Thursday, August 29, 2013

I Dreamed a Dream

Have you ever had a moment when you felt like you were having an outer body experience? It's as if something happened to you, but it almost doesn't seem real. Afterwards, you stop back to think about it and realize that it is real. Do your thoughts drive you crazy? Are you dizzy? I wouldn't be surprised if you were.

Some days, I feel like I have an outer body experience (figuratively speaking, of course). I often find myself wondering how I think of ideas and develop conceptualizations about the world around me. Recently, I thought about managing all of my priorities without having issues. It was an awesome experience. I had a plethora of energy, was consistently organized, and somehow had time to eat ice cream at the end of each day. Isn't interesting how dreams aren't always symbolic of reality? When I woke up, I was exhausted, lethargic, and was almost overwhelmed.

I've heard many times that dreams and outer body experiences are trying to communicate a message to me. Sometimes, I think it's horse rubbish. Then I think about what's currently happening in my life. I recently started working again while managing all of my extra curricular professional responsibilites and family obligations. In my dreams and outer body experience, it was the exact opposite of how I currently feel. Why did I think of the opposing feeling? Was my mind trying to communicate something else to me?

When I dreamed my dream, it was amazing. I felt like I was on top of the world. Right now, I am trying to manage the intricite details of my day-to-day life. I am not sure what my outer body experience was trying to communicate, but I could speculate what it may be. It may have told me that I need to take some time for myself and relax. What if my body told me that everything will be okay and I just need to readjust to my new schedule?

I will never fully understand what my outer body experience meant, but I do know that it was trying to communicate a message to me. Each time I listen to what my body says, I get the results I seek. What does an outer body experience have to do with becoming a confident, self-sufficient person? The answer is simple: everything! People who are confident have learned to trust themselves. They know to listen to their thoughts when they happen (aka gut instinct). When you trust in yourself, your dreams,and  outer body experiences, you will make decisions that will impact the rest of your life.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Be Better Than Average

When you look around, who do you see? When I say the word surrounding, I don't mean your current  surroundings. I am referring to the surroundings of your life. Who surrounds you? Do your surroundings consists of positive, uplifting people who encourage and support everything you do? Are the people in your life sad and want to bring you down to their level? Are you surrounded by people who thrive to live a life full of mediocrity? Who surrounds you?

Growing up, I wasn't surrounded by the best people I could be. I had a loving mother who would do anything she could for me. I couldn't ask for a better mom. With the exception of her and a couple family members, the majority of people in my life did not support me. This includes, but are not limited to teachers, counselors, mentors, family members, friends, peers, students, coworkers, bosses, and romantic dating partners.

Many people from my past tried to keep me from achieving the things I wanted to. These people thought the best way to live life was to settle for average. It was okay to perform at the level everyone else did. Being an over-achiever was looked down upon. When I consistently perform well, it has been seen as me being too competitive. Most people thought that I should lower my expectations. In my heart, I knew this was wrong. I've always been a go-getter. When you think about the people who love to accomplish a lot, that's me. When most of my friends and family members were B and C students, I was the A student. Have these people ever impacted the decisions I've made? Yes, they have. I am not proud of it. The times they did were not an accurate reflection of me, but I still chose to lower my standards.

Overtime, I've had to clean shop. I've learned to take mediocrity with a grain of salt. When I fall asleep at night, mediocrity is not on my mind. What's on my mind are what I accomplished for the day and the people I love. If you remember one thing, remember this: You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control how you act and react to them.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Quote Your Life

When's the last time you logged onto a social media networking website? After you logged on, how long did it take before you noticed an inspirational quote? My guess is that it didn't take a long time. We all know that person who lives through quotes. Sometimes, it can seem like quote overkill. If you don't know what I mean, log onto Facebook and look at the home page.

Sometimes, quotes have fulfilling meanings. However, when too many are posted, they become meaningless. If quote overhaul happens to you, here is what I want you to do. Log off of all social media sites and breathe.

After you breathe, have a seat and think about your life. If there was one quote that summed up your life, what would it be? If you are undecided between two quotes, choose the one that resonates with you more. When you discover it, live by your quote. After, post your infamous quote. Below it, write: If there was only one quote that represented who you are or what you stand for, what would it be?

Challenging these people to think their lives in one statement can be mind blowing. I can't say quoteaholics will be cured overnight, but, hopefully, it will reframe how they view posting quotes and how they view their lives.

Out of every quote I've seen, one takes the cake. I found it on a fortune cookie and it has stuck with it. "If you talk, you repeat what you know. If you listen, you learn." -Anonymous

Inspiration for your quote can come from anywhere or anyone. Find the quote that is true to you and live by it. When you do this, it will inspire other people to find their quote. My hope is that quotes will no longer be abused and misused.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night.....

When you read the title of this week's blog, did the Blackeyed Peas appear in your mind? The group did for me. Their songs are catchy and have repetitive lyrics. You may or may not be a fan of this musical group, but it's easy to recognize one of their chart toppers. Each song has a unique melodic and harmonic combination that can annoy some and draw other people in. I am not a fan of this group, but, once in a while, an aspect of a song will touch me.

The title of the blog is a lyric from a popular song by the group. In this song, there are many messages that can be interpreted. One message I interpreted is that I should take time to just have fun. It may seem obvious, but it means more to me than that.

I am known for being on the go constantly. I enjoy taking on many projects that are due at the same time. It's a sick pleasure knowing that I can conquer anything I set my mind to. Sometimes, I become so focused that I forget to stop and enjoy life. People have told me to relax and stop doing anything for 30 seconds. It's been difficult to wrap my head around this concept, but I know it is good for me.

If you know of someone who doesn't stop, tell them this:
Whatever you're working on is not going away. If you continue to work on it, then you will stress yourself out. Take a moment or two to just enjoy life. When you go back to your work, you will be refreshed and have a clear mind.

If you are like me, please listen to me:
If you are not capable of stopping yourself from taking on a lot, trust someone to tell you when to stop. The person you trust will have your best interest at heart. If you trust the person to help you, then you will be helping yourself. I cannot speak for every person, but I know that stopping for a little bit has been helpful in my personal growth.

Life's too short to get wrapped up in every detail of life. When you feel overwhelmed, remember to stop:
S-Slow down
T-Take a moment to breathe
O-Optimize and seize the wonderful moment
P-Press play again

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Job Fair....Beware!

How many articles have you read about job fairs? Most people I know have read at least one article. When you think of job fair articles, what comes to your mind? Most people will look up articles that focus on navigating a job fair, how to answer interview questions, and so forth. Let's put this aside for a second. Have you questioned the scandalous tactics that are implemented? Most people don't. Why bother questioning an event that has merit. It's legally publicized, legitimate employers are present, and people are dressed in professional attire. At job fairs, people are so eager to be successful that they forget to think. When I say think, I don't mean not using your noggin. I am referring to conducting research about the actual job fair.

I used to be naive. I had my list of employers in mind, dressed to impress, and was ready to win over my future coworkers. About two years ago, I was blind-sighted. I was persuaded to work for a company that scammed people for a living. I felt deceived and confused. I went home after my discovery and tried to find articles about scandalous tactics employed at job fairs and found none. As a person who is committed to helping other people, I want to help you. Here is a list of things I'd like for you to watch out for at your next job fair:

-Is the employer scheduled to be at the job fair? Every job fair will provide a list with every employer who is scheduled to attend. If you come across an employer that is not scheduled to be at the job fair, run away!

-Does the employer specifically state that they’re only looking for the best and most qualified candidates? If an employer tells you this, chances are that they are looking for anyone as long as they’re 18 years or older and they passed the background check.

-Does the employer give you a vague job description? If an employer is legitimate, they will give you some guidelines. They won’t share everything, but you should have a good understanding of what you’d be getting yourself into.

-Does the employer ask for your social security number, bank account information, or any other personal information in addition to what's listed on your resume? Run far, far away! You should never give this information to anyone at a job fair.

-Does the employer require you to pay any money before you start working for them? This one can be tricky. Some jobs require you to pay for licensure depending on the industry you work in. If you start your own business, it is expected to pay some money. If they ask you to pay for your background check or pay any money right after you accepted a job offer, decline the job offer. You should not have to pay to work for someone.

-Does the employer tell you that they hire people over the phone? If so, run away! A legitimate employer will hire you only in person.

-If an employer doesn’t want your resume, don’t give them anymore of your time. Legitimate employers want to see who they’re hiring. Sometimes, employers get busy and don’t always look over your resume before the interview, but at least they want to see what your qualifications are.


-The last point seems more like common sense, but I cannot emphasize how true this is: is it too good to be true? Does the employer guarantee that you will get rich quick? Do they tell you that you only have to contribute so many hours as a part-time employee? Do they tell you that you have to ability to control your future? If this is the case, you do not want to invest any time into the company.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list. It is a guiding tool that I created to help you. I wish you much success at your next job fair.