5 Simple Steps to Find YOUR Happiness

Happiness ~~~ <3

1. First, find some time for your thoughts. Have alone time-- "me" time.  I LOVE me time... perhaps more than a person should... haha. I always hear people say how busy they are with work, school, kids, etc. There is always time for "me" time whether it's just for twenty minutes or shorter or longer (like I prefer). You can adjust your schedule a bit by taking a bath, a nap, doing something creative like write or draw, getting a manicure/pedicure (if you're not a broke college student like me) or taking a walk or jog. Just do something that allows you to concentrate on you.

2.  Just do what makes you feel good! Of course, without hurting anyone else. Bonus points, however, if it helps others in any way.

3. Produce positive thoughts and eliminate as much negativity as you can. The more positivity you project the more you will see all around. It might be difficult at first especially if you've had a challenging day already. But realize not everything has to be so bad. If it's hard think about all the good in your life, and the goal you want to work towards. And if you think you will have a bad day at work before even starting, then you will! Change up your outlook! Try it.

4. Find out what you actually want.  Don't think about the pressures of what your parents want for you, what your significant other thinks, what your friends think, whether your family want you to make a lot of money because they struggled, etc. Think about what you want short and long term for ultimate happiness. For short term, it could be something as simple as watching a Disney movie or making your favorite food (like spaghetti or mac n cheese- yum). Think about long-term.  Instead of thinking "where do I see myself in five years" think of "where do I WANT to see myself in five years." Then go for it. If it's something you are afraid to tell others, don't be ashamed!  It's who you are and what you want.  Everyone is different.

5. Believe that you ARE worth it and can achieve it. And you deserve the happiness and life you want.  You just have to try.  And keep trying. And maybe try some more. And you'll probably fail. Once. Twice. Ten times even. Don't give up. The road to your success isn't going to be a straight road of ease.  Nothing worthwhile will come easy. Life can be quite tough so you might have to fight through it all to get somewhere great. And you have to believe you can reach that place.  If you don't believe it then you will never reach it.  If you don't believe in yourself then who will?

Life can and should be wonderful. For all we know, we are here on Earth once, so let's make it the best possible. And it starts by you.

♥, Kayla

How to Realize Your Dreams

Do you know what your dreams are?  Are you going after them? 

After being pulled in so many directions and listening to people tell me what I want or need, I realized I had not been going after my dreams or even knew what they were anymore, which made my heart sink.  But with that, I was able to rebuild and refocus.  I've lost sight of my dreams. They were hiding away somewhere deep inside.

There are different reasons why I lost sight of it all, but overall I can only blame myself.  While my dreams might seem so grand, I was afraid of even trying to chase them for fear of failure, disapproval and embarrassment.  That's just the worst. This quote always stuck with me, "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." Exactly. Bingo. B to the I to the N to the G to the O-O-O! 

It's not easy to step out of your comfort zone, but that's when we learn the most about ourselves. And that's when we can achieve something great and worthwhile. You are worthwhile, and your dreams. And so am I.  You don't need anyone to tell you that.  If they tell you otherwise then don't believe it.  I did for a while.  And I lost sight of what my dreams really are and why they matter. And why I hid them in a box in a deep part inside.

I realized that I have to trust myself.  And believe in myself. And that I deserve it.  I was waiting and instead of chasing. Opportunities don't come to you, so sitting around dreaming about it will get you nowhere.  It was like I was waiting for approval or permission from people without realizing that. Well, now I have given myself permission to try, keep my dreams big, and go after them. 

There was this other great quote I heard but don't know where it came from. "People say it's impossible only because they can't do it themselves."  This is true.  Don't let others stop you from believing in yourself, your goals, and your dreams. 

After being down so many different paths that weren't right for me, I can cross those off the list and focus on new ones.  You never know until you try. But it can be difficult realizing what you want after so much time has passed of not knowing, so...

Make a list.  

Then look at what matters most to you. And you might have a few different things on there that are equally important, and that's fine as long as you have things written down that matter to you. Try not to do too many things at once because you might get overwhelmed. Focus on the most important ones first. And you are never too old or too young to go after your dreams.

I'll show you mine, open and honest (which is a bit scary actually haha). 

• be part of wildlife conservation team or some sort of animal saving/rehabilition team or both
• do assisted animal therapy with my dog to help the elderly and the ill
• do more things out of my comfort zone
• be more daring and adventurous
• take more risks
• face my fears more: heights (go rock climbing, etc.)
• see more of the world and experience other cultures first hand
• grow a thriving garden (and not just cacti! lol)
• get my work published
• illustrate my own stories and others too
• write (and illustrate) books to help young girls
• help people with gluten-free lifestyle by creating a book (and maybe a website)
• inspire young people through books, comics, movies, etc. that I work on
• work for myself one day
• inspire and motivate others to make good choices for themselves and those around them
• help others more with my time and efforts, not just money
• laugh a lot more
• make others laugh more too
• learn to cook and think like a chef
• improve upon the skills I have now

It's totally fine if your list comes up shorter or is much longer than mine. 
If you're unsure about what your dreams are then think about what you dreamed about as a kid or growing up.  Why or when did you change that?  Why did you give it up?  Is it something you still want? What do you like to do now? What would you like to try? 
Dreams may change as life goes on, but it's still important to have them.

Do more of what you love. And that's when it should become clearer.

♥, Kayla