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.*
