Inside-Out

I wish I could tell every human just how absolutely beautiful and strong they are. I wish I could imprint young, impressionable minds to know this, too.

But I can't. 

I need your help. 

I need you to realize just how powerful the mind is. It's amazing, really. The power of positive thinking? It can create a whole new world. 

People grow up feeling horrible. They grow up feeling ugly, inadequate, fearful, insecure ... They grow up never knowing how powerful their mind is. How powerful they are. 

They think, "I won't go anywhere in life, why try?" They think, "Nobody will ever truly love me, I'm ugly." They think, "I'm failing. I can't turn this around." 

These are all lies. 

Lies that they (maybe you, too) have been conditioned to believe. 

The truth is, you're beautiful. You're worth the effort. You can make a difference in the world. Somebody already does love you. Failure is the first step to success. And finally, you CAN turn this mindset around. 

You are in control of your behavior and your actions. The first step is positive thinking. ((Yeah, yeah.. You've heard it before. This time, actually TRY it))

It's time to start repairing our bodies from the inside-out. To transition our minds from negative thinking, to uplifting, encouraging thoughts. From feeling miserable and horrible, to doing one thing a day to make you happy. Happiness does not just ARRIVE; you create your own happiness. 

When was the last time you ate cake and realized you just got a six pack afterwards? 

...never.

Me too. (I was disappointed too, don't worry.)

We can't expect to make bad decisions in life, and be happy. We have to WORK for happiness.... For our relationships, for our figures, for our talents, for our careers, for our money, for our faith. Our minds do not automatically default to hope and happiness, but we can change that. 

Today is the day to start. Don't wait for the new year for happiness to arrive. 

You're beautiful, and you're worth it. 

Time to start believing it. Time to put to rest all the excuses, all the doubts, all the procrastination. No more. Go out and be happy, know your value in life. 

Please share this with someone you know suffering with negative self-image. If that's you, I hope you begin to see your true worth and value in life. You're a miracle; time to start believing it! 

I'm still learning this. It's one of the reasons I can write about it. I'm still learning how to be confident and secure and happy. I'm still working on myself from the inside-out, and I hope you'll join me in this never-ending venture!

What is Love?

Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more.

What is love?!

Okay! Now that the soundtrack to this blog post is stuck in your head- let's continue!

 

I'm one of those hopeless romantics that truly believes love is what makes the world go round ((yeah, yeah... I get the gist, physicist.. angular momentum is a tiiiiny part of that too))

 

It's not something you can define, but something you feel. But as you know, I'm big on words...

 

Love fascinates me, intrigues me. It's not something you can define, but something you feel. But as you know, I'm big on words, so I thought- "What is love?" ((queue the soundtrack in your head again, you're welcome! ;))  Or rather, "How would you define love in words?" 

 

I asked a number of people to define love in 1-2 sentences, so without further adieu:  

 

 "Love is bacon."

Age 45

 

 "Love is being nice and kissing each other."

Age 8 

"Love is Blind, love is different in every relationship, love is what you make of it, when you are away from the person you're in a relationship with and your heart tingles that's love..

Love is when I'm too sick to wipe my own nose or ass!"

Age 42 

 

"Love is...what makes the world go round. It makes the ride worth it."

Age 26

"Selfless, vulnerable Love in the raw is terribly scandalous. It does not make logical sense... much like God Himself. They cannot be separated."

Age 22 

"If you love someone you will be or do anything for them....  What comes to mind is The Notebook, "If you're a bird, I'm a bird."

Age 32 

"Love is destructive beauty. It's eternal and never dies and could make or break you."

Age 17

"Love is inconsistent. It endures only through unconditional commitment."

Age 22

"The best and only definition of love is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Age 23

"Love is unbreakable and spans all space and time. It is unbiased and the most powerful thing in existence. Love is infinite."

Age 22 

"This is from a website I read once, "Love is like pushing a button and getting a cookie every time, but eventually you only get a cookie one in every 100 pushes, the other 99 times you get pooped on by a bird, but you still push the button waiting for that one time you get a cookie."

Age 23

"Love is light, love is warmth and kindness, love is honesty and truth.  Love is capable, love is worth, love is never immediate.  Love will always be eternal."

Age 34 

"Love is the chemical reaction in our brains that triggers an emotional response with a physical action to show we care about someone or something."

Age 23 

"Love is an act of expression. 

It means nothing if you don't show it."

Age 33

"To me love is caring. It's being willing to go to the ends of the earth for someone else's well being.  Love is meeting in the middle,  and not always getting your way. It's respect. It's trust. It's friendship and family. It's listening with an open mind and heart,  and being a shoulder to cry on at 2am when needed. Without love the world would shatter in isolation."

Age 20 

"Love is being able to trust and depend on another person without reservation. I also think love is a warmth- a "spark" in my heart when I see the other person coming to be with me. Love means listening carefully to the other person."

Age 89 

 

How would YOU define love? Shoot me a message or leave a comment below! I always LOVE hearing from you! 

 

...man, I love LOVE.

How do YOU define love?

 

 

 

Things the World Seriously Needs More Of

Blinkers. People who know how to use blinkers. People who use blinkers. People who know what a blinker means. People who respect blinkers. Can I get an amen?! 

 

Free ice cream after meals. This may be a dangerous move, but anything worth having is worth the risk. (I think that quote applies to ice cream, right?!) 

 

Forgiveness. 

 

Shark Week on Animal Planet.

 

Healthy snacks that are cheaper than a Big Mac... Or McDouble. 

 

People who speak more than one language. 

 

Smiles. 

 

Hand-holding.

 

Machines that get you ready in the morning while you sleep in. 

 

Honest people. Who tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God! 

 

Websites like, "The Onion," that help you decipher fact from fiction.....and play really cruel jokes on people who have no idea the basis of the site. 

 

Selfies.

^^SIKE! We have enough of those that probably shouldn't exist in the world. 

 

Giving people. Selfless people. 

 

Drama between celebrities. 

^^NOPE don't need that either. 

 

Love. Romance. Intimacy. Love notes. Date nights. Pickin' up what I'm layin' down? Smell what I'm steppin' in? ((Ew. Who uses that line in real life?! Please shake your head no.))

 

People who are currently living their dreams. As Aesop Rock so eloquently puts it, "You can dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it; cause dreamers always chase but never get it." 

 

Math with letters in it............Joke.

 

Bars for people to get schwasted and make poor life decisions.

^^Oh wait. One on every block--Check! 

 

Affordable education systems. Free education systems. 

 

Environmentally-safe paper (or some Eco-friendly material) plates; so I can refuse to do dishes and not feel a twinge of guilt. 

 

Photos. Images. Cameras. Pictures. 

 

People who understand sarcasm, and can respond to it without being offended. 

 

Genuinely nice people. Who are nice to be nice, not to get something in return.

 

Open-minds.

 

Starbucks. 

^^Because two on every block is simply not enough. 

 

And while we are at it, I'm going to jump on the beauty pageant train and say-- world peace. 

The world needs to know peace.

 

 

With Concern,

Sarah.

 

 

Rate and Date

Why are we doing all this 'rate and date' stuff shit? Yes, it's shit. ((geez, I hate cussing.))

...okay I'm back from washing my mouth out with soap...

I've watched so many tiny girls post YouTube videos rating guys from 1-10, tagging them in a post, and giving one thing that they have to tell the truth about. I've watched guys do it too... A lot of guys.

Looks a little like this:
SPOILER ALERT: Reading this entire post may cause you to lower your IQ, or question the IQ of others. This happens in real life my friends. Soak it in.

Initial Post:
"LMS for a rate and tbh"
Response back:
Rate-9
date- nawww
Crush- maybeee
tbh- I told my friends we were dating when we were just talking because I thought you were cute

Where do I start?

• Should I talk about how demeaning it is to RATE somebody on a scale of 1-10?
• Should I talk about how shallow it is?
• Should I talk about how tacky it is?

Because it is all of those....Demeaning, shallow, and tacky.

It takes twelve seconds to formulate your entire opinion of someone in your mind when first meeting them. That being said, we are naturally, and easily, extremely judgmental people. A trait that once kept us safe from harm and life-threatening situations has now transpired into a full-fledged game of indirect bullying. You may think it is cute, flirty, and gets you attention. One of these things you would be correct, it certainly gets you attention; the wrong kind of attention, but attention nonetheless. If you are able to tag & rate 30 different guys/girls, you most likely don't have any real depth to any ONE of those relationships. So yes, you do get a few seconds when you cross someone's mind so they can join in on this game, but in the end, someone who is willing to put any NUMBER as your VALUE in their LIFE is not a friend you want to stick around for long, or start a relationship with.

Second, if someone rates you anywhere below a perfect ten, you get hurt feelings. Womp womp woooomp. You are officially cyber-bullying and/or BEING cyber-bullied. 

Also, starting conversations with the word "Confession" plastered in front is unnecessary. If you have to advertise that you are about to be honest for about five seconds and say what's truly on your mind, I worry about what the rest of your words encompass.  How about being honest and 'confessing' what is truly on your mind all of the time and see where it gets you....

"Confession: I think you're really fun to talk to."

No. Why do you even have to preface that with a big bold CONFESSION right in front?

Try talking with intention, or better yet, dating with intention.

"You're really fun to talk to, I'd like to take you out to dinner sometime, just get to know you a little better?"

Why is society telling us constantly it's not okay to know WHAT we want, and if we do, we are supposed to follow all these little dating rules. Stop with the pick up lines. Stop with the "confession alert" right before you say something sincere, stop rating and tagging thirty guys/girls in a post to get some attention.

Build some real relationships that will last. {{I mean yes, the video you just put on the internet will last... Forever, because again, you put it on the internet, but that's not the forever I'm talking about}}

I know I sound like a grandma that grew up walking uphill both ways to and from school carrying a cello in one hand and a bag full of books in the other, but I'm actually just a regular girl who's 22 and tired of seeing this onslaught of posts in my feed from people who are MUCH too old to be worrying about a 'rate and date' number and secret confessions. (Which to me, anywhere past middle school and it is WAY past time to move on from this) Time to focus on what's important... You know, the new Marvel movie "Guardians of the Galaxy" coming out! .... Okay kidding about the movie ((I'm not kidding))

Things like a home, a wife/husband, a job/career, your education, building relationships that will last a lifetime, not just a YouTube sensation.

For all those participating in the current "rate and date" and "confessions" cool thing to do... This may be the right time to reevaluate what the words rate and date mean.

Rate: What you should be worried about getting the best of on your car insurance, credit cards, mortgage, etc.
Date: What you should do to get to know someone instead of tagging them in a youtube video, FB status, or Twitter message.
TBH: I actually worry about the people I see doing this; like.. I have probably lost sleep over it. And by probably I mean I have. 

Sincerely,
The Girl Who is Not Cooler Than the Flip Side of Your Pillow

"Why Do You W R I T E?"

I got asked the other day, "Why do you do it?" 

In a state of confusion, I asked "Do what?" 

 

"Why do you write if you don't even know anyone is reading. Doesn't it sometimes feel like a waste of time?" 

And to answer the question short and sweet:

"No. It does not ever feel like a waste of time, but thanks for your concern."

{albeit, rather rude concern..}

 

I write because it makes me happy to write, and I think people should do things that make them come alive and feel happiness.

{{If you haven't read my post about following your dreams, find it here }}

 

But to be honest; my answer should have been a lot more candid and truthful. So this is, stranger who asked me why I write, the real answer I owe you..

 

Sometimes I just stop in my tracks. I grab my phone or jot it down on a piece of paper...words catch my attention. Events, memories, smells, sights, desires.. They inspire me and I simply HAVE to remember 'whatever it was.'

 

And usually the things I write down are powerful for me; for self-realization. I have epiphany moments and maybe writing down two words helps wrap up this inner monologue and battle in my own mind. It may come weeks, months, or even years later, but when the words come to me, all is well. I gain a sense of clarity and understanding. But there's this crazy off-chance that maybe my two words will impact you as well. Yeah, I get it. It's far-fetched and absurd.... But maybe it's absurd to think that we're not all battling the same things. That we haven't all experienced the same emotions. Maybe it's far-fetched to think that my writing couldN'T impact someone struggling or dealing with the same things I am. That's why I write.

 

Maybe I will allow one person to go outside their comfort zone, to inspire someone to follow their dreams, to ignite a passion for life, to help someone else have an epiphany moment in this crazy thing called life. I write because sometimes I don't know what I think until I read what I say, and just maybe...there's a few other people like me out there.

 

I write because the world around me is filled with inspiration; I never want to forget that.......and there's this crazy, far-fetched, absurd chance... That it just might inspire you too. 

So whether it's watching 79 episodes of Netflix in a row, kissing your kids goodnight, getting lost in a good book, sculpting your near-perfect muscles, taking your dog on a walk, gardening, or whatever it is that makes you happy; do that. 

 

And most importantly,

don't let people question why you do it. 

 

 

With Love,

PhotoSoul Sarah.

Useless Information That May Become Useful While Doing Something Useless

AKA-- Things You May Not Know About ME.

Let's jump right in...

 

1. When I see a penny faced heads down, I flip it over to change someone else's luck.
2. I want to be able to do the splits with ease. 
3. When I blow out the candles on my birthday cake, I say a prayer instead of make a wish... Seems to be more effective! 
4. I love anklets and toe rings. 
5. One of the highest things I value in life is my education.
6. I have an iPhone, and I'm in love with the OlloClip accessory for macro shots. 
7. I love my family and would do anything for them. 
8. I love chocolate chip waffles that are drenched in syrup.
9. No matter how old I get, there will always be a giant soft spot in my heart for stuffed animals. 
10. I really dislike driving cars.
11. Classical violin music reminds me of home, of my childhood, of all things comfortable and sweet and good. It puts my heart at ease.
12. I miss the adventures my best friend Rebeka and I used to go on. She is full of life. She's always shown me how to be brave and bold; but yet always had one of the kindest, gentle, loving hearts. 
13. I could eat Popsicles like there's no tomorrow. 
14. I love lists. 
15. I hate cleaning; I would rather shovel out ten barns before I empty a dishwasher. No, seriously. I used to trade chores with my brother, he would do my inside ones and I would do his outside ones. 
16. Some days I think I'm not cut out to be an "adult" and then other days I think I am right where I was always meant to be. 
17. I have a newly found love of sci-fi movies; partly because of my favorite person I watch them with {okay, that's 90% of it} and partly because of the thought-provoking nature they hold. 
18. I love writing a blog and I love reading other blogs. I love all things blogg-y. 

PhotoSoul Sarah.

20 after Twenty

After twenty, you face the world a little bit alone. The things you learn actually stick, sometimes, and you learn on your own, not by being obedient and following direction. It’s this time in people’s lives where everyone’s lives look a little different…or, drastically different. Some people are leaving the nest and going off to college, some people are getting engaged or married, some people are having their second baby, some people are working full-time. But the Roaring Twenties have never felt better, because, well, you’re independent- and that means you can do anything your little heart desires! But in this journey of life, sometimes we stumble… into a great big mess or a little tiny fixer-upper; here’s twenty things I have learned after twenty!

Roaring Twenties

1. If you run out of dish detergent, you can't use dish soap. Your entire kitchen will be covered in bubbles in less than 30 minutes.

2. That whole cleaning and laundry thing..... Yeah it is a pain in the, you know, when you procrastinate and put it off. And no, your Mom won't rescue you and do it for you this time.

3. You will probably not know if you want kids right away; and that's okay. One moment you're thinking it is your sole purpose and the next you're booking tickets to Hawaii to get an adventure fix. Enjoy the 'here and now.' Children will happen in His time if it was meant to..... So stop counting down on your biological clock and enjoy life the way it is right now!

4. You won't ever be able to cook your mom/grandma/brother/aunt/sister/dad's (whoever the chef is in your family) favorite recipe. You will probably sharpen your skills at cooking, and it will even be delicious. But just stop trying that one recipe-- leave it for the pros. Create your own secret recipe that nobody else will be able to master!

5. Feeling like you have failed, bawling your eyes out thinking you took too many wrong turns to accomplish your dream now is a lie. It is never too late. So join an adult ballet class, start yoga being the least flexible person on the planet, or go write a book about your life. Go do what makes you come alive and stop worrying it's too late-- you're in your twenties for goodness sake! ;)

6. Celebrate holidays... Every holiday. No matter how big or small; celebrate. You're making memories here; invite family, friends, a stranger that needs a friend. Enjoy life's small reasons to celebrate.

7. Spend alone time with God. Period. No matter how you worship, praise, pray, journal, or do a bible study... Whatever way you connect with Him, make sure you fit in five minutes a day to do just that. Your heart will thank you.

8. If you procrastinate on a ten page paper until an hour before it is due, you may receive a bad grade, or worse, you may not learn anything at all from writing ten pages. Use education as a tool to learn, not just get an "A."

9. It's okay to hang out with your parents/ family. I know, confusing. It actually doesN'T make you uncool. It's uncool to put your family last behind alcohol, parties, disloyal friends, and t.r.o.u.b.l.e!

10. Stop confusing rejection with love. Rejection hurts, love heals. Cliché, I know, but true nonetheless.

11. If you text incessantly you will probably a. Have bad eyes b. get arthritis in your thumbs and c. Miss out on moments in life you will wish you gave your full attention....((Holla for unlimited texts, right?!)) ;)

12. Exercise, like, before it's too late and you have flabby arms when you wave ‘hi’ to people! ((Yuck!))

13. Don't take everything personally. Everything is not a reflection of you, sometimes it is other people expressing themselves and doesn’t have anything to do with you.

14. Vote.. Not just because you can, but because the choices you make today are going to build your tomorrow. Don't just fill out the bubbles.... Research. Fill yourself with knowledge and then apply yourself and determine how you want tomorrow to look. Vote. Even if politics are the last thing you want to be involved in.

15. Embrace your flaws. As hard as it may be, kicking yourself over your imperfections will only bring out bitterness.

16. Be on time. This one is a challenge for me. As my life is often an organized clutter. But it's respectful. Time is something you can never get back, never turn back, and never change. So try to honor other people's precious time by being somewhere when you said you would.

17. Expand your comfort zone.

18. Make art. Even if you are terrible. There will ALWAYS be someone better than you. Do it anyways. Art is made to build your soul, to express emotion, to make the world come alive with beauty.....

19. Stop comparing yourself to everyone and everything else. It will SERIOUSLY make you depressed and unhappy. Remember that everyone is in different seasons of their life; and that doesn’t mean you have to be right there with them!

20. Have a pet. A cat, a dog, a lizard... Fifty cats. You know, whatever floats your boat! Animals are just great. They teach you things humans can't. And based on experience, I've found them to be the most attentive listeners!

Lastly, remember that you're human. This tiiiiiiiny factor we often forget is that, humans aren't perfect. So you will probably forget these things. ^^^ Then relearn them. Some will be at the forefront of your mind, and others will fall to the wayside depending on the season of life you are in. Don't be too hard on yourself.... We still have to learn 30 after 30, so leave room for some mistakes to write about ;)

With Love,
PhotoSoul Sarah.

Hardy har. har.

Here's a break from all the serious posts....Photographers- you know how true these are!!

With love,
PhotoSoul Sarah.