The Best Version of Yourself

I was sitting eating lunch yesterday when it hit me all at once that I hadn't made a new year's resolution this year. Or at least, not a serious one. 

Last year, I promised myself I wouldn't let fear inhibit me from doing the things I wanted, especially really irrational fears. I could've probably progressed in this area a little more in regard to my stage fright, but I don't think that's something I'll ever get over. Still, it was through this new year's resolution that I stood up for myself a bit more, confronted my desires and was totally honest with myself and with others about them, and even sang at Christmas Eve Mass (which is a huge deal for me). That was a new year's resolution I could feel good about as 2015 came to a close. I'd mostly stayed true to the promise I'd made to myself at the beginning of the year. 

Now, it's 2016 -- a year of total change. In three months, I'll have graduated and will probably still be searching the job market like a madwoman. When will I move out? What does my future look like? ...These are all questions that were less imminent only a year ago, and now I've come to find that they're staring me in the face. 

Here's what I know: I can't control my future. Not really. I can be proactive and take initiative and want good things in my life, but I can't truly make anything happen. The circumstances have to be right. The timing has to be right. So much of how we live our daily lives depends upon the thoughts and actions of others, or the opportunities presented to us. Destiny -- whether you think it's cheesy or not -- is, actually, a very real thing. 

So now that you're completely frustrated and thinking, Well, if I can't control my future, what can I control? 

My answer is: yourself. 

Growing up, whenever I found myself moody or heated over a particular situation or person, my dad always reminded me that I couldn't change the person, I couldn't change the situation, but I could change myself. And this is always an option. As a matter of fact, it is often the only thing we can do. 

As I sat with my sandwich yesterday, I realized that even though I've grown so much over the years, that journey hasn't stopped and probably will never stop. There are always improvements we can make when it comes to how we live or who we are. So here's what I decided about 2016:

1) I'm going to study French every single day, and I'm going to do one better and totally immerse myself in the language by reading French books and watching French films to really improve my comprehension and understanding of it. According to Duolingo (an awesome language app, by the way), I am already roughly 20% fluent in French. Might not seem like a lot, but I hadn't realized before that I was actually capable of even that much. How awesome would it be to develop that fluency until I really as though it were real? Until I felt confident enough to use it in job settings, or abroad? In terms of bettering oneself, it is always beneficial to have another language or two under your belt. I am ambitious enough to even want to learn Spanish after I master French. But again, I'm getting ahead of myself ;) 

2) I'm going to improve and refine my yoga practice until I can make it all the way through without stumbling, stopping, or hesitating. I recently developed my own yoga routine, and it consists of a couple of tough postures that I have yet to even come close to mastering, such as crow pose and headstand. More than this, I want my breathing to come naturally and be consistent throughout my practice. Breath is the most important part of yoga, and often, I am so focused on the perfect posture that I forget to focus on what really matters: how good I feel as I am completing them. It's good to push yourself, but not to the point of pain or total discomfort. 

3) I want people to be able to read this blog and really take something away from it. I have never understood how people develop and promote their blog into something that people actually read on a regular basis -- no matter how promoting I do, I can never seem to procure the high numbers of readers I would like to have. That's why I've decided to make this blog less about how many people read it and more about what a select few might get out of it, instead. Quality over quantity! If I am inspiring or helping even one person to live a more fulfilling life, then that's all that matters. 


And, even though these might seem like lofty goals, what I'm going to try to keep in mind is that my goals don't have to end with the year. If 2016 comes to a close and I am still struggling with these things, then that's okay. I have a lifetime to improve and a lifetime to try to motivate and inspire other people through the way I live my own life. Actions speak louder than words, after all!

What will you do to take charge of your future -- not by trying to plan or manipulate it, but by evolving into someone who is strong enough and confident enough to handle whatever the future throws at you? What kind of person do you want to be, and what kind of skills do you want to have? What will it take to get there? If you don't know the answers already, I'd encourage you to think those questions through until you know what you need to do to move forward. And if you do know the answers but maybe don't believe that you could ever accomplish them, think again! You can do anything you set your mind to. Make a game plan, stick with it, be patient, and watch yourself grow.

To anyone and everyone who is reading this: have a blessed and happy day. Be patient with yourself, and in turn, I will try to do the same :)

God bless and namaste,

Lindsey

Welcome to Live Out Loud!

Hi friends :)

My name is Lindsey, and I am thrilled that you've taken the time to check out my blog. Its purpose will be for me to share my tips for healthy, spiritual living with all of you! It can be discouraging to live a monotonous, quiet life, feeling like you have to hide who you are or what you want for fear of upsetting or offending others. The truth is that if your desires and beliefs are wholesome, positive, and good, there is no reason to hide the real you. If it freaks people out? So be it. Be yourself, and be yourself wholeheartedly and unapologetically. Develop your gifts and talents, and love what you do rather than spend time wishing you could be what you're not. You don't owe anyone any excuses for living your life on your terms. Live out loud, wear your heart on sleeve, and own who you are! 

In my posts, you'll find snippets of who I am and how I am choosing to go about my life in a way that honors my beliefs and the soul inside of me. It is my hope that my posts will inspire you and encourage you to do the same in your own daily lives. You're likely to find several posts about faith, yoga, food, and literature, because these are the things that give me joy each day. If there is a question you'd like for me to answer (via blog post) in terms of anything self-help related, please let me know and I will be sure to dedicate a post to that question with my suggestions. 

God bless and namaste!

Lindsey