Why Mother's Day?

“Do your laundry.” “Eat your vegetables.” “You’re not wearing that out, are you?” “I told you so”. These are just a few of the phrases you might have heard your mother tell you at some point in time. Today is Mother’s Day, but why do mothers have their own special day in the first place?  I mean, all they seem to do is nag and make our lives so much more difficult than they really need to be...right? 

First off, they would always get on us to do those annoying chores around the house. If we didn’t make our beds, if we didn’t wash the dishes, if we didn’t clean the bathrooms, we would not hear the end of it until it was done, and done well for that matter. And what about the way they would yell, over and over, until we finally did whatever it was they asked us to do. They grounded us when we didn’t get good grades or came home past our curfew. Even now, they scold us when we make bad choices, and they pester us until we finally figure out how to solve our problems. Sometimes, they can just be so irritating when they act like they know it all and tell us what we should do and how we should live, like they know a thing or two about how the world works or something...

Hold up...hang on a second. Perhaps everything I just said IS the reason that mother’s deserve a special day of recognition. I believe their job is one of the hardest, most important ones out there, because mothers have the job of raising the people of the world. All of that time and energy they spend badgering us when we make mistakes and worrying about us when we don’t want them to is the source of our growth as individuals. 

So at this time, I would like to say from the bottom of my heart - thank you Mom. Thank you for making sure I got all my homework and chores done. Thank you for reminding me to eat healthy and take care of myself. Thank you for all the times you’ve yelled at me and punished me when I deserved it. Thank you for not tolerating any disrespect or defiance from my mouth. Because if you hadn’t, who knows where I'd be or what kind of person I'd be. Everything you’ve done has been for my own good. You’ve helped me to become a well-mannered, virtuous, decent human being, and maybe even then some. And finally, you’ve given me the tools I need to live a full, wonderful life. If I ever forget to remind you, just know that you are always appreciated and loved. 

And that is why there is a Mother's Day. Happy Mother’s Day everyone! God bless.

Love,

Vanessa

Go For It.

Hey everyone!

If anybody knows about trying things out and getting rejected, it’s me. I definitely know how it feels to be told over and over that you didn’t make the cut for something, whether it's a job, a position in an organization, or even a relationship. Yeah, it’s not the best feeling, but the way I see it is this: if you don't give yourself the chance to succeed, you won't. It's better to try and not get something you want, than not try at all and think about what could have been. People might tell you no, but that's only their words. Who’s to say that you don’t have what it takes to accomplish your goals? A teacher once told me, “The only person who can stop you is YOU.” And it’s so true! By telling yourself you “can’t” do something or you’re “not good enough,” you already set yourself up for disappointment. I challenge you to convince yourself otherwise - that you ARE good enough, despite what ANYONE says or however many times you fail. Because, in the words of the gypsy-lady from “The Haunted Mansion” movie, “The only true failure is when you stop trying.” 

No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up! Let all of the rejections and “no’s” pump you up; let them get your blood boiling and your heart racing; let them make you even more determined to beat the odds. Life’s too short to sit around and wait for something good to happen to you. We have the ability to make our dreams a reality, we just need to believe it for ourselves. Take chances, take the falls as they come, and keep steppin'. Who knows, you might surprise yourself one day. Have an awesome week! God bless.

Love, 

Vanessa

Being Individual

Every single person is unique. We all come from different backgrounds with different experiences under our belts. Some grow up in nice households with a traditional family, some grow up in a broken family with a modest lifestyle, some grow up with close to nothing. Each of us is born into different circumstances that we have absolutely no control of, yet we are automatically classified into stereotypes generated by the societies we live in, based on the color of our skin, the amount of money we have, the status of our health, where we come from, our gender, and so much more. 

What I have come to believe, however, is that what matters most is how we choose define ourselves. Regardless of any of the “expectations” the world has for us, however antagonistic they may be, each of us as the right and the power to be whatever we want to be. If we adopt negative perceptions people have of us, we sacrifice who we truly are. Regardless of our past or however the cards were dealt to us, we always have the ability to embrace the beauty, uniqueness, and potential inside us all. 

I know this can be easier said then done. Based on what’s been in the news the past several days, for example, it’s no question that race still plays a huge part of how you are viewed in America. But regardless of the stereotypes or stigmas that may stand against you, nothing is more powerful than what you believe about yourself. You know who you are better than anyone else, and you decide what it is you stand for. Be yourself, do the things you love, and rise above whatever it is that tries to hold you back from being the person you want to be. Have a great week! God bless. 

Love,

Vanessa

The Art of Being Kind

Happy Easter! Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, I hope you all had a wonderful day eating good food and surrounded by great company. 

Today, my topic is how kindness goes such a long way. Just the act of doing something nice for someone is quite awesome for two important reasons. First, you don’t know what the other person is going through. Maybe they’re doing just fine, but then again, maybe they’re not having the best day. Going out of your way to make someone happy, with no expectations to receive something in return, can mean a lot to that person. Even the most simple acts of kindness, like holding the door open for a busy mom or buying your friend’s cup of coffee, can remind someone that people care. The second reason is that it’s good for you. Although that might sound a little selfish, it’s actually not unreasonable. Being kind to people for the sake of just trying to be a good person is one of the ways we grow into becoming a wholesome individual. When we tap into our natural capacity to care for one another, we increase our tendency to see people in a more positive light. And when that happens, we see ourselves in a more positive light. 

So whether it’s towards a family member, friend, or a complete stranger, let’s try and spread the love this week. Imagine how much nicer the world would be if we all showed each other that we care. Who knows, your offer to help someone carry their heavy bags or even the warm smile you give to someone with a frown could completely turn their day around, or at the very least, make their day even better. Don’t ever underestimate the power of being kind! Because I believe that not only does it positively impact the people you're being kind to, it positively impacts your soul. Have a great week, go make somebody smile! God bless.

Love, 

Vanessa

We Are Family

Our parents get a lot of attention on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and rightly so because they have very special places in our hearts! But this past Thursday was National Siblings Day, a day to celebrate our brothers and sisters - people who I think deserve just as much attention. Because no matter how mad they can make us or how much they may annoy us sometimes, our siblings are without a doubt some of the best and most important people in our lives. 

They’re the people we grew up with and who know everything about us. From getting each other in trouble and being in trouble with each other, to sharing secret handshakes and inside jokes, we’ve seen and done it all with our siblings. They’re the people we hang out with the most during our downtime at home, and the people we miss the most when we’re away. Our brothers and sisters are probably the only people who we can really bond with over the inevitable quirkiness in all of our parents. We can look or act as silly as we want to around them, because we know for a fact they don’t care. We can always count on them to make us laugh and cry, especially at the same time. Our brothers and sisters are the only people who can make fun of us over and over and it be okay. Although they’re the people we will fight with over any little thing, they’re also the people we would fight for if they ever needed it. Let's face it - they’re the people we would do ANYTHING for, because at the end of the day, we don't know what we'd do without them.

There are probably a million more things I could say about how special the relationships we have with our siblings are, but it all comes down to this: they’ve seen us at our best and worst, and love us just the same. So next time your little bro or big sis gets on your nerves, just smile, and know how absolutely lucky you are to have them. Have a wonderful week! God bless.

Love,

Vanessa

Choosing Pathways

As a third year in college, I’ve been contemplating for a while now what exactly I want my career to be. I really wanted to be a doctor ever since I was little, specifically a pediatrician. So naturally, I started off my first two years as pre-med. But in those two years, I realized something about myself, amidst all the challenging science classes I was taking and while volunteering at a hospital - I didn’t want to be a doctor anymore. 

At first, it was pretty hard to let go of what I thought was my “dream career”. I didn’t like the idea that I was giving up on something. But then I began to gain a new perspective on the situation. I wasn't giving up, I was making a choice on where I wanted to invest my energy at the time, and it was no longer in the sciences. After doing a bit of soul searching, I decided to become a political science major. 

Earlier this week, I attended this career networking event and had a really interesting conversation with a lawyer. I told him about my journey thus far, and how I was concerned that I no longer have a plan of what I’m going to do after I graduate. What he said in response wasn’t exactly comforting, but it was what I needed to hear. He told me to stop thinking about where I see myself way down the road, but to start taking life one step at a time, because if I allow my mind to be consumed with millions of “what ifs” instead of just doing, I could miss out on something really great.

Although I didn’t necessarily discover the career that is meant for me during that talk, what I did discover was the next step of my journey. Life is so variable; so many different things can happen, sometimes things we may not expect. We might stumble here and there, and we might get let down. What we must refuse to do, however, is let the bumps on the road define who we are. Every event that happens ultimately directs us to choose different paths along the way, and everyone has their own unique journey they’re on. There is no one right way to do something, only to trust yourself and do what you feel is best for you. So live each day with purpose, and with the mindset that you are exactly in the place you need to be in order to fulfill your potential.

Have a wonderful week! God bless.

Love, 

Vanessa

A Night of Rock n' Roll (Literally)

Hey everyone!

Last Sunday I took a day off from my blogging in honor of spring break, but I am back! From gambling for the first time at a casino to line-dancing the night away, I had a great week hanging out with family and friends. Even more, mother nature decided to shake up my break with a little bit of rock n’ roll. Literally.

On Friday night, while we were home watching some March Madness, an earthquake of 5.1 magnitude hit our area. The house abruptly jolted, followed by 30-40 seconds of fierce shaking and a power outage. It was definitely the biggest earthquake I’ve ever felt, and a pretty scary experience altogether. The thing that gets me most, however, is what I was thinking from the moment it began until it finally ended. In that minute, the only thing that mattered to me was the safety of my family. I noticed the way my mom rushed over to protect my brothers the second the earthquake started, and the way my stepdad remained completely calm and made sure that our house was safe. Not knowing how long the earthquake would last, or if it would get even worse, all I wanted was exactly what I had before the whole thing began - for the people I love to be okay.

Thankfully, there was no significant damage done to my house, and no injuries sustained by any of us. What the earthquake did do, however, was help put into perspective my life and the things I worry about. Kind of like the idea that you don’t know you have a good thing until it’s gone, I was reminded of just how blessed I am to be alive and to have my family. I think it’s so amazing that we have the natural instinct to protect those that we love, just as in that moment, I was prepared to do whatever it took to keep my loved ones safe. Yes, it was stressful, but it called to attention what matters most to me, and made me appreciate even more the fact that I have what I need most. Have a wonderful week everyone! God bless.

Love,

Vanessa