Be Aware...

What kind of person are you? We've all been asked this question at some point in our lives. Most of us tend to say one of two things... What we think people want to hear or what we want people to believe. I've learned that rarely do people actually answer that question honestly. Not because they want to lie, but more because, most of us don't really know who we are. And if we aren't aware of ourselves, how on Earth can we be aware of those in our everyday life.

I'm sure most of us can attest to thinking we know someone and end up having a situation turn-up, which changed our entire perspective of that person. Most of these situation usually revolve around relationships or money, never the less, that isn't what I want, you, to focus on. Let's just stick with the notion of being aware.
When I say be aware, I'm simply stating that one should be more in tune to the tendencies and subtle natures of those around us. Because, more often than not, it's the one's closest to us that hurt us the most. ]
That's partly due to folks putting such high regard in those individuals. Then factor in that those closest to us are in the best position to know our strengths, weaknesses, wants and fears. And last but probably the most important... we are a naive race. We almost always throw away the notion that those we love, wouldn't dare dream of hurting us. And it's thinking like that, which tends to cause folks a lot of unnecessary heart breaks.
You have to make judgement calls and learn to question things, that those you care for do and say. The way you feel about them, may not be a mutual feeling. They might not hold the some moral values that you do.
So if it means that you hurt someones feeling by asking them why they said something or why they did something. Then so be. To many folks take what others say at face value... when everything in their mind suggest that they do the opposite. So, do be aware of those around you. They might not be who you think they are.

Follow Your Heart

Most of us, at some point in our lives, have heard or been told to "follow your heart". Rarely, if ever, do the folks take the time to explain why. Needless to say, advise without a defined cause, isn't really advise. Just meaningless suggestions. Now this isn't to suggest that the phrase "follow your heart" isn't a good piece of advise... because it really is. I simply would like it if people explained why a person should, indeed, follow their heart.
Now for those that don't understand the term or have never heard it. It's basically a coined phrase that people imply when they want people to follow their deepest desired and wants in life... we all know, you can't "really" follow your heart... like, duh!!!
To me, it's simple why we would should follow our heart and chase our dreams. They are forms of happiness. And I don't know anyone that doesn't want to be happy. It just wouldn't be logical.

But following your heart doesn't mean you do what ever you want... now let that settle before you proceed.

Often what we want or desire isn't in our best interest, whether it be mentally or physically. See, the HEART pumps life through the body. It's sustains our every being. So if would be idiotic to think that following our heart would lead us to pain and hardships. Basically, following your heart should always lead you to something positive. You need only read the signs correctly... this is where understanding your situations come into play. People think that following your heart means you close your eyes and just make a decision. It's actually the opposite.

Following your heart means...
1. You take into account as many outcomes that are possible from a situation... you know, good ol', cause and effect!

2. You ask yourself, what you are willing to accept from a situation and what you aren't.

3. You think about, how would your decision effect the people you love whole-heartily... you can't be following your heart if you're gonna leave behind the folks you love. Now that isn't to suggest that the people you love will like or agree with your choices. It simply means you took into consideration how they would feel. But ultimately... it's your life. 

4. You never have any regret, you make your decision and you live with it. There's no need to reflect on decision of the heart. They are without falseness. They can't be corrected. They are what was needed for you, to grow into who you are... take pride in those choices.  

Following your heart won't always have the outcome that you see in the depths of your mind... no one's smart enough to see how the world around us will play out, exactly. It'll also have those you care for most, frown upon you at times... some will even walk out your life altogether. But when it's all said and done. Following your heart, will lead you to happiness. And at the end of the day, that's all we should ever want... ya dig!!!
Follow your heart, people!!!

Gotta Say Bye

We all know someone, if not ourselves, that tends to hold on to emotions, grudges, people and etc far longer than they should. Growing up, I was like that and for the longest time, I couldn't understand why. But as I grew as a person and gained confidence of where I stood in the world. I learned, I felt a lot better about myself and the situations that made me who I was(am) the quicker I addressed them. Basically... I simply learned to say bye. I had to if I wanted to be happy. I said bye to things and people that made me feel good and those that made me fell bad. I said bye to situations of stress. Bye to people to the and things that tried to tear me down, instead of building me up.

Well some would ask, how did I do this. Did I go to some form of counseling? Did I learn from someone Else's mistakes? Did I hear a voice from some higher calling? No... No... and No.
I simply made a conscious decision that I wanted to be happy. Simple as that. I said to myself:

"You deserve better than what you're allowing to happen".

And it wasn't anything special about me that allowed me to say and then do what was needed. We all have that inner strength and determination. It's just some of us ignore it and others embrace it for what it is, man's greatest gift, the gift of determination. You gotta be willing to accept that you can't allow yourself to be unhappy just to keep face with other people... it's not what you were created for. We are creatures of habits. The more you do something, the more you actually believe it's what is suppose to be.
You have to brake the cycle if it is bettering your life... you just gotta say bye.
Don't be afraid of who you will hurt, what you will lose and how you will be after it. Point blank, if it isn't working out, there's no sense at holding on to it. Things and people seldom change... that's the reason we have so many options of what can be in this vast world of ours.

Look, the possibilities of what our lives can be, is all the reason one needs to not hold on to things that don't help us push forward in a positive manner of life. We all may not be meant for greatness... but we all are deserving of joy and happiness. So I beg you, say good bye to what hurts you, derails you, burdens you... it isn't worth a lifetime of misery. Pack what you must pack, ask what you must know, kiss what you must kiss and love what you deem deserving... but when you're done, remember, gotta say bye!!!

Enjoy Your Journey

Everyone knows that we only get one crack at life. Yet so many of us reveal in the possibilities of could have been, instead of enjoying what was. In my 30 years of living, I to have had my struggles with such a notion... who amongst us hasn't? But I learned early on in life that people who chose to enjoy what their life is, tend to be a whole lot happier than those that don't.

This isn't to suggest that we accept failures or that we give up on things we find as difficult. It's more of understanding the fact that we don't control the things in our everyday life, 100%.

Sure we all have some say on what is and isn't but regardless of your powers of persuasion and whatever talents, knowledge, and influence you may have about your environment... sometimes, things just don't go according to how we would want them. This isn't a planet inhabited by just ONE individual... I don't care how big a ego a person has. Life just doesn't work that way.

As an individual, you have to take stock that all that truly matters is how you feel about whatever decision you've made in life. Sure it's nice or the morally correct thing to take in the considerations of how your fellow man is affected by your daily decisions. However, never should it reach the point where you fell as though you want to tear your hair out over.

Now that doesn't mean that we should all go out and do what we want to do. I'm basically saying, do whats best for you.

Most people say that life is short but I beg to differ. On the contrary, life can be long, especially when we make foolish decisions that put us in dire or stressful positions. For example, if you have a job that requires you to be to work at 7am, you're not going to the club because you've had a long day and simply want to relieve some stress. Why would you do that... it isn't a logical thought. You're simply gonna be a individual lacking rest, which may hamper your performance, which may cause your superior to reprimand you... thus starting the whole cycle over again. Basically, you don't take one step forward just to take two steps backwards. As a person, you have to be able to enjoy yourself without outside assistance. Learn how to love being you in all it's innocence.

Just remember that everything has an end. Life, love, pain, sorrow, joy, stressfulness, bliss and so and so... it all has a end point. Only thing you need to be aware of, is, simply enjoying your journey. Take everything as it is and be cautious as to not making things out to be more than they really are. Until next time... smile... it really could be worse than it is!!!