2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I purposefully made this sign big so I can be big in positivity, happiness, peace, wealth, health, EVERYTHING! 

One thing I've learned is that your life won't change unless you chose to change it. You can't magically get happiness if you're constantly sulking in the negatives. I know how hard it's been wrapped up in a negative mindset and how easy it is to continue to stay there but you cannot expect to have a better life if you live in that state. If you want things to change, you need to change them. If you're tired of going to bed at 3am, change it - put down your phone at 10pm and rest. If you're wanting to have better teeth, floss more. If you want your physical health to improve, exercise. I know, I know - easier said than done. That's ok - baby steps. Today you will go to bed at 2, instead of 3; then at 1, then 12 and so on. Make a plan for yourself and set some goals. You will get there, I promise!

As I've mentioned before in blogs, I never ever believed in goals. I thought it was a waste of time because of how much life changes, that there is really no point in setting a 'goal'. I started writing stuff down that I wanted to get by the end of the year (new shoes over $100, new purse, etc) and by the end of the year, I had everything! I just continued on with this tradition and it makes me really reflect on where I am and where I want to be. Here is my list for 2021:

1. Have good health - mentally, emotionally, physically. There have been a lot of things in 2020 that caused all 3 to be depleted but in 2021, I will come back stronger than ever.

2. Have my wealth increase. I've realized how much I contribute and how much I get back. I know the current situation I'm in doesn't give back as much as I deserve so I hope in 2021, I find new success in wealth. 

3. Get another kitty! I have one cat already but I've been wanting another one for a while. I hope this year a kitten comes my way to stay with me forever!

4. My relationship thrives in happiness and love. I am in love 10000% and I would like that to grow 1000x !! I have never been happier and cannot be thankful enough for the blessing that came my way!

5. Floss more. Let's be real, this should be on everyone's list. I figure if I write it down, I will be more likely to commit to it. 

I hope 2021 is a peaceful and happy year for everyone! I hope that it is 100x better than 2020. I hope every wish and hope you have for this year comes true!

2020... Goodbye Forever.

This year has been a doozy... I have no words yet all the words. It has gone by so fast yet so slow at the same time. I think this year I can truly say that I was challenged almost the entire year. It breaks my heart to say this but it was one of the hardest years of my life. I think the year started off on the wrong foot and it just kept escalating. The world also entered a pandemic so that somewhat contributed to it. I always go back to my previous years posts and reflect on my goals for the next year. Below are my thoughts:

For 2020:

• I want to have a more positive outlook on life. Unfortunately, the more I tried this, the deeper I sank into the opposite direction. Misery loves company and I was invited to sulk. I'm not mad about this because the only way you can go after rock bottom is up. I am hopeful for the future. 
  
  
• I want to gain more clarity. This one was given in overload. I have been given clarity in ALL aspects of my life and I do not want anymore. You know the saying 'be careful what you wish for?' Yeah. This.
  
  
• Grow stronger relationships and keep working at them. My current relationship has been amazing and thriving. We have gone through so so so so sooooo much this year and I know he is the one for me through and through. He is my biggest blessing in life!
  
  

As the year flies by, I hope to see myself grow and learn. I hope I can get to a happy mindset and continuously feel that way. I hope to be a better person, overall. I definitely did learn and grow A LOT this year. Sometimes the way you can learn and grow is outside of your comfort zone and that was definitely tested for me this year. I have gone through experiences that I never ever would think to go through. I have been taught many lessons and will use those in the future, which makes me grow as a person. I have been shown what I shouldn't be and learned from that tremendously. 

Overall, I would say 2020 was the worst. Not in a depressive way, but just blah. I'm over and done with it and can't wait for a brighter and happier time. 

Never Settle.

Don't ever settle. Not with relationships, not with jobs, not with your way of life. If you settle, you might be unhappy, and nothing is more important than your health and happiness.

Recently, I've been going through an uncomfortable environment through my place of employment. I was talking to a friend about it and she asked me "How important is the environment that you work in, when looking for a job?". This got me thinking. Yes, the people that you work with can make or break your time there, but I find that it goes so much deeper than that. The environment can majorly effect your mental health, whether it be positive or negative. If the people around you are constantly pushing you up and striving for your success, you will be successful; meaning, you will be more productive and happier, thus causing your mental health to improve. If you are surrounded by people who are constantly bringing you down, it can severely impact your happiness, thus your mental health. Having days where you wake up and have to drag yourself out of bed because you dread going and then coming home feeling emotionally drained are ways your mental health can deteriorate. Having bad days are okay but feeling that way more than once a week is concerning. I answered my friend, "If you're asking me how important is my mental health when looking for a job, I would say it's pretty important."

I once worked with this girl who, at the time, was looking for love. What she said is something I won't ever forget. She said when you ask God for a man, you need to be specific. I laughed at her because never in my life have I heard something so silly. Turns out, she was right. She goes on to explain to me how she asked God for a doctor. So, God gave her a doctor. She didn't like him. She then went on to ask God for a man who made good money. God gave her a man who made good money and she didn't like him either. She then broke it down so specifically to the occupation and place of work for the man that she is wanting in her life and will not settle until she finds him. I found this to be true to my life as well.

I genuinely enjoyed my first place of work. I made a lot of friends, the job was great, pay, vacation - everything! But after a while, I wanted more. I asked God for a relief. The next job I got was a piece of cake, but my environment was not ideal; I felt like I was walking on eggshells all the time. Then I asked God for a better environment, one where I would get along with everyone, including my manager, and would love going to work. I did get it, but the pay and vacation was low. I then became more specific; I asked for a great paying job that I love. Well. Now I have a great paying job that I love but the environment isn't ideal. Now, my next list is so specific that I have it down to the hours I want to work to the pay and vacation that I specifically want, including the type of environment I want to work in. I have 13 bullet points and plan on adding more as I go.

Don't ever settle in life. Life is so short to be miserable. This pandemic has started all across the world and people everyday are losing their lives. Can you imaging living your life with just settling and then dying from a virus? Life the best life you can live and don't give up. If you feel stuck or that you have been settling and want to progress in anyway of your life, I encourage you to make a list of things you want to happen. You can call it a main goal and what you want out of that. Ex. You want to find the love of your life. That would be your main goal. Then, have your specifications: They have to be loving, caring, put me first, etc. and don't settle until you find one that matches your criteria. Some things you may think of letting slide but this is a list of things you want for yourself so make it as true to you as you possibly can. I've made a template here that will help! Use if you would like!

Summer Break

Hello again!

I haven't been keeping up with my blog because I took some time to myself for some self-reflection. I do love blogging and sharing my golden finds but I also believe that mental, emotional, and physical health are important. As I started my new job and the summer began, I took it upon myself to stop wallowing over my life and dedicate every moment of summer to myself (or as much as possible). I have done some new things and have embraced them with open arms!

 I went to the pool by myself for the second time in my life! It actually took me a lot to talk myself into going because I kept thinking, "What if I see somebody I know? What if it's too crowded? What if it's weird?" Well one day after work, it was about the first 100 degrees that Denver got, I decided I'M GOING TO THE POOL. So I packed my bag and went over to our neighborhood pool. There were like 4 people there and it was really nice and relaxing. The second time, I had to talk myself into it again but after I went, I saw it wasn't weird at all. There were families with their kids, elderly people, others having a BBQ. I knew I wanted to go to the pool and I didn't care if anybody went or not and honestly, I'm glad I went. Because of that new courage, I'm able to go 100 more times and not feel weird about it. :)

I went ATV-ing for the first time and let me tell you, I was like 1% away from peeing my pants. It wasn't fast (we couldn't go over 20mph) but it was bumpy and uneven and all I kept thinking was how we were going to fall over. AH!! But luckily we didn't and it was actually a lot of fun!

 I also fired up the firepit in our backyard and made some s'mores, along with hot dogs, corn, and bosnian food - cevapi! MMM! What a great summer adventure! My favorite part was the mosquitoes - LOL JK. Nobody likes mosquitoes!

Through these fun things, I've realized that I'm tired of just laying around and not doing anything, WISHING that I would have a great summer. I've learned that sometimes wishing and thinking about something isn't enough to actually make you happy. You have to go out there and just go for it. If there's something out there that you've been wanting to do, but haven't because of every excuse in the book, I'm telling you right now to just go and do it. Wanna take a run in the park? GO! Wanna learn how to roller skate? DO IT. Wanna travel on your own? GIRL, YOU BETTER GO. If you don't experience things in life, how can you expect yourself to grow? The only person holding you back is YOU. So go out there, enjoy your summer, fall, winter, spring, and LIFE. Do what makes you happy, enjoy yourself, because life is too short.

P.S. Don't worry - summer isn't over yet! You still have time! & You sure can bet that I will be enjoying every single second!

Becoming Amela

A few months ago, Michelle Obama had released her own memoir called Becoming. It has been the #1 best selling book for about 3 months now. To be honest, I didn't really know Michelle. I knew she was married to Barack and that she advocated for being healthy. I also had watched her on Ellen a few times and thought she was a pretty cool first lady. I decided I wanted to read her book, primarily because she mentions that she lets her readers know how it is living in the white house. Being someone who may never get the opportunity to, I thought it would be interesting to hear about how things went on in the white house and how it functioned internally. It's always been some sort of secret and never really portrayed in the media. Instead of purchasing the book, I went to my online library and put myself on hold for her audiobook, which was read by Michelle herself. After about 2 months, I got a notification that the book was automatically borrowed for me and I was thrilled to start reading. I got to know about her childhood and how she grew up. I learned about her going to Princeton to get a law degree. She spoke of her various jobs, including a teacher's aid, unofficial babysitter, and a lawyer. She also spoke of her marriage, Barack's campaigning, their move to the white house, her stay during the white house, and after.

To be honest, the more Michelle read about her life to me, the more I found myself that I could relate to her. No, I didn't go to Princeton, but I did get a higher education, which both of us had parents that did not. We both came from nothing and tried our best to make it in the world. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago, living in a small 1 bedroom apartment with her family. I came to America as a refugee with no money at all. As both of our lives progressed, I find that we are more alike than different. I found that through her words, I could relate to her more and how she was just another human being, not the first lady.

She talks about a time that she graduated with a law degree, became a lawyer, and then saw herself not being fulfilled with her life. I have been in the exact same situation. She had then taken a job that was a 50% pay cut but only because she wanted to explore other directions in life. She wasn't sure of what it is she wanted to do with her life and I cannot relate more. I know she is older than me and has already passed that stage in her life but being where I am and hearing her story, I know that it will all work out in the end.

Michelle talks about first meeting Barack and being curious about him. She talks about the first time they loved each other and their first kiss. She speaks so highly of him and how much he cares for her, knowing when she is upset, uncomfortable, or happy. She talks about the highs and lows of their relationship and how they always managed to work it out. I can relate on all of these points.

I think what makes Michelle relatable is that she admits that she, too, is human. She has faults, mistakes, and regrets, just like anybody else in the world. I think this would have to be the best book I have ever read (heard through audiobook) because I literally cried about 10 times, laughed here and there, and really took the time to listen and understand her life. I think the way she writes is absolutely beautiful and it has inspired me to continue to increase my vocabulary as much as I can. (I googled sooo many words!!)

This blog post wasn't about Becoming Michelle, but rather Becoming Amela. I have gone through so much in my life, but instead of focusing on my hardships, I should be celebrating my successes. Instead of wallowing in pity and despair, I should be looking at the brighter side of life. Michelle brings up the point of how children always look through a positive lens and that's how everyone should be viewing the world. They don't see it through the dark and rough times, but rather the happy moments. They never worry about moments in the future that haven't happened yet, but rather enjoy the moment they are in. I think for 2019 a goal of mine will be to become that better version of myself. I want to be happy and have faith that everything will work itself out in the end. If a door closes, I need to leave it closed and move on. I need to trust that fate will work itself out in the end.

I hope you took away something from this. If you are in a situation and frustrated, take a step back and tell yourself that everything will be okay in the end. If you feel like you've hit rock bottom, well I'm here to tell you that they only way to go from here is up. And with that, I will leave you with this..

I hope there are days when your coffee tastes like magic, your playlist makes you dance, strangers make you smile, and the night sky touches your soul. I hope you fall in love with being alive again.

Amazon Favorites!

If you haven't realized the beauty of Amazon, you certainly will! Initially, I ended up getting an account, along with Amazon Prime, because I needed it for school. I heard it was the cheapest place to get books (rented or bought) so I made an account and it saved me from buying $300 books because Amazon had them for like $30. Thank you, Amazon! Amazon not only has textbooks, I discovered, but many, many, mannny other things. I've purchased things from household items, to clothes, to makeup and tanning supplies.. the list goes on an on. I decided to make a blog post about my favorite Amazon items and share them all with you! Click on any of the pictures below! I always, always, always look at the reviews. I actually trust Amazon reviews more than any other website because I know about 99% of the time, they are genuine.

**I'll keep updating this as I find more things I like**

First up is clothes! I love clothes because they are art, in a sense that they let you express yourself on how you want to look and wear. I've never really thought about becoming a designer or a model, but when I throw something on that I like, it makes me feel good, so why not? Live your best life.

Next up is some beauty and accessories that I love! I have purchased several of these and am totally in love! My favorite would have to be the purple and blue shampoo, just because it makes my hair less brassy and I can't believe how cheap it is!

Finally, some household items that I think would be fun to have around the house! I think the modern look nowadays is rustic with lots of greenery and a pop of color. The color I am always leaning towards is a gold rose but you can really pick any to make your house pop!

If you have any Amazon recommendations that you swear by, let me know so I can add them on! :) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.