Monday, July 30, 2012

Motivational Monday! ~ 7/30/12 (x2!)

Hey everyone! I'm super sorry I didn't post last week's Motivational Monday. I had just gotten back from a vacation and had a whirlwind of things to do and totally lost track of what day of the week it was. I kept thinking it was the day before or after it really was. So here's a double dose of Motivational Monday, to make up for last week! Enjoy and have a successful week!! :)

This is so true! I'm really working on it, lately. I'm trying to be a better person all around, have a better attitude on a daily basis, and see things in a different light. Ya know, have a better perspective on life. I've been really working on expanding my career as a makeup artist and it feels terrific!

Another good one! This also relates to what I just said about trying to expand myself career as a makeup artist. I'm practicing more and trying to be the best I can be for others. :)
So I hope that made up for last week totally slipping my mind! I'll be more conscientious now that I'm back to regular life! ;)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Monday, July 16, 2012

Motivational Monday! ~ 7/16/12

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a great start to their week! Here's an important quote to remember...

Remember this... I know emotions take over in tough situations and some seek revenge that isn't necessary or at the wrong times, but try to calm down, take a breath, and think for a minute. Think about what is really important to you and your life and remember that those are the things you want to keep sacred and protected.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Life Choices

There I was. My freshman year of college was through, I had just finished a happy day of shopping at ULTA (aka Heaven for makeup addicts!) and I was sitting on my bed listening to my boyfriend play guitar. Then it hit me. I should have chosen gymnastics.

Now, you're probably really confused right now. But here's the story...

When I was going into my freshman year of high school, I had to choose between starting guitar lessons or continuing on with gymnastics classes. I have always loved gymnastics, but have had troubles with it. I first started gymnastics when I was 5 years old at the local YMCA. However, it only lasted a few months because the coaches there were terrible and terrifying at that age. Especially when it came to the balance beam, my least favorite activity because of how high up it was, I couldn't handle the pressure and mean people. So I quit.

Then an opportunity came when I was in middle school. I had just gotten better from suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which I have a lengthy blog post on. I felt empowered to be able to have enough energy and enthusiasm to keep up with an hour gymnastics class each week. Unfortunately, I would often miss the classes because of my unlucky habit of becoming sick very easily and very often. However, I continued on until the summer before 9th grade - so about a year.

At that time, I had talked to my parents about taking guitar lessons because I also had an interest for that. But because of the cost, I couldn't take both at the same time. It's actually ironic, because what they would pay weekly would add up to basically the same cost of what they had to pay monthly for gymnastics. So I had a decision to make. As you can probably already tell, I chose to start guitar lessons and quit gymnastics again, because guitar lessons were easier on my body and I could cancel them without having to pay and lose my parents money. Also, starting gymnastics just isn't the same when you're 13 versus 5, because you're a lot less flexible and have growing parts, if you know what I mean.

Long story short, I ended up taking guitar lessons for three years. I enjoyed them very much, learned a lot, made new friends, and still pick up the guitar every once in a while for myself. It's a really good way to vent without words. I even had the chance to be my guitar teacher's band's Makeup Artist for a while because he knew how I was trying to establish myself as a Makeup Artist. He was a great teacher and a greater guy.

As I continued to take guitar lessons with him and talk to him during them, he gave me several opportunities to practice makeup on his band mate, as well as other opportunities to explore my makeup career. I am forever thankful for the things he did for me because he really didn't have to. Because of him, I met his band mate. Because of her, I have gotten several opportunities to not only practice my makeup skills, but I've also been fortunate enough to receive opportunities for my makeup to be showcased in their music videos, as well as get another job through them.

Basically, I firmly believe EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Every single thing in life, no matter how good, how bad, how big, or how little. Thinking back on all the things, good and bad, I have experienced throughout my life, it all traces to something else. Although some things seem to go into something that ended badly, that bad ending turned into a beautiful beginning of something else. Usually, that something else is actually something I wanted even more than I thought I wanted the bad ending opportunity. (I hope you're following me, here)

This blog post may seem very random and out of the blue, but it's been a work in progress over the past couple months. Because the day I went to ULTA with my boyfriend was actually at the end of May, now here we are in July. But I've been going back and forth trying to find the right words.

So all in all, the main point of the blog is that you see how it started? I felt like I should have chosen gymnastics as my extracurricular activity instead of guitar lessons, but I ended up really appreciating my decision that back then, did make me sad something because of how much I missed gymnastics. Once again, everything really does happen for a reason.

So this may sound like a lot of Motivational Monday quotes put into one post, but here are some awesome quotes to remember on your long, tough, but rewarding journey to personal success!:

"Everything happens for a reason." (hehe, duh)
"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."
"Even if you fall on your face, you are still moving forward."
"If you can dream it, you can do it."
"But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done."
"Now if you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth."

There ya go! Some awesome quotes to write down in your planner, post on your Facebook, write on your calendar, or put in your phone. Anything to keep you motivated and remember that this isn't the end, it's just another beginning. :)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*I take no credit for any of the quotes. I have seen them various places online and in books and did not create them myself.*

Monday, July 9, 2012

Motivational Monday! ~ 7/9/12

Hey everyone! So this post is a little late but don't worry, I didn't forget! Better late than never, right? Enjoy! :)

I'm working on it! ;) Keep your head held high and keep going through all the pain and suffering - you'll come out so much stronger for it! :)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

P.S. I know I haven't been posting much on this blog lately, but I do have some things up my sleeve, don't worry! I'm almost done on my latest "serious" post, so I'm really hoping it'll be up sometime this week!! :)

*Image credit to google.com*

Monday, July 2, 2012

Motivational Monday! ~ 7/2/12

Hello there! Happy Monday! I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July week eating lots of barbeque foods and watching the fireworks with their friends and family! :)

I thought this was a good one - I've had a rough year so far, but I haven't given up when the odds have been against me. We can't control the hand we're given, but we can make the best of every situation and learn from our mistakes.
Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren