Don't hesitate. Just do it.

Why wait when you have today.
Why question when you already have the answer.
Why hesitate when all you want to do is jump.

Learn to dance even when your heart aches.
Learn to smile upon a frown.
Learn to stand when you feel yourself crumbling down.

Feel the breeze.
Feel the emotions.
Feel the emptiness.

Try even when you think you won't succeed.
Try even when it feels really scary.
Try even when you feel like giving up.

Never try to be perfect. Not only because there is no such thing but also because it means you know what the boundaries are and you have chosen to follow your own path instead.

Don't hesitate. Just do it.

Life isn't perfect but I'm okay with that.

Life isn't perfect. It's actually filled with imperfections.
You will struggle. You will make tons of mistakes.
Some that you will regret. Some that you will learn from. Some that you won't even realize.

Yet, life is filled with great opportunities.
When you walk past someone down the street, you have the opportunity to smile.
When someone holds the door for you, you have the opportunity to say thank you.

Every single day, you have opportunities even when life is imperfect.

Life isn't always about THE BIGGER THE BETTER.

Don't let your ''summer trip'' or ''5 star hotel getaway'' be your only moment of peace, serenity and joy. There is opportunity in finding joy in every day life, in the little moments, in the little things.

Even if life gets shitty, even if things don't seem to be going your way, there is an opportunity hidden waiting to be discovered.

I'm Moving! (what does that mean?)

House is officially sold.

It's the place where I've called home for the past 9 years, most importantly over the past 3-4 years where I've tweaked it to make it more my own. But it never really was my own and I've always really felt it.

While I believe no one's path is similar, I believe we all go through life the same way. We wake up, do our thing, eat, drink, breathe, sleep, go about life the best we can and hope to live another day. 

Some of us are pure wanderlust with no set grounds. Some of us have a home filled with children. Some of us are a little in between. 

I would say I've lived a pretty traditional life so far. Grew up in a small town. Moved away from home. Went to school. Got myself a job that allows me to be independent financially. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

Yet, this house, where I've lived countless experiences (some good, some not so good), is truly the place where I've defined my character. It's where I've realized who I am as a person - as a woman - as an individual...

• Whenever I felt sad or emotionally confused, I would go in my basement - set up my camera on timer and let my creative juice flow and have myself a photoshoot. It was my drug - what allowed me to get away from life for a little while;

• It's where I've tried my hand at gardening for the first time. It's the place where I've FAILED at gardening for the first time. Spent countless hours with my hands in the dirt, frustrated but determined to find a solution;
• It's where I fell in love for the first time. A young - free spirited - kind of love. This guy who knocked on my door one summer night melted my heart right away;
• It's where I had my first heart break. I remember vividly walking into the house, falling on my knees (dramatic much?), having a nose bleed (it happens randomly once in a while), crying my heart out, feeling the pain so strongly. It hurt. A lot;
• It's where I've lived with a boyfriend for the first time. So many learning curves. So many great memories; 
• It's where I learned how to cook;
• It's where I learned so many devastating news about family members;
• It's where I've studied for so many nights while in college and in university. Feeling so frustrated with life trying to finish all my homework and studying for exams. It's also where I've received my diplomas.

If the walls of that house could speak. They would have great stories to tell. 

Part of me is so thankful for having all those memories to cherish. 

Part of me feels sad that one chapter is over.

Part of me realizes that nothing last forever. It truly doesn't.

Part of me is excited for whats to come.

Part of me... is feeling overwhelmed.

Dear home, you will always hold a special place in my heart.

Love,

Someone who ''used'' to live there.

You'll Get There

Only the ones that keeps going will eventually get there.

You have a goal. Big or small (it's all relative).
You work hard at it, time and time again.
You keep hitting brick walls. It hurts. You cry.
Yet, you still keep going somehow.

You wonder what's your motivation.
Sometimes you question your reasons for still moving ahead.
Yet, you do anyway because you would much rather keep moving than going backwards.

All of a sudden (perhaps not so sudden), you realize you've made progress.
You're no longer where you first started.
Things look familiar, yet somehow different.

You realize you're no longer the same person.
Your shoe size is the same, yet you've grown spiritually.

But, it's all inside. You can feel it. Yet, physically, you still look similar.
You feel proud of yourself.
You feel happy.

Your initial goal starts looking a bit too small.
You want to dream bigger.
You don't want it to stop.

That's when you realize, it's not about the end goal.
It's all about the journey to get there.

I Choose

I choose.

I choose to wake up every day with a smile.

I choose to treat my peers with respect.

I choose to keep the door open for the person walking behind me.

I choose to stay focused on solutions rather than problems.

I choose to smile at a stranger on the street.

I choose to feel the wind brush against my cheeks.

I choose to be strong even when everything seems to be falling apart.

I choose to make changes in my own life when I feel there needs to be some.

I choose to surround myself with positive people who inspires me.

When you feel like you're about to drown because you can't seem to stay above water no matter how hard you're fighting... remember... you have a choice.

Listen to Your Heart.

Once you hear what your heart is telling you, and you follow your heart, wonderful things happens.

Too many times, I've worried about doing things right. Over thinking is my middle name, or at least it used to be. Problem is, if you constantly over think everything, you will never be truly happy. You have a brain for a reason but you also have a heart for a reason. Now that I'm letting my heart have more power over my brain, I've never been this happy. You brain may trick you into thinking you're happy but... happiness comes from the heart and not the brain.

There are no right or wrong decisions, I truly believe that. But, if you open up your heart to letting you know what feels good and what doesn't, then happiness reveals itself before you.

Life is hard and you will constantly be faced with challenges and people trying to change your faith, over and over again. You will be hit, time and time again. But, only you have the choice to get back up. Only you have the choice to be stronger. Only you have the choice to overcome every situation that comes your way. It will be hard but you can do it. You deserve happiness. You deserve joy. You deserve respect. All of us do. But never hide your feelings. If you feel sad, ask yourself why? If you feel joy, ask yourself why? If the reasons why are things you have control over, then you have the choice to keep those things in your life or to let them go.

We're only prisoners if we let fear overcome us. Always remember that. Surround yourself with positive people, people that believes in you, that believes in themselves.

It will be okay.

Definition of Love

Love can mean something completely different to you than it does to me. Here's my definition of love:

Love is beautiful, love is pure. It comes from a place of honesty and interest. Once you start questioning yourself and figure out whats important to you, you start realizing where you want to spend your energy and who you want to give your time and energy to. In order for a loving relationship to be maintained, it has to be welcomed with open arms on each end of the stick. But, in order to come from a place of honesty, you have to do some work on yourself first - and learn to love yourself first. Once you love and trust yourself, it becomes a blessing to share a loving relationship with someone else wether its a friend, a colleague, a partner.

Therefore, my definition of love starts with yourself. Since we're all different, thats why my definition of love may mean something completely different to you. Once you learn how to love yourself, you learn how to be a better parter/ parent/ sibling/ friend, etc.

Love isn't set in stone. I believe its very tangible simply because, with time, we become more mature, more experienced.

For instance, when I was 5 years old, I believed love was a given. I believed we automatically loved our parents, our siblings and that, just like magic, they would love us in return. I never really used to work hard for my relationships because I always thought they would always be there, loving me back.

Now that my heart has matured, I believe love is very valuable and only shared with the people you choose to. Its very fragile as it comes from somewhere very pure and honest. But, as fragile as it can be, its also one of the most beautiful sentiment you can share with other individuals. I'm also a bit more careful about whom I choose to open my heart to, I cherish my relationships more and only save the love I choose to share with the individuals I oh so carefully choose.

Love to me, isn't singular. It's always shared in some way or another. Even when you love yourself, you share that love with your soul. Love comes from your heart, not your brain.

Love is deep, love is pure

Love is simple, love is gentle

Just like a raindrop, its exterior is soft 

yet filled with so much emotion

Love is looking someone else in the eyes

and seeing sparkles of light

Love is feeling elevated just by

being in the presence of another individual

Love is never to be taken for granted because even though its powerful, it can also be taken away. The relationships you currently have in your life, if important to you, should never be taken for granted. Don't overprotect. Love isn't something you possess. Because its something you share, always remember there is another individual on the other end. Therefore, love isn't selfish.

Love is wonderful. It's also aligned with respect, an open mind and the will to grow. Learning how to love never ends. Because we always change as human beings, and since its shared with others, others also learn how to love in their own ways. Therefore, love is patient.

Today's mantra: love yourself first, then, open your heart to others whom you choose to let into your heart. You're in the driver seat but the road, when shared with others, becomes beautiful and meaningful.

Love,

Jess xox

Learn to trust yourself in moments of change

Change.

We all get older every single day but do we become wiser? We can. Because, with change comes the opportunity to learn, grow and experience.

Change is a wonderful thing because it means there is an evolution of some sort. But it's also scary, scary because you don't know what will happen. There are no certainty.

When I was 18, I wanted to travel the world, to experience different cultures, to walk barefoot on different oceans. But I didn't. I went to post-secondary school because it was asked of me. I tried a few different majors. Learned more about myself along the way and readjusted my school path along the way. Within 5-6 years, I had moved to a different province, finished college and graduated from university (in a nutshell). Even if it wasn't necessarily my first choice, I still accepted it and went through those changes with an open mind. If there's one thing I've learned through change is that it's best to keep an open mind, because even if you don't see it at first, there is something good to take out of any moments. There is always an opportunity to learn, grow and experience regardless of the circumstances.

Somehow, I'm not the same as that 18 year old... just like I'm not the same as the 20 year old me or the 25 year old me for that matter. The reason behind it is because, through change, we evolve. We allow our own selves to change, and that's okay. I don't want to be the same person as the one I was yesterday. I want to evolve as a human being, as a woman, as a girlfriend, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister.

Again, change is a wonderful thing. And because I've learned to embrace change with open arms, I've also learned to trust. Within those moment of change, I've felt sadness & joy. I've lost loved one, reconnected with family members, made new friends. I've most definitely had a few things not going to plan. But, I've learned that I have no control over change. Change is inevitable. All that I can control is how I view change.

I find comfort in knowing that change will always be a part of my life not because I'm not happy but more so because it will allow me to grow, learn and to experience. I'm not saying change is easy, I'm just saying behind any obstacles is an opportunity. Its up to you to see it and to make the best of it.

A man who is very dear to my heart once lost all control of his body. Slowly but surely, he wasn't able to move his legs, arms or simply move. He was, in some ways, a prisoner of his own body. But, as his body began to change, it seemed as if he understood that he had no control over it. All he could control was his mind, thoughts and his overall attitude about this change. This man has thought me an enormous amount of life lessons that I can only hope to be able to return the favour one day.

Never underestimate the power of your own thoughts.

Regardless, change can be big or small. Take it with an open mind. Trust yourself.

It will be okay.

Writing isn't dead,

Jess

Putting Inspiration into Action

Here it is.

I've been here before. This platform is familiar. Must be because I had a blog once, maybe even twice. It was nice but writing and I had taken a little break. Between Facebook, Instagram (never been big fan of Twitter), writing a blog just seemed useless, as if writing paragraphs instead of a short few lines seemed long and boring.

But, I very recently came across a writer. She's young, fearless (or so it seems) and her writing style is impeccable. Her passion for writing is out of this world. Its her choice of artistic expression. And well, it reminded me of a younger Jess. The Jess who was always looking forward to her French class because she knew she was going to learn and therefore improve her writing skills. I loved creating short stories/ poems, etc.

Here I am, eating a few (okay maybe more than a few) spoons of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream starting a new blog. I've missed this. I've missed being able to reflect and try to align a few of my thoughts. Aside from actually being able to write a sentence, I love not having to worry about what I should or shouldn't say. I love letting my mind free to think whatever it wishes to think and to, then, let my fingers translate those thoughts into words.

I've heard many times that the things we love to do as a child will always be a part of us. I remember escaping away with my journals, sometimes in a forth I would have made out of blankets, or away in my backyard beside a tree somewhere, just me, my journal and a pencil. I didn't feel judge, I didn't feel any pressure. All I felt was peace... peace of mind. As much as that peace is important as you're growing up, I'm realizing just how much its also important to me now as I'm sure it will also be in the future.

I want this blog to be my escape, my new peace of mind. It feels right.

If you're reading this it must be because its sparked some sort of interest within you. I'm happy you're here. Welcome. All I ask is that you keep an open mind as the thoughts/ ideas/ etc. will all be from me, coming from a place of respect, truth, and basically my soul.

Already thinking about my real first post...

Writing isn't dead.

Jess