"Chemistry" Weekly Wisdom

Who out there loved Chemistry in school?

I wanted to love it. I tried to love it. I hired tutors to love it. I went to group study each week to love it. And yet... I could never get a grade higher than a C in any of my chemistry classes in high school or in college. Boy oh boy, did I feel like a complete failure. 

I almost am tempted to retake it now, see if I really just don't get it or was it my young brain that just could not process the information. I fear both scenarios, so I am not going to place that bet. 

I am going to place my bet on the chemistry of life because I feel my success in this subject has come from the atoms and bonds of the humans I have met along the way so far. There is something about this big world and how the protons and electrons of human bodies attract to each other from near and far. As I look back on all those people, people who I had some type of bond with or bonds that were broken with, I can see how chemistry was happening in a positive way for me outside of school. As time passes, I see myself intentionally being the true catalyst in my life, creating the equilibrium of my journey, each step of the way. Only I can create this chemistry in the lab of life and this is how I make peace with those weary chemistry class days. 

Keep the chemistry coming, I love acing tests. 

#freedom | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE 

 

"Life is a Gift" Weekly Wisdom

 

It's a new year and I am welcoming it with robust excitement. I am entering into the last year of yet another decade and what lies ahead is something I am looking forward to. The best part is, I have no idea what lies ahead. I think this is the best part. 

Every day is truly a gift. Don't roll your eyes, stay with me here for a minute. Not one single second of our life is "owed" to us - we don't deserve a damn thing and that includes the seconds and minutes of each day. Therefore, life and time are gifts. I think about people who don't make it to my age for one reason or another and how they did not get this gift of being 49. How they would have done anything for one more second or one more minute of their life. How they would have loved to see a another sunset, hug a loved one, eat their favorite dessert, laugh with their favorite friend or wake up in their comfy bed.  

All of these things are priceless, daily gifts. 

Most days I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. It's the same exact thing each morning and it is so vanilla, but I have learned to check myself and not be an asshole. I am awake, I am alive and I am gifted a few more seconds or a few more minutes to enjoy this life and to strive to be the best version of myself. 

Now go crush the day. 

#Freedom | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE

"Power of No" Weekly Wisdom

 

How does the word "no" fit into your life?

 I am aware I have discussed the power of "no" in the past. I am not sure I quite understood how much power it holds in good and bad ways. My "no" has been said mostly for good but I did trip along the way - living and learning the lesson and the power. My podcast guest this month, Maria, shared the perfect complete and simple sentence in her blog to explain her 
"no" reasoning:  "For me, it’s about setting boundaries and saying no to situations, events, or even people that no longer serve me."

Setting boundaries. 

This is one of the most difficult things to learn in our lifetime. I think of myself as a pretty studious person, who knows how to stay curious, study, learn and absorb A LOT of material. But never could I imagine in my life so far, would I understand the challenge of learning of and living out boundaries. As Maria puts it "safeguarding your well-being and mental space."  Wait, I am allowed to do this?  Isn't this selfish?  

It is not selfish. 

If you struggle to take care of #1 (that's you), then you are never going to be in a good place to be of service to others - saying "no" is part of this equation. I started off with saying "no" to easy things like filling up my whole weekend with events. I would say "no" to at least one outing a weekend, knowing I needed that extra time for myself to rest and recharge. I had sincere feelings of guilt for letting people down and this included my family and friends. But I stuck to it, was consistent and it got easier. My family and friends still ask me (thank you for not stopping) but now they also understand where my "no" is coming from - from a place of being a better person and being better company when I do say "yes." 

It is not selfish, you are just giving yourself the power to do what is best for you. 

#Freedom | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE