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