Dream Quashers, Be Gone!

Hey, you. Yeah, you, I'm talking to you, there, fellow dreamer. I want to remind you of one important thing: as the legendary 80's rock band, Journey once said, don't stop believing. All your life, there are going to be people who, for one reason or another, try to stand in the way of you and your dreams. Maybe they're jealous of your youth, your lust for life, your unadulterated promise. Maybe they are jealous of your youthful idealism, your untainted passion. Maybe they are intimidated by your intelligence, your competence, your skillfulness at what you do. Maybe they are scared that you are going to take their job. Whatever it is, DO NOT listen to these naysayers! They are only trying to bring you down and hold you back from being your greatest. Just keep on plugging away at trying to reach your dream and trying to be the best whatever it is that you want to be. Stay true to what you know to be true, what you know is right. Don't even listen to that little voice inside your own head that says that you can't, you won't, you couldn't possibly achieve your dreams and do your best. That little voice that Anne Lamott termed our own personal radio K-FKD. Just tune out the negativity as best you can and stay true to yourself. It may take time and practice to do so, but don't give up. You can do anything that you set your mind to if you believe in yourself, that you CAN and you WILL do it.  Go get 'em, tigers!

Update

So I am about halfway done with my Master's degree at Hunter College in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education grades K-12, with a dual certification in regular education grades 1-6.  I have 25 credits under my belt and another 33 to go!  I am taking three summer classes, so that will knock out another 8 credits.  It's been a stressful and chock full semester, but I made it through.  I even got a job as a teaching assistant this summer at the school for the Deaf that I have been volunteering at all year.  Hooray!  Things are looking up.  Going for my teaching assistant certification, and then my teacher's certification.  I hope to graduate by May or August of 2012.  Not that I want to rush through my Master's, but I am eager to get into the classroom and teach, already. Two more finals to go this semester, and I will be done May 23rd.  No rest for the weary--it will be a busy summer.  Looking forward to it!

Signed,
The Energizer Bunny

P.S. GO YANKEES!

The Future is Not for Wimps

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life," used to be one of the scariest phrases in English language to me, one year ago. It was frightening because there were always so many different ways in which I could fritter away today, and I always worried that tomorrow might not be okay. Reminiscent of my Grandmother's favorite, "These are the best years of your life," this phrase made me feel that I was wasting this day, somehow. So instead of living it up, I stayed still and worried until all my nails and cuticles were bitten off, in a figurative sense (my nails are actually quite nice). I was frightened into paralysis; there were so many choices and directions in which my life could go. I was so scared of making the wrong decision that I instead made no decisions at all and went nowhere.

I have always wanted to know my future. If only I had a crystal ball...if only those 8-ball thingys actually worked! I often ask myself, "Will things turn out okay for me? Will I achieve my dreams that I want so badly? Will I succeed?" But the truth is that tomorrow is always going to come, whether I am ready for it or not. So I might as well enjoy today and work hard so that I don't have to worry so much about tomorrow and about my future.

Now the phrase, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life!" is something that's really exciting to me. When I hear it, or think it, I smile and imagine all the wonderful possibilities that string of words entails. I know now that it's going to be a long life (at least, I hope and pray that it will be) and that I have lots of time to figure things out. If I had it all figured out at 22, almost 23, I guess that would make the rest of my life pretty boring.

I like to listen to this song when I need a confidence boost: Sing it, B!

A video/speech that helps keep things in perspective: Wear Sunscreen