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[love--strong]

some light in a strange time

I’m writing this from my house, in my room, finishing up my junior year of college 100% on the computer. So much of all of our daily lives have been put on pause in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19. I’m going to leave it to the news to discuss the virus and the finer details...but I want to talk about the tiny things I have noticed in the past few weeks living in a different version of the world we know. 

1) I don’t know about you, but I have never seen so many people outside. Whole families are walking, biking, playing sports, and creating entirely new games to compete in! I hope families and friends continue to find and make the time to do these things with loved ones, even as things get better.

2) Being physically separated from my closest friends and loved ones has allowed me gain a whole new appreciation for these connections...and I know I’m not the only one! Everyone seems to be using whatever resources they have access to in order to reach out to the people they love. Send letters! Use FaceTime! These don’t really replace the power and effect of physical touch, but for the meantime they will do :) 

3) We are expressing gratitude!! Ah! It’s so lovely!! It could be for the doctors and nurses working on the front lines...for our own health and safety...for the access to technology...for the ones you’re spending time with...doesn’t really matter, it’s all great stuff! Although this time is incredibly challenging for a multitude of reasons, gratitude is always something we all have to turn to through the good and bad. 

3) Through social media, we have seen so so so many acts of kindness. We are bringing groceries to our elderly neighbors, we are performing concerts on our porches, we are staying home for the wellbeing of one another, we are surprising friends with boxes of pizza on their doorstep, and we are being more creative than I’ve ever seen. I could go on and on with these examples! Let’s also keep this going, huh? 

Out of everything this time can teach us all...I hope we learn that we are never too busy, too successful, or too important to be kind. And that no good deed is ever too small to make a massive difference. 

I bet if you look around you, you will also be able to find a few tiny, beautiful things that this moment of time is bringing out of us. 

Glennon Doyle (love her so much) says, “Keep going. That is all you have to do, ever. You really don’t have to be amazing, or beautiful, or successful, or good. Just keep going, please. Slowly is fine. Crawling is fine. No feeling is final. Except hope.” 

Be kind to yourselves and tell your people you love them. 

Best, 

Em

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a letter to my younger self

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Roosevelt 

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Dear Emily,

I’m writing to you a few weeks before your 21st birthday (woot woot) while sitting on a plane to visit your birthday-buddy in Boston. The scene is set...here we go.

There is something beautiful about you. It is a quality you have always felt but have been unable to put a name to it. It is part of you that you will dislike in many ways because it exposes you. You love with everything you have. I don’t think there is one word to describe that quality but let me tell you, it is beautiful and not something that everyone has innately. Celebrate that. Cherish it as your superpower. It will be the part of you that allows you to fall in love which certainly isn’t limited to romance. You will fall in love with life itself, with being a sister/daughter/best friend, with beautiful places and sights. You will fall in love with reading, coffee, and silence. The other side of this quality is that it inevitably puts you in the arena. You are in it darlin’ and you better be ready to bleed and get hurt. But let me tell you something, you’d much rather be in the arena than sitting in the cheap seats. The arena is where you will learn. You will learn things that make you feel good and excited about life - these lessons come when you are standing on your feet and the arena feels good as the shining lights illuminate your best features. You will also learn things that make you afraid, angry, and confused - these lessons come when you’ve gotten the wind knocked out of you and all the sudden you are best friends with the dirty ground. 

As much as we all love the flattering lights from above and the applause from those in the cheap seats, there is nothing more important than that time you spend in the dirt. Now, wait! Before you click off this letter, let me explain. It’s this time you spend knocked down that will show you how strong you are in the process of standing back up. It will take work and let me remind you that whenever you find yourself there the first thing you should do is take a seat. All too often we try to dust ourselves off the moment we have been knocked down. I’m all for fortitude, but I’m telling you that when you are really hurting…when getting out of bed seems as difficult as deadlifting 1,000lbs…trust me, take a seat. Lean into the thoughts and feelings that are making you uncomfortable. Let yourself feel everything you are feeling. Give yourself time and grace to heal. And as the wound begins to scar over, then the learning process begins. You begin working your way out of the trench, out of the dirt, and you begin to stand up. An important part in this step is the following: pay attention to who is sitting down there with you. Who puts down their swords, gives up the spotlight and the appearance of strength to get in the dirt with you. It may be who you hoped would be there, it may not, but hang on to the people who show up for you no matter what. Here’s another analogy…when life gets sticky, it’s like an old, dilapidated mustard yellow school bus coming to pick you up from your friends house. It isn’t glamorous, can be a little embarrassing, and just overall not so great. On the other hand, when life feels a little better, it’s like being picked up in a limousine (or a BMW or a Range Rover…whatever floats your boat). My advice is this: the people in your life who will take that broken down bus with you are the ones worth fighting for. Keep them around, tell them you love them, and they better know that when roles are reversed and life gets hard for them, you’ll be the damn bus driver picking them, choosing to ride it with them through the darkest of days. 

There’s something I want you to know about life, particularly the hard parts of it. I want you to know that it is okay to not be okay. That is a cliche saying that you will hear over and over again, but maybe hearing it from yourself at almost 21 will make it sink in a little more. You will mess up. You will say and do things you aren’t proud of. Life will test you. People will come and go. Time will do its thing in more ways than one. You will hurt. You will cry. You will be in the trenches. But you will also laugh. You will feel free. You will dance. You will love. The best parts of life are just a little bit sweeter than the not-so-great parts and that makes this whole thing worth it. Remember that. 

Never let the tough parts of life harden you to the world. Of course, you will feel sad and angry and confused and lost at times. All of those are valid reasons for losing sight of the joy and beauty that this life is. But you must remember that this life is good and you are lucky to be here. The birds are still chirping, the sun still woke up today, your coffee is still hot (and very delicious). I’m going to give you advice from one of my favorite authors/speakers/badass women for whenever you feel yourself losing that soft, grateful view of the world. Glennon Doyle says, “just keep doing the next right thing”. That’s it. Because when you don’t even want to brush your teeth, taking everything one day at a time seems pretty daunting. So young Em/reader, just keep doing the next right thing. 

Sooner or later you will be standing again with the lights shining on you. This time you are stronger with battle scars and dirt on your face. You feel beautiful, strong, and more prepared. You’ve been tested, and here you are. You belong in the arena. Never settle for the cheap seats. Fall, heal, learn, rise, repeat. Yes, it will hurt at times but as Elizabeth Gilbert says, “grace will take you places hustle can’t”. So be kind to yourself and in this case, grace looks like riding the old school bus with your best friends knowing damn well that living life in the arena is worth it every single time. 

All with love, 

Em

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where did all this come from?

Hello again! With finals around the corner I should definitely be studying right now, but here we are! This might be a long one, but I think it’s going to be a good one! 

Where did all of this come from? Why do I talk about love all the time? Why do I like to wake up at 5am on spring break to catch another sunrise with my dad (large coffee in hand, of course)? 

I honestly never thought about these questions much until recently. I always knew that I feel things very deeply and have always felt a really strong connection to the people in my life. I never spoke about these feelings much in a public sense, but a lot of the time, it comes out in smaller things like writing nice notes to my friends or something. Honestly, I started doing this blog because it helps make sense of a lot of stuff people don’t talk about as much. A lot of the time I hesitate to share because well...I’m a college kid just trying to figure life out but sometimes have a lot to say..so I want to be better about sharing when I do. 

To me love is a very big thing. I know it’s very important to me, but I have a really hard time articulating what it actually means to me. In my eyes, it’s something bigger than you or I. Most clearly, love is something that I see come to life in other people. My best friends...my family...these are the people who really make me feel closer to that bigger thing. This is also why I love sunrises. They’re beautiful, they show up every day rain or shine, no two are the same...Full disclosure here, I’ve cried while talking about the sunrise! A little embarrassing, but it’s true and I gotta own that. Plus, you add good company and a cup of coffee?! Get out. Doesn’t get much better than that. 

I see and feel the same thing when I look at the sunrise as I do when I’m with my people. I just kind of see this image of pure beauty and love and there’s nothing that could ever make it/them less perfect. Love is something I believe in. Like I mentioned before, it isn’t really a feeling to me either...it’s this bigger thing that reminds me why I’m here. 

Ultimately, I talk about love because it’s beautiful and it’s so pure. I think the world needs more reminders about the good stuff. I believe that at the end of the day, it’s all about who we’ve loved and how much love we chose to give them. Will things always be great? No...but I’m telling you that the not-so-good days will make you appreciate the great ones even more..and you’ll feel that love even stronger than you did before. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll catch yourself looking at someone you really care about or the sunrise and you’ll shed a tear or two (or a lot more, like me..shhh.) because you will see the immense amount of beauty and love that exist in all things that are true. 

No matter what you got going on right now, give love and be ready to receive it. This is the good stuff. 

Em

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“Pockets of Joy”

If there’s one thing I can always count on to lift me up, it is going for a car ride with my one of my closest friends filled with music and some good conversation. This to me, is what I consider to be one of my favorite “pockets of joy”. I heard the concept, “pocket of joy” while listening to a podcast a few weeks ago and since then, I’ve taken note of what that looks like for me. I’ve noticed that even if I’ve had the longest day or if I know that I have a lot of work coming ahead, making time for something that brings me joy always does the trick. For me, that could also look like watching the sunrise with a very large cup of coffee (preferably somewhere warm), getting ice cream with a friend, listening to music, or reading and writing. 

We all have different things we consider to be those “pockets of joy” and that’s what’s really freakin’ cool. Especially because when you get to experience someone else’s pocket of joy alongside them?! Man! That’s the best part. You’ll see the way they light up and how grounded they seem to be in that moment...I can guarantee they’ll see the same thing in you if you decide to share your pocket with them as well. There’s definitely something very special about those seemingly small things we choose to do. I think we choose them because that feeling of absolute joy, despite the craziness of life, is priceless. I believe we choose them because whether we are alone or not, we can feel ourselves light up and it can often be just what you need to take you through whatever comes next. 

Wherever you are in life, I encourage you to find your pockets of joy. Hold on to them. Celebrate them. Make time for them. Share them if you want. 

Finally...notice what brings other people joy. Watch how they light up just as beautifully as the most perfect sunrise. 

All with love, 

Em 

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"what’s the #plan?”

Hey there!! It has been a while, but I’m very glad to be back writing. 

I should probably start by mentioning the new name for the blog, “4 The LOVE Of It”, which I’m pretty excited about! I feel like it fits a little better with where I’m at and where I am trying to go. 

In my attempt to shake off some rust, I want to keep this relatively short and to the point to lessen the opportunity for typos and the possibility of losing direction! So here we go...

Since being in college, I have realized that everyone seems to have a plan. Our course schedules direct to our goals, our social lives support us to our goals, and our habits and thoughts are arguably the foundation upon which we can begin to actually reach those goals. For a very long time, as in at least 10 years, having a plan has been very ideal for me. There’s a running joke in my family that I always need to know the #plan for every moment of the day (yes, we say “hashtag plan”). But as of late, having a plan no longer really interests me. Honestly, I can catch it making me feel quite anxious at times. I’m not sure what caused this shift, but I’m definitely not mad about it. I think I constantly needed to plan out my day, plan out my meals, plan out my free time to feel some sort of control over the direction of my life. That used to serve me quite well...I liked it for a while...and now I don’t (ah, the magic of growth). With that being said, when it’s midterm week or things are getting a little crazy in life, making a schedule and planning can be quite reassuring that there is, indeed, enough time in the day to do all the things you need to. This is no longer an urge I feel the need to satisfy all the time. This might seem like such a small change, but letting go of always having a #plan has honestly done wonders for me. I feel more at peace, more able to flow with whatever is going on around me, and more able to slow down. 

Now..what’s the point of saying all of this? Well, in a world that constantly seems to be moving at 1000mph, it feels pretty freakin’ good to not have a plan...to not always feel like every second of your day has to be filled with something considered “productive” in order for you to be living a “good life”. I would even argue that living a “good life” is much more about how many of those slow moments spent with loved ones, with no plan, and with no agenda, we can accumulate over a lifetime. At the end of the day, I believe it will never be about how many checkboxes you tick off your to-do lists, how many meals you planned perfectly, or how fast you could get from one obligation to the next. I think looking back on this past year(ish) since writing last, the greatest thing I have learned is to slow down. It feels really good. I am still catching my breath but I have stopped running. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to give it a try. 

In one of my favorite Jack Johnson songs, “What You Thought You Need”, he says: 

Getting lost is not a waste of time....

...and it’s all for the sake of arriving with you” 

So there ya go. So happy to be back writing. 

All with love, 

Em 

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patience, trust, and finishing strong

And just like that, freshman year is a wrap! It has taken me a long time to want to sit down and write a little reflection because I don’t even really know where to begin..but here we go!

On October 4th I wrote a post talking about some of the lessons I had learned a few months into the school year. Those lessons were that we are all just trying to figure it out and that change is guaranteed. Now looking back eight months later, I definitely still stand by those things but I would also add a few things..

1) let time do its thing

Time is a tricky thing because it goes hand in hand with patience which is definitely not my forte. But for as many things that time seems to take away from us, it gives us twice as much. Time allows us to heal, create and strengthen relationships, learn and grow, do the things we love, and much more. So for all the nights I lost sleep, I would go back and remind myself to trust that time will do its thing, I will be okay, and that sleep is a fabulous thing so go to bed :).

2) trust your ability to do hard things 

This is a biggie. I think it is really easy to lose sight of how capable we are in so many different ways, which is a bummer because it’s so freakin cool. If you told me last fall that I would pass chemistry, join a sorority, and not want to leave Cleveland I would kindly laugh at you! But here we are! I made it through the long days and long nights...and so can you! These were small hurdles in the grand scheme of things, but no matter what it is, I promise you’re strong enough to handle the load. Trust that. 

3) finish strong 

A few months leading up to the end of the year, I had a countdown going that led me to summer break. This seemed like a good idea and it helped me get through finals prep, but with two weeks left in the year I got rid of it. The last few weeks of my first year were definitely the greatest. I figured out stuff about who I am and who I’m becoming, I felt so comfortable at school, I found my people, and I discovered some beautiful spots on campus. It’s an awesome feeling but it makes me think about all the days I spent wishing to be done! Don’t get me wrong, being home is great, but so is being at school with my people. So no matter what phase or season of life you are in, whether easy or difficult, remember to make the days count rather than wishing them away...especially when it is hardest to do.

So there ya go! Freshman year was filled with a lot of great people and great experiences. I have found my people (the best feeling in the world) and I am so excited to see all that’s in store for the next few years. I hope you can relate to some of these things I have learned so far.  

Sending a lot of love and peace your way!

Em

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it’s all starting to make sense.

I started a class called Adolescent Psychology in January and it is easily my favorite class of this semester. That is partially due to the fabulous professor who is always keeping things lively and interesting despite the 8:30am start time. Some topics we have covered are: the stereotypes of adolescence, cognitive and biological development, mental health, and the internal and external assets required for positive youth development. Out of everything we have discussed, the one topic that stood out to me most was identity formation. Especially after coming to college this is something that has been on my mind regularly and that’s exactly what Erik Erickson (quite a name, my dude) theorized. 

 I love thinking and wondering about who I will become and who I’m meant to be. I love thinking about the future, it excites me! In my eyes, the good stuff is only getting started and there’s so much to look forward to. 

My point in bringing up my class on adolescence is that I’ve learned that the stuggles I have gone through, some more unique to me and others more universal, are all a critical part in me becoming exactly who I’m meant to be. Without those not-so-fun middle school and high school years, there’s no way I would be where I am right now. And as one of my best friends always says, “you are exactly where you’re meant to be.” Having learned this in class, I can look at my life and certain tendencies I have had (self-consiousness, feeling of inferiority, personal fable, and imaginary audience) from a much different perspective. This perspective is one of forgiveness, curiosity, excitement, patience, and joy. It allows me to back off of my own self-conscious and understand that this is all part of doing this “life” thing. And it’s fun to think about the ways that I will continue to grow up and learn new things every day. 

I’m technically four years and four months away from aging out of the adolescent category (I’m not rushing I promise) and I can’t help but look forward to all that will continue to shape me. I’m not going to lie, I’m also excited to stop playing some of these psychological games I mentioned before but perhaps that’s for another post. 

 One other thing I wanted to touch on is my goal of living life unapologetically with peace and love guiding me through. That might sound a little lame or corny to you, but I won’t apologize cuz that’s how I role now. The thing is, I have realized the tiny ways in which I choose to shrink every day whether I realize it or not. Maybe it’s sitting at a desk at the edge of the class room or hesitating to dance with my friends or walking with my head down. I’ve always said “I know” when people have told me to own who I am and love who I am because I believe we all want to...we all know that is how it should be. But the truth is that I didn’t know. I didn’t know how. I didn’t realize how damaging a negative self-image had been on myself for so many years. This is not something that is achieved overnight. This is going to take hard work but hard work for love is the best kind. Whether you’re in the adolescent battle with me, you haven’t gotten there yet, or you’ve made it through...for what it’s worth I want to tell you something...

Whether you believe it at this moment or not, trust in who you are and you’re uniqueness that you bring and cannot be brought by any other soul. Choose love every day. Choose peace towards yourself, others, and the world. The thing is, life is good. There will certainly be days, weeks, months, or perhaps years filled with big mountains to climb or maybe a pesky, small pebble in your shoe...never stop moving. Never stop putting one foot in front of the other. Believe in love. Trust in your gorgeous soul and let it shine no matter what. 

Oh...one more thing. Dance.

with strength and love, 

Em

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january first

I started 2018 differently than I have started any other year...I started the year with a full day spent lying in bed watching Black Mirror with my teammates. January 1st is “supposed” to be the day that everyone hustles to the gym, eats super healthy, and is motivated to tackle all of their big goals for the upcoming year. I’ve been there, but this year I found so much peace and excitement in doing the exact opposite of all of those things. Does this mean I’m not excited for 2018? No, not at all! I’m super pumped for all the amazing moments and daunting challenges that will come in a years time. But what’s crazy is I feel more ready for the new year after a day of sitting in bed all day with my best friends than I ever have doing stereotypical January first activities. I’m all for goal setting, being active, and treating your mind and body well...but I’ve realized that sometimes a day in bed with a good show and good company is exactly what you need. 

So as we get into the New Year, treat yourself well. Be your own best friend. And realize that that there will be days when that look like rocking your favorite pair of fuzzy socks and not leaving your bed...because those days are important too. 

Wishing everyone a whole lot of love, peace, and joy in 2018!! 

With strength and love, 

Em

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finding my footing. 3oo miles.

Yesterday was the last day of classes for my first semester of college...damn! I look back at the last few months and all I can think about is how much I have learned. I’ve shared a couple of those lessons so far but I think this one takes the cake. 

October 15, 2017 was the start of something really special. Yes, it the first official day that my dream of playing college basketball came true, but I knew it was about much more than that. I haven’t known how to describe what exactly it meant until today...let me explain. 

The hardest part about being away from home is definitely being away from my family and closest friends. My parents and my siblings are my roots and I value them above all else. I had a feeling that this college thing was going to be a challenge for me, and boy was I right. But when your forced to start from scratch...when you have a blank canvas...you can paint whatever the hell you want! What I mean by this is that although new beginnings are scary and are often times too blank to see straight, they are incredible because of all the possibilities they bring. 

What I’ve learned is this...surround yourself with people who make you want to be better...better to yourself, better to others, better to the world, better in all your pursuits. People who love you for exactly who you are and encourage you to be bold and share your unique, lovely self with the world. People who just seem to know the perfect balance between challenging you and giving you praise. When we do this, we become that force in the world we have always hoped to be. It’s not that we are incapable or lacking on our own, but that we are so much stronger when we are surrounded by the people with whom we share this special bond with. 

So October 15th...well this was the start of me finding my footing over 300 miles from home. I feel so lucky to be apart of something that is so challenging and so rewarding and so fun all at the same time. I feel so grateful to be get to play a game that has given me so much with people that I love. I feel really lucky to have gone through the unavoidable, not-so-glamorous first months of college because that’s what I needed. I feel so beyond thankful to feel so loved, challenged, and accepted by my teammates; I strive to make them feel the same. 

Planting and growing roots away from home is never easy. Some days you feel like you are sprouting away and other days feel like your first few signs of blossoming have been eaten by the deer! But hey, that’s life! What can ya do?! 

Keep your head up. Keep smiling. Choose to surround yourself with the people who naturally encourage you to be your best self. 

You’ll have a masterpiece, I promise. 

With strength and love, 

Em 

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growing.

The other morning I woke up, got some coffee, and walked down the street with my loaded backpack in my groutfit while listening to Christmas music...all I could think was, “this is college, this is growing up”. 

The past three months certainly have not been easy but the more time I spend so far out of my comfort zone the more I can feel myself becoming who I am meant to be. 

There is one major thing I have realized recently though, and I’m really excited about it. I’ve realized that this is a new chapter...this is a new beginning...this is only the beginning...and this is only the first few steps to getting closer to so many amazing adventures down the road. That pumps me up! It helps me get through the nights I have a hard time falling asleep and the days that I miss home. I love it here in Cleveland and the newness of the environment reminds me of the newness of this chapter. 

Oh, one other big realization I have had is to not take life so seriously. It’s time to remove this load that I have put on my own back. The pressure...the expectations...the criticism....it’s about damn time for all of that to go! 

There are three quotes from the Disney classic, Peter Pan, which I feel like summarize these recent epiphanies from the last three months (what better movie to reference when talking about growing up?!): 

“ The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.” 

“All you need is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust.” 

“We all change, when you think about it. We’re all different people all through our lives. And that’s okay, that’s good, as long as you keep moving, as long as you remember all of the people you used to be.”

Here’s to turning the page and embracing this new chapter of life...to trying new things...to seeing the beauty in every day...to accepting the inevitable challenges with grace and optimism...to removing the expectations, criticisms, and the pressure...to always staying true to who I am while letting myself change...to growing older but never growing up. 

with love and strength, 

Em 

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what if...

What if we took a risk. What if we knew exactly who we were. What if we accepted and loved whoever that may be. What if we trusted ourselves and looked within for answers. What if we lived without fear. What if we chose to see beauty, speak love, and feel hope. What if we chose to see ourselves as beautiful and worthy right now. What if we took this risk. 

Wherever you are, it is never the wrong time to get in touch with yourself...go ahead and slide on into your own DMs (I will definitely question my use of this terminology in later years, but it will do for now ;) ). Take the time away from all of the noise we have constant access to...phones, social media, news, etc. and feel what what you are actually feeling without those influences! Make time to take care of yourself, to step away, and just BE. I hate to break it to you, but Google isn’t going to be able to tell you anything you really need to know. Your own intuition is the best tool you’ve got! The thing is, there is SO much noise and SO many distractions that it is hard to hear and feel what your guide is telling you. 

It’s now time to put on my feminist cap and discuss something that has been on my mind a whole lot recently. There is no question that a hallmark of adolescence is insecurity (for the purposes of this post I’ll mostly be referring to young women, but guys...hello, stick around). Most blame it on whacky hormone levels and says it’s a normal phase to go through...does it really have to be this way? I don’t believe that it does, not even for a second. See, for many decades now, after women began to make their way from the home and into the workforce, the image of the “ideal woman” has become smaller and smaller. Meanwhile, masculinity is often measured in “largeness”, for lack of a better term. I believe that so much of the insecurity and desire for young girls to change (shrink) is because of these hidden values our society holds. I don’t have a grandiose plan on how to solve this...but I do have an idea. What if we told our girls and women to grow...to be more...to take up space...to refuse to shrink? What if those were the ideas engrained into our heads and hearts? Sounds pretty damn good to me. 

What if we chose to see beauty, speak love, and feel hope? What if we always chose to feel beautiful and worthy exactly as we are? What if we took this risk? 

Look out world...this is going to be awesome! 

with love and strength, 

Emily 

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zoom out.

What is most important to you? Who are the people, where are the places, and what are the things that you cannot imagine life without? How do you treat what you value the most? 

You might have to sort through some of the surface level things that come to mind, but once you start digging deep into what really matters to you...that’s where the good stuff is. I am willing to bet that you treat those people and places like pure gold. Most of us would willingly do anything we could for those loved ones and to protect those sacred places. You hug those special people extra tight and you leave those cherished places feeling filled to the brim with love, excitement, and light. Isn’t that the best feeling? 

After doing a lot of reflection on the past few years of my life I have realized that I have spent a whole lot of time very zoomed in. I was focused on many things that I had no control over and I was putting so much effort into parts of myself which ultimately have no relation to my value or self-worth. Although it may be easy to coin this as a typical teenage problem, I believe it is something we all do to some extent. 

Especially nowadays with social media and constant access to just about any information we want. It is so easy to be caught in the comparison game or to overwhelm ourselves with contradictory knowledge or facts. Also, the nature of competition in academia, the workforce, and every day life certainly doesn’t help us feel content with where we stand in the present moment. My point here is that if we spend so much time zoomed in on the things we can’t control, the things that don’t fill us up, and on the people who rub us the wrong way, it will be much more difficult to see the beauty in life. 

Take a second to think about everything you said really matters to you. Remember how good it all makes you feel? How good it feels to hug someone you love. How good it feels to take a deep breath while watching a sunrise on the beach (with coffee, of course). Ahh! How lovely is that! Feel free to zoom, zoom, zoom away on those feelings, baby!! That’s the good stuff! That is what we are all here for! 

Now, I have one more question. How do you treat yourself? 

I hope it is with love, light, and excitement. I hope you see your body as a your own permanent, unique, and perfectly constructed temple just for you. I hope that you say yes to adventure. I hope that you say no to everything that suggests you have limitations. I hope that you zoom into all that lights you up, hold your head high, and own every inch of you...all that you are now and all that you will become. 

With strength and love, 

Emily