THE TIME IS NOW

As a college student, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. All the somedays and the maybes. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am a dreamer. I probably daydreamed more than the average kid. When I would walk to the bus I would write stories in my head. I would spend hours and hours at home behind the computer writing stories--remember back when Word had that little paperclip dude? We were best buds. 

I was certain that I could write a book by the time I was 18. In 7th grade when we read The Outsiders, my English teacher told us that the author was only 17 when she wrote it. If she could dream up Ponyboy and the Greasers at 17, I could write a book by 18, right? A few months shy of my 18th birthday I realized that this ambition had come and gone. And sometimes I wonder if all of these dreams I have will turn out the same way. 

People throw around phrases like "there's no time like the present" and "carpe diem" without having any real meaning behind them. I want to change that. When I am looking back at my life, I want stories to tell about the times that I actually listened to that advice, and the times that I truly believed in myself and made my dreams reality. 

Today I realized maybe I spend too much time dreaming and not enough time doing. Maybe it's too late to be the girl that published a book by 18. But I refuse to give up on the rest. 

When is the last time you did something remarkable? When is the last time that you had a day you will never forget? 

So often we talk about the somedays and maybes. We make "bucket lists" and speak in ambiguous terms about things that may or may not happen in our future. But what about today? If you treat every day like it's just another day, then someday you will wake up and realize that you had a lot of unremarkable days. 

THE TIME IS NOW.

What are you putting off? Is there something you have really always wanted to try but haven't for some reason yet? Ask yourself why you want to do it. Whether you want to learn calligraphy or go on a wild road trip, you should know what you want to get out of it. 

Related: Always Move On To The Next Thing 

What is holding you back? Your answer might be life, which is valid--up to a point. Life happens. Jobs get in the way. Money becomes a factor. And sometimes our goals and expectations seem too big or unrealistic. But sometimes you have to think about what you would do if there were no limitations? Put reality aside, and think about what would make you happiest. 

What steps are getting you towards making it happen? Let's say you want to go camping. Everyone knows that you can't just roll up your sleeping bag and go wandering off into the woods with your bag and a granola bar. That would be foolish. So find out what your equivalent of packing for a camping trip is and start preparing. 

Related: How to Actively Pursue Your Passions

Why NOT?! Remember when I said to get rid of all of the limitations and think about what you really want. When I was in high school, my creative writing teacher went around the circle and had us share what we want to do after high school. I shared my ideas about what I thought I would actually do, and then I said but if I could really do anything, I would work in film. And she asked me if that was what I really wanted to do, then why wouldn't I try to go after that? So, I told her what I really truly believed, which was that I didn't think it was possible. And she countered me with "Why not?" It was the first time anyone had really done that. Now, I don't know if anyone has ever done that for you, but I am asking you now. It doesn't have to be as big as what you want to do with the rest of your life. Maybe you want to go skydiving or try unicycling. The time is now. 

I believe in you. The real question now, is do you believe in yourself?

Today's post is inspired by Helene In Between's #31PhotosInBetween Instagram challenge for July. Join now! Check out @HeleneInBetween for the full list of prompts.

BLOGGING WITH PURPOSE

Blogging ignites my fire. It brings me joy to press publish. It fuels my creativity and sparks my imagination. It pushes me be successful and it inspires me to be greater. Blogging is not simply typing your thoughts and presenting it to whomever comes across it on the Internet.

Blogging is reading other blogs. Blogging is taking creative pictures with the intention of editing them into posts. Blogging is being part of a creative community that supports and encourages each others growth.

Technically, I have been blogging since the Fall of 2011. But it wasn't until a year ago that I really got into it and learned how much of a blogging community is out there. Since then, I have drastically changed my approach to blogging. I try not to write only when feeling inspired. When I have the time, I actively think of ideas and browse blogs and online magazines, hoping to come up with an idea of my own. I realized that I am blogging with a purpose. I have intentions of inspiring other people creatively, and I know that there are certain things that I have to do if I want to accomplish that goal. 

Here are some of the things I think you have to do to blog with purpose:

Spend time reading other blogs. First of all, there is so much you can learn from other bloggers. People like Brittany (from The Kardia), Gina (from Gina Alyse), and Jessica (from The Blogging Brew), continually inspire me. Not only do they have great advice about blogging, but their creativity motivates me to push my creative boundaries. This part is non-negotiable. Reading other blogs will help you come up with new ideas, know what is popular in the blogosphere, and make meaningful connections with people across the world. 

Engage with other bloggers. Who knew that you could make such personal connections with people you might have never met in real life? I feel like I know some of these ladies after reading their blogs, and engaging with them on social media or via email. Just sending a friendly email to tell someone how much you enjoy their blog can go a long way. Likewise, try to regularly leave genuine comments that show you really connected with their content. 

Create a mission. This is one of the biggest parts of blogging with a purpose. Why are you blogging? What is driving you to create content to share with other people? It doesn't necessarily have to be written out, but it will definitely help if you establish it for yourself. If you want your readers to take away a certain message or feel a certain way after reading your blog, you need to keep that in mind every time you blog. You should ask yourself, "Does this post align with the goals of my blog?" 

Always have pictures. Jana from Life Could Be a Dream has a great post about how to create Pin-worthy images. As I said, Pinterest has been one the biggest drivers of traffic to my blog, so creating Pin-worthy images is really important. 

Utilize social media. Anyone in the blogosphere will tell you that if you are really dedicated to blogging, your social media will reflect that. This includes regularly tweeting, posting on a Facebook page for your blog, being on Bloglovin, updating your Instagram, and Pinning your content. Social media is a great way to interact with other bloggers and get your content out there. My Pin of "7 Things I Never Want My Little Sister to Feel" has been repinned over 800 times, liked almost 400 times, and because of that it has almost 13,000 pageviews. It is my most successful post to date, and it has been amazing to see it take off. That is the power of Pinterest. 

Know your resources. Some days I feel like I am underutilizing my blogging resources. I wish took more pictures. I wish I spent more time learning Adobe Illustrator. And I really wish I could make a blog schedule and stick to it already. I keep telling myself I am going to make a blog planner, because I think I could be a lot more successful if I did. Part of blogging with purpose is making it a part of your regular routine, so that you can grow trust with readers and foster a community. Blogging is as big of a commitment as you make it, but know that if you want your blog to grow, you have to put in the time and show your dedication. Gina Alyse has a great post on Must-Have Creative Resources of Lifestyle Bloggers! 

Remind readers of your purpose. Every once in a while I like to say, "Since my blog is about encouraging other people to pursue their passions..." One, it lets new readers know what to expect out of a lot of my posts. And two, it reminds people of what I ultimately want them to take away from reading my blog. 

Write what you would want to read. What haven't you read that you have always wondered about? It really isn't difficult to find blogs; they are everywhere! There are so many bloggers that have written about so many topics. But if you have a mission to your blog, creating content specific to your goals for your blog should be much easier. Sometimes I don't post simply because I don't have anything to write about, but there is always something that you can uniquely add to a conversation or share from a personal experience. 

How do you blog with purpose?

THERE'S NO TIME LIKE NOW TO FLOURISH

As a blogger, I am constantly pushing myself to be creative and encourage creativity in others. Some of my biggest inspirations are the wonderful women I have met through blogging. Today, I am excited to linkup with Brittany, from The Kardia for the first Flourish Linkup! This linkup is all about learning to be successful and thriving with your own passions, and there is no time like now to start. I'm so lucky to have come across Brittany's blog, because she has such a wonderful spirit and energy. Her posts have inspired me to think and design more creatively, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to spread creative energy with her linkup.

10 Things I'm Grateful for:

1. Friends and family that support my dreams and creative endeavors
2. Late night talks about life
3. The opportunity to attend a university where I can study what I am passionate about
4. Breathtaking views
5. Good books with refreshing tea
6. The unique bond I have with my 4-year-old sister
7. Warm chocolate chip cookies
8. The close relationships I have with my parents 
9. Videos, movies or songs that inspire me to think about life
10. Writers, bloggers, and teachers that have inspired me to choose the life of writing and everything that comes with it

I will flourish creatively this year by:

Not making excuses. Life is always busy. Netflix is always tempting. There is always some excuse. My biggest goal this year is to stop making excuses of why I don't have time to write or work on my design skills. No one was every successful in what they didn't do, so this is the year that I take some advice from Nike and "just do it."

Taking my time. I always say that all I want is another day in the week, but I know that in reality if there were another day I would find more to keep busy with. Sometimes I rush through things, because I don't feel like I have enough time to get everything done. And there is nothing I want to cut out of my schedule. It might seem like there is too little time in the day sometimes, but I want to spend more time with my creative outlets. I do not want to feel rushed through posts or designed projects. So my goal is to set tentative deadlines but to be flexible so that I can do my best work.

Listening. Music has always been one of my biggest inspirations. When I was younger I used to write fiction with chapters named after songs that had similar themes to what I was writing about. I think it's amazing the way that a song can tell a story or evoke emotion. Music has even inspired some of my blog posts, and it has often help me better articulate my thoughts. This year I will spend more time paying attention to the lyrics that help me think creatively.

What the word "Flourish" means to me: 

The way I see it, to "flourish" is to succeed by putting in everything that you have and not holding back. To flourish creatively is to immerse yourself in your work and produce something that has never been done before. One of the things I liked that Brittany said was that she has a goal to work on creating her own style, because it is so easy to use ideas from other people, even by accident. It's difficult to push boundaries and create from a blank slate, because we have so many influences all around us. So many strive to be unique, but being original is difficult in a world coated in creativity. I think the best way to flourish creatively is to be authentic and push past your own limitations until you uncover the beauty that no one else could see.

What do you think it means to "flourish"? Join the linkup on The Kardia to share how you plan to flourish this year.

The Kardia

WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF AT SIXTEEN

At 16 I was positive that I had it all figured out. I knew then that I was destined to be a healer. I wanted nothing more than to be able to see the world in terms of figures and numbers, because I had to be good at math and science if I wanted to be successful in life. Everyday I tried to suppress my desire to write and create imaginary places in my mind. I had been writing stories since I was able to write, but I had wanted to be a doctor just as long. 

If there was one thing that I was even more sure of, it was that I needed to have it all figured out then. People told me that I had time to decide, but those same people had been asking what I wanted to do since I was old enough to understand that grown-ups went to work. Looking back I realize how much pressure I put on myself. To some degree, it is normal. People often hold themselves to higher standards than necessary, and those standards can cause a lot of anxiety.

1. You don't need to know what you are going to do with the rest of your life.

Some people change their career two or three times in their lives. They go back to school or decide to start their own business, or they try something completely different. It's okay to change your mind. It took my dad telling me one day that it was okay if I decided not to be a doctor for me to realize that. I had been telling people I wanted to be a doctor for so many years; it had become a part of me. And everyone was so proud. Maybe I didn't realize they could be proud of me if I chose to do something else.

2. Stop punishing yourself when you don't get the grade. 

I spent way too many nights doing homework from time I got home from school until I went to bed. My grades were always on my mind. I wanted to go to a good college, and in order to do that I knew that I had to get good grades. But I always pushed myself harder than I needed to. Now, I would tell myself not to be so hard on myself, because in the end the grades didn't matter as much as I thought they would.

3. Don't compare yourself to your classmates.

My class was over 800 people. I'm pretty sure we had some of the best and the brightest in the state. Senior year, our "Top Ten" comprised of something like 21 students. One of my friends was retaking the SAT with me, because she had gotten a couple wrong and wanted a perfect score. She had gotten a couple wrong. Needless to say she is now at Harvard, and I am certain she will change the world. But among students this focused, it was hard not to be competitive. It was as if there was an unspoken competition about how many AP classes you were taking, how many extra curricular activities you were involved in, and how many leadership positions you held. Comparing yourself to other people isn't fair. You come from different backgrounds. You had different opportunities, and you think differently. Please know, that is okay.

4. Dress for yourself.

I would tell myself to make sure that every day I got up and got ready for me. Don't compare your sense of style or clothes to anyone else. Your curly hair doesn't have to be straightened to be pretty, and don't let anyone else make you think otherwise.

5. Write more.

The only way to improve is to keep writing. The world isn't meant to only be seen one way, and it needs more people who are willing to go after what they want. Write stories. Write poems. Write, because you can.

6. Stop stressing about college.

You will get into college. And you will love it. All of your hard work is going to pay off, and it won't all be for nothing. It won't be an easy decision, because nothing that really matters ever is. But you will end up where you are meant to be, and you will wonder why you spent all that time worrying about it.

7. Don't worry about boys--especially the older ones.

Boys are great. But in high school, there are so many other things to be concerned with. My dad once said that it was better to just have friends that were boys, because then I could have as many as I wanted and they couldn't be jealous of each other. Maybe he was only trying to make me feel better, and I didn't end up actually having that many guy friends until college, but I would say it was pretty good advice.

8. Keep an open mind. 

You don't have to be A or B. There are so many possibilities of what you can do in this world, and you don't always have to stick with your plans. I think some of the best experiences come from trying out something you wouldn't normally do or choosing a path that you never considered before.

9.  Take more risks. 

 Try out new things--even when you don't want to. Walking on the right side of the road might seem like the right thing to do, but then you will never know what you are missing on the other side.

10. I am proud of you.  

I will never be able to change the past, and I am okay with that. I am proud of the person I was in high school. Looking back, I could have cut myself some slack every once in a while, but overall I am pretty happy with the way things turned out. Most importantly, I have grown since then. I am able to look back and know now that it is okay to relax, because the world is not going to end if I don't figure it all out tomorrow. 

What would you tell your younger self? Would you have done anything differently?


Today's post was inspired by The College Prepster.

GOALS VS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

Lately, I have been extraordinary lazy. I have had all these big ideas about what I want to get done. So many days start with ambition and hope. But then I get tired, and I usually watch Netflix. Friends is now on Netflix, in case you have been living under a rock for the last few months. I am addicted. I used to watch the reruns all the time on Nick at Nite and ABC Family, but it is still funny every time. Plus, this time I am watching them in order. 

In my head my day should go like this: 

7:30 AM: Wake up. Get ready for the day. 

8:00 AM: Make my morning smoothie. 

8:30 AM: Start writing and learning Java Script. 

10:30 AM: Take a mid-morning break (20 minutes or so).

12:00 PM: Lunch time. 

12:30 PM: Resume blogging/writing short stories/scholarship applications. 

2:30 PM: Break. 

3:00 PM: Read a book. 

5:00 PM: Eat dinner/ go out to dinner with friends. 

7:00 PM: Spend time being social. 

10:00 PM: Watch an episode or two of Friends. 

11:00 PM: Go to bed. (And feel accomplished). 

In Reality: 

Between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM: Wake up. 

Between 10:45 AM and 1:00 PM: Eat some sort of meal. 

Between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM: Think about being productive. Decide to start later. Turn on Friends. (Maybe even read a couple pages of a book.)

Between 3:30PM and 5:30 PM: Feel bad for not doing anything all day. 

Between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM: Someone makes dinner. 

Between 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM: Goof around with my little sister and watch something with my family. 

Between 11:00 PM and 12:30 PM: Watch more Friends. 

So, Taylor. You didn't get anything done, again? 

Now, not every day goes like this. But winter break is somehow half over, and I feel like I have not accomplished anything. I was hoping to get a lot more writing done. Unfortunately, I have not had the motivation or inspiration lately. I want to change that.

This month I have a little more time on my hands than usual, and I want to stick with my writing goals. A few months ago I decided that I wanted to get at least one piece of writing done a week. I was pretty consistent for a while. I was updating my blog more frequently and writing for Her Campus more. With the New Year I would like to make sure I stick with my goals, and I would like to make sure that at least once a month I finish a piece of writing that is not for my blog or Her Campus--or school.

I want to write more fiction. Also, I have thought a lot about it for the last few years, and I want to try my hand in poetry. The last time I wrote a poem was for my creative writing class in the Spring of 2012. And in fact, I think I ended up making it into a song, anyway. My biggest high school regret is not taking that poetry class I almost switched into with one of my favorite teachers my senior year. So this semester my goal is learn to write at least one decent poem.

One of these days I will start actually being productive.

For now, I feel like this:

When my brain feels guilty for not doing anything: Taylor, you should really do something besides watch Netflix and play Trivia Crack.

But then I think: 

I would love to keep writing, but I have a plans with Rachel, Ross, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, and Monica in a few minutes. Until next time.

What goals have you been putting off? Are you watching Friends, too?

10 Must See Instagrams

So I love Instagram. I love that you can share little moments of your life with other people so easily. Sure, they are moments with carefully chosen filters, and often cropped to show just want others want you to see, but it's pretty cool that we have the technology to do this. I will admit that I don't like when people most constant selfies. If that is your most frequent type of instagram photo, I probably don't follow you.

If you capture stunning landscapes, cool food shots, or make inanimate objects look special, I will give you lots of likes. Honestly, I wish I was better at taking photos. I have been working on it, but some of my friends have such beautiful instagrams. So today, I am sharing a few of my recent favorites from people I follow. Check them out, and look them up on Instagram if you appreciate good photos as much as I do.

In no particular order, I present you with 10 Must See Instagrams. 

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