success & happiness

I gave another speech for class today (I feel like I write a lot about my class speeches on here, haha) about defining personal success. I cited this article and I definitely recommend reading it! It was very inspiring and has even helped guide me in my job search. Basically, the author simply asks,

How happy are you?

The author pretty much states that if you are happy, you are successful.

You may have to sacrifice some parts in life for others, but if you are happy, you are probably doing things right for yourself. It's a good thing to ask yourself if you're happy overall. For me, I'm pretty happy right now. I am so comfortable being at school, with great friends, doing fun things and learning a lot. I'm nervous for the upcoming change (graduation...) but have been reflecting on what I want out of the beginning of my post-college life, and how it will make me happy.

Anyways, like I said in my speech, you deserve happiness; you deserve success. And if you define success based on happiness, you'll be both. :)

I know everyone defines success differently. How do you define success? Do you agree with the article?

Have a happy night :)

xo-ally

just one of those days

[image]

Mhmm. 

Goooooodnight.

I promise to post something more interesting in the coming future. :D

xo-ally

conquering the big hill [running]

     Today was a gorgeous day of blue skies and no clouds - a rare thing in western Washington. I decided to go out on a quick run before the sun went down, thinking I'd just run a mile or two and call it a day. I also checked the weather forecast, which says that today was the last sunny Seattle day for a while.

     So I started running. I'm pretty busy considering it's winter break, and it was so nice to clear my head. The endorphins were pumping and I had passed the 2-mile mark without even thinking about it. 

     Then I started getting closer to this huge hill. Did you get that? This hill is HUGE. If I wanted to run the hill, I would have to tack on another few miles to get myself back home. I told myself that since I hadn't run the hill in a few months, I could just walk/run it and the rest of the way home.

     But I didn't. I ran the whole way! I ran all the way down and all the way up the hill, and my heart rate evened itself out the rest of the way home with the (smaller) hills.

     The most brutal part of the hill is about three quarters of the way up when my breathing gets heavy and my muscles are tensing up. I knew I wanted to get up it without stopping though. So in my head, I repeated a phrase I've heard many times, 

"You don't think you can, but you can. Your body is stronger than you think." 

     It sounds SO corny, but it worked! It is a great reminder for any type of physical exercise to just keep pushing, because your body is truly capable of so much.

     After the six miles, I was back home. I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight, especially since my muscles haven't had a long run in a while.

xo

falling in love quote

When I was in Florence for GIF this summer we had these short church services every Tuesday. There was always a positive vibe in the small chapel and the church leaders would talk about God and life and play songs on an acoustic guitar. The services were so charming and always put me in a good mood. Every week they would give us a piece of paper with an inspirational quote relating to the service. This one stood out to me, and I have it hanging up on my desk:

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than

Falling in Love

in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

-Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

Whenever I read this quote, I imagine it to be narrated by James Garner (the guy who played the older Noah in The Notebook). Wouldn't that make sense? Right?! Ah, The Notebook is such a good movie.

Anyways, this quote inspires me every day.

Realize your dreams and make them a reality.

xo