loving your talents: guest post

So. Quite basically this guest postee has been a great friend since, well my Abercrombie days. She was the friend I could confide in, shoulder I could cry on, girl to laugh with, and a someone who was always up for a good prank on an ex (you know who I'm talking about Lauren). Please, do yourself a favor and check her blog O U T. She is one of the most uplifting, inspiring, encouraging people whose blog I love to read+she cuts my hair. How awesome is that?!

do me a favor. rewind a good 10-20 years.  anywhere in that range will do. now get a gooood idea of who you were. im nine years old.  im just a tiny little thing with a blonde mess of curls and teeth too big for my mouth. it may not have been my best look. but that didnt stop me from thinking that i was the best on my soccer team, smarter than your average 3rd grader, fast at reading, the best friend on the block, an amazing artist. and well, i was cute, especially when i did my own hair in pig tails that morning. it didnt matter that i wasnt amazing at jump rope, because i could do flips for days around the bars.  it didnt matter that i wasnt the fastest runner, because i could skip with grace and style.  my little mind didnt have time to think about the things that i wasnt so good at- because i was too busy using my good qualities to entertain myself.  most of the time when we are still pretty young- we arent afraid to give ourselves a little pat on the back and to give a little credit when credit is due. we assumed we were good at just about anything that we tried- even if we werent that good at all. 

now lets see here.....what happened? fast forward to the present day.  try to think of some qualities you have today that you are magnificant at. most of us would say, well im trying to learn how to cook- but im not that good.  or, im good at cutting hair- but i know lots of people who are much better than me. or, i like to do photography but i wouldnt call myself a professional or anything! 

HOLLLD up. lets think about this for a second. why is it, the older we get- the less we think of ourselves? why do we brush off the fact that we have been teaching ourselves photography and dont give ourselves any credit for even attempting to try!? for some reason the older we get- the harder it is for us to really congratulate ourselves for our efforts.

is it because we think we will seem cocky? prideful? boastful? by all means, none of these are what im saying we should stirve for.  but a little more confidence wouldnt hurt, right? in days of high competition and struggling to be the best or on top- take a second and think back to that little person you once were.  the one that was just happy as a can be and in their mind; talented and bursting with good qualities.  snap back to real life and give yourself a little break. stop being so hard on yourself and recognize the things you ARE doing well in your life. so maybe you aren't at the top of your class- but hey! your still getting up and going, doing your homework and being a good student. that's WAY more than most people can say. so what if you aren't athletic and good at every sport. if you still get up and go play a game of pick up, your being active and moving. sometimes life is just not fair- you cant be the best at everything you do or try. but when you are frustrated because you don't seem to be shining in any particular area of your life- just look into the details. the details are what weave our beautiful memories and life together with. give yourself credit for trying to make a batch of cookies for you neighbor- even if they weren't the perfect batch. cut yourself some slack and be proud of yourself for your efforts. 

i always remind myself that i'm stuck with me forever.  i cant divorce myself, run away or hide.  rather than be hard on myself and create an enemy- ive learned that the happiest way to live is to become your very own best friend. treat yourself how you would want the worlds best friend to treat you.

the best love story you can have is with yourself. so fall deeply in love with yourself and start focusing on allll the many good qualities you have- cus you have millllions :)

Check out her and le boy. Basically they should be on the cover of a magazine!

Happy Thursday! 

Go find something to create that makes you happy

~M