Category Archives: Advice
Self-Reflection Sundays
Life. Goals. Ambitions.
I think we all like to think of ourselves as independent go-getters, and most of the time we are. But we are human and that means sometimes we may need a little push to get us going. Well, I found my “push” and the reason for writing this post is to share it with you.
My “push” is a journal, but this is no ordinary journal. It’s a “Get Off Your Ass” Journal to Help You Change Your Life, Achieve Your Goals, and Rock Your World!, or so it says on the cover. Yes my friends, I’m talking about Skinny Bitchin’ by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. Also the authors of Skinny Bitch (which is an eye-opener in terms of diet and health choices), these two are the fiercest power authors I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. They’ve had their worlds rocked and decided to use their experiences to make a difference in the lives of others.
Each page in Skinny Bitchin’ has a new, thought-provoking, and usually hilarious prompt. From prompts like “Just for today, try not to care about how you look. Wear whatever you want, don’t obsess about your hair, and detach your sense of self from you appearance” to “Often in life, we don’t get what we want because we aren’t clear on what it is we actually want. Get clear here and now. The universe will respond”, this journal covers everything from head-to-toe.
Writing in this journal daily has really opened me up to, well, me. I’m learning more about myself everyday, including things I didn’t already know and things I’ve somehow forgotten. I feel like I’ve gotten back on track because I’ve been forced to think in different ways, from different perspectives, with different emotions and prerogatives in mind. So if you’re in need of a little kick in the rear, I encourage you to give this journal try. Who knows? It just might make that little difference you’ve been searching for.
Fitness Fridays
Fitness Fridays. This segment is quickly becoming my favorite to write about. I look forward to it every week. As mentioned in my previous posts (here and here), I’ve quickly turned into quite the fitness fanatic. What’s wonderful is that in the beginning it was all about losing a couple of pounds and toning up. I thought I could easily spare 5lbs, so I did. What I didn’t realize is how quickly this decision would turn into a dedicated, long-term commitment. It wasn’t something I expected, but I now fully understand the difference between a diet and a true lifestyle change.
A diet is a short-term fix; people go on diets to lose a little weight for special occasions or just because, with the hope that they’ll keep the weight off. The problem is that once they lose the weight, they fall right back into their old habits which causes them to gain it all back. The diet starts up again and the pattern ensues. It’s a vicious circle. A true lifestyle change, however, differs entirely. When you consciously make the decision to eat better and exercise more, there’s no need to be so stuck on “I need to lose 10lbs” or “I need to flatten my stomach” because you’ve simply made the decision to live better. When you exercise and eat right, the weight will fall off and your muscles will tone up, but you won’t necessarily be focused on these specific things. You’ll be focused on the fact that you’re living better - eating better, feeling better, and doing better not only where your health is concerned, but in all aspects of life. It’s a beautiful thing and I encourage you to put your body to the test. Your body is capable of so many amazing things and the realization of your own strength, determination, and endurance is an indescribable feeling.
After the BodyRock post came out a couple of days ago, my email and facebook inbox have been flooded with questions, so I thought I’d compile an advisory column answering those that are frequently asked. The two questions I’ve been asked most are, “How do you stay motivated and what drives you to continue working out?” and “How do you fight cravings and continue a healthy meal regimen?” I hope this helps:
Fitness Advice From Me, Kristen Leigh
1. Start slow. Work out 3 to 4 times a week for 30-60 minutes. Once those endorphins start flowing, you’ll feel great and will want to keep feeling that way. About 3-4 weeks in, you’ll feel a need or a desire to work out often. And when you skip a day or two, you’ll start to feel the negative side effects. That right there should be enough to get you back into your fitness regimen. At least, that’s what does it for me.
2. Resist urges by packing healthy snacks in your purse/bag/car at all times. Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy foods. If you don’t have “bad” food in your house, then you won’t eat “bad” food. Cut out soda, coffee, and anything sugary. Drink more than 8 glasses of water a day and stick to natural drinks like green tea (Arizona Brand Diet Green Tea is my favorite!) Eat lean protein (chicken and fish), salads, and lots of veggies. Invest the time to find and try out new, healthy recipes.
3. If urges tend to hit while you’re driving around and see a fast food restaurant, try to avoid streets where there are multiple restaurants. I actually changed my route to and from work so that I wouldn’t pass any fast food restaurants. Out of sight, out of mind.
4. Make fitness a priority, just like work, laundry, or cleaning. Find time to fit it into your daily schedule and realize that the more you work out, the more energy you’ll have, which makes all of your other priorities easier to complete. More energy = not tired = easier to get other things done.
5. Find a fitness buddy. I don’t have one, but my mom and sister downloaded the LoseIt! App which is what I currently use to track calories and exercise. We added each other on the app so we’ll comment on each others’ workouts and updates. It’s easy to stay motivated when you know someone’s watching you.
6. Make a Pinterest “Fit-spiration” board. Pin photos or quotes that inspire or motivate you to get fit and stay healthy. Download the app on your phone and whenever you don’t feel like working out, browse the pictures on your board. Works like a charm!
7. If you dread running on the treadmill or being on the elliptical, try other forms of exercise such as biking, yoga, Wii Fit, Just Dance, Zumba, BodyRock, or other fitness-related Youtube videos. These are all ways to burn a lot of calories and they’re fun too! And ladies, don’t be afraid to lift weights- heavy ones at that! You won’t become big and bulky, just toned, muscular, and lean. I promise.
8. Most importantly, realize that your decision to be fit and healthy is not a diet or a short-term plan. It’s a lifestyle change. It’s okay to indulge every once in a while, but staying healthy is all about moderation. Too much of one thing usually isn’t good. Find a balance that works for you and stick to it.
What’s currently working for me: Think of exactly why you’ve decided to get fit and stay healthy. Write your reason with an erasable marker in the corner of your bathroom mirror. This motivates me every morning, and also every evening. Mine is, “Yesterday you said tomorrow.” Constant reminders of why you started will help to keep you going. If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up 
And by all means, if you have questions, want to try out some new recipes, need some new workout routines, or simply need a boost, don’t hesitate to contact me. Email me, send a DM via Twitter, or send a Facebook message. I’m always happy to lend a helping hand because I love seeing people make the choice to live better.
After all, the first step to living a wonderful life is making the decision to start.
Fitness Fridays
Today concludes fifteen consecutive days of healthy eating and working out at least once (but mostly twice) a day. I’m not looking to be rail-thin, model-esque, or Olympian-strong. I’m looking to be fit. Plain and simple.
I thought I’d post a “day in the life” of… well, me. I work 8+ hours every weekday and sometimes take work home on the weekends, but I’ve still managed to prioritize my time so that my health and fitness come first. When you’re healthy, it’s a lot easier to be happy and I’ve noticed how much better I’m performing at work, within my social life, and my mood overall. Within this 2 weeks, I’m 5.6lbs down. To me though, it’s not the number that matters. It’s how I feel when I put on my clothes and realize that they’re no longer snug. It’s how I feel when my muscles are sore each and every day and the realization that they’re growing, only to improve my strength in the long run. It’s how I feel when I shed my clothes before a nice, long shower – that girl in the mirror is fit and toned. It’s who I’ve always wanted to be.
Now that I have it, I won’t let it go. That I can promise you.
A Day in the Life of Kristen Leigh
Work-Out Plan
4:30AM
20 minutes on the elliptical
20 minutes of weights (3 reps of 15 on each machine in the photo below)
100 sit-ups
1-2 minutes plank
6:00PM
45-60 minutes on the elliptical
30 minutes weights (3 reps of 15 on each machine in the photo below)
200 sit-ups
1-2 minutes plank
3 sets of 15 lunges with 5lb weight in each hand
It’s important to alternate between legs and arms each day in order to allow your muscles to rest and grow, but cardio should be done everyday! If the weights feel too light, boost ‘em and lift heavier amounts. Give yourself at least one day off each week, but don’t slack off by eating a bunch of fried junk food. Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely treat yourself. But I’ve come to learn it’s all about moderation. I’ve been able to tone up and lose those pounds the past two weeks while treating myself to a cupcake, a cheeseburger and fries, and a big bowl of popcorn. The key is to have just enough and not too much. Again, moderation. The sooner you learn that, the easier this will be.
Meal Plan
Breakfast
Prepackaged Jamba Smoothie and a sliced apple
OR Silk’s Fruit Protein drink (8oz) and a sliced apple
(I’m not a big breakfast person)
Lunch
I normally eat a grilled chicken salad, either house or Greek. I avoid croutons and fatty dressings. I try to stick to balsamic vinaigrette or low fat organic Italian.
OR I’ll have a grilled chicken breast that I cooked the night before with sautéed onions, red peppers, and other veggies.
Dinner
I will either grill a chicken breast, shrimp or fish. I love broccoli so I steam a large bowl of that as well as asparagus, onions, and red peppers. I’ll also have a cup of brown rice with low sodium soy sauce drizzled on top.
Snacks
Throughout the day, I’ll have about 3-5 snacks. I always have an apple and a banana, as well as flavored Greek yogurt. Sometimes I’ll bring carrot slices with nonfat ranch, almonds, and sliced celery with nonfat peanut butter.
I’m always looking for new healthy recipes because a meal plan like this can be a little bland from time to time. My recipe book has grown over the past two weeks and I must say, it’s nice craving fruits & veggies instead of sweets and treats. To keep track of everything, I use the Lose It! App. You can track your daily food intake, as well as your workouts. If your goal is to lose weight, you can set up a caloric limit and work towards that goal through diet and exercise.
The hardest part is starting. Really, it is.
The first 3-4 days will be tough. Super tough. But in a week in a half, you’ll start to notice those tiny changes that will begin to make all the difference, like your clothes hanging looser or the feeling of having more energy. Those tiny changes start to turn into noticeably larger ones, and that, my friends, is what will keep you going. At least that’s what does it… for me.
Good luck! Get fit!
(To follow my journey, feel free to follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Usernames for both are kristen_leighh)
Five Tips for Standing Out in Your First Job
Adapted from Monster, Alexandra Levit hits some key points. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Hopefully, this isn’t news to recent college graduates, but the workplace is more competitive than ever. If you have a job already, congratulations — you’ve made it over the first hurdle. Now it’s time to make sure you can stay put through this economic crisis and beyond.
Here are five essential tips gleaned from working with HR staff, managers and twenty-something employees in hundreds of organizations.
1. Be the One Everyone Wants to Work With
Members of Generation Y, or those born roughly between 1978 and 1993, unfortunately, have a reputation of showing up to work with a sense of entitlement. Combat this perception by showing that you’re willing to pay your dues and learn from any assignment, owning your career progression and being a “can-do” person. If you encounter roadblocks, marshal your resources to get around them rather than letting a project languish.
2. Surpass Your Boss’s Expectations
Find out what the boss wants from you first, and then brainstorm ways to go above and beyond the call of duty. You can also establish a good rapport by making your new boss feel needed. Show that you are ready and willing to be guided, and bond over the fact that he has some years on you. Understand the value of self-sufficiency, and approach your boss with a problem or complaint only if you’ve explored all options for resolving it yourself.
3. Carve a Niche for Yourself Through Innovation
Ask yourself what your company or department needs, and think about how you can use your unique set of skills and talents to provide it. So what if you’re hardly a Renaissance man or woman? You’re still new blood. Can you offer a fresh perspective on a vexing problem that has been plaguing your managers for months? Can you find a way to do something faster and more efficiently?
4. Take the Extra Step to Help Someone
Beach-ball management, or bouncing a request over to a colleague because it’s not your responsibility to handle it, is all too common in the professional world. If someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, make it your business to find it. By doing whatever you can to ensure your department or organization is perceived in a positive light, you will add value and stand out as a team player.
5. Subtly Promote Your Achievements
If you want people to take notice of you, you must make your accomplishments visible. How do you share your contributions without being perceived as arrogant or boastful? The key is enthusiasm. If you emphasize your passion when describing an achievement, people will think you’re just excited about it. An excited person appears earnest, and it’s hard to be critical of someone who’s earnest.
Of course, these suggestions aren’t limited to new college grads. If you’ve been out of school two years or 20, the tips might well be worthwhile in hanging onto your job through the downturn.
{Alexandra Levit, a nationally recognized business and workplace expert, is the author of the They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World.}
The Invisible Invasion on Your Desk
Is your workspace really clean? Office workers are becoming hip to the fact that their workspaces are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, but depending on what city you live in and what kind of office you work in, the level of contamination can vary widely.
In the past five years Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, has done four Clorox-sponsored studies over five years that looked at office environments, and found that the germiest desks were in the Big Apple.
Regional Differences
“There were a lot more bacteria in offices in New York,” Gerba said, suggesting that bigger cities with larger, multistory office buildings and colder climates kept people at their desks for lunch and breaks, which meant more chances for people to spread germs.
In comparison cities with lower densities, warmer climates and more opportunity for workers to leave their offices during the day had fewer microbes, Gerba said.
“Cities like Tucson, San Francisco and Los Angeles had much cleaner offices,” he said.
Handle With Care
Shared workspaces, like media newsrooms with staffs on different shifts, are also likely to be much more bacteria-laden than other offices.
To cut back on bacteria, office workers should focus on three areas to keep clean: their desktops, phones and computers. Besides washing their hands frequently, workers should invest in disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers, since custodial staff rarely clean desktops or office equipment.
Gender Inequality
“Most people don’t usually clean their desk until they start sticking to it,” he explained, adding that men and women tend to contaminate different things.
Gerba found that men, for example, are more likely to have personal digital assistants, like BlackBerrys, that are highly contaminated.
When it comes to invisible microbes on the desktop, many women’s desks have a higher incidence of contamination. The research showed that women often have more perishable food at their desks, while men tend to go with candy bars or other packaged foods for their in-cubicle snack. Apples, oranges and bananas can leave mold behind. Another item women had at their desks that can be a breeding ground for bacteria are makeup kits, according to Gerba’s studies.
Cleaning Your Equipment
Shaking the crumbs out of a keyboard or employing a canister of compressed air to get rid of dust may help extend the life of office equipment, but to really clean use products that kill germs. Taking a dry paper towel to your desk is not only ineffective, but it may also make things worse, Gerba said.
“It moves germs all around instead of disinfecting,” he said.
Most office equipment should not be sprayed with cleaners, but wetting a tissue or paper towel with a gentle disinfectant can allow for adequate cleanup.
Take the Stairs?
While many office clean freaks will go to great lengths to avoid touching the knob on the bathroom door, Gerba’s studies found that knobs and light switches were “pretty clean.”
But one of the dirtiest spots in office buildings was a fairly innocuous site — the elevator’s first floor button.
“I always knuckle that one,” Gerba said.
{Source}
Job Search Blues? Keep Those Spirits Up
If you’re having a difficult time finding a job, and it seems like it’s taking forever, don’t despair. We’ve all been there. The uncertainty of what lies ahead. The fear of never finding a job or plopping into the wrong one. The anxiety and stress from interviews-gone-wrong. Take a breath. Relax. You have something the rest of us don’t – spare time. So smile!
Here are some suggestions for keeping your spirit positive.
Think Up
The mind is a powerful vessel. How we think and what we think can control our spirits. We literally can think ourselves up or down. To keep out the negative thoughts and self-doubt:
- Wake up thinking or saying positive statements.
- Avoid negative media, news, emails, and downer movies and television.
- End the day thinking or saying positive statements.
- Think about the positives a new job brings: new skills, new relationships, and a new chance to show your skills and talents.
Positive Reminders
Surround yourself with quotes or statements of hope and encouragement. Write your favorites on sticky notes on the refrigerator or computer — somewhere you can easily see them. Two favorites from Winston Churchill:
- “The pessimist sees problems in every opportunity…whereas the optimist sees opportunity in every problem.”
- “Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up…”
Take Steps
Literally. Move. Being a couch potato shows. Leave the house at least once a day. Exercise, jogging or walking will:
- Re-energize you.
- Help to clear the mental cobwebs.
- Prepare you to look your best for interviews.
Pamper Yourself with Kind Acts
How you treat yourself can impact your spirit.
- Play your favorite music softly in the background while you “work.”
- Eat healthy without hugging the refrigerator. Now is not the time to bulk up.
- Sing — regardless of quality. Singing happy songs will actually will help to stretch and relax your vocal chords while refreshing your spirit.
- Avoid being sloppy. Dress and groom yourself with respect — for you.
- Treat yourself with affordable goodies such as a favorite food or beverage, an afternoon movie with popcorn, doing something touristy, or a mindless novel.
See Spirited People
Make sure you spend some time, preferably in person, with positive and supportive people every day.
- Surround yourself with yea-sayers and avoid the naysayers.
- Work your network.
- Call people rather than email or texting them — it’s more personal and supportive.
- If you’re single and live alone, go to the library or a coffee shop to be around others.
- Help others in need. Get out of yourself from time to time.
- Spend quality time with your family and friends.
Keep at the Top of Your Game
Keeping your spirit up has a lot to do with how you feel about yourself. Don’t let your skill set and knowledge slide.
- Keep up on industry news.
- Read trade journals and business magazines and newspapers.
- If possible, practice to improve your career skill set.
Now’s the Time
Enjoy the positives of your job search, like having spare time. Remember all those times you said, “If I only had time, I’d…”
- Read those books.
- Clean that closet.
- Take that class.
- Get in better shape.
Do Your Best Work to Find Work
Knowing you’re taking all the right steps to find a job will help improve your spirits.
- Write a perfect resume and cover letter for each job.
- Send X amount of resumes out each workday without fail.
- Keep up-to-date records of results.
- Keep accurate contact information on companies, executives and hiring agents.
- Have your interview clothes clean and ready to wear.
- Work at finding work every day.
Article by Pat Mayfield via Monster
The Big Question: Your Future
While I post about many other topics, I still haven’t forgotten the purpose of this blog. The purpose of this blog is to give advice in regards to career paths, the economy, and proposed steps forward. I realize that I have been a working professional for only two years. But in those two years, I’ve worked for two very diverse, large-scale companies and have held a total of four positions. Some may think I’m “not qualified” to give advice, or maybe that this blog shouldn’t exist at all. Maybe they’re right. But I feel that I’ve made tremendous strides as a young working professional, and my hope is that I can share my experiences and what I’ve learned thus far so you can avoid making those mistakes. That is why I’m here.
Let’s start from the beginning. Let’s say you’re approaching college graduation. By this time, most people would recommend that you should have “at least two internships under your belt” and that you “should have been applying for jobs all year long as a senior”. Yes, this is sound advice. Is it absolutely necessary? No. At least in my opinion it’s not.
To be perfectly honest with you, I wasn’t thinking about my future that much when I was in college. Sure, I was working towards a degree and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, just like everyone else. But I realized early on that I wanted to truly enjoy college. I did not have any internships. I did not have a part-time job. I spent one summer with friends and my new boyfriend, the second summer at weddings, the third summer in Europe on a study abroad trip, which leaves us with the fourth summer- the summer after graduation. THAT’S when I started applying for jobs. Personally, this was the best decision I’ve ever made. I knew that I would be working for the rest of my life, so why bog down the happiest time of my life with internships and part-time jobs that would turn out to be “less important” in the long run? I chose to live my life in the moment, and I haven’t regretted it since.
Right after I graduated, my roommates and I moved out of the townhouse we’d lived in for two years. I moved back in with my mom and worked a part-time job as a server at a restaurant to make some extra cash. You better believe when I wasn’t working, I was on my computer 24/7 applying for jobs. I would wake up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen, walk upstairs, and start scouring the internet for job listings in my pajamas. I remember my mom saying, “Shouldn’t you be getting dressed and dropping your resume off at places?” This brings me to my next point. There are so many tools available to us now that didn’t even exist five years ago. Yahoo Jobs, CareerBuilder, Monster, Indeed, Simply Hired, LinkedIn- the world we live in now is a job seeker’s dream world! You can immediately apply for jobs across the world with the click of button. No more snail mail. No more dropping your resume off in person. Live in a small town and want to get out? Always dreamed of living in a different country? You can! The internet is your oyster.
I mainly used Indeed when applying for jobs. This is because Indeed takes all of the job listings out there, from CareerBuilder, Monster, Yahoo, Simply Hired etc, and compiles them all into one website. Indeed and LinkedIn are the two I would recommend most. My dad has always said to me, “Getting the interview is the hardest part.” Boy, was he right. So before shooting off your resume into cyberspace, make sure it’s up-to-date and that you have an outstanding cover letter (more advice on that here). The downfall of applying for jobs on the internet is that after awhile, all of these resumes and cover letters begin to look the same to employers. Make yours stand out in a unique way without going over the top. It should look professional, neat, organized, and should be no longer than a page if you’re just starting out.
I submitted about 10-15 resumes online per day. If I was feeling really ambitious, sometimes I’d get to 20-25. I didn’t stick to just one industry-I applied to multiple ones. All I wanted was to get my foot in the door; I didn’t really care what industry the job was posted in. I knew I just needed to get some experience under my belt. My dream industry will find its way to me… eventually.
I applied for jobs, in all different industries, all sorts of positions, 10-15 per day, for a month and a half. I only got called for 3 or 4 interviews. One of those interviews turned out to be my lucky charm.
Don’t give up. Be persistent. If there’s a job out there that you really want and is realistically attainable, use LinkedIn to network. Communicate with others. Build your network. Ask for help. But most importantly, know in your heart that things will work out for you. Everyone’s timeframe is different, so don’t get discouraged. And by all means, if you want advice or need help, email me.
Seriously. You can pick my brain.
What Love Shouldn’t Feel Like
A truly captivating article. Read on.
Love shouldn’t feel circumstantial. It shouldn’t feel as if I love you more than you love me or vice versa. There shouldn’t be conditions, levels or lesser degrees of love. If there are then whatever you’re feeling is something else. Maybe lust, maybe like, maybe comfort – but certainly not love. The effort shouldn’t be one-sided; all of the little things can’t come from one contributor; and if you hurt, your companion should as well.
Love shouldn’t make someone feel like a bother. We shouldn’t be able to empathize with a pesky gnat at a picnic, being shooed away. Love shouldn’t be treated like hard labor, and it shouldn’t feel like it either. It shouldn’t make us sad more often than happy, or lead to bad times outweighing the good.
Love shouldn’t consist of waiting around to hear from the person you care infinitely about. That’s the worst. Sitting by your phone, waiting on pins and needles for something – anything from them. The phone might vibrate, but it’s beyond disappointing when it turns out to be a text from somebody else. It aches your heart to know that they’re somewhere out there, completely unfazed by your absence. We can convince ourselves that the subpar phone service failed to deliver our lover’s text, or prevented their call – but we know the chances of that are slim. And sure, we could just contact them, but when you initiate conversations regularly, it’d be nice to have that attention reciprocated. Love shouldn’t feel like being wide-awake until 3am; wishing, hoping, praying for a measly phone call from the one you adore.
Love shouldn’t keep notes on every blunder ever made. When a mistake occurs, retaliation should never be a thought. The pain felt by your companion’s mistake shouldn’t make you want to get even. If you know how much it hurt you, why would you want the one you love to experience that same agony? Those feelings are poisonous. A desire to exact revenge or document every error is a surefire sign that you’re involved in something other than love. Instead you’ve got yourself a contaminated, breakable link that the Grim Reaper of Love is ominously stalking – preparing for its imminent death.
Love shouldn’t feel like uncertainty. It shouldn’t feel like a battle. It shouldn’t feel like a tug of war, with two people trying to make the other “love” them more. Maybe you’ve mistaken your physical infatuation, or crush at a time of vulnerability for love. Those things are flimsy. Those feelings are fragile. The first storm will either demolish those relationships, or leave enough water damage to rust and wither them away.
Love shouldn’t feel hopeless, because it never is. In love, a pair can be down, but never knocked out. Love should make all things possible, even if they aren’t necessarily looking good today. If I love you and you love me, we will prevail – but if we don’t, we won’t. Love shouldn’t feel like we won’t.
{via Christopher Hudspeth, Thought Catalog}
Don’t stumble over something behind you
It’s time to talk about life. Life has lots of hurdles. Lots of bumps in the road. We’ve all come across those roadblocks, ones that may physically be standing in our way or abstract ones that seem truly impossible to pass. Very rarely is life easy, and most people learn this the hard way. Luckily, from every mistake, hardship, and heartache comes a lesson. These, my friends, are called life lessons.
Now, there are two kinds of people in this world (yes, I truly believe this). There are people who make mistakes, never learn from them, and continue to make those same mistakes over and over. Then there are people who make a mistake only once or twice, come to terms with those consequences, and learn to cut that behavior out of their life. I like to believe I am the latter. No one is perfect. We’re human and emotions get the best of us sometimes. Everyone has the capability to feel angry, jealous, irritated, depressed, or envious and these feelings are usually exercised more frequently than others. But the way you act as you are feeling these emotions says a lot about your character; this can make it or break it for most relationships.
Your soul is your character. Your character is your soul. To me, they are one in the same. How you choose to treat those around you whether it’s giving your word and sticking to it or telling a friend the harsh truth say a lot about you as a person. Is it okay to tell someone close to you that they’re making a wrong decision? Sure. As long as you have facts to back your case up, the act of saving someone from a harsh reality is something a good friend would do. If they choose to listen and take your advice, great. If not, then bear in mind that it’s their mistake, not yours. In the end, we all must ask ourselves, “Which kind of person do I want to be?”
You can’t physically stumble over a rock or pothole you’ve already passed down the road, so why stumble over something that has already passed by in life? You shouldn’t because it’s not worth it.
It’s already passed. Gone. Out the window.
So let it go. Let it drift away.
Do this and promise yourself one thing: I won’t look back.
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