Food for Thought: Eckhart Tolle Quote -EDIT-

"You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge."

-Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth

EDIT: I think on its own, this quote probably seems super "New Age-y" but I think what hit me most while reading it is the idea that we're already good. At our core, we are good and we don't have to spend our whole lives trying to become good and "be on our best behavior" and guilt ourselves into things we "should" do etc. Understanding that who you are, as you are right now, is a good person. What Eckhart Tolle goes on to say is that the ego, aka that voice in our head narrating our thoughts, is what blocks that idea from us. It can be easy for us to downplay our accomplishments in order to not seem too arrogant and so many other versions of judgement that we place on ourselves. Instead of worrying about "doing the right thing" etc. I want to just be me and be okay with that and know that I have my own path.

Internet Inspiration: BuzzFeed's "25 Things You DON'T Need To Do Before You Die"

This list is a refreshing reminder that we buy into the idea of things we HAVE to do all the time. Or places we need to see before or by a deadline...before you have kids, before you turn 30, 40, 50 etc. In actuality, these are arbitrary deadlines. For example, #12:

"You don’t need to achieve major success by a specific point in your life. Success can come early, or late in life. And it’s something you have to define for yourself."

This is something I struggle with on the daily. How can I be successful if I don't have A and B and C? It's a process like anything else, so celebrating the big and small things that are working for you is important. Otherwise, you will always feel like a failure.

Image Source

Mistakes Make You Better

Image Source

Be the Good

In All of Us

Image Source (You can buy the print!)

"It is in all of us to defy expectations, to go into the world and to be brave. To want, to need, to hunger for adventures. To embrace change and chance and risk, so that we may breathe and know what it is to be free." ~Mae Chevrette

Look Inside

Image from Inspiration Daily on Google Plus 

Winnie the Pooh Quote

Image from AMAZING Etsy store

In the News: Too Much Focus on Happiness?

This short clip I stumbled across raises some interesting questions. If we are constantly focused on 'being happy' we could end up being miserable. I think often times we don't really have a clear idea of what being happy looks like for us. Being carefree is not truly a possibility as an adult (however, I did spend a fair chunk of my adolescence being miserable with depression, which I wish on no teen). And maybe just as often we really think others are so happy in comparison and they are not. I think the best we can do is be open and honest about our pain and try to lean on others for support.

At the same time, another thought being raised here: "Is happiness a choice?" This of course is something I struggle with so much. Mind over matter. I do believe in the power of positive thinking, however, sometimes my mind fights a losing battle with my depression. Then I think, "I'm weak, I don't deserve to be happy."

Unfortunately, this discussion was so brief, and I really think there's a lot more meat to it. I do like the suggestion of breaking it down to small, conscious choices to improve your mood. Some things I do are:

1) When a song is in my head, I like to find it and listen it, and sing along.
2) When I'm out and about, I try to smile at people and show patience.
3) If someone lets me cut in during traffic, they always get a wave :-)
4) I like something, I say something because why not share the good stuff?
5) If I need to be reminded there's good in world, I watch this

What are your 'happy' choices?

In the News: Facebook Depression

                                                          Photo source

Facebook and social media have always proven to be quite controversial, mostly because we recognize that there may be unforeseeable consequences to their use. Most people have noted for themselves the lack of interpersonal skills that the new tech generation has. Texting, email, and posting on each other's Facebook walls are more popular forms of indirect communication favored by the younger set.

Now a new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org) has pointed out a new hazard of social media use called "Facebook depression." There is an "intensity" in the online world that parallels real world social circles and therefore, someone who feels ignored and excluded in virtual world may then exhibit the same depressive symptoms as someone in the real world. I think the internet has both the power to connect and the power to isolate. What is of particular concern is the fact that it may be even more isolating if you consider that many people use the internet when they are by themselves.

I think it's important to keep in mind that social media sites, despite their name, should not replace socializing in person. We lose the ability to understand each other as human beings via the internet because you cannot comprehend someone's facial expression or tone of voice through an email, text or a status update. I suspect that miscommunication has also been on the rise despite everyone becoming more able to connect with a wider range of people.

Full original report can be found here

What do you like/dislike about social media sites?