A Better Busy

I don't know about you but anymore it seems like I'm always busy. Even when I'm not actually busy, I keep myself busy. Don't you?

It wasn't until recently, when I gained a little more time than I'm. Actually a lot more time than I'm used to. Taking internships in college is great, but it made me realize that when you don't have classes and homework you gain a whole lot more time. Now what do you do during that time? 

For a while it was the usual that I'd keep myself busy with when I had a some spare time. Get on Pinterest, Tumblr, watch Netflix, read a book. For a bit I was able to do some of my hobbies I'd been to busy to give any time to in the last year or so. I tried drawing and writing, but that didn't last long. I didn't seem to have the attention span for it to last that long.

It wasn't until recently when I had an exceptional amount of time that I realized I couldn't be doing that anymore. I realized that I wasn't getting anything out of my distractions, because that's what they were, distractions. I wasn't actually doing anything of worth. And honestly? When I have a spare minute whether in college or now over the summer I find my self reaching for my phone, reaching for a distraction. Why? I'm spending the summer in one of the most amazing cities in America and normally I live in a place I love surrounded by friends. And its not just me, my roommates, other interns, and friends. Everyone seems to constantly be on their phone, but I know as well as the next person that it's probably just buzzfeed. 

I know that other people have gone unplugged for a week and it's a great destresser, but with work that's not exactly possible. I also don't feel like I'm ready for that step, maybe later this summer or over Christmas break. So instead I'm challenging myself, and if you want to join me, you're more than welcome. 

This week when I have spare time I want to have a better busy. I want to be productive with my time. For me this means studying for my GRE, updating my resume, working on my cover letter, and more. For you this may mean something different but I'm going to try and quit distracting myself and actually be busy, with things I care about. Don't let yourself fall into the lethargy that I feel like consumed me recently. 

Have any of you felt like this recently? Or taken steps to stop it? 

Persistently Patient

I don't think anything tries your patience more than big life events. 

I was in a friends wedding this last weekend, which just highlighted this fact to me. 

I went a few days early to help her out and make sure that everything was done. Nothing seems to bring the stress out as much as making sure all the little details you've been planning for months that always seem to fall apart at the last minute. Sure enough some things didn't go according to plan, but largely they did. The wedding happened, the reception went off with a bang (and out with a sparkle!). It was a huge success and now they are enjoying time as a newly wed couple on their honeymoon. 

This just shows you no matter what: it will happen, time will continue, and life will go on.

Now I am by no means the picture of patience. I come with a strong predisposition towards loosing my cool. Which means that it is something that I have had to work on. Two years ago, getting my connecting flight this weekend cancelled on me would have seemed like the end of the world. I didn't end up making it back to Colorado until the next day. And the kids who couldn't stop screaming next to me on my red-eye? On a flight we had been delayed because someone called in sick? I would have been frustrated, livid even. I would have thought it was going to be the worst day. Especially since I was heading straight into work.

But did it? No. 

Do you want to know my trick that I've realized? It doesn't help to get upset about things you can't fix. It's extremely draining actually. Those kids who were crying? They were up at 3 am, and the little one couldn't get his ears to pop. The crewman who called in sick? I've woken up sick before, and I don't want that spread around a plane. These were things I couldn't help. So why should I waste my time worrying about them?

Now will I be able to keep my cool on my wedding day? I highly doubt it. I still get overwhelmed, but I'm better now than I used to be and I just want to continue that. So for now? I was the calm person helping out my friend out with on her wedding day. Especially when an extra person showed up for dinner, her younger brother was loud and annoying, and when the day before the groom still hadn't decided who was going to be his best man. At the end however, everything was beautiful and it all ended up going smoothly.

Persistently Patient. 

It's my mantra, something I've tried to be better at. Especially when I became an aunt at a very young age. I sometimes would loose my cool, and you never want it to happen it's just the final straw some days. But if you let these things get to you it will seep into all aspects of your life. And you don't want to lash out at those you love. I can tell you that I am so much happier now. It's done wonders for my anxiety, so for all the perfectionists out there. Just remember to breathe and don't sweat the stuff you can't change. 

The Unreasonable Man

When was the last time that you were doing something, for me it was reading, and came across one of the best quotes you've seen in a while? 

For me it was Thursday. Want to know what it was? 

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw

I love that quote, I love what's behind it. 

Now I spend plenty of time on Pinterest and one of my favorite things is to find great quotes, but I always feel like its much more special when the quote finds you. Because then naturally you go looking for what was behind that quote, where it came from. It sparks your curiosity, and curiosity sparks creativity. 

Now I know not everyone thinks they are creative, but you are. Could you imagine what would happen if people didn't write? Or draw? Or sing? Or talk? Yes, even the smallest conversation is creative. You can't survive on small talk alone, and sometimes big dreams come out when you talk. Which is I think why I love this quote. 

Who in their right mind would try to adapt the world to themselves? Well the answer is simple, the human race. 

Sometimes I will admit we go to far, but this is what we are put here to do, live our passion. Now if that means that you come up with the cure for cancer, become the next Renoir, the President one day, or if you write a story that has never been told, start teaching in a way no one else has ever though of, change the face of healthcare, change how cars are built, want to know what I have to say? Do it. 

Someone had to be the first Socrates, the first Renoir, someone did it first. That can be you. 

I'm in DC because I love policy something fierce and I want to change things for the better. Is it realistic to think that I'm going to do it? No. Does that stop me from following my dreams? No.

So go out, let things inspire you, let it push you further on the path of following you passions. But most importantly remember that you can be the unreasonable man. 

Turning Twenty-one

Last month I ended one internship, started another, moved apartments, joined a softball team, and probably what was one of the biggest things for me, I turned 21. 

Now I know that to all those over age, look back on it and realize that it looks a lot bigger on the other side. I disagree. I think it looks equally big as I have passed it and now as I am have my twenty-first year on earth. 

Why? Because even though this means you are legally an adult and legal to drink it means so much more. It's the official end of childhood and moving past the stage where people give you slack, and into the years when you are free to do what you want. This is the time that we really become who we are. I couldn't wait to turn twenty-one, namely because I was the youngest of all my friends to turn, and I couldn't wait to be able to have my social hour with them back. Being able to order a glass of wine is nice too, but not as nice as to finally have the ability to do anything I want. 

I mean that truly. As we grow up we get scared and nervous, but most of all excited. I don't ever want to regret getting older. I want to know that I've done the things I loved and I am pursuing those still. My parents, free of children at home are jet-setting all over the world. My friends are marrying the loves of their lives. My younger brother is living on his own for the first time. My best friend is taking the last summer we have as college students to spend time with his family and enjoy life.

So I know that most people look at the twenty-first birthday as the beginning of the end. It's not. It is simply another beginning another chapter, and it comes with struggles and happiness and heartache and laughter and tears. And I can't wait. 

So here's to being young and having the world at your feet, no matter what age you are.

 I'll even include some pictures from how I celebrated my big 2-1, because sometimes the reason it's a classic, is because it's perfect. Vegas truly was a great trip that I'll never forget. 

If you can go to Madam Tussaud's it was so much fun posing and seeing how tall the 'stars' really are!

Whatever you do be safe on your 21st, but remember to have fun.

 You don't turn of age everyday!