Fame, Travel, Anxiety & Accomplishing Your Dreams/Goals/Aspirations

Well, initially I was going to pre-write this article as a rough draft in handwriting but I figure, why waste the time, I'm just going to get right down to it.

For starters, I'm going to make this a very freelance article. Not perfect, not extremely long but just the right amount to get my message across.

I've been struggling with anxiety, worry, depression, fear and angst all throughout my life as I'm sure most of us do at some point in our lives. So, I wanted to share that you're not alone there. I portray a very confident demeanour (not to seem cocky) and I'm proud of that but inside, sometimes it's killing me.

I feel as though I'm experiencing the infamous 'Quarter-Life Crisis' that everyone talks about and would love to snap out of this state of mind as it isn't a very pleasant one to be in. "Where am I going to be in 5 years?", "Should I have gone to college immediately after high school?", "Is college all a mistake and should I be travelling the world?", "Why aren't I a famous actor being wined and dined by illustrious directories worldwide?" .... Sounds pretty crazy hearing it all at once and it's a little foolish to assume that you could have that all solved by the time you're in your early-mid 20's. I've come to the realization that it's completely normal to feel that way and if you're also someone in your early-mid 20's or even older, I'm here to tell you that it's okay to not know what the hell you're doing yet. It's absolutely NEVER too late to set new goals, follow through on your dreams and get going on those projects you've been putting off. Go for it! Go all in and give it your best, then forget the rest. A lesson that a one Mr. Tony Horton, creator of the extremely successful home workout program (which I use myself) P90X.

I've learned a lot of life lessons in the past year and a bit, and I myself am only 21 years old. May sound crazy that I'm giving life advice at this age but hey, I'm just filling you all in on what I know and have experienced myself to date. Could be some helpful tips in there! ;)

I'm not a professional writer and by far an expert but I am confident in my ability to portray a good story and get my point across to others so they can feel the impact to change their life for the better, as I've done for myself. I'm still very young yet and have more lessons to learn but I'm wise for my age and won't stop learning, ever. Even when I'm 60 years-old and making daily walks to the park.. which, I encourage at any age to be honest, boosts the mental health level.. I always will strive to keep learning. As should you, it'll let you know you're still alive!

As for the fame aspect of this article, that's always been an enormous aspiration of mine as well and while I may not be there yet, I won't stop until I am. That's where my confidence comes into play, if you can act the part, then you can play the part. Not that I'm trying to buy into the adage of, "fake it 'til you make it" but in that sense, it's true. Even on the days where you got up on the wrong side of the bed and nothing seems to be going right, you have to know that that's just one day, or maybe one week of your life that's like that. Please don't take it personally because as soon as we start playing the "victim" card, that's when we get into those negative ruts and blame our circumstances and everything around us for the situations we're in. That just simply isn't true. We ALWAYS have the power to turn things around, leave the past in the past and do what you can with the present without worrying about the future. Don't constantly focus on where you're not at yet, focus on the PROGRESS you're making daily, that's all that counts. No matter how slow, fast, big or small the progress, it's still progress that'll push you towards your ultimate goal. If that goal is fame, travel, sports, music, acting, singing, art or whichever your passion may be, so be it. Never. Ever. Give. Up. On. It.

Confidence is key, alongside a positive attitude, patience and persistence. I've learnt all these lessons myself through a lot of trial and error, online magazines and endless amounts of articles. I've done my research, studied the game of the fields I'm interested in (writing, acting, travelling, rap, singing, art, etc.) and I'm going all for it. Life is WAY too short to do anything else. Another great tip for finding happiness through times of struggle, depression, misery, hardship is to surround yourself with positive kinds of people. Some people will inspire you and some will drain you, choose wisely.

The aforementioned P90X program is an amazing way to kickstart yourself into the world of positivity, progress and happiness. Albeit, not an easy program, it definitely pushes you to your limits and to continue digging further and finding what your made of.. Besides, it'll kick your ass into shape while it's at it! ;)

It took me quite awhile to get motivated to do the program myself but once I actually just put the first disc in and hit play, I was well on my way to achieving my fitness goals already by just taking that first step, and that's what you need to do with absolutely any goal in your life. Trust me, the payoff will be worth all of your hard work but it all starts with the decision to try, just believe me and more importantly, believe in yourself!

P.S. This was not an attempt to force you into doing Tony Horton's P90X program but it was an attempt to get you moving in any way possible to give you more motivation towards achieving all goals in your life! Doesn't have to be a 1-hour workout, it can be as simple as a 10-minute walk or simple jog down the street. So get to your feet, don't skip a beat and then reward yourself with a treat to eat!

P.P.S. This is my first article of the year! Sorry it took so long everyone!

Namaste.

Sincerely, Solace

Poverty

Poverty: General scarcity, dearth, or the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money.

We see this scattered across the globe daily and it's truly heartbreaking at that. This is an article I've been thinking about for a little while now and it came across my mind again on the bus home a few days ago. Which, for all you bus-takers out there, we all know how that time crunch and the uncomfortable feelings of being pressed up against a stranger can be, sometimes unpleasant!

Back to the point, we see poverty all the time in various ways and in various places. Its embedded in our minds to have that image of a homeless man/woman living in a cardboard box on the sidewalk, a back alley near some dumpsters or the less-sighted, city parks. Every time we are to see such a visual, it brings most of us a sense of dispair, depression and loss. For others, it brings the feelings of fear, for not wanting to be in the position themselves or for their lives to ever amount to that.

The bad news, there actually are millions of people suffering daily like this. The good news, we can do something about it. While we may not be able to solve world hunger in a day or stop poverty entirely, we can certainly make our contributions to society and bettering it the best possible way we're able to. These little tidbits are ways to do so:

• Donate to charities.

• Buy a homeless person/people a meal for the day.

• Provide community services via homeless shelters, feeding the poor where and when we can.

• Smile at a stranger (seems minor but honestly, sometimes a simple smile can set the tone in an individual's day, just try it sometime)

• Offer a hug (also simple but does wonders)

• Hold the door open for someone.

• Recycle.

• Start a friendly conversation with a homeless person/individual in need.

The above ways of expressing your positivity and effort may not all directly relate to poverty but they are general ways to improve the way we go about our daily lives and furthermore, improve society and help towards the struggle of poverty. At first sight, they're minuscule but gradual progress will be made every day of our lives if we are to do so. Some may laugh and overlook these subtle, simple tasks but honestly, the energy you put out there will come back to you and karma will work its wonders unto you. These are not selfish deeds nor are they selfless, they are communal and universal. We are all connected after all and every breath of fresh air you take in in the morning, has once passed through the same individuals you look up to or the same ones that have suffered many tragedies. Seems blunt but it's the truth and being that we are all one, we must show and produce an effort towards love and happiness, these are life's foundations. It's what we're truly built on and love conquers all in the end.

This isn't to say that I know it all and have life figured out but what I do know, is that I put out to the world what I expect in return and how I'd like to be treated. Equality is a topic so overlooked in today's day in age it's saddening and we all need to realize that life isn't a competition, we're all born the same and we all pass away the same. Let's make the best use of our time now and live each moment in solace and bliss. Positivity and contentment with where you are in your life now is one of the most important things you could ever do for yourself. You may not be where you're headed but that's the point, life's a journey and you need to take in every lasting moment for what it is and with acceptance. You must appreciate what you have in your life now and accept yourself for who you are and all the amazing things that are currently in your life. You are perfect as is, smile and don't let anything/anyone bring you down because they are never in any place to judge. Life will get you where you need to be, just enjoy the ride along the way and do your part for positivity, happiness and self-acceptance. This is how you will achieve enlightenment.

Do not stress about the past or worry about the future, they are where they belong and as are you in the present moment. You can set goals for your dream home and still achieve them while enjoying where you are now, it's all about how you think of it. Mindfulness will bring you the peace you've been looking for. Stay present and don't worry about where you've been or are going to, it's happening for a reason, always remember that.

Namaste, everyone.

                     

                                         (Solace)