HOW TO ACTIVELY PURSUE YOUR PASSIONS

The other day I heard someone talking about how they don't like calling pursuing your passions "dreaming", because dreaming is for sleeping, and you should be active in going after what you want. You have to chase after what you want and put in a lot of hard work.

I agree with that to a point. I believe that reaching your goals involves actively making decisions that will get your closer to what you are working towards. However, I think the concept of dreaming is beautiful. Everyone should have something that gets them so excited that it keeps them up at night thinking about sometimes. Everyone should have that one thing that makes them excited for the rest of their life, because they cannot wait for what the world has in store for them.

I have no idea what I will actually end up doing in the future. I don't know where I am going to live after college or what my first job will be--or what the one after that will be. Yet, I feel something burning inside of me every day that knows I should be excited for whatever my future turns out to be. I am certainly not wishing away the present, because I am thrilled to be where I am in my life right now, but I am not afraid of the future either.

 

1. Establish your goals.

Having a dream is one thing, but if you want your dream to become a reality, you need tangible goals that will help you get there.

2. Envision the steps to achieving your goals.

Take some time to think about steps that you can take right now to achieve your final goals. Are there skills that you can be refining? Are there people you can talk to that can give you advice? It is never too early to start working towards your dreams.

3. Set deadlines.

I don't know about you, but if I don't have a deadline I tend to put things off. There needs to be something to keep you in line and make sure that you are actually putting the work in. When you have deadlines, you are more likely to keep yourself on track and actually accomplish something. For instance, maybe you want to improve your Photoshop skills. Make a goal of how often you want to have projects done by or a number of tutorials you want to have completed by a certain date. 

4. Take time to refocus.

Sometimes you need to step back and look at the reasons you chose to go after whatever it is you are passionate about. Why do you have these dreams? What is pushing you further? What is it that fire burning within you that tells you this is all worth it? You need to remind yourself of why you have those dreams.

5. Don't let yourself get stuck.

This one kind of relates to number 4. If you took the time to refocus and you realized that you couldn't figure out why you had these dreams, maybe you need to reconsider what you are working towards. For years I wanted to be a doctor. I tried to teach myself medical terms in my spare time. I narrowed down my specialty by the time I was 12 and stuck with it for years. But then one day, I realized that it wasn't actually my dream. Maybe it had been at one point, or maybe it was just easy to stick with it because I had been saying it was my dream for so many years. Either way, I realized it's okay to change your mind. Don't feel anchored down by one idea. Be open to other possibilities, because there are so many things you can do with your life that you might not even know about now.

6. Accept failures, and move on.

One of the best talks that I have ever attended taught me that you should move onto the next thing before you find out how the last thing turned out. So maybe you're a writer, and you want to be published. Part of the gig is facing rejection letters sometimes. Instead of getting stuck on whether or not your work will get accepted, start working on your next project. That way you are not letting your successes or failures dictate your path. You are moving forward, regardless of how one thing turns out. There will always be other opportunities, so make sure you are open to finding them.

7. Finally, invest in yourself.

You have to your biggest fan. If you want other people to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself first. Your confidence and your passion will be your greatest assets, and they will be invaluable in achieving your goals. Treat yourself well. Don't push yourself too hard, and always remember that your dreams matter.

Dreaming might be something that we do when we're sleeping, but I think it's one of the most amazing things that our mind can do. When I am daydreaming, I don't scold myself, because I know how important it is to my creativity. My imagination is one of my greatest strengths, and I don't ever want to deny it. If you take anything away from this, please remember: never stop dreaming.

You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. -John Lennon

9 WAYS TO ESCAPE THE MISTLETOE

You're hanging out with friends Friday night at the perfect holiday party. Michael Bublé's Christmas album is ringing throughout the apartment. You're in your favorite festive outfit, and you're admiring all the holiday decorations. That's when it happens: you're underneath the mistletoe and you're not alone. If it's not with the guy you have had your eye on, you're going to need an exit strategy.

*Internal thoughts*: This isn’t happening.

 What now? 

1. Gather some of your girl friends, and turn it into a dance party.

 2. Suggest you two hit the cookie table and dig in on the gingerbread men instead.

3. Point out something else in the room to distract him.

4. Turn the situation into an opportunity to get a few laughs from people the people around you.

5. Make up an excuse about something you're supposed to do.

6. Freak him out by quoting something like The Notebook, and then walk away dramatically.

7. Or even better: tell him you have already been through this.

8. Mention that certain time of the month. You're guaranteed to scare the guy away with that one. Works every time.

9. Or you could always go with a classic.

Hopefully you won't be in this position this holiday season. But if you find yourself in a sticky situation, it's important to have a game plan.

P.S. Results may vary.

This post first appeared on Her Campus.

EVERYTHING CHANGES

As the seasons turn, we are reminded of the ever-evolving nature of life. Nothing stays the same--at least not for very long. It always blows me away how you can think you have everything figured out, and in an instant you can feel like you are living in a different lifetime. Lately, I have taken a lot of time to reflect on the changes in the last few months. I revisited my goals and reevaluated what was important to me. 

I tried planning. Last week I went to visit an academic adviser. When I first made the appointment I intended to talk about my plans to double major and how these plans conflicted with my desire to study abroad in college. I spent a couple hours the night before the appointment sifting through the course guide, and trying to envision what my next couple years in college would look like. Eventually I became overwhelmed. I started to realize that maybe, just maybe, I was getting a little ahead of myself. I could no longer justify my reasoning behind wanting to double major. A few months ago I decided to study TV and film, and Strategic Communications (PR, advertising, etc.). In my heart all I want is to work in TV or film production, but my head was telling me that I needed something more. I needed this super, dual degree that would allow me more flexibility (you know, in case the whole making movies thing doesn't work out). As I sat at my desk, drowning in my fears, I decided I need to talk it over with someone. I called my mom, and she reminded me of what she has told me from the beginning: she doesn't think I should double major.

So I walked into this advising appointment last Thursday, wondering what I was really there for. I already knew the answers to my questions in my heart. But verbalizing them made it real. I talked about my fears and my dreams, and what I was already doing to achieve my goals. The adviser smiled at me, and she told me that as I was talking about working in film and TV, that I was beaming, and she could tell how much it excited me. She said that college students can have this idea of needing 4 or 5 majors to be able to really market themselves, but that it wasn't what was important. When an employer looks at your resume, she said, they will be looking to see what type of degree you got, but then they will look at all of the experiences you have had and what kind of person those experiences made you.

Experiences. These are the things that shape us, and the things that push life forward. And then, I realized everything changes. It's how we react to those changes that make us who we are.

I realized that it is okay that I changed my mind. It is okay that I don't want the same things that I wanted a few months ago, or even a few days ago. At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post called, "How to Deal with Change in the New Semester." To me, it was about taking the time to recognize that life is always changing, and that while some things may hold constant, it's important to embrace the things that don't. I wanted to start the semester off with clear goals in mind, and do everything that I could to reach those goals. Little did I know, that part of this process is taking the time to reflect and make sure they are still things you that really want.

Sometimes you will encounter road blocks. Life doesn't always change for the best, and you don't always get a choice. Sometimes the changes are messy, and they can hurt. A diagnosis. An end in a relationship. A loss of a loved one. But through the pain, through the heartbreak, and through the confusion, we learn--we learn that life requires time, patience, and faith. There are different kinds of change. Some changes happen instantly, and others require patience, because you might not be able to see the ending. That's where faith comes in. At times, you might feel hopeless, because all of pressures and stresses of life can pile up and try to break you down. Your faith will be tested--time and time again. 

One of the most remarkable lessons that I have ever learned is that hardships can make you stronger. I believe that I would not be the same person I am today if I didn't encounter certain things earlier in life. Watching how other people react to the stressors in their lives, I am proud of how I have dealt with my own. I am proud of the choices I have made, and I have no regrets. I have hopes for the future, and while I fear the uncertainty, I have faith. 

Life is about learning what decisions you get to make. My mom's favorite quote is "We make plans, and God laughs." I expect everything to change. I expect to have new goals and new visions as I change from my experiences. I expect to feel more pain, and for life to bring more hardships. But more than anything, I expect to grow and learn from my experiences, and I trust whatever plans He has for me. I am in charge of how I feel and what I do, and I choose how to react. And as of last Thursday, I am Communication Arts major, who intends to follow her dreams no matter what they end up being.

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How to Make the Most Out of the End Of Summer

Summer's End...Already?

For students August usually signifies the end of a much-needed break. It's usually not over right away, but you are already on the downward slope, and there is no slowing down from here. All of the things you want to do have to get done in August. Forgot you wanted to stay up all night having a Harry Potter marathon with friends? Now's the time to do it. Forgot you wanted to take a spontaneous road trip? Now's the time to do it. Forgot you weren't ready for summer to end? Now's the time to accept it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but summer doesn't last for ever. However, it is not over yet (for most of us--sorry if it is for you). So take this time to really make the most of what is left.

We are close to halfway through August. I already move into my first apartment a week from this Saturday. Last year it seemed like something we only talked about, an imaginary future that would never truly arrive on our doorstep. But this is for real now. My roommates and I spent 2 hours delegating who would bring what last weekend over video chat, and I still can't believe we are actually moving in this soon. 

1. Summer Bucket list: It's never too late to make a tangible representation of what you want to do before summer's end. Maybe if you have it written out, it will make it feel more official, and you can hold yourself accountable for what you want to do. It might be easier to make plans at the last minute or overdose on Netflix, but if you have bigger plans for this summer, make them happen. 
2. Make Concrete Plans: Early June is the time to say "I am free whenever." Mid August is the time to say "I am available at 6:30 on Thursday. Make time for me." You don't want to miss out on your final days with friends you won't see for a long time because you couldn't coordinate schedules. So make the time, and make sure you don't miss out. 
3. Live in the moment: Yes, summer is almost over. But it is not over, so don't count it done and spend every second obsessing about what Fall will hold. Of course Autumn is filled with wonderful things, too--for many it's big sweaters, Pumpkin spiced anything, or football season. These are all things to look forward to, but it is not time for that yet. Appreciate the sunshine and warm weather while we have it. 
4. Take Advantage of End of Season Sales: But don't go crazy. What you like now might not be the same by the beginning of next summer. So be cautious, but there are plenty of end-of-summer sales that are filled with wonderful items at a great price. I know I said "live in the moment", but in terms of shopping, that's usually not a good idea. After all, if I purchased everything my heart desired at that moment, I would be as much debt as my credit card limit allowed. 
5. Have a lazy day: Forget everything I just said for a moment, and take a day off. Save all of the stuff I just mentioned for all of the other days of summer, and take one day to do absolutely nothing. You deserve some time to yourself to be a beach bum or even lounge around the house. For those over-productive types this can be the hardest one on the list. If you feel like you always have to be doing something, relaxing can be incredibly challenging. You're thinking, The lazy bird didn't catch the worm--or something like that. But sometimes your body just needs to be at rest. A day off will leave you feel refreshed and give you the energy to conquer anything you want to get done when you get back to work.