hey there!

Whoops! I abandoned this blog for a while now! I miss writing silly stuff on here :)

The reason why I haven't found the time to write is that I finally started my first job! I feel so blessed to have been offered a position right after graduating college. So far I love it, even though it's not really related to what I've been studying in college (Political Science).
I'm so excited to be learning so much, to be independent, to be busy and to be happy!

I've realized how much I need to be productive. I need to be learning something, I need to be doing something and I need to be around people to feel fulfilled.
Don't get me wrong, I love to have some time by myself, but sitting at home on my behind wondering what I'm going to do with my day is difficult.

Right now, I'm happy to be, not only a working girl, but also to be finding out a lot of things about myself. I love it.
Things are changing, things are moving along.
I'm looking toward a bright future (hopefully), and I'm trying to learn how to let go, how to let things happen on their own...

Hope all is well on your side :)
xoxo

Love according to children

Actual children's answers to the question "What is love?"

* "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouths"
* "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired"
* "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
* "If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend you hate."
* "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday"
* "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends after they know each other so well."
* "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
* "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."


Too cute...

xoxo

Life is happening now

It often seems to me as though there's always something new to be accomplished for life to start. By that I mean that there was high school to be done with, internships, college, this and that. I hear myself say "Ok, after this is done, that will be it, life is going to start", but, hasn't life started already?
What does it mean to start life?
I remember being little and thinking that when I'll be 18, I'll be a real adult and I'll do adult things etc. Now, when I remember what I was like when I was 18, one word comes to mind: kid. It's funny.

So, in the end, these little obstacles to surmount, these things to get done will always be there. I will go from one goal to the next.
Then I wonder, is that bad? Will I always feel like I'm on "stand-by", will I always be waiting for my real life to start?

After thinking about this a little bit and doing some research, I've come to the conclusion that, as human beings, we are happy when we're growing. Growth is an important factor in living a healthy life. We always need to be working on the getting something done.
For example, let's say I have a research paper due. Apparently I will be happier when I'm actually working on it then when it's done. And when it is done, I will most probably look for something else to do, for another task to be done.
Interesting, no?

So life is never on stand-by, it is happening right now. Life is not about chilling on a hammock waiting for sunrises and sunsets (though, it is good to do that one in a while ;P ), it is about setting goals, learning how to make ourselves happy, accomplishing things that we need and want to accomplish. It is about making come true as many dreams as possible for ourselves and for those we love.

Happy 4th,
xoxo

Trying

Now is the time for me to try new things and go through even more changes. It is a choice I'm making in order to become something more.
I want to push myself to fulfillment, to accomplishment, to satisfaction. I don't want to be the person who stays in their comfort zone, who takes the easy way - wouldn't life be boring if lived this way?
I'm going to let go of fear and hopefully be brave enough to become the best version of me!

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are" - E.E. Cummings

Wish me luck,
xoxo

Footpath to peace

 

"Be glad of life...because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be contented with your possessions, but not satisfied with yourself until you have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends; and to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit. These are little guideposts on the footpath to peace. "
- Henry von Dyke

xoxo

The Help

"All I'm saying is, kindness don't have no boundaries."

I just finished reading this great book. It really is the kind of book you just can't put down. I literally devoured it and was sad to reach the end....

I highly recommend it.

The story takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the 60's and focuses not only on the lives of African-American maids working for white families, but also on the relationship between women. 

It is narrated from the perspective of 3 very different and endearing narrators, that you cheer for until the end.

Read it! :)
xoxo

Printemps

My attempt at translating the lyrics:

It was in 2003, during a show over the Summer, I spotted you under my many coats of mascara
And so many years later, I saw you and I was thinking to go up to you to see if you had some time for me
But you don't know that I would've given you everything the day my eyes met your glasses
And you don't know that I would really like to have you
It's kind of sad, only in this song will you know
The branches fall on the ground and nothing can change
In my preconceived dreams, I let myself imagine things
But my unclear desire remains a secret that is too heavy to bear
The branches remain on the ground and I won't ever say a thing
But you don't know that I would've given you everything the day my eyes met your glasses

And you don't know that I would really like to have you

It's kind of sad, only in this song will you know

The branches remain on the ground, the seasons got married

After days of doubt, I can no longer avoid you

And this internal scream won't stop

The branches remain on the ground and I finally found you.

Coeur de Pirate is a Canadian pop-singer-songwriter. I'm in love with her cute voice and her little "quebecois" accent.
I'm sure many of you can relate to this song. I know I can :)

♥
xoxo

To love is to be vulnerable

"Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love at all is to be vulnerable." -C.S. Lewis

Take chances,

xoxo

Hello Sunshine!

Summer is here!

"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance" - Bern Williams

It's time to bask in the sun, wear light and bright clothes, plan trips and simply get to know and enjoy ourselves!

Summer has always been my favorite season.
I grew up in France, and summer there was generally the only time we had great weather for a reasonably long period of time. We would start eating outside, fire up the grill, go to the beach as much as we could, visit our family around the country and finally trade in our big sweaters for summer dresses. I also loved being able to enjoy the sun until 11pm....How dreamy it was :)

A decade and a half later, it is still my favorite season.
Even though I live in a city where we are blessed with great weather all year round, Summer for me now has a sort of romantic connotation and means freedom, creativity, tanned skin, silly books, naps and well-deserved fun...
It also means that we have a good reason to eat ice cream :P

I'm not sure what summer this year holds for me. All I know is that right now, I am thoroughly enjoying this moment on my balcony...

Let's have a great summer...and send me postcards!!
xoxo

Wishes

It's funny how children can be inspiring...

Today, while I was out enjoying a Nutella crepe with two kids I take care of, one of them asked me: if I had one wish, what would I wish for. I was really caught off-guard. I mean....what do you say to that?
Do you go with the cliche "peace in the world" miss America type of answer? or do you go with the selfish "millions of dollars on my bank account" answer?

It tormented me (yes, I really do over think everything!). It is simple to come with an answer, but the real issue is how do you know that it is exactly what you want, desire, hope to see, hope to have...

What do we wish for? Or better yet, what should we wish for?

"The ego wishes comfort, security, satiety; The soul demands meaning, struggle, becoming."

After much thinking, I'm not sure I can ever find an answer to this question...

However, I think we should be careful, and wish for something that defines us, that defines the person we want to be, the person we can picture ourselves being. 

I do think that it is important to wish once in a while, not because I believe in miracles, but because it is important to create within ourselves strong and tingling desires to make things happen.

And in fact, why not say your wish out loud? God knows we all need a little support and lots of motivation to make our wishes come true..!

"Our deepest wishes are whispers of our authentic selves. We must learn to respect them. We must learn to listen." Sarah Ban Breathnach

So, wish upon a dandelion, a shooting star, before blowing your candles or when it's 11:11 on the clock... and see what magical things you will do to make it all happen! ;)

xoxo

Your smile brings happiness to others

"His smile had a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself"- F.S Fitzgerald 

Even if things are not going so well, you should definitely smile because:
* it makes you attractive, oh la la
* it changes your mood, try it now, it works!
* it's contagious, you'll see, everyone around you is going to be smiling too...
* it relieves stress, ahhh
* it releases happy hormones, yay!
* it makes you look younger
* it makes you seem confident and approachable (no one wants to talk to the frowny person)
* it helps you stay positive


One person told me one day that I was always smiling and that it made them happy. From this moment on, I wanted to smile even more. I'll never forget these sweet words...

Obviously, no one can smile all the time (that's just obnoxious and weird!), but it really isn't hard to do it once in a while, so shall we give it a try?


"I want to be remembered as the girl who always smiles even when her heart is broken, and the one that could always brighten up your day even if she couldn't brighten her own"

:D
xoxo

Favorite things

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things is to get letters in the mail. There's something so special about them.
I remember sending letters when I first moved to the United States, to my friends back home, and waiting eagerly for the mailman to come each day, in the hopes of getting a response. It was like receiving a present.
It's so personal, you feel as if the person is somehow with you...
I miss that.

I keep them all in boxes at my parents' house, and I love going through them once a while. It's magical.

"To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart".- Phyllis Theroux

Write to me? :)
xoxo

Summer!

It's weird to be on break. I have to admit, I was never good at it. A fast-paced life usually prevents me from being one-on-one with myself, and in the end, I get comfortable living like this.
Now that I am actually "free", yes, it feels weird, but I no longer have an excuse to not take real good care of myself and actually get to know myself a bit better. What a luxury!

I want to exercise, bake, go on a trip, write, dance, read, visit museums, shop, dream and laugh!
Hope to make it all happen...


Don't forget to smile,
xoxo

Graduation

"It always seems impossible until it is done" - Nelson Mandela

We were about 4,000 seniors on the field. It truly was amazing.

The sun was shining, the speeches were inspiring, we were all so excited!

I now feel as if anything is possible, and above all, I feel accomplished. I am so proud of myself. Looking back, it was a long and beautiful road.

Let's keep on going and hope for the best!

xoxo

Setting goals

I found this video on Facebook and was truly moved.

Claire is a 13 year-old girl who has been living with cystic fibrosis all her life. She went through countless surgeries and was in a coma for 17 days. Yet she remains beautifully positive and inspiring, and, as you'll see, her disease is really not what defines her.

Just thought I would share this with you.

It made me smile to see how smart, mature and confident she is...



http://clairesplacefoundation.org/

:)
xoxo

Dreams

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”

“Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream.”

There are so many things I want to do, so many things I want to accomplish...

Sometimes I feel like these dreams are not likely to happen...but then they reappear in my mind, over and over again. It must be for a reason, right?

:)

What are your dreams?

xoxo

Days like this...

...when everything seems to go absolutely wrong.

I lost my optimism and my motivation today..

Fortunately, it's all slowly coming back with the help of sweet voices.


Life is not perfect, I really should keep that in mind, enjoy the ride and not take every little bump in the road so seriously.

Lesson learned...I hope!

xoxo

Let's do this!!

I'm feeling the pressure, I'm feeling the excitement....

Almost there, almost there!

I'm burying myself in books today! It's going to be me, my laptop, my cup of coffee and later my study buddy.

I want this badly. I want to be so proud of myself, and it's all in my hands. 

Have a productive day, be the greatest :)

xoxo

Letting go

"I was born with an enormous need for affection and a terrible need to give it" - Audrey Hepburn

source

As I mentioned before, it's the end of not only the school year for me, but of school. That is it, i'm graduating!!! It's crazy...
Since this was the last week of class,  it has suddenly hit me that there are some people that I'm never going to see again. Ok, plans and promises will be made, but in the end, we know what will happen...
It made me a bit sad because I really have a hard time letting go of people that have entered my life. Of course I can let go of little acquaintances, but people that have somehow touched me, that I've created any sort of bond with, that I've developed a little bit of affection for...it's so difficult.

What saddens me the most is that, sometimes, as it is the case for me, you realize that there were no goodbyes, no see you...we forgot...

I wish I could detach myself more easily from the people who have been a part of my daily life.

Then I see the beauty of it, people coming and going in and out of our lives, at all times, touching us, affecting us in some way without us realizing....

‎"The are moments that mark your life, moments when you realize nothing will ever be the same. And time is divided into two part, before this and after this." 


xoxo

Wear your passions

Have a productive day ;)

xoxo

a "you-er" you

It's crazy how some people can really make you think differently and see the world in a new light...
It's so refreshing :)

We are all so unique in a way. We don't want the same things, we don't perceive life the same way, different things make us happy and sad...

What's even greater is that, surrounding yourself with so many different people everyday, not only enables you to see new things, but also let's you learn so much about yourself. You can find out some things that are hidden inside of you, that you had no idea were there, just because someone pushed you or triggered something in you to let it out. You can realize that you are much more than what you originally thought you were.

I am not talking about the people you try to impress or the people who make you change who you really are just because they want to. No, those really make you lose yourself...
I'm talking about people who you come into your life, or even people you've had just one conversation with. They introduce you to new thoughts, new ideas and in the end, introduce you to a you-er you!

Finals

Finals start next week...(I know many of you are on the same boat as me!)

I'm quietly freaking out. Not so much because I can't do it, more because I don't want to study all this stuff and I don't want to get that terrible feeling in my stomach right before the test begins.

...but I know I'll be so happy when all of this is over! Woo! And it is very motivating.

I've got sunshine and a little breeze.

I've got my Starbucks latte ;)

I've got a little voice in my head telling me this is a piece of cake!

"Nothing will work unless you do" !!!  - Maya Angelou 

Let's do this! (but let's not forget to take a break and enjoy this lovely day)

xoxo

I'm a fool to want you

Life's too short not to experience the madness of love

Sunshine

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts" - Eleanor Roosevelt 

We're almost settled in. There are still so many things to take care of. My body is so sore, I can barely move, but I have a big smile on my face, because I'm really happy.

Everything went smoothly.

I'm so grateful for all the lovely people who offered and came to help. It means a lot to me.

And the apartment is filled with sunshine which is the most amazing mood lifter!

On to step 2: finals! Bring it!

xoxo

Apprehension

Pages of my life are turning this month, as if there was a big gust of wind!

-- Packing, moving, finals, graduation, financial independence, first real job --

It feels good, it feels exciting, yet it also feels scary and bittersweet.

Right now I'm in the actual process of change. I have these constant butterflies in my stomach because there are so many things to take care of, so many things to think about.....I'm in an overactive state! I'm like a little bee!

Being the anxious person that I am, I cannot bear the idea of missing something, forgetting something, and not doing my best. I want things to go so perfectly well....

So, I'll try and take things step-by-step; breathe and focus on the exciting part of it all!

I guess I'm trying to protect myself from the little sadness of change by wanting everything to go smoothly. However, I realize that I'm putting way too much pressure on myself instead.
Yes, i'm sad to leave my first apartment, sad to be done with school, scared to be an adult.

But let's rejoice!

How freaking amazing is it???

Wish me luck today, the moving part begins...

xoxo

Morning boost!

"Don't join an easy crowd. Go where the challenge is great and the emotions are high. Go where the expectations are so strong that they provoke you, push you, and urgently insist that you not remain in one place. That way, you will grow and change." - Jim Rohn

 

Be awesome today :)

What makes us happy...

Yes! 


But what makes me happy?
Often times, we'll be taking a random survey, be asked this cliche question....
I don't know about you, but my mind goes blank. I have no idea what to say....I start thinking about moments where I vividly remember being very happy: when I fell in love, when I got into the university of my choice, when I got my first job, when I bought the 'dream' shoes...or random little moments like birthdays, Christmas, summer vacation...

Then I start thinking about what I could do to be happier. Graduate with honors? Do a Masters? Lose weight? Get married? Have children? Have a great job? Make more money? I'm sure all these things will make me very happy and will feel fulfilling, but apparently, they are not the real source of happiness....
Relationships with others are. Friends are.

• "Relationships with other people are what make us the happiest. Our connection to others is the foundation of humanity."says Nansook Park, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Rhode Island. Prevention

We are indeed social animals. We seem to be very sad when isolated from others, from those we love. 

So mingle people! Get out there, meet others, find out about their lives, and be even happier than you already are :)

"I've learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel" 

- Maya Angelou

Hope

So the other day I got to thinking about my future.
I'm not going to lie, it's been an obsession of mine lately....
I am a few days away from graduating from a great university, with a political science/international relations degree. There's a lot of things I can do with that, yet my fear is that I won't actually enjoy any job I get in this field, or that I will never be good enough, thus frustrated.
My mind wanders off and I end up thinking that the worse thing that could happen would be to live a life without meaning or passion....
I'm afraid to fail.

I swear I have been making myself sick over this issue for quite a while!

I have high expectations for myself. I want to do something in life that has a meaning, a great impact. I want to work and meet people who have done amazing things. 

Right now, I'm in a position where I find myself being in the unknown and being anxious about what the future is going to bring me....

But I've now realized that I cannot control my future. I cannot mold it into what I want it to be. I am not writing a movie script. This is my life.

However, what I can do is work as hard as I can to get as close as I can to my dreams.

Even though these dreams are still blurry right now, even though I don't know what I want exactly, I will try as many things as possible and learn more and more about myself in the process.

There is no such thing as the past, no such thing as the future. There is just right now and what I do with it. 

I am not stuck with a political science degree. I am young, and I can do whatever I want....

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

Dreaming of waking up to this everyday....

source

What do you think??

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"

so cute!

Why is this so amazingly cute and eye watering??

:)

source

Happiness

 “There is no shame in happiness” — Albert Camus

It’s a funny quote, I think. When reading it, I wondered, why in the world would I be ashamed to be happy…I love being happy, let it come!

Well, thinking about it, happiness is a very strong emotion, it is the ultimate goal in life, and when we get a taste of it, for example, when we get into our school of choice, when we find a job, when we fall in love, or simply when we are having a good time with our loved ones, we often think it won’t last. 

There is a little alarm in my head that goes on saying “watch out, if you become too happy right now, when the excitement of the moment slowly fades, you will be very sad and nostalgic”. I often experience this, and consequently, I prevent myself from enjoying this moment of happiness to the fullest…I feel like this is too good to be true, something bad will happen and I should be ready for it.

I'm now going to think about it this way: this happiness, these bubbles of joy come and go, and there is no shame in enjoying them fully. I shouldn’t feel guilty. I most probably deserve it and should enjoy every moment now, or regret it later.