BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING.. *good & bad*

See time just flies by... where did it go? I am going to have to make a goal to update my blog everyday with at least ONE inspiring thing. Today's will be about being *grateful.* Honestly, I know we all have a lot to complain about these days... "everything is so terrible, why are things so wrong, everything is so unfair"... but you know what, that silly saying about "if you spent .5678 amount of time thinking good thoughts as you do bad thoughts, things would be better.." it might actually BE TRUE if we all tried it once in a while...

Really, if you are in a FUNK and can't get your mind off of something that seems so horrible in your life *I know I did this for a long time last night* try thinking of one thing about THAT situation that has brought about something good... I KNOW IT IS HARD, isn't it? Believe me there are so many times I just want to *and do* SCREAM about something in life that is "unfair" to me. Then I think, maybe that something was put in your life to help you get through something else. Maybe that something that is so awful has made you a better & stronger person just by you having to deal with it. Ever think of it like that? Oh, and then there are people who say "yes, I have tried this too and I don't see ANYTHING good, not even ONE THING that can even possibly be ok or beneficial about this situation." Well those people are either giving up on someone or something before even giving it a chance, or they are not accepting the little chance they do give it as the beginning to a solution. You have to have FAITH in all you do. And I am not even speaking about religious Faith *even though that is very helpful too* but you have to believe that *Things Happen For A Reason.* Whether you see them or not, whether they are presented to you at that moment or later on, you have to have faith in knowing there is ALWAYS something good to come out of something bad. No matter what. You know, I have had a few friends pass away in my short life so far, and never would I say it is justifiable to loose people in your life, but there is an ultimate plan that fits all the puzzles pieces *good, and bad, and ugly pieces* all into place. No one knows why, and many time it is SO UNFAIR, but you can't live your life asking WHY WHY WHY, WHAT IF WHAT IF WHAT IF... because if you did *and people who do this know* that it is a WASTE OF TIME. You are RUINING the time you have to figure out what is supposed to be teaching you, and what you can learn from it, by not accepting it. When you have a problem in your life, the BEST thing you can do is just accept it. Say "ok, shit, this is a problem. I hate it and it is so unfair. But now that I see it and I admit how awful it is, I can't just sit here and POUT because then I will only feel worse and make others around me feel negative. What can I do to get through this? What can I do to make this HUGE HORRIBLE feeling lessen each and every day?"

And it is hard.

It isn't going to be something easy like "oh I just won't think about it" because you do, and when you do you don't want to fall back into that WHY/WHAT IF waste of a life... Just breathe, think about how BAD it is to have the negative mentality and how much it pushes others away. Regain strength and composure and find a statement or a quote that will help you recover from that looming relapse... I personally like, " I am only going to be a weaker person thinking negative thoughts all the time and I would never want to be around me. Start being the person I would always want to surround myself with..."

That is just a mentality that gets and keeps me motivated. I think about how I can be better for those around me.

I also like a quote I saw recently...
"Remedy it, or welcome it: a wise man's only two choices." ~The Quote Garden

That hits home because life really is about picking a lesser of two evils at any point and time. You can choose to fix something or welcome something. Either way you have to deal with it. Letting something be pushed away and hidden is only going to make it harder to deal with when it creeps back up, and inevitably it will. It always does. So deal with it now, so when it DOES come back around the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time, you will be unphased by it because of your confidence.

I love that *confident* feeling. You know, the one you feel when you encounter a problem situation that has been around the block before... and it used to *still possibly could* REALLY bother you... but because you have this renewed sense of confidence with the situation because you previously *took it by the horns* so to speak- and dealt with it. you know exactly where to go to gather that feeling again make yourself realize HOW STUPID it would be to lose the confidence battle to something that isn't worth your precious time. You are a better person for getting through it and every single time it comes up and you fight it, you keep taking steps *full strides* to overcoming that negative situation all together.

*I guess you realize by now that I am in one of those negative situations at times. I am working everyday on overcoming it and keeping that built up confidence against it.*

So, anyways, today's lesson was all about being Grateful for those NEGATIVE situations and over coming them little by little. If you never had them, you would never have that power & confidence you built up while overcoming them. Now all you have left is that amazing feeling of control and those stupid things seem like silly nothings... *hopefully*


;)

My First Blog.. this year

Wow. I haven't had a blog *and actually kept up with it* since freshman year in college.. back then I had a lot of free time on my hands & I would write about EVERYTHING and post pictures of EVERYTHING, even random stuff like my roommate and I grocery shopping... hahahaha, I know, just sad.

But now are the days of actually working, per say (really it's my *internship* but damn it's as much, if not more work than working, minus getting a paycheck.. uh-huh I'm the free help...) Anyway, I don't have as much "free time" as before, but that isn't stopping me from sharing my life with others who care to indulge in it ;)

I decided to title my blog Aspiring to Inspire. I want to have an impact on others. Maybe it isn't saving their life in a hospital or writing a life-changing book series, but I have always had a drive to touch those around me. I am STILL figuring out what the hell I am going to do with my life and what direction I need to go in next.. *yes I am only 23, but time is f-l-y-i-n-g by* All I really know at this moment is that I like to interact with people. I have a passion for expressing myself in a way that intrigues others, inspiring them to be the best they can be. I am inspired by random things- everyday, and hopefully I can do the same for everyone who cross my path.

So here is to the old Claire, in a new time, with a new blog, and an undoubtedly interesting life! I guess you'll just have to wait and see...

If you don't feel like waiting you can start checking out my gallery of pictures. Those are continually updated too. www.gallery.me.com/c.e.m