Create. That is All.

I believe one of the most important things in this world is never losing sight of your ability to unleash creativity. That's what will give you an edge personally and professionally. Think for a second when the last time the person who did everything everyone else did was rewarded, either in their relationships or in their career. I bet you can't think of one, and if you did... I guarantee you can't name more than one. So, embrace creativity in all aspects of life. Whether it's knocking on your doorstep or hidden around the corner. Find it. Then own it. Today's post is simply to inspire you to unleash that creativity and be relentless in incorporating it into your everyday life. Plain and simple. 

Inspiring Quotes: 

1. "Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." 
      - Albert Einstein

2.  "Almost always the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better." 
      - Martin Luther King Jr. 

3.  "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere."
      - Anne Lamot

4. " Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people."
      - Eleanor Roosevelt 

5. "Always go with your passions, never ask yourself if it's realistic or not."
     - Deepak Chopra


Happy Creating!

Sometimes You Just Have To Hit Refresh

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That would be the frustration of consistently feeling like your brain is on overload from all the information I learn everyday in my classes. So as a refresher I thought it might do me justice to write down things that are familiar in my brain. Sometimes the refresh button reminds us who we are and helps to figure out who we still want to be. 

Also, whoever is reading this, you are awesome. And THANK YOU!

Here's what I know:

1.  The guy biking in cargo shorts and a short sleeve shirt today was either, A freezing, B crazy, or C both. You do you man. And everyone taking second glances at you, they are just jealous that their skin isn't as thick as yours. 

2.  Studying abroad in Europe is something that crosses my mind at least 7 times a day. I think about spending a summer traveling from Brussels to Belgium, Stonehenge to Stockholm, and Paris to Prague. Being immersed in uncomfortable cultures through pedestrians, newspapers, street performers, and food. 

3.  College is hard, but it is also so rewarding. Constantly being surrounded by so many different demographics and cultures is so enriching. GO GREEN! 

4.  Money is just one value amongst many. But, why is it THE value that determines so many things in our society. Imagine if the biggest value was knowledge from experience. The richest people in America would be the most well-round with global outlooks. 

5.  The difference between being in a comfortable vs. uncomfortable situation depends on if you believe it is uncomfortable. Next time you feel a little uneasy in your current situation remember that it is what you make it. College has helped me to dismiss uncomfortable situations from my life. Every thing I go through everyday is developing me into who I will be. No matter the circumstances. Embrace the uncomfortable, trust me.

6.  I always think about if the social norm was flipped and if it would be an action that would even exist. Why are people trying to hard to fit in when we live in the melting pot of the world. Everyone is supposed to be different. Embrace differences and uniqueness. If everyone was identical and social norms were all alike globally we would never advance as a society. New ideas should be praised simple because they are new. If we all followed what everyone else did our society would simply run circles. Break the trend of the dizziness and walk straight through the circle wearing your new idea on your chest. 

7.  My sisters are awesome. Spent the weekend with them and the people they are becoming everyday just makes me smile. That is all. 

8.  Failure sucks. But it's a part of life. No matter how much you messed up, why is it even deliberated as "messed up...?" Every time you fail, you're just learning from your mistakes and that will prevent you from making other "mistakes." If you want to further this comment read my poem: Success is Overrated on the left hand side. The first time one of my kids fails a test I'm going to throw them a "Congrats You Failed" party. I believe in order to feel successful and rewarded you have to know failure. 

9.  Blogging is awesome. Writing is awesome. Write today. Just a little. 

10. Humans of New York is one of the coolest books I've ever read. Follow them on Instagram for daily cultural immersion: @humansofny 

Spotted: My head in 5 million cultures within 304 pages

The Unexpected and Undiscovered

Hello World! (I've had page views from France!)

First of all, I want to express my appreciation to everyone who has read and will read my blog. It means so much to me. This started out as something just for me and I slowly shared it with my family and close friends but it has evolved into something I want to share with the world. So-- a big thank you to YOU!

Second of all, I want to just write a little bit about the unexpected and undiscovered of the world. This past Friday I had the experience of getting to know two girls from Europe. (One from Switzerland and one from Finland). Even though there was a little bit of a language barrier there is nothing I enjoy more than hearing about other peoples' experiences and how they have impacted their lives. Fun fact: College in Finland is free! Anyways, I got to show them an American University, eat lunch, and swap stories. I've always known I have wanted to travel and experience new things but it never fails, every single time I meet someone from another country that desire just accentuates. I personally believe there is so much to the world that we haven't individually discovered and collectively as a society discovered. I believe there is so much that is unexpected to not just our days but our years, our centuries, our eons. And the only way we will be able to discover the undiscovered and expect the unexpected is to immerse ourselves into whatever life throws at our face, and smile. Don't forget to smile. Sometimes smiling is the best cure all. Trust me.  

Ciao (Italian), Wi Gu-Kin (Korean), Kwaheri (Swahili), Bye (English)

Shelby 

Spotted in MI "The unexpected and undiscovered right in front of our face." 

Jackpot!

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you are reading a really intriguing article online and then bam, you must long in to read the entire article. Like c'mon. So when I see free newspapers on campus you bet I get excited. Goal for next week: find free Wall Street Journals. 

Little Celebrations {Part Two}

A couple months ago I posted about the little things in life. I feel it's important to remind ourselves of the good things in life as we go through many series of ups and downs.  However, these ups and downs are vital to help us discover who we are and what makes us tick. This post has to be short.. because I have to get back to studying for an 8 a.m exam (snagged a study room though... yes!) Anyways, here is today's little celebrations and as always I encourage you to write or even think about yours. 

1.  Being able to attend a university filled with endless opportunity.

2.  Having that person in my life who is constantly pushing me to always be me, regardless.

3.  The president of the MSU Slam Poetry club messaging me back about joining... YES! (More to come on that.)

4.  Learning everyday about so many new things that just make me want to learn more.

5.  Having a roommate who everyday makes me smile, no matter what.

6.  The fact that I have two loving parents who are always inspiring me to have class.

7.  Being able to live in a country where we can vote. (Wear your "I Voted" stickers proudly!)

8.  Writing, period. Writing is something that I will ALWAYS celebrate.

9.  Having professors who are so passionate about what they do that they are dripping sweat by 
the end of the lecture. (You go Karl Gude!)

10.  The little boy who ran to open the door for me earlier. You made me miss my job and sisters even more than I already do, but more importantly you put a huge smile on my face when I heard you say, "You're welcome." 

Today's Quote

Call Me Crazy, But Give Me Six Years and I Will Say, "I Told You So."

Here's the deal. Everyone has a goal. Sure, some peoples' goals may be to watch a whole season of The Hills in one sitting and some peoples' goals might be to assist in finding a cure for cancer. But nonetheless still a goal. No matter how big or how small everyone has one. But sometimes other people have different goals for us than we have for ourselves. Everyone always asks, "So what do you wanna be after you graduate?" And I just want to respond every time by saying, "I wanna be me. I wanna travel, write, blog, never stop learning, immerse myself into cultures I didn't even know existed, and share the world with the world." I think if this was my answer I would get some pretty crazy looks. BUT- that is my goal. And doesn't every great thing start with a crazy look to a "crazy person" and end with an, "I told you so." 

Currently, here is my goal. (Cue the crazy look). I want to work for TIME magazine. I want write, design, edit, market, advertise (I don't really care I will even make coffee runs) for TIME magazine. There's nothing I enjoy more than reading about things that are happening locally, nationally, and globally. But it isn't really the facts that hit it hard for me, its the people's stories that really send me home. I think having my name in those red letters next to a news headline that I wrote would be one of my biggest accomplishments in life. Even if I help write something and it says "TIME staff" I would be thrilled. Telling stories to an audience who is passionate about the topic is my goal. Call me crazy, but give me six years and prepare yourself for the, "I told you so."

Quote of the Day: "At the end of the day it is not about what you have or even what you have accomplished. It's about who you have lifted up, who you've made better. It's about what you have given back." -Denzel Washington 

Song of the Day: Underdog by Imagine Dragons