Growth

Good Evening Friends! 

Today was a productive day for me. I got a lot of good progress with work done and have been getting great positive feedback on my contributions, despite me not being that great at staying positive while working from home. As an extrovert, staying home and away from people is uncomfortable and foreign to me. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have been able to stay employed during all this madness, as I know many of you reading this may have undergone a temporary furlough or been impacted in some way. I started with my current job back in October of 2018, and from the very first interview I had, I told them that where I am now is where I wanted to be. I worked very hard to get here, and always kept my goals out in front of me. I’m proud to stand where I am today and continuing this remarkable journey. I have learned so many important lessons, and branched out into many different areas of focus, but one thing has always stayed the same however, my personal growth. As I continue my journey upward, I look forward to documenting my progress! I hope you enjoy the view along the way, and if not, I promise the view from the top will be worth the climb 💪🏼💪🏼

Renew

Today’s photo is from a few years back when I had visited my Dad at the Oregon Coast. I remember feeling how much I had missed Oregon, when I left I wasn’t in a great place mentally. I had gone through a very tough breakup, and was lost in so many ways. Coming back here was bittersweet, I love Oregon and always have. Some of my favorite memories are of visiting my grandmother who lived there during my childhood years. From throwing too many fermented apples to the cows across the street and accidentally getting them drunk, to playing board games with my family. Each of these memories have planted themselves firmly in my heart forever. I remember being in awe of the raw natural beauty the state has to offer. The way the mountains seem to drop right into the ocean, the way the waves crashing on shore brings such peace and warmth to my soul. In life, we can’t make everyone happy all the time, but you can choose to make yourself happy. At the end of the day, that’s all that really matters. Some people may want to bring you down to their own level of unhappiness if you let them. I am choosing the higher path, the view is better from here anyways. ✌️

Refresh

Today’s photo is an older one. I snapped this while walking around the Sonora Desert Museum with my sister Kayla, her daughter Lilly and my dad. While we walked through the outdoor garden I was laughing and playing with Lilly when her eyes lit up and she pointed behind me. This beautiful butterfly had just landed on the bush next to me and she was so in awe. It reminds me of the warmth and innocence of youth, eyes brightening at the simplest of joys. It also reminds me of the fragility of life. One minute someone can be your best friend, then they or you can let an ego get in the way. Unfortunately most people don’t know how to communicate how they truly feel or what’s really going on. It’s a delicate balance, life. As we navigate the waters, sometimes peaceful and calm, other times stormy and chaotic, remember to appreciate those who are closest to you. Tell your loved ones how much you care and appreciate them as often as you can. No one knows how much time we have left on this world, just make the most out of every single day. 

Awakening

Good Morning!!! 

This is the picture of the day, or at least the starting point. I didn’t sleep last night, not because of any one reason in particular, but for oh so many wonderful reasons!! I had a revelation last night, and I have been having many of those lately, to be honest. And  opening myself up embracing this season of tremendous and amazing change. Change can be scary at times, other times it can be so enlightening. I have always wanted to pursue photography, and although I have made many excuses along the way, ranging from lack of schooling or equipment or whatever bullshit reason I told myself that I wasn’t what I wanted to be. I never actually BELIEVED that I was, and always have been a photographer, photojournalist, musician, baseball player, and who knows what else! I have been so many different things and in every scenario available, some were beautiful and bright, others were dark and scary. I realized that when I was looking through old photos on my phone with Ashley last night that I have always been taking photos of whatever I saw at the time that I thought looked beautiful. Then I started revisiting those memories, reliving those moments all over again as I’m explaining the backstory of each photo and laughing and sharing these parts of my life with my person! It was enlightening, and amazing and terrifying all at once. What if I had a super weird photo that I couldn’t explain? What if an awkward photo of a past relationships popped up? Then I realized, FUCK IT. Who cares? Why should I be ashamed if there was something embarrassing or possibly a source of conflict in the future? I was open, vulnerable, and honest about each of these photos, which I will share with you more as I progress through this journey with you. Fear is powerful, but we don’t need to be afraid of Fear. It doesn’t have to be the vessel that keeps us from growth, but much rather the tools needed to separate myself from whatever I was scared of, and look at the reason why. This “unprecedented” time we are in is causing such a massive global disruption to “Normal Life” that people are losing their collective Fuckin minds. And they should be. Most of the people who are freaking out are freaking out because of the fear of the future. I challenge you, today and everyday to be mindful of your body, your mind, listen to what it’s telling you. Don’t fight it!! You want to let go of things that have been holding you back. You want to become the person you need to be, and the only thing that’s holding you back is your damn self. That’s it. No one else, stop making excuses or blaming this that or the other. No one controls your life except YOU. The world is changing, there is no doubt about that. However, we can choose to grow with the change or shut ourselves off from it. No matter which path you choose, go in peace. Ask yourself the tough questions. Am I drinking too much? When was the last time I did laundry? Am I eating healthy? Do I get regular exercise? If not, well then do something about it. In the wise words of Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, “you can go your own way”. Whichever route you take, I wish you the best and the most love and joy there is to offer. I hope you see what I saw in this picture, but I know that you will see whatever you wish to see, and THAT is what makes it beautiful. Just like you! ☺️