Life Goals

Goals

My boyfriend will turn 30 very soon and in a recent conversation with him I asked him about his goals and how they have changed in the last 10 year? I wanted to get his perspective on his achievements. The conversation led to some very interesting things that have changed in his life and the differences in his career. The conversation made me think about goal setting. Do we set goals in our life because we need to feel a control over our lives and destiny? Trust me I have many goals in life and am proud to say I have academically achieved many of my goals. In my personal life I believe God has changed my path in many ways. Economically I am still working on some goals and some of my goals have changed. None of us can change life and the things that happen to us even if those things can change our life and goals. So do we set goals to be able to find our path in life and try to control it or is goal setting a way to list the many things we want to achieve in life? Do our shape us or does life shape our goals?

Independence

Leaving the Nest

When I moved away from home to go to college I was very excited. At the young age of 18 I was ready to conquer the world. It wasn’t until my first set of exams and getting sick that I started missing home. After that first year of college I grew to appreciate my parents, my home and my space. I realized parents sacrifice so much and do so much for their children. I was able to mature and grow to love the place I called home. I see so many young kids ready to leave the nest and I am a strong believer every child should leave their home and grow to appreciate their parents and their home. Leaving the nest allows us to mature and grow into responsible adults. What are your thoughts about leaving the nest?

 

Reflections

Reflection of You

I recently heard an explaination to the reason why we as people are bothered by the comments people around us make. Have you ever found yourself bothered by something someone  else says?  It can be something as simple as someone showing off his/her new shoes on Facebook. Or  maybe showing off the hotel they are staying in for his/her vacation. We are bothered by people’s comments because those comments reflect something within us that causes  an insecurity. I tested this on myself and found that the comments that bother me the most had to do with my insecurities. So next time you find yourself complaining about how someone’s comments annoy you take a moment to think of why?

Family Love

Family

I attended my cousins wedding two months ago and I learned an important lesson. As I got to spend a whole weekend with my family from Texas I had a chance to observe my family in action. As the weekends celebrations came to an end I observed as my family hugged, kissed and enjoyed each other’s presence. I learned Family can be tough, problematic and even annoying but at the end of the day family is love. Each family is unique  and we are a unique part of our family. In many ways we are a reflection of the love, tradition and  experiences with our families. We should appreciate the special celebrations in our families and enjoy the time God gives us with them. What is your favorite memory with your family?

LOVE

Falling Love

Fall in love with the details in your life. I recently heard a writer mention this; I thought it was such a great inspiration for writers. The writer was encouraging every person to look into their lives and find the details that make each persons life unique. I think all of us have so many stories, observations and adventures. Find the details in your life that bring a smile to your face. Focus on the parts of your life you are in love with . What are the details in your life you are in love with?

Artist Dates

Artists Date

I just started doing a creative artist exercise where you choose a place to go to. You go alone and you just allow your thoughts to flow.  The date is called artist date and it allows your creative thoughts to surface. The goal is to not allow things to distract you and so the exercise must be done along. It can be very hard to go somewhere alone but sometimes people can be a distraction; kind of like a road block and can block our creative thoughts.  This Artist date should be practiced once a week. Many of use do something similar and we consider it “alone time” but in your artist date you don’t have to do a specific task just go somewhere and take a walk. On my 1st artist date I visited the coffee shop and people watched for an hour. I found myself wanting to use some of the conversations I overheard in this blog. I challenge you all to practice an Artist Date.

Morning Inspiration

Morning Papers

I am currently taking a Creative Writing class and I was very inspired by the reading I was assigned. The author of the book I am reading believes in giving students spiritual inspiration. She explains that every person should have morning papers. In the morning papers; a person should write three pages of whatever thought they have in the morning. This exercise can help you categorize your thoughts and help people organize their dreams, thoughts and goals. I believe we should all use this strategy to write down our dreams, thoughts, goals and inspiration. Write whatever comes to mind and it helps your creativity arise. So go ahead and write your morning papers.

Dinner with Friends

I recently decided to be more pro-active with my friendships. I decided I have been extremely busy and I need to make time for my friends. I have decided to have dinners with my friends and dedicate a nice long dinner and conversation for them. I have a close group of friends that get together once a month. We call it “Our Girls Dinner”.  Every month we meet at a nice restaurant and we have a 2-3 hour dinner.  Those dinners allow us all to catch up and talk about what has been going on recently.  The dinners also allow us to talk about our recent adventures and relationships. Those dinners are very important to us because it allows us to stay connected. What do you do to stay in contact with your friends and to spend quality time with them?

Fashion

Style

I have to say I love clothes and I simple love dressing up and wearing a nice pair of heels and a cute outfit. This week I find myself slowly packing for a cruise, as I have been packing I have been wondering what it is that drives my style. What motivates me to wear what I wear? I have come to the conclusion that I like to look sophisticated but sexy. I am in love with scarves and accessories; I believe a nice pair of heels allows an outfit to look amazing. My new motto is if people see me out I want them to think “that young lady looks confident and looks mature. I want my clothes to scream maturity and modernism”. The last  time I went on a cruise I only wanted to look sexy but this time around I want to look elegant for the dinners and sexy but not to sexy for the nightly outings. I believe as we grow older our styles mature and we become a better version of ourselves. What is your style and what idea is behind your style?

Travelling Adventures

Travelling

I love travelling and have learned many lessons as I travel more often. One issue that I always deal with is luggage. When I travelled abroad years ago I took six pieces of luggage with me; in the villa I was voted “Most likely to be seen in an airport with more than six pieces of luggage”. I laughed so hard about the groups vote but realized I did not need as much clothing as I thought. I did not use everything I took and ended up coming home with more luggages. Ever since that trip I decided to try to lower my luggage count. It does not help that when you travel, airlines charge you for every piece of luggage except carry on. I have practiced minimalism and realized it can be hard but I have improved. When I travel I decide which shoes are essential. I always take one pair of heels; I take two only if I must. I pack 2 pairs of sandals and flats which I wear the day I am travelling. I pack only one pair of sunglasses and I have a black clutch. A black clutch matches with anything. Here is an example of how you can be a minimalist.

I will be taking a trip very soon. I will be gone for 7 days and will be in a beach area those 7 days. I am going to take:

2 pairs of heels. One nude color and one black.

We will be eating out every night for dinner so I will pack 7 dinner outfits. I know we will be going out every night so I plan on changing into one of my pairs of sandals once we are done with dinner.

 3 bathing suits and 3 skirts and three shirts to accompany those skirts. 

 2 pairs of sandals and 2 beach dresses.

 2 bathing suit covers and

1pair of sunglasses

2 hats

I plan on mismatching some outfits and my toiletries and makeup. I usually try to choose a few products from all the make up I have and bring only what is essential. Since I will be out in the sun and water I do not need much makeup. I will need sun block for my face but tanning lotion for my whole body. Shampoo, conditioner and lotion. My favorite perfume and deodorant spray.

Now many of you will think to yourself she is not a minimalist at all; but compared to my six pieces of luggage I once took across the world and happily convinced my friends to help me drag along many connecting flights and airports I have truly improved. Have you ever found yourself realizing you need to minimize in some way?

Wow! Very funny

THE DEAD COW LECTURE

First-year students at the OSU Vet School were attending their first anatomy class with a real dead cow. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a white sheet.
The professor started the class by telling them, “In Veterinary medicine it is necessary to have two important qualities as a doctor.
The first thing is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the animal’s body.”
For an example, the professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt
of the cow, withdrew it, and stuck his finger in his mouth.
“Go ahead and do the same thing,” he told his students.
The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes, but eventually took turns sticking a finger in the butt of the dead cow and sucking on it.
When everyone finished, the Professor looked at them and said, “The second most important quality is observation. I stuck in my middle finger and sucked on my index finger. Now learn to pay attention. Life’s tough but it’s even tougher if you’re stupid.

Love of Food

Food

How many of you love and enjoy a delicious plate of food that just brings a smile to your face. I have many of those moments. One of the things that brings’ great joy to my life is food. I love food and I am blessed to have an amazing group of aunts that cook my most favorite dish in the world. My mom does not cook my favorite dish not because she is evil but because she says it is very hard to make this recipe. My favorite food in the whole world is Chile Rellenos. Now if you say to yourself chile rellenos sound familiar. Chile rellenos are stuffed bell peppers. My parent’s family is from Guatemala so I love Guatemalan chile rellenos’ which are different from other stuffed bell pepper recipes from South America, Central America and Mexico. Chile rellenos has the power to bring great childhood memories flooding back. I remember spending long summer days lounging in Guatemala and enjoying my grandmothers amazing chile rellenos. A hot cup of chocolate and a delicious juicy chile relleno  was always my favorite when I was young. I have even snuck in a chile relleno in my bag through Guatemalan security at the airport. As I grow older I find myself connecting food to great memories. What food brings back a great memory in your life?

Goals in Life

Goals

What are your goals in life? Do you have a goal for this year or for next month? As we evolve from decade to decade' do we also set goals in our lives and do we actually reach those goals? My boyfriend told me something very wise. He said' “For any goals that you set for your life you need to make a plan. You need to think about the hardships and problems that may come along the way.” Something so easy as a plan but something so critical for goal setting. If we do not come up wit a plan than we have no idea where we are going?  As each year passes us by, we should be setting goals and reaching some of our prior goals. If you are not setting goals than you are not growing as a person. Goals don’t have to be work related. You can have nutrition goals, life goals, and economic goals etc. The point is to evolve and change and become a better version of your-selves. We should desire to be well-rounded individuals that can hold a conversation with someone of any age from anywhere. One of my goals was to make a blog and write about my experiences as an individual. I made a plan and committed to this blog. So as this year goes by think about the goals you wan to reach this year and create a plan. You might be blown away with the things you can accomplish.

Valentines Day

Valentine’s Day

As you all celebrate Valentine’s Day I encourage you all to realize Love is the most important thing in our lives. It does not have to be the passionate love many of you have for your boyfriends/girlfriends or husband and wives. I encourage us all to look at the different types of love we all have. All of us can enjoy Family love. The love families have for each other is amazing and encouraging. The bonds a family shares can never be broken. Friendship and love is another type of love. The love friends have for each other is another type of love. Love in friendships can help us in our darkest moments. A friend can show us his/her love by listening to us and encouraging us. This love can grow and diminish but the love we have for those special type of friends is very unique. As we go through life may we enjoy LOVE and the tiny pleasures in life that allow us to love life; my trips to foreign lands and a warm cup of coffee bring a special warmth to my heart and love for life. A long deep conversation with a friend is the love I enjoy. What type of love do you enjoy? 

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.

Fashionista

Fashion

How can I not talk about this topic! I love fashion and I love to experiment. Now I am sure some of my girlfriends will tell you sometimes I have not made the best choices. Like the horrific black boots I bought three years ago and it wasn’t until my best friend pulled me aside and informed me they were ugly. Looking back they were so ugly; I don't know what took over me when I bought them. But I have to say the fashionista in me always has me pulling bright colors and glitter. Now I like to think that; as I have matured so has my wardrobe. I don’t buy things just because they are cute. I wear outfits that look good on me or at least I try to buy outfits that look good on me. I follow fashion but most recently I have learned to recycle my outfits. I add accessories like a belt to an outfit and have it change. I wear blazers over dresses and change the look. I have learned to add layers and buy shirts that are work appropriate but also can be worn to a lounge or out for dinner. This year my goal is to avoid the mall as much as possible and learn to work with what I have in my closet. Why is it women are inspired by fashion. I can sure tell you when I get up in the morning and I am wearing something nice I feel good. Dressing up in an outfit you know looks good just brings a smile to our faces. Why is it Women love to follow fashion?

Curiosity

Curiosity

I am reading Steve Harvey’s’ book called Straight Talk, No Chaser and Ladies I am telling you if have not read his first book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man than you need to read this book. This book taught me how men think; it helped me understand how men break down information. In his latest book Steve Harvey says “Women are absolutely the most inquisitive creatures God has created...” I have to say he is right. As a woman I am so curious of the world around me. I also have to say so many women are motivated to understand men and figure out how we can get them to love us and value us. We are gentle creatures and allow emotions to guide us. I think we are the most inquisitive and we don’t stop until we find our answers. We just have to make sure we are ask the correct questions and once we have found the answers we should use the information to guide us to the right man. One thing that stuck with me from the book is that you must be clear when expressing your expectations of what you want out of a relationship with the potential man. I had to learn to do this in my relationship. I explained my expectations to my boyfriend. Steve Harvey also says that if your potential bf or husband does not like your expectations and can not fulfill them then you as a woman must move on!

A Great Man

A Great Man

I am blessed enough to have my dad in my life who is a great man. He has always been a loving father and a romantic with my mom. He was a very hand’s on dad when I was young and a silly jokester. I have learned to appreciate music and dancing from him. So it is no surprise that I see many great qualities in my boyfriend that remind me of my dad. As a woman I feel it is extremely important that we tell the Great Men in our lives that they are Great Men. Men need to know they are needed and they are our protectors. They need us “Women” to tell them why we appreciate them so much and why we love them so much. We should be able to name at least three great qualities we appreciate from the men in our lives. So with Valentine so close make sure you tell your men why they are great and why we women love them so much.

My infatuation with Starbucks

A couple of weeks ago I went to Starbucks to get my daily coffee. My boyfriend was with me and he stayed in the car while I got my coffee. When I got back in the car he told me he discovered why I was so infatuated with Starbucks coffee. He said I looked like Siren the logo for Starbucks. I could not help but laugh because she does resemble me a tiny bit. But his statement made me wonder. Why am I so infatuated with Starbucks coffee? I am aware that it is my comfort drink. Every morning I go to work I am comforted buy my coffee. I am aware that no matter what happens that day; the day will go by. Starbucks coffee makes me excited. The experience of having someone else brew my coffee and carefully serve it me makes me feel special. The idea of having a pretty little gold card and paying for my coffee just makes me feel good. That is why so many of us enjoy eating out. It makes us feel special to order whatever our hearts desire and having someone else serve us. Some of you reading will say I am totally buying into Starbucks marketing. But I see it as my special gift I give myself everyday for working hard. Now don’t think I am a princess and I only drink Starbucks coffee; even though some people have said that about me. I actually love seven eleven coffee and I think paying 1.00 dollar for coffee if you bring your own cup; is great.  

Coffee Conversations

Coffee Conversations

I can say one of my favorite things to do is have a cup of coffee and have a great conversation with a friend or loved one. I even have to admit that during my serial dater moments I would purposely ask guys to go to a coffee shop. I felt that I could really get to know someone over a cup of coffee.  Coffee shops especially Starbucks have a way of creating an ambiance that allows you to sit comfortably and share intimate experiences. Now I don’t know how those guys felt. Maybe they thought I was a cheap date; but I felt I really got to know a lot about those guys, buy having them sit with me over a cup of coffee and talk.  I have to admit I have a way of having people open up to me and share information. Sometimes I am a counselor to friends and many times those conversations have begun in a coffee shop. Could it be we are inspired by the ambiance in coffee shops to share intimate experiences and problems or is it coffee has some way of making us talk?

Culture and Experiences

Culture and Experiences

When I was traveling abroad and I would smell garlic that sweet smell would make me stop and just think. The one memory that would come to mind was eating my Grandmas black beans from Guatemala. It brought me back to being a teenager spending long summer nights in Guatemala. It always astonished me that one smell could take me back to a certain place and time.  The more I traveled the more I developed  these memories; I started realizing that we carry our culture and our experiences in our hearts and something simple as a smell, a song or a conversation can take us back in time. Could it be that one of the reasons we are infatuated with Facebook is because we are allowed to put up pictures and posts and revisit our past experiences through pictures, videos and post.

Love of Our Lives

Love of our Lives

A couple of months ago I found myself listening very closely to the Adele “Someone Like You” song and I turned to my boyfriend and asked him if he had anyone in his past he could dedicate that song to. He responded “no” with a bewildered look but this made me think is it possible that we have more than one soul mate? Could it be that we can have many soul mates.  Do we fall in love with many people? But hold one special person in our hearts as Adele sings about. Or is it we really only fall in Love once and fall in Lust many times? Do you know that when you are in a relationship it takes two years to fall out of Lust and start falling in Love! So after two years the fog starts fading away and reality smacks you right in the face. That does not mean after two years in a relationship end it, but it means after two years you start loving and valuing a person for who they really are. Is it we have one person we consider “THE LOVE OF OUR LIVES” or do we have many loves?

Friendships and Age

Friendships:

Last week all of my girlfriends and I went out to dinner. I was a little early and as I sat waiting for my friends I started thinking about friendships. I have a close circle of girlfriends that I am very close to. Every month we get together for dinner. It is great to catch up and exchange boyfriend/ husband stories as well as update each other on our lives. As I sat waiting; I thought to myself why do we grow out of certain friendships. Why is it some people remain our friends yet others just disappear? I like to think as we grow and mature we assimilate and “hang out” with people that share our interest, views and social economic status. Now that last one can be considered my opinion but I think if you hang around a group of people that always take vacations and you can’t afford those vacation after some time you will grow apart. Now many people can say money has nothing to do with it and if you dedicate time to the friendship it will flourish.  So is it that we are meant to evolve as we mature. Could it be some friendships evolve because they are meant to and others just fade away. I do believe all friendships serve a purpose and all those friends we have had in the past have taught us something and have helped us become who we are today.I believe our friends are a reflection of who we are at a certain point in time. What do you think?

Hispanic? Latina!!!

Hispanic? Latina!!!

Hispanic

1. Of or relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America.

2. Of or relating to a Spanish-speaking people or culture.

Lat·in (ltn)

a. The Indo-European language of the ancient Latins and Romans and the most important cultural language of western Europe until the end of the 17th century.

b. The Latin language and literature from the end of the third century b.c. to the end of the second century a.d.

2.

a. A member of a Latin people, especially a native or inhabitant of Latin America.

These are the definitions of Hispanic and Latin in case you are wondering what the difference is. I am Hispanic and being of Hispanic origin in California is quite the adventure.  As long as I can remember every summer I would go to Guatemala to visit family. Both my mother and father are from the beautiful land of Guatemala. I have fond memories of burning fireworks, being able to buy so much with “American Money” and the most amazing food my mouth has tasted. I had so much fun during those summers. I grew to love my heritage and for some time I actually wanted to live in Guatemala. Before I decided to go to Pepperdine; I actually thought about moving to Guatemala and going to college in the city. I had my quincenera in Guatemala and many of my great memories are in Guatemala. But what changed? Why is it that the land I once longed for has become a place I only visit once in a while? Is it I have matured and realized I can now only go two to three weeks in Guatemala before I start missing the comfort of home? Or is it I have grown to understand that my parents land is not mine and their culture is only half of who I am.

Bella, Bella!!!

Bella Bella!!!!!!!!!!

The summer I found myself travelling in Europe was the summer I discovered many new mindsets and I learned to see the world through different eyes. One of the things I will never forget is how women were treated in Europe. As an American Girl at first it bothered me so much that men would yell things out to me; to gain my attention. I could not even smile at men because they assumed I was being more than just friendly. But as those summer nights passed; I learned that Italian Men call women “Bella” which means beautiful. The more I heard it the more I got used to it. I found myself loving the idea that I was beautiful. It was as if I had not been called “Bella” enough times back home! Was it that American Men feel they cannot call their women beautiful as much as Italians do?  Or is it that appreciating love and beauty is much more emphasized in Italian Culture. What do you think?

Travel Observations

 Summer In Europe Lesson Learned

My sophomore year at Pepperdine I was lucky enough to spend a summer in Italy. I was a young 20 year old American girl who did not know what awaited her. I learned so much and spent 3 1/2 months discovering this world. I learned as an “American” I walked very fast and did not appreciate my surroundings. I had many incidents where I was impatient with how things were done in Europe.I am sure my old roommate remembers the incident where we got stuck in the bank because I was to impatient to wait for the revolving doors to open. I learned so much but one of the things I will always remember is the culture. It seemed Italians sat down for dinner for hours. At first I would grow so impatient because I was not used to these long dinners; but Pepperdine tried to instill this tradition in the Villa. At the end of the trip I grew to love the 3 hour dinners. Looking back I have always valued sitting around the table having great conversations with my family, friends and loved ones. How many of you appreciate these dinners and find yourself wishing our daily lives presented more opportunities to sit around the table and have these deep conversations?

About ME

A tiny bit of who I am

I am a 27 young Latina girl born and raised in California. My parents are from Guatemala and I carry the love for Guatemala in my heart. Being a young Latina in California has brought many adventures but also many opportunities to observe the world around me. This blog is for me to share some of the fun adventures and insights to my world as I see it.  I am a young teacher and was blessed to receive my Credential from Pepperdine University as well as my Bachelors. I received my Masters and am currently finishing up my English Authorization and have cleared my credential. With all these degrees you would think I have no difficulty getting a job; sadly I decided to become a teacher at the wrong time. But I have not given up I am going to follow my calling to teach. I have been blessed with having a contract two of the five and a half years I have been teaching. I love to travel and observe the world around me and I hope many of you find my observations as well as my adventures interesting.