Anxious, Eager & Impatient (Continued)

So, I was in a little bit of a rush in the prior half of this article but I have a little bit of time now to finish it up, as I will.

Life has not treated me perfectly as of late but that's the funny thing about life, it never treats anyone that way because life isn't perfect for anyone, it's imperfectly perfect the way it is and its remarkable how the universe actually does work. The adage is true, the universe works in many mysterious ways and though we may think it not to be some days (particularly the rather gloomy, depressing, stressful and anxiety-filled days/nights), it always shines through in the long run.

Patience is key to achieving happiness within, something I've struggled with intensely in the past and still do every now and then. Patience is a trait that is learned, not an overnight sensation similar to the likes of Vine, as most of us all know and love.. Or hate.. Whichever suits your fancy. Back to the point, patience teaches us to persevere through these stressful times in our lives and look forward to the great things that lay ahead of us in our lifetimes. To do so, we must remain positive and optimistic in our everyday lives no matter what we're doing, as I've stressed this very point before.

Time is a valuable thing and you must use it wisely to your own liking. Not to someone else's who feels theirs is more important than yours. That is a selfish act and selfish people will never consider your thoughts or feelings about the matter, they're only focused on their personal goals and how they're to achieve them. As I mentioned earlier, that's the karma aspect of things in play again, they're treating you that way, so you need to buck up and act for yourself in your own manner as well. It's eye-for-an-eye ladies and gents, it may take longer sometimes for karma, alchemy and the way of the world to show itself through but I assure you, it always will.

I'm not some glorious know-it-all, though I have had my fair share of experiences and been through quite a lot of events in my 21-year span of life. The age may shock some of you that I'm speaking in such terms as if I'm to have a beard of grey stretching down forth unto my knees, though I'm just speaking from the heart and what I've learned in my own personal experience of this gem we call life. You can take what you may from my words of advice and treat it as your own, though I mean nothing but peace, harmony, positivity, happiness and of course, solace. I wish for everyone to have a happy, full, joyous, well-travelled life and no matter what their current circumstances are, I want EVERYONE to know, that it is NEVER too late to start something new.. You could be 75 and starting a new career, the choice is always yours and nobody can tell you otherwise as they will never have any right to. As spoken about before, none of us have a damn clue what we're doing here in the first place despite any religion, theories or pseudo-scientific evidence; so I suggest we all live our lives how we truly want to and experience the world for what it is and find the happiness and delight in waking up every morning and enjoying the fact that we are free, we live in a free country and have an opportunity each and everyday to make the best out of our lives as we can. Times may be tough but they're only permanent, as is everything. There is ALWAYS room for change, don't be afraid of it, let it happen. Change is good. Change brings new peace, love and perspective. Let it be.

Have a wonderful night everyone, goodnight and Godspeed! Stay tuned for more coming articles on mental well-being, health, music, fitness, travelling, the entrepeneurial experience and loving yourself, your life and everyone/everything in it, it's all about the mindset! Amen!

                                               (Solace)

Anxious, Eager & Impatient

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, ADD.. All these "disorders" that many of us are born with can affect us so deeply in our daily lives and it seems impossible to control some days but it always is, I promise.

Through the help of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) we can rationally practice mindfulness and stay in the moment at all times without worrying about things of our past, and over-anticipating events in the future. It's a lot easier said than done, I know right?

Though it doesn't take over-the-counter meds just to cure this, you can cure this all with the power of your own mind. A phrase I've started to live by, a TRUTH rather, is "A person becomes exactly what they think about". Meaning, if you think negative, pessimistic doomsday-esque thoughts all the livelong day, you can only imagine what's coming your way, those exact thoughts. I'm not saying this to frighten anyone or further any panic though it is the truth, if you want a positive, optimistic and proactive lifestyle, then you need to think and act accordingly to it.

You ever see those joyous, happy-to-be-alive optimistic smiling faces throughout your lifetime? Those are the people who've come to that conclusion already and see no valid point in being negative and gloomy on a day-to-day basis. There are those people who claim to not act as so, though they truly do have a bleak, miserable outlook on their own world.. Possibly without even knowing it.

Closed-minded people tend to use their negativity as a defence mechanism against the cruelties of this world and while it sometimes may feel like the safer route to take, it is not allowing them to live their lives to their full potential. To do so, you must put yourself out there in the world and by that I mean being a little vulnerable to life, allowing yourself to make mistakes, improve, learn and gradually progress through each phase/stage in your life with that positive mindset I've been praising. Tragedy, devastation, misery and heartache can sometimes be inevitable in our world but it's our attitude towards these events that affects the outcome it has on the rest of the world and in your own life. If you react negatively and your same old pessimistic habits kick in, it'll always remain that way and that narrow minded approach to life you have will become that much slimmer. Disaster is awful, I will agree but it's apart of life and we all need to be willing to accept that and move on as progressively and proactively as possible. Meaning that we pick up the broken pieces and start building a new masterpiece and creating that ideal life we've always wanted. Grieving is absolutely acceptable and I'm not tellin you how to live your life, however I'm giving you helpful guidelines as to how to become optimistic and positive about these insane, crazy topsy-turvy world events or even just the personal ones and move forward with a smile on your face knowing that no matter what, things are always going to be okay.

It was said best, "When there's a will, there's a way" because that is absolutely the godforsaken truth about anything we do in our daily lives. You fail, it's a stepping stone. You mess up, you get up and try, try again. You fall, you climb back up. No matter what life throws at you, you'll be willing to adapt and ACCEPT everything as it comes your way. Don't play the pity party and act as if everyone's out to get you, since that's not necessarily the case. Life strikes us in impeccable ways at times but it's how we react that always matters most. You put out positive energy, vibes and reactions, you'll get the very same positivity in return. Everytime! I promise you. No matter how long it takes, good will come your way if you maintain this mindset.

I have a lot more to cover on this topic, believe me, however I'm running short on time but stay tuned for more everyone! Have a lovely Friday evening and Godspeed!

P.S. I'm not preaching any religion on you guys, merely stating how to practice mindfulness, acceptance and a positive, optimistic, happy, bright outlook on this crazy, messed up but wonderful thing we call life. Clichés are useful sometimes you know ;)

                                                (solace)

Sonic Boom 2015

Ahhh, the festival we all love and know of in our native land of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. If you're a local here then you'll know what I'm talking about.

Sonic Boom is an annual music festival running throughout the city for indie artists just starting to make an appearance on the scene and truly getting their name(s) out there as well as big-time indie artists who've been around for a little while. Case in point, Alexisonfire (whom disbanded 3 years prior) joined forces again for a reunion tour and put on a hell of a show on Sunday, September 6th, 2015 and rocked the stage of Borden Park, in the heart of Edmonton. Locals surrounding the area were in for a treat when they took the stage and gave the show in which thousands expected of them. It was surely not a disappointment and worth standing in the cold, wet field conditions and braving the rain and wind. Equally tough, the musicians must've been freezing their jiblets off in the chilly below zero temperature but kept on playing nonetheless.

Alongside the prominent presence of Alexis, were indie pop/gospel singers, Ellie Goulding and Hozier respectively. Not to mention comedy rock duo, Tenacious D who lit up the same crowd that was braving the uncomfortable, chilling weather conditions for their favourite post-hardcore icons taking the stage immediately after. It was Jack Black & Kyle Gass' first time in Alberta and they seemed to have loved what they saw with quite a memorable performance themselves in which they showed their gratitude for such a vast number of loyal fans and cult followers.

This year's festival showcased 20 indie bands/artists who gave it their all despite the gloomy weather conditions of the latter half of day 1 (Saturday, September 5th, 2015) and the whole sum of the aforementioned day 2 (Sunday, September 6th, 2015) while hardcore fans braved the same forecast and had an unforgettable time at yet another successful 'Boom'.

It was personally my first time attending the entire weekend-long event as I'd attended just a single day last year (2014 Sonic Boom Festival) in which The White Stripes legend, Jack White graced us with his presence and put on a bucket list-esque show for the fans that chilly Sunday last August. I had an amazing time both ventures out and I'll most certainly be making a reappearance next year to catch any other big time acts as well as the subsequently wonderful opening acts and middle-frame performers I've seen to date! I highly recommend this festival if you're in the city of Edmonton and surrounding area.. Hell, even if you're not here, make the trip out anyway! You won't regret it and it's a different experience. The Canadian experience.

Just a quick pic I snapped with my girlfriend and the talented, Gay Nineties who performed on the opening day of the Boom and even got my alien cup signed and my iPhone as well.. Previously signed by another young indie icon, JPNSGRLS.. And yes, if you know your indie well, you'd know that the two bands are buddies and enjoyed the fact that they'd signed the same phone and Tweeted/Instagrammed the little coincidence.

And finally, here's the actual phone in its entirety and the aforementioned signatures. Gay Nineties lead singer, Parker Bossley writes, "<3 u Charlie" under the JPNSGRLS lead vocalist, Charlie Kerr's signature. Expressing his brotherly love for the other, it's an indie song in the making..

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know, this is my very first post on this blog had you not known so forgive me if I sound a little cheesy, I'm just being honest, open and myself because that's all we can ever truly be right? Authentic. I'm a realist and I don't bullsh*t so you'll always have the straight up truth with me. Goodnight everyone and stay tuned for more music news, events, self-help, motivational, mindfulness tactics that will always be at your disposal. Until next time!

                                               (Solace)