, and accomplish nearly impossible tasks.  This brand of list is incredibly satisfying to write, but terribly difficult to execute.  My list looked something like this:

1. Go the gym every day
2. Practice and piano two hours a day each
3. Have thirty minutes of relaxation time every day
4. Go to bed before midnight on weekdays
5. Never say no to a new opportunity

Of course, some of these are downright unrealistic.  If any normal person took every single opportunity offered to them, there would be no time to eat or sleep (which is even a struggle most days for the average college student).  Also, if I were to accomplish goals 1, 2, and 3, goal 4 would become impossible.  

Most times the goals set under the falling, sparkling confetti at midnight on New Year's Eve are too lofty, too broad, and too idealistic.  

But, don't throw out your resolutions as soon as they fall through (usually about the third day of the new year, for me).  Look at the list you made on this New Year's Eve and pick one resolution that you were particularly excited about or motivated to accomplish, no matter how lofty the goal appears to be.  Then, write out mini checkpoints to help you toward attaining your large goal.  For, in the words of James Dyson, "There is no such thing as a quantum leap.  There is only dogged persistence--and in the end you make it look like a quantum leap." 

The major flaw with many goals, and New Year's Resolutions in particular, is the expectation of quick or immediate results and frustration when we can't clearly see some sort of concrete progress.  This is why so many people struggle with losing weight, getting their dream job, or paying off debt.  Our individual flaws sometimes seem so large to us that we don't know where to start to mend them.  And, when we finally get going on a plan, a method, or a set schedule for achieving a large goal, we become aggravated when our hard work does not yield an immediate payoff.  

These quantum leaps that we want so badly in our lives are only achievable through relentless tenacity and the courage to commit a huge sum of our time and effort to making them a reality.  Everyone else will perceive your achievement as a quantum leap, but you will perceive it with pride as the result of your own blood, sweat, and tears.

So, this week, I encourage you to look back at your list of resolutions and re-start the year, using dogged persistence to get exactly what you want out of 2016.  Happy New Year!

"We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own." ~Ben Sweetland

The other day, I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, stalking my high school friends' new best friends to make sure I was not being replaced, when I came upon a selfie.  Usually, I refuse to "like" or even look too closely at selfies (I usually associate them with narcissism, even though that's usually not the case).  However, the caption on this specific picture caught my eye.

"Be the reason someone smiles today."

Yes, the caption had absolutely nothing to do with the selfie the girl posted and yes, maybe she was fishing for "likes," but this statement truly speaks volumes.

Imagine if everyone made it their goal to make someone else smile every day.  I tried it this week as a social experiment (also because I desperately needed a pick-me-up to get me through this last week before Thanksgiving), and it was an incredible way to live!  It's not like I'm a terrible person normally, but I don't usually wake up every single day thinking, "Okay, today, my goal is to make someone else's day."

This week, I did, and I don't ever want to stop.

I realized that, in order to make others happy, I had to be happy first.  I had been feeling down, but as soon as I made a commitment to make other people happy, I felt instantly better.

Do you know anyone who is always pessimistic or always has something to complain about?  We all do.  And we all feel exhausted and negative when we spend time around them.  Emotions are contagious.  So, when we're around a person who has a good, positive attitude, their energy spreads and we suddenly feel rejuvenated.

Ben Sweetland said, "We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."

Courtesy of Rachel Melton

If we want to make positive contributions to the world or if we want to simply make another person smile, we have to brighten our own torch.  We need to think and live positively in order to have a hope of changing anything.

This is easier said than done.  It is difficult to be positive and wake up each day in a good mood because life often gets in the way.  Everyone always has rough days, but these days are so much easier to get through with a positive mindset.

Back home, my family has a sign hanging right at the bottom of the stairs that says, "Today is going to be a great day."  It is impossible to miss when you walk out of the door in the morning.  I'll admit it--the sign used to annoy me on sometimes.  Some days, I convinced myself that I wanted to be angry or sad or upset, and I stubbornly thought that no sign could change how I felt.  Occasionally, I wanted to let myself have a bad day.

Now, however, I realize the importance of that sign and appreciate it so much more.  It is so true that if you wake up and think, "Today is going to be a great day," then the chances of you having a great day are infinitely better.  Minds are incredible things and simple thoughts have a tremendous impact on the way that we live each day.

Last week, I placed a new addition in my dorm: a sign hanging on my door, bearing the words that I used to (occasionally) despise,  "Today is going to be a great day."

I'm hoping that this sign will help me to brighten my torch so that I can continue on my mission to make at least one person smile every day--and I highly recommend that you do the same.

**Disclaimer:  This sign is 100% foolproof.  Side effects may include laughter, contagious smiling, and a lift in mood.**

"Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway." ~Mary Kay Ash

According to my extensive research, bumblebee flight does not in fact violate the laws of physics, but this was news to me (I have about as much scientific knowledge as a third grader).  Nevertheless, bumblebees have tiny wings and comparatively huge bodies and manage to fly long distances with apparent ease, and I find that to be truly amazing.

Let's disregard science for a moment and pretend that aerodynamically, bumblebees are technically incapable of flight.  This allows us to take Mary Kay Ash's quote for what it is--a fantastic metaphor that can apply to many situations in our lives.

We'll call this the Bumblebee Mentality: "Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway."

The bumblebee is not conscious of its less-than-ideal anatomy for flying.  It just goes on and does what it needs to do to survive and thrive, without worrying that it is not capable of accomplishing its goals (of pollinating flowers and possibly terrorizing small children).

Life is a little bit more complex for us because we know exactly what we shouldn't be able to do.  Humans technically shouldn't be able to live on Mars or cure cancer or end violence and terrorism in the world.  However, there are so many amazing people with the Bumblebee Mentality who are working towards achieving these incredible feats.  They are capable of eliminating thoughts like "this is inconceivable," and "this can never be done."  They pretend to be unaware that some things are nearly impossible and go on to defy the odds, (hopefully) eventually achieving these amazing feats anyway.  

Photo courtesy of Tom Blackwell

Many of us are not working towards curing cancer, per se.  Yet, there are small victories in our own lives that could be won if we embrace the Bumblebee Mentality.  So many times, we shy away from daunting tasks because we don't think we are capable.  The only way to find out whether or not we're capable of something is to try.  After all, the bumblebee doesn't know that it shouldn't technically be able to fly, but it goes on flying each day.

Every NewYear's Eve, I, along with everyone else in the world, make New Year's Resolutions that I never keep.  We have the best intentions of eating healthy, doing one good deed every day, working ahead on homework, and keeping our rooms spotless (these are usually my goals), but something always gets in the way.  I usually pride myself on my self-discipline but for some reason, written goals always end badly for me.  I think this is because writing them down reminds me that I struggle with them and reminds me of my lack of confidence in these areas of my life.

If we just do and don't dream, we will be well on our way to executing the Bumblebee Mentality and will be able to accomplish so much that we never thought possible.  

Theoretically, the college student shouldn't be able to eat, sleep, do homework, socialize, and join service and recreational organizations, but the college student doesn't know so it goes on trying anyway. (A semi-original quote by Yours Truly).

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." ~English Proverb

At this point in the semester, you may be dealing with "Three Projects Due in One Week Virus," "Sleep is for the Weak Plague," or "Fail-phobia."  Expectations are rising, energy levels are falling, and you feel like you're being tossed around as if Penn State Football scored their 31st point and a sea of arms is throwing you up in the air (except, there's no cheering, smiles, or excitement--only a slight sense of queasiness).

This theoretical rough sea, according to an English Proverb, is good for you.  That is often difficult to believe.

Sometimes, when stress overcomes us or threatens to make us weak, we feel that we should just give up.  We may think that to push through a rough time and keep enduring whatever it is that is causing the storm in our lives is pointless and will only cause more turmoil.

However, when our ship starts to rock on rough seas, we must adjust our sails and keep going because that is the only way to escape the storm.  We need to keep looking forward and know that these hard times are just one patch of rough seas in our lives that are ultimately making us more skillful sailors.  Dealing with rough seas makes us well-practiced life experts (that is why calling your grandparents or speaking to wise people every once in a while is helpful--they are well-versed in the troubles you are experiencing and know the best ways to overcome them).

Courtesy of Patrick McDonald

The world today is a frightening
place.  With so much unrest and violence in the most ordinary, unsuspecting places, it is difficult to disregard the turmoil going on in society and live without fear.  But, sailors cannot go into a storm worrying about every possible terrible outcome.  They must put aside their fear and execute the task at hand by navigating through the rough waters.  The circumstances of society today include a great deal of violence, selfishness, and lack of regard for the value of human life.  Unless we are consciously working to enact change, the only thing we can do is to fight negative forces head-on and stand our ground by keeping our personal values close to us.

Imagine what we could accomplish if everyone were able to live without fear in every aspect of our lives.  Without any anxiety or worry about possible impending negative events (no matter how small), we could be able to fully concentrate on all the things that are important to us and lead the most meaningful, impactful lives possible.  We are all capable of this, but oftentimes, worry, anxiety, and the negative circumstances of life hold us back from unleashing our full potential.

Life can certainly be rough.  But without the bumps and waves that accompany each day, we would never learn anything and would never become skilled life captains.  My favorite coach always used to say, "Make a mistake once and it becomes a lesson.  Make a mistake twice and it becomes a choice."  As long as we do not allow our mistakes to become choices, we will be able to continue through whatever life hands to us and come out stronger, becoming truly skillful sailors.

"Life is amazing. And then it's awful....And it's breathtakingly beautiful." ~LR Knost

Last week, I was in a bit of a rut.  It was one of those weeks I felt like nothing I did was good enough and everything that could have possibly went wrong, went wrong.  We all have these weeks (or days, or months, or even years) and when we are living through them, it feels like they'll just stretch on forever.

My mom sent me this quotation at just the right time which really helped me to put everything in perspective (Moms are great, aren't they?):

"Life is amazing.  And then it's awful.  And then it's amazing again.  And in between the amazing and the awful, it's ordinary and mundane and routine.  Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary.  That's just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life.  And it's breathtakingly beautiful."  ~LR Knost

Did you ever think about the fact that our life is basically one really long day with naps of various lengths mixed in?  (Last week was also one of those weeks during which I had a lot of weird, deep thoughts like "Why are we here?", "What is my purpose?", "Would the world be a different place if we were allowed to mix flavors at the creamery?")  All the small events that we live through each day add up to create this large-scale, big picture that, in the end, we define as our life.  It's absolutely insane.

"Life is amazing."  We are so fortunate to be getting a great education at a wonderful school, surrounded by supportive peers and teachers.  We all have people that we love and who love and care for us.  We have so much potential to be whatever we choose to be in the future.  And let' s not forget, we get to experience this glorious fall weather in the most beautiful setting and we have West cookies to cure any of our maladies.

"And then it's awful."  Sometimes, we question the big decisions we make or we feel like we have no direction.  We may lose a loved one.  We could fail or be told that we'll never be successful.  We may feel powerless in our own lives, which is a really scary feeling.

"And in between the amazing and the awful, it's ordinary and mundane and routine."  We wake up, brush our teeth, go to class, do work, study, fall asleep, and repeat the entire cycle again.  Sometimes, we just go through the motions and feel as though we don't have very much to look forward to.

In these situations, it's important to...

"Breathe in the amazing."  Regardless of how the rest of your life is going, when something wonderful happens, soak it in and appreciate the good feelings that you have in that moment.

"Hold on through the awful."  Know that there is always a silver lining, that there is always help when you most need it, and that no matter how bad a time may seem, with positive thinking, it will pass.

"And relax and exhale during the ordinary."  Just enjoy the ride and appreciate the small things in your day that make it special.

And the truth is, "that's just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life."  We all need to recognize that everybody experiences their own hills and valleys.  The only thing we can do is to be aware of our feelings and the feelings of others and help each other to navigate the rough seas in each of our individual lives.

This week, try to reach out to someone who may be having a rough time and encourage them to see all the wonderful things in life that make it so worth living.  As I write this, the breeze is gently blowing, vibrant red leaves are fluttering from the crystal blue sky, and I can't help but to think that, right now, life is good.

"And it's breathtakingly beautiful."

Photo courtesy of PSUpix on flickr.com