For You and Yourself

Life will always have its complications; that is just the way it is. You live, you learn, you move on, you grow. Complications are only moments of mere obstacles put in our way to set our minds straight again after losing some notice of certain things.

These are the times when you might just need to take a step back and not be so hard on yourself. You can only control so many things in your life, most importantly, you and yourself. Your thoughts, actions, emotions, those are all in your very own possession. Like always, even when it seems like it is not, what you choose to do is always left up to you. Whatever choices you make, know that they have their purposes. No choice should be followed with regret, for a life full of choices of regret stunt most chances of happiness. As I've mentioned in the past, things always happen for a reason, some good, some bad, but in the end all things are beneficial. Choices we make should be looked upon as such.

No matter the complication, you should be your own priority. You always hear, "oh, you shouldn't be selfish." Well, selfishness comes down to the matter of understanding it. Like most things, you can use it or you can abuse it.There's the good and there's the bad. When you learn to use it not only to your own benefit but to others as well, then you have the right idea. It also comes down to if you can't take your own well-being and self-care into consideration, how are you supposed to consider the well-being of others in a rational way?

There are times when that question hovers to the surface of your mind as you realize that you do need to in fact take a step back and take some time for yourself. In the end, there is truly no company better than your own. Sometimes a lack of company is the best company. You may just need some time to clear your mind or get some thoughts straight.

Personally, these kind of times with all sorts of complications  can be a little hard to handle at first but overtime I've learned that all I need is to take some time to simply breathe. Maybe think some things through, but at the same time keeping in mind not to overthink, or complications can start to pile on top of each other. Sometimes I can't help but be hard on myself, but in the end, that does no good. It's a matter of how you look at things. For me, as soon as I'm able to push myself past the "hard to handle" part, I've learned that it comes down to the balance of optimism and rationalization.

Other times, you may just need some time to yourself to recuperate. It is truly good to be around other people, but sometimes all their thoughts and actions start to clutter your own thoughts and actions. Give yourself some space and know that it is healthy. Give yourself time to gather your own thoughts again and get back into the swing of things.

In the end, no matter what life throws at you, know that it is for a reason and that it will do you good in some way, no matter how strange or unclear it may seem. Know that the care of yourself is important and never let anyone make you think otherwise. Take that time for yourself. It can always be needed.

-The Crunchy Granola Nut

©The Crunchy Granola Nut 

I realize that this is a little late but sometimes a wonderful way to bring in the new year is to be content with doing the minimal. I have been enjoying my lazy days that have allowed me to finally sit back and relax. There will most certainly be a thoughtful post coming soon but currently I possess the obstacle of writer's block that I am impatiently waiting to fade.

Happy New Year's and hope the resolutions, that are both meaningful and beneficial, are going well.

-The Crunchy Granola Nut

Food for Thoughts

Food for Thought

Food for Thought

A Sense of Rediscovery

There comes a time when you realize how all the pieces have fallen into place. There is a transition of your very being. Old things are not forgotten, but become things of the past. Not even so far to think of the future, but the present, is full of new. While some things happen unexpectedly, it all has a purpose. Sometimes, whether you believe it or not, you need time to see that good will always come out of it.

Lately I have noticed this transition as I am finally letting things be of the past and take on their new role that they're meant to take. I find myself being, well, me again. There's no lingering shadow of what was has appeared to be holding me back in some ways. I find that I have been rediscovering myself and how I think.  There has been a sense of weight being lifted from my shoulders, erasing the constant stress and play on my emotions. It may have taken me months to see it, no matter how quickly I believed myself to have moved forward with change. Sometimes it just takes awhile for the light to shine in your face as it did with me. For once in such a long time, I feel there is honestly optimism and opportunities in every moment. The negative is decreased and I can feel like I can let loose and shake things off. The pieces have started to fall into place, just where they are meant to be. The pieces won't necessarily be perfect for life does not work that way, but yet they always find their place. Sometimes all you need is that walk in the park or down the street, or that standstill moment just thinking.  I have never felt so happy, so content, so at peace of mind, so free. The individual that I am, with [well, for the most part] only the influence of my own person, my own thoughts, my own actions as they allow me to take that next step forward to push through the mess, the madness, the chaos that we all call life.

Life is a game with no rules. You have to just take it as it comes. If you're not happy, make the change for yourself. There is no use in waiting to see if it will occur in some other way. Yet, never change your actual self. It is a matter of growth and of evolution, not change. Change will play a trick of causing you to lose sight of yourself, thus, you lose sight of your life. Every person is their very own individual and once that individual is lost, there won't be another. So catch it as it falters and don't let go. But don't be surprised when you do find yourself faltering. It is only natural for it to happen at some point, whether it is due to the heavily hovering influence of another or a seemingly impossible to defeat obstacle in your way. It simply happens.

I don't regret my own faltering as it has led me to a deeper understanding of my own being. It opened my eyes wider than before as it has given me a new drive, a new sensation, a more in-depth way of thinking. It's another reason to continue to make my life my own.

-The Crunchy Granola Nut

©The Crunchy Granola Nut 

Value Your Ideas

               Pet-peeves are a reflection of our values. Rather, they show our values by highlighting our frustration when a value of ours is threatened. Ever since I can remember, I have had strong feelings about the concept of respect. It is not something that is necessarily given, but is not necessarily earned either. Yes, when respect is given, it should certainly be returned. Yet, going against this idea, I have often noticed throughout my years at schools, adults do not always start with giving respect. They see it as something that has to be earned, and until they see that earning to be fit, they do not give it. It may even be that they see one child act out and then they decide to treat all children the same. What good does that do? For me, that has made me outraged and it would almost seem fitting to disrespect someone that has automatically disrespected me only because of the fact that I am just another child. Respect is something I strongly value. It is something I give to someone until I find some real reason not to. There is never a reason to automatically be rude or inconsiderate.

            Displayed through another pet-peeve, I value optimism. So often I hear or see people being negative. Why? I see it as something that is stunting their life. Sometimes optimism can be over-played or over-done, yet the consequences are more often than not, not as major as the ones resulting from pessimism. Optimism leads to happiness and even to our own well-being. Being pessimistic only leads to more negativity, influencing everything about a person. Their mood, thoughts, actions, and health all become affected in a negative manner. That one cheerful comment instead of another complaint can make a huge difference. It is something simple yet so hard for some. I am lucky enough to be a person to notice the importance of positivity and I make sure as often as possible that it plays a major role in my life. Whether it is sharing the idea of positivity with others in general, or getting someone to change their mindset from feeling down to thinking up, I try to do what I can. Each effort matters and can make a difference. It is when the idea of optimism is lost is when the effort is lost.

            Branching off from the ideas of respect and optimism, I value tolerance. While many people find negativity in their own life, they find the need to bring it to others’ lives. Nowadays, someone cannot say their opinion without being criticized. At times it is good to question others, especially when trying to understand their view and why it may seem logical to them and why it could become logical to us. Yet, there are times when people do not question others but insult their opinion, thinking only theirs are right. An opinion is an opinion for a reason. They are subjective and different for everyone, no matter how like-minded two people may be. Now, more than ever, people are sharing their opinions as impactful changes are happening worldwide. We, as people, need to branch out and be mindful of all those opinions. We have to be open to multiple perspectives and realize that things can be accomplished in more than one way. The importance of respect comes back around with the idea of tolerance. Always living in a cultural diverse place, I have learned how important it is to respect others and to recognize that those other perspectives are always there.

            Beyond the idea of pet-peeves causing a reflection of our own values, our individual actions speak just as loudly. Whenever someone tells me what to do in a condescending way, my stubbornness shines through stronger than ever. In this sense, I have come to realize how much I have continued to value independence and freedom. Advice and help every now and then is important. But, being a young adult, I need to learn some things on my own, using my own way. I don’t want someone to be hovering over me, telling me what to do constantly along the way. I need to learn from my own mistakes, my own actions, my own thoughts, my own words. Most of the time, this can only be accomplished when one is independent. So, freedom is greatly valued. Not many things can be achieved when one is held back and restrained from what life has to offer. We each have our own path on our own journey, and we should treat it as such. 

What do you value?

-The Crunchy Granola Nut

©The Crunchy Granola Nut