Your mind is profoundly powerful.

I firmly believe that your reality is molded by the interplay of your thoughts and feelings.

Your thoughts and feelings drive your actions and the energy you bring to any given situation, and these factors influence the outcome of the situation.

Challenge yourself to simply STOP for a minute and pause to realize that you are in control of your actions in every moment. This is especially important if you are feeling anxious, irritable, or any other trying emotion. It is your choice to feel this way, or not feel this way. The rest of the day is unwritten. You can turn around and feel differently right now. 

You can create a positive outcome.

I'll confess that last night I was so nervous to return to work. I couldn't pinpoint a specific reason other than it had been a few months since I was last home from college working.
My stomach was twisting in knots when it suddenly occurred to me that I was being silly. My shift had not even started! It was unwritten--a fresh, clear slate!
I had the power to control myself and what I was going to write on that slate.
I pictured myself remaining calm, collected, and confident through anything that came my way. I pictured myself communicating clearly with others and enjoying the camaraderie and teamwork. I pictured myself working skillfully and efficiently.
Lo and behold, I ended having a wonderful first night back.

Remember that you are not your thoughts or emotions, but rather the awareness behind them. Have you ever jumped with the rhythm of the waves in the ocean? Picture yourself doing this when you experience a thought or emotion that you don't want to feel...simply ride the wave and let it pass.

Today, I challenge you to work with your thoughts and feelings rather than against them. Harness your mind and use this beautiful and powerful organ to create the reality you want to be living. Don't judge yourself for whatever runs through your mind. Your thoughts only define you if you let them. 

Let's make today beautiful.

As always, please feel free to share any thoughts, questions, or suggestions in a comment!

Thoughts on Relationships

Wow, I really enjoyed reading this article: 15 Powerful Lessons for a Happy Marriage. I recommend checking it out!

I don't need to say much about this as you can take what you wish from the article. Some of these lessons can be applied to other non-romantic relationships too.

I must say, however, that I love learning all I can about relationships and marriage. I want to learn from what I have seen in my my grandparents and parents and start my future marriage at a place beyond where they began. I believe that it's my duty as the next generation to grow and improve from those before me.

I want to be the best partner I can be, and I know that begins within. When you love yourself, you are better able to love others. I think the concept of self-love can be challenging to grasp at times because there are times when I don't like myself at all...or I fear that my focus and determination come across negatively (hey, we all have insecurities)...but I think that self-love can be described as a gentle acceptance. Accept your imperfections. Honor yourself by making choices that are in align with your morals and values. Forgive yourself. Believe in your strengths. Strive to improve your weaknesses, but also learn to laugh at them. Respect the divine within you, and remember that you were born with a unique purpose.

In turn, relationships are dynamic and it can be beneficial to consider the energy and expectations that you bring into the relationship. After all, our priorities, needs, interests, and goals shift throughout our lives. The people we are with change too. I do not think you can ever be "too good" at being in relationships with other people, or the concomitant adaptation and synchronization of your collective efforts involved. In fact, this dynamism makes me think of flowers blooming. It's a process that depends on many factors, including your sunlight, soil, and water for nourishment. Stasis is not conducive to growth and evolution; you must always nourish the plant in order to sustain it, and relationships are strikingly similar.

So I leave you with this...how can you nourish yourself and your relationships today? Can you challenge yourself to be mindful of the lessons written in the article too?

P.S. Enjoy the time lapse of blooming flowers in the video below. Click to play. :-)

Long Time No See

I think it's safe to say that I've taken quite the hiatus from my blog.

I was finishing what is known as the toughest semester of nursing school. The good news is that I made it through, I learned a lot, I loved most of my classes, and I have only 2 semesters left! The last semester is essentially focused on transitioning to practice. I say bring it on! 

The second dose of good news is that I'm going to make a greater effort to write throughout the summer because boy, I have missed it!

Here are four things I wanted to share from the last few months:

1. Women's Health rotation= Love 

Nothing says girl power like cheering on women during labor, educating them about their bodies and their babies, and empowering them to care for themselves and their families. 

I was blessed to have an amazing day during my Labor & Delivery rotation. 

I was able to see a woman laboring, a Cesarean section (IN THE OPERATING ROOM-- MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD--I almost told the staff that even though the surgery was over I did not want to leave! No way did I want to take off my cool mushroom hat, mask, and foot covers. Plus, they gave me a stool, so I could see the surgery and I was really enjoying my new view 12 inches higher in the world), a vaginal birth (God bless, it is an absolute miracle), and I was able to cut the baby's umbilical cord!!!

I'm not sure you can tell how excited I still am, and there's no way for me to fully describe the experience, but I was on such an adrenaline high afterwards that when I went to the grocery store I dropped my keys twice while trying to pay for my groceries. The cashier probably thought I was nuts. 

My takeaway: Life is absolutely a miracle. The process of conception, growth, and birth is truly astounding. A doctor in this TED talk even says that it's "magic", "divine", and "beyond human comprehension." It is the greatest gift in this world, and I felt honored to assist in bringing two new humans into this world, and especially privileged that the physician handed me tools to cut the cord. It's important to pause and remember how incredible it is that you are here on earth living and breathing. It's something we take for granted.

2. You get by with a little help from your friends. 

During my 4 week women's health class at school, I finally felt like I had time to be with friends. I underestimated how much friendships can enrich your life. It's a blessing to find the balance of give and take--between letting yourself lean on someone and then letting them lean on you. It's also special to find someone who accepts who for you who are--all of your quirks, ups, downs, and in-betweens. It often feels like these people are rare, but I find that when I do things that are in alignment with who I am--when I be myself and do what I love--this is usually when I find these people.

3. Church

Why didn't anyone tell me that church could be amazing? I did not have a positive experience with church growing up, but I have always wanted a closer relationship with my Higher Power. I'm thankful that my boyfriend is the person who has lead me closer.  He said, "You know church can be a really great thing. You just have to find the right one. You should try it again." I felt very open to trying to find a place, and I've set off on a tour around town to find where I feel most comfortable. 

I cried the first time I stepped back into church. The first song began, and I started crying silently.

There's nothing quite like the overwhelming feeling that you are home.

I'm still figuring all of this out (and I'm open to people showing me the way), but one thing I know for sure is that we are all infinitely loved. Trust me, you are loved more than you can possibly imagine.

4. My favorite quote of the semester

During a holistic health lecture, one of my favorite professors spoke about being grounded. She spoke about developing the ability to be so grounded that other people do not alter your centeredness. Most of all, be so grounded that you can soothe someone's troubles and feel strong and peaceful within rather than depleted or drained. Be so grounded that you can say to someone (with actions not necessarily words), "Come with me," and you can help guide them. This is undoubtedly something I'd like to live as a future nurse and in my relationships with others...to be so centered and fulfilled within that I can reach out to others and be there for them.

Hope you enjoyed this entry. Please feel free to leave any thoughts, questions, suggestions, or writing requests in a comment.

Much love!