One Day At A Time

Many people asked me this month when I would leave Finland, when I would finish my degree, and what my plans for the future are?..... For the most of this, I don't have the answers, but one thing I am sure of is I will achieve a nursing degree :)

I never would have guessed this time last year, when I moved to Finland on exchange, that I would stay this long. Something kept me here! I decided to take a chance!

I don't regret any decision I have made, they have molded me, and made me who I am today.

Of course there are days I wonder what I'm doing, or why I stayed, but I have faith in myself that I've made the right decision, with regards my life, so far. I'm not one for believing too much in God, but I do believe my fate hasn't steered me wrong so far!

The important thing to remember is; even when you give up on your faith ("having confidence/trust, or belief in something better than what you're experiencing), trust that you're fate ("a predetermined path, a destiny, something that unavoidably defalls you") is taking you somewhere good.

Often, being so far away can be a struggle, but I like to think that whoever is up there must think I'm an awful strong person, or else why would they test me with these everyday tasks ;)

So for now, I power on, tick-tocking for today. I don't always have the answers as to why I'm still in Finland, or where I'll be in a year, but who does. I'm here for today, I don't need to think about tomorrow just yet!

"Life is not about the destination, it's about the journey".

Self Acceptance...

It’s been too long since I’ve last blogged! After reading over some old college assignments I got some inspiration today :)

Self acceptance is said to be a state where we examine our achievements, weaknesses, strengths, feelings, and behaviour! It is a never ending process, and is a major prerequisite for all our relationships, and communications. This is mainly because self acceptance is said to reduce our need for others approval, and often craving this approval can cripple us from truly being ourselves- “When I loved myself enough, others grew to love me too.”

We don’t need to always act in a way that people will approve of, or in a way they would behave themselves. We are unique!  The people who love us, will love all of us, not just parts! 

It’s ok to sometimes be quirky, silly, ‘air-heady’, angry, sad, agreeable, argumentative, or whatever you feel in that moment. These emotions are the colours that paint the picture of our ‘self’!

Don’t ever change for anyone! Accept you!

One of the quotes I like to remember daily is:

“You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.”- Robin Williams

Beauty In Pain

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain, and I can't feel anything but gratitude, for every single moment of my stupid, little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry. You will someday."

Stop trying to hold onto your fears, anger, and anguish. If instead, we can learn, or see beauty in our pain, or hurt, then at least we've learned something, and it wasn't a loss in the end, it was a gain.

At the end of the day, nothing worth achieving is ever easy. That's the paradox with matters of the heart, love and pain go hand in hand.

One of the most beautiful songs expressing a paradox is 'Feeling Good'...

Live A Little

All around us we constantly hear the phrases 'be sensible', or 'behave yourself'... Sensible has been defined as 'possessing or displaying prudence'. Prudence itself is 'having caution with regard practical matters'. Despite this being a wonderful ideology, I personally find this an impossible way to live.

 Of course I belief in these concepts in the larger sense of behaving in a way that doesn't let yourself, your family, or your friends down. To be cautious all the time would be a life unlived. It's our mistakes that often mold who we become. If we always take the easy path of caution, how can we learn what struggle is about? Or if we always sheild ourselves from pain, how can we know what to expect when we do fall?

Sometimes throwing caution to the wind, and being spontaneous is just what the soul needs. 

"Humanity has advanced, when is has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature"

 -Tom Robbins

We're All In The Gutter...

I think it's fair to say we've all had shitty days in our lives. Some of us are unfortunate enough to have rendezvoused with a few more then we would care to remember. 

When life smacks us in the face with days like this we have two options: 

1) Let it take hold of our day/week/month, and allow it to suck the happy moments away
Or
2) Chalk it up to a bad day, slap a smile on our faces, and keep trucking

Neither of these options are easy when you're feeling down in the dumps, but remember; 'it takes 17 muscles to smile, and 42 muscles to frown'. So unless you're looking for a good face work-out I feel it can be easier to opt for smiling :)
 
In life it is not the cards we are dealt, but how we play them! If it wasn't for these 'shitty' days, our good days wouldn't feel so great. You can't appreciate the calm without a storm every now and again.

It's your approach towards these obstacles that makes the difference. Just remember, as a wise Irish man said:
"We're all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde

People Who Touch Our Hearts

They say you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends... This may be true, but there is no other family in the world I would swap mine for. That is why I dedicate todays blog to them! :)

Something I learned about family is no matter how bad you screw up they never cut you away, because 'the people who care about your screw ups don't matter, and the people who matter won't care about your screw ups'

In life there are very few people who can see you for who you really are, and still love you, it is not a prerequisite for family members to have this acceptance. I consider myself very lucky to be blessed with such an amazing, open, loving family. They always make me smile, and laugh, and know when I need a hug, and when I need to be left alone. They make me strong by being four of the strongest people I know. I love each of them uniquely, and I always will.

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." 
-Desmond Tutu

 "People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

How We Become Who We Are

I heard the nicest story today. It was told by native Americans of the Cheokee tribe:

A child asked his Grandfather how we become who we are in the future, and this is how the story went.

 

 

Grandfather- "When we are born a great fight begins within each of us. It is between two wolves. The first wolf is filled with greed, anger, gulit, sorrow, evil, and ego. The second wolf is filled with love, hope, good, joy, will, truth, and faith."

The little boy then asked his Grandfather, "Who wins this fight?". The Grandfather simply replied: "The one you feed".

I thought this was a beautiful message to portray to a child. Everyone is born with good, and bad. It is we ourselves who decide our fate. There really is no pre-decision on who will be, good or bad, we decide this ourselves. It's up to us which wolf we decide to feed.

Which wolf do you feed?

There is a difference between bad people, and people who make bad decisions...