The facts of life according to me.

I have wanted to do an entry like this for quite some time now, and I finally have thought it through enough where I can piece all of the thoughts in my head together. There are certain things we learn as we go through our lives, and some things stick, while others do not. I think of these things as lessons learned, things we can bring to the next stage in our lives. I try not to get "too deep" on this blog, but sometimes as I have said in the past, I get urges to write certain things, and this is one of those urges. I have numbered them 1-5 no particular order and nothing outweighs the other as far as importance, just things I have learned in general. Enjoy!

1. Networking is KEY.

This is something I can honestly say I never thought was a big part of growing up. I cannot stress enough how important networking is. Not only in a career perspective, but in general, networking can lead to so many great opportunities and adventures. The job I just currently received, and others in the past have been from making it a point to be persistent and engaged in the career I am in. If you are unemployed, and having a difficult time, do not let it get you down, you must be proactive. I think it is important to let yourself have a voice, contact people you know, who have connections and ask for advice, or ask about recent job openings. The saying I always told myself is "you have nothing to lose" and this is completely true. If you are going out there and allowing yourself to have a voice, even if you get rejected, at least you tried. It also shows future employers how interested you are in your field. It's important to embrace the potential you do have, and teaming up with others who are also interested in the same things, is very beneficial to your future career. When I say networking, I don't only mean for work either, this could be for a blog, or any type of group you are interested in. Just remember, you control your own future, you have the ability to make things happen for you , so don't give up.

2. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about your choices

This is something interesting that has taken me a long time to come to terms with.  I think we have all dealt with this in some way or another. I also read a very nice post written by Sometimes Sweet which touches upon this in a similar way. Where am i going with this? Well people will always find a reason to criticize or make you question your choices in life. Whether it's family, or friends ,people always feel the need to tell you what THEY think is best for YOU. Notice the words in bold- They & You. They are not you, and thus cannot dictate what makes you happy. Unfortunately even when people mean well they sometimes do not realize that they are infringing on your choices. The best thing to remember is that you do  what is best for you.  There are still people who just don't understand things that I do, including blogging, they may think it's stupid or mundane, but I choose to blog, because I enjoy it and it makes me happy. Make choices for your future and don't worry about the peanut gallery comments. People will always have comments, especially when they don't agree with certain decisions, the important thing is that YOU feel good about your choices, and make them freely, you only have one life to live, and you cannot let others live it for you!

3. Let every action come from your heart

I wouldn't say this is really a life lesson, but something I learned from my mother. Growing up I was always told to put love into everything I do. To always care for other people, and try to make the world a better place. I think having a mother who is so sweet and giving has allowed me really embrace that into my everyday life. This can mean a number of things to different people, but to me it means being thoughtful and compassionate. It only takes a second to hold the door for another person, help an old lady put her groceries into her car, and even let someone go in front of you when you are sitting in traffic. When you do nice things, and are a nice person, you will get exactly what you put out. I believe this fully, I think that people who live their lives with a chip on their shoulder, thinking the world owes them this or that, those people will never be able to appreciate any kind of happiness. The universe gives you exactly what you give it...Be conscious in everything you do.

"What you are, what you put out, is simply and purely reflected back to you. Just like a mirror is a mechanism through which you can see yourself, so is the Universe."

All Photos courtesy of weheartit.com

#4 & #5 will be brought to you tomorrow, I didn't want to overload this entry. Soak this up first :)