Live Like a Baby Elephant

I'm going to share a perspective/outlook that is good to have. Don't give me credit for the idea though because i read it from a motivational book. I think it's really inspiring; it helps me break out of the mold sometimes.
So here it is: Live life like a baby elephant. Here's why.

When wild elephants are caught for the circus they are conditioned to be broken. The trainers start by putting a steel chain around the baby elephant’s leg. Now elephants are very intelligent and social creatures, so it's especially hard for this little elephant to be away from its mother. Like all of us, he does not want to be imprisoned. So the little elephant tries to escape to freedom but is jerked back by the chain. He tries over and over not wanting to hand his fate over to captivity. Soon his leg starts to get raw and sore from all the tugging. It doesn't take long before the little elephant associates tugging with pain. He stops knowing that no matter how hard he tries his attempts at freedom are no good.
As the elephant grows up, the chain is replaced by rope. By now, the elephant weighs thousands of pounds and rope is certainly not going to hold him back.
Freedom is right there. To obtain it, all the elephant has to do is try to escape just once more. That’s all it would take. You see, the elephant doesn’t try to escape because he still feels something around his leg. He assumes it’s the steel chain so he doesn't bother tugging at it. He doesn’t think he can escape, so he doesn’t try.

We are a lot like elephants. So often people let themselves get “chained” into thinking that they can’t do things. They assume they wouldn’t be any good or that things won’t change from the way they are now. Always live life like a baby elephant. Be willing to keep tugging, to keep trying to run away. Don’t let others tell you that you cannot do a certain thing. Don't let your own mentality tell you that you can't do things. Don't let these people and these thoughts be your chain. Always check yourself now and then to make sure you aren't confusing chains with ropes. We all have our moments of doubt and uncertainly but the important thing is to keep fighting and believing. Running away from things is not always bad, in this case it was remaining still that lead to the unhappy ending.
Never give up. You never know, all it could take is that one last try that gives way to success.

My Year in Pictures

Okay, so it's the end of 2010. With the end comes reflection and a look back on the good times spent before a new year (with more crazy moments) is rung in. So here are some good times from twenty ten.


The Epic Snowstorms of February



Did i mention that it was EPIC!


First Skillet concert!


We're all 21!


Awww, so adorable


Springtime


End of semester dinner



A vist to the Lititz wolf sanctuary




A scenic Memorial Day hike!




Project for a summer class



Longwood Gardens





Aww, Christmas doggy

Identity Crisis

So I’m toward the end of a Biology degree but I still don’t know what I want to do. Shouldn’t I know by now? I feel like I should. I question if bio is the right path for me. I mean, I like learning about it (most of it) but I’m beginning to question if I would like doing it. It’s really frustrating to constantly have these things popping up in my mind. I try to convince myself to stop having these doubts but I always end up at the same place. If you’re on the right path, shouldn’t you want to keep walking? It’s not that I hate walking on this path but sometimes I catch myself looking for a back trail to cross over on to. Sometimes I doubt that these footsteps I’m taking will get me to where I ultimately want to go.

I always thought of myself as more of a creative person. I’m not outstandingly good at it or anything but I want to, it’s what I’m interested in. For awhile I wanted to be an art major but didn’t see any careers I could go into. That is until I stepped into the world of sfx make up. Sfx means special effects in case you needed a little deciphering. Now, I think that would be a pretty cool job to have. It’s creative and I don’t think it would get boring. I think there’s just something so alluring about making the unreal look real; something about creating that illusion. Right now it feels like the perfect job is just that, an illusion. I always thought I wouldn’t be one of those people who hated or were just neutral with their jobs. I always saw myself as having a job that I would really enjoy. As the time nears to actually getting a job, I’m not sure that will happen.

I feel like I’m between two things, each pulling me in different directions. As bad it may sound, maybe I just picked a major to get through those four years to get a degree, not being sure if it’s THE degree. You might suggest just going into the sfx industry. Yes, that’s a possibility but I guess in a small way I feel like I’m not supposed to. I feel like I’m supposed to do something more meaningful for society and the world. Maybe it really comes to my personality type of being an INFP cause that’s exactly what they do. They give up what they want sometimes in order to help others. That certainly feels like where I’m at. Whatever, I guess I’m in the same boat as everyone else.

The Christmas Light Decision

It’s well into the Christmas season. Let’s say you didn’t start with your outdoor decorating yet. What are you going to do hang up white lights or colored lights? I would go with the colored ones. White lights are so boring. Really they are. I know, they could be considered classic but a yard full of white is a little yawn inducing. Personally, I want to drive around and see the night lit up with bright colors; it just seems to deliver that Christmas spirit better. Oh, and don’t even get me started with these people who are full on white light advocates; meaning that they decorate their whole house in white and then you look inside at their Christmas tree to find it also lit with white. I have never put a string of white Christmas lights on my tree nor ever will I. I don’t know, call it being traditional or stuck in your ways but that’s me, at least when it comes to Christmas lights.
Oh yeah and in case you were wondering, real trees are better than fake ones.

What Goes Through my Mind During a Bad Mood

Sometimes I get tired of that person who no matter what you do nothing is ever right. Once they put a label on you, that’s it. There’s no changing it. You will probably never shine your light in their eyes. If you do, they won’t see it for what it is cause they have a big LABEL covering up their eyes.

Another thing, parents shouldn’t force their kids to switch their writing hands. So what if they’re a lefty or righty? Let them naturally go with what they choose. What, are you gonna be all proud and mighty that you made them switch AFTER you mess their brains up? Yeah, that’s right, switching from your natural hand makes you dumber. I looked it up myself. A study was done and they found that less gray or white matter was found in people who were forced to switch hands. They were also found to have less focus. Gee, Sounds like me.

Either me or my sister was supposed to be left handed but our Dad made us switch. Of course he doesn’t remember who it was. Personally, I think it’s me. Why do I say this? Well, I hate math with a passion, check. I display more of the right brain characteristics, check. Oh, and I feel stupider than the people around me, check. Oh wait, am I just using this as an excuse…. "Oh she is just feeling sorry for herself and is just blaming it on the whole left brain thing and being forced to switch.” Well, SORRY if it annoys you. Is it so bad that I’m looking for an answer for why I feel like this? For why I constantly feel like I’m not making par….even when I try my best?

I’m just discovering that I’m easily discouraged at times. It’s no wonder I procrastinate sometimes because I just remember to those times where I put my failures behind me and I go in with a fresh attitude and I try my best and I still get the same old results…still fall down. So why try when you KNOW how it’s gonna end up? Why put up with being hopeful and optimistic and having it crushed when you find out you failed? Why go thru that extra pain; why not just go in expecting the worse cause that’s what’s gonna happen anyway. This way you won’t experience that sinking feeling.

You know sometimes I just want to do something or have something great happen to me so I can be the one bragging for a change. You know? No one likes a bragger but aren’t most of us are kind of envious of him in a way? Sometimes you just get tired of it and have a breaking point. You’re tired of waiting or trying to remain positive. You just want to give up sometimes…..but can’t. I can’t at least. It’s kind of annoying at times but I guess I’m glad overall. Maybe it is the internal optimism of the Sagittarius. I don’t know, but I’m glad it’s there. Sometimes that’s the only thing that keeps me going, the only thing that gets me through. I don’t know if I can adequately describe it but it feels like I have this little tiny flame inside me. And no matter how windy it gets, no matter how bad I fail, it doesn’t go out and I never lose all hope(even though I may verbally express otherwise.) The flame, it may waiver back and forth and look like it might go out, but it never does. I guess now that I think about it, it’s kinda like the Thousand Foot Krutch song, The Flame in all of us. (youtube video at end of page)
Right now the flame is wavering but I know it will get stronger.