Dance in the rain!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain!"

I absolutely love a good quote and when I come across one that makes me smile I feel the need to blog about it or post it somewhere in my house.  With this one, I did both!  

This morning I woke up feeling a little blue.  The weather was gray, the hubby was away for work and yesterday I had to undergo a "not fun" medical procedure... eeekkk!!!!  I was in such a glum mood I decided the only way to shake it was to get out of the house and do something.  I called my sister to see what she had planned for the day.  We decided to go watch my niece at gymnastics and then head to our favourite lunch spot, the Degroot's Teahouse.  It was a great little afternoon.  After saying my goodbyes to family and friend's who joined us, I headed into Degroot's for a look.  Right when I walked in I came across a picture with a quote on it.. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; It's about learning to dance in the rain!"  I instantly smiled and proceeded to buy the picture.. haha. 

The quote says a lot about life and how we conduct ourselves in the good times and the bad times.  Yesterday when I was undergoing this horrific procedure, I almost fainted when it was over with.  I said to the doctor that I felt silly considering it was a routine in and out procedure.  He said to me, "Whitney, nothing in life is routine."  I thought about that for a long time after I left and couldn't agree with him more.  Everyone expects life to be easy and when a lemon is thrown our way, we get upset and we don't always deal with it in the best way possible.  

But we have to remember that life isn't always routine and sometimes it storms.  Instead of stopping our lives, we should embrace every moment, good and bad.  Life is unpredictable and can be scary.  But if you can learn to dance in the rain every so often, life will be that much more enjoyable.  

Save a life!

Life throws us curve balls and tests us and keeps us on our toes.  Many of us have the coping mechanisms to deal with these challenges, but some of us struggle to find the courage to face them.  Mental health plays a crucial part in this equation.  In the past two years, Sarnia has seen close to ten teen suicides.  For whatever reason, these young people felt that they could not handle the stress of life's challenges and decided the only way was to say goodbye... This breaks my heart.  Life for a teenager is hard enough as is, let alone adding bullying and mental health.  Something HAS to be put in place to help these students cope with life.  They need to know that it gets better and there are available outlets to help them.  We need to provide these outlets within the schools.  I truly believe that every school should have full time counsellors and that it should be MANDATORY that every student sees them at least once a week.  By incorporating it into students schedules, no one feels singled out or embarrassed to seek the help.  

I also believe that we all have the power to help.  Reach out to someone if they seem down.  Give compliments to strangers.  Hold doors open.  Smile as you walk by someone.  Talk to the people around you.  I believe that we have the power to save a life!  I remember the story of the little boy who took all his books home from school one day.  On his way home, he trips and drops them all.  Another boy helps him collect them and walks them home with him.  That day, a life was saved!  The boy who cleaned out his locker had no intention of waking up the next day.  But a simple gesture convinced him that his life was worth living.  

Be kind to people.  Go out of your way to give a compliment.  Tell the people around you, how important they are to you. Life is fragile but love and support can be the glue to keep it from shattering.  Be someones hero!  Save a life!

Be the FLAMINGO!!

"I am a flamingo in a flock of pigeons."

Society has moulded our minds to believe that if we don't dress a certain way, talk a certain way, or act a certain way, than we are not "normal".  But who has the right to make those kinds of decisions.  Is there one person out there who dictates how one is to dress, talk, and act?  I don't think so.  I think it is up to us to make the decisions about how we want to conduct OUR lives.

Do we live in a world that tricks us into thinking one way or another?  Of course we do!!  Social media, television, movies, magazines, etc..  All these outlets brainwash us into thinking a certain way.  These outlets shape our minds and tweak our views..  Crazy to think someone can have that much power over our thinking.

Did I buy my Nike Livestrong shoes because the commercial made me think I would run faster and gain a six pack just from wearing them??  You bet!!!

Did I start drinking Monster Rehab because on the label it describes a Las Vegas pool party and who doesn't want to be a part of that????  YUP!!

Do I look in the mirror and point out my many "imperfections" because television has told me that if i'm not 100lbs or less, I am "average"???  EVERYDAY!!

I would like to say I am not a victim of this world, but I am... It really is hard not to be.

I look back to my high school days, a time where we are self conscious, scared, and just wanting to be "normal".  During this time though, I was the complete opposite.  I remember when I owned Spice Girl platform shoes, a bright blue furry jacket, and florescent orange pants, which I wore all at the same time and was convinced I looked good. HAHA!  Now looking back I think, "How the heck did I think that was cool?".  But not only did I think I looked good, I felt good.  I didn't care what people thought and I think because of this, no one really thought much of my hideous outfit.  At least to my knowledge I never heard a negative comment.  At that point in my life, I was a flamingo!  I didn't care what people thought and I had my own style.

My goal of this post is to find the flamingo in me again and to ask that each person who reads this, finds their flamingo.  It is easy to be the pigeon and blend with everyone else.  But it is liberating to come out and be your own identity.  Show the flamingo in you!  I dare you! ;)

Keep Calm...

I don't know about y'all, but I CAN NOT WAIT for summer to get here... I am sick of the cold, windy and rainy weather.  I am ready to throw on the shorts and flip flops and enjoy the beach, cold beer, and good company!  Although I do enjoy the winter for many reasons (Christmas, snowboarding, cozy fires, etc.) summer really is my FAVOURITE season.

So to get me extra excited for the many things summer brings along with it, I thought I would dedicate a post to my summer adventures for 2012.. I guess a small bucket list for Summer 2012 :)

Here is a list of the mini adventures I hope to embark on :)

Country Concerts

Outdoor dinner parties

Road Trips

Beach days

Drive-in Movies

New bikini's

Beach cruising

Boating at sunset

Cottage Days

Baseball Games :)

BE DARING!

Finally home from my 40 hour work week and I am one happy girl!  This day dragged on for what seemed like FOREVER!!!  It didn't help that the weather was beautiful outside and I was stuck staring at a computer screen inside for 8 hours.. AARRGGG!!!

Anywho, whenever the weather warms up my mind tends to wander to adventure and spontaneity so I decided to write a blog about things I can do that are daring...

"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all." -Helen Keller



Crowd surf at a concert.

"You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough." -Mae West

Jump out of an airplane.

"Do one thing everyday that scares you." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Book a last minute trip while at the airport.

"Buy the ticket, take the ride."

Ride a motorbike.

"Actions express priorities." -Gandhi

Take sexy photos.

"If I'd followed all the rules, I'd never have gotten anywhere." -Marilyn Monroe

Get a tattoo.

"One who makes no mistakes, makes nothing at all." -Giacomo Casanova

So, I started this post Friday after work and it is now Sunday night and I have to get my mind mentally prepared for another 40 hour work week.. EEKKKKK!!!  But at least now I can daydream about my daring adventures I am determined to fulfil.  Some I have done once but it will not hurt to do again.. :)

Here are two last quotes to leave you with... bye for now!

"Never worry about the future, it comes soon enough" -Albert Einstein


"DO MORE!"

Curve ball...

These last few weeks I have been trying to figure out what to blog about... I have had a lot going on in my life but really wasn't sure what to share and what to keep to myself.  This is usually my outlet to vent and feel more free... but I am sometimes scared to write how I feel.. in fear that how I feel will predict the future outcomes....

In the last few weeks I have been kinda down and, to be honest, scared to death.  I received some news that could have gone one of two ways... good or bad... Luckily, my fate has decided this is not my time to suffer... 

I was having some health issues that I decided to address.  In the search to find out what was wrong with me, it was discovered that I had a large mass growing inside of my stomach.  An ultrasound that was done to discover one thing found something totally unrelated but definitely worth examining further... 

Now, if you have read my blog, you will know that in the past I had a cyst that ended up being cancerous and a close call... well, to hear the news of a "large mass attached to my abdomen" you can imagine how I may have felt... I had to wait a week to have a CT scan to find out more... The CT scan of course fell on a Friday so I had to wait the weekend to find out my destiny... the wait may have been the hardest part...

FINALLY the results came in and I was blessed with good news.  The cyst, that is the size of a grapefruit, appears to have no connection to my past medical history... PHEWWW!!!  This cyst, although big in size, presents much differently than the one found on my back years ago... The doctor says this is a good sign.... 

Just as a precaution, I am seeing a surgical cancer team in London to get a second opinion and to see how I should proceed... but my gut tells me I am going to be just fine.  

I want to say THANK YOU!!  To all those who knew what I was going through these past few weeks and who were there to support me.  I am not good with words and I have a hard time showing emotion but I appreciate each and every one of you!  THANK YOU!!!!

I also want to say a special shout out to a family friend who may have a much different destiny... she is THE strongest, most beautiful soul I know and I am happy to have had the opportunity to know her.  She is one of a kind and deserves the world.  I ask that anyone who reads this, says a little prayer for her!!  You are beautiful inside and out!  xoxo

The fork in the road...

"Live in the present and make it so beautiful it is worth remembering!" - Brooke Davis (One Tree Hill)

10 years from now, where will I be?  Will I have a full time teaching job?  Will I have one or two (max) kids?  OR will I still be stressing about the FUTURE!!!  Ahhhh!  I hate to be one of those people who can't just sit back and enjoy the ride... but lately, that is who I have become.  Instead of enjoying the present, I am getting too caught up in the future.

I was hired on as an occasional teacher this past spring which is a great start to a teaching career... BUT, along with me being hired, about 500 others were hired as well... needless to say, the journey to permanent is going to be a long one :(  Luckily (for now) I am working a full time job as well as supplying. The positive to this is the steady flow of income.  The negative is not being able to volunteer in schools and getting my name out there.  And it is quite known around here that the only way you are getting an interview for a long term position is if you put the face time in.  Totally understandable... but some of us need the money as well... such a dilemma!

When I first graduated teachers college I was afraid that maybe this wasn't exactly the career I wanted.. but after supplying in the classroom I knew it was precisely where I was suppose to be.  My goal is to teach, then become a special education teacher, and ultimately work for the board developing curriculum for students with special needs.  Having these three goals in mind, I know what I must do to get there.  Come September I need to focus on taking any necessary steps to reach my goals.  So I have decided I will volunteer, supply, and tutor.  I may not have the steady income I am use to but I will gain the experience and the contacts that will help me reach my goals.

The future can seem scary and intimidating.  Especially when you don't set realistic goals for yourself.  I would stay awake worrying about the future of my career because I felt I had no real direction.  This blog post has helped me sort through my thoughts and figure out my course of action!

Now that I have set goals and made a blueprint on what needs to be done to achieve them, I feel lighter!

My husband says that if I had it my way, I would be a professional student!  Which is probably true.. I love learning new knowledge and skills that will help me be better in whatever it is I do.  Just yesterday I told him I wanted to go back to school to get my Masters in Speech Pathology...  But after sitting down and thinking about it, I decided to try one path first and if that path takes a wrong turn and isn't what I expected, there is always a time and place to choose a new path.

Sorry if this blog is all over the place... that is how I have been feeling lately and needed somewhere to vent and get it all out... Thanks for listening and wish me luck!!!