February favorites: dreams

Wow! February passes so quickly! I guess having 28 days actually makes a big difference~

This month, I've been very into inspirational quotes, because they really help change your frame of mind! Reading inspiring quotes from inspiring people really illustrates how a person's attitude and mindset affects his or her actions! Here are two of my favorites for this month!

What stood out to me about these two quotes is the "dreams" aspect. Both state that you can dream for a future, but you must actually go out do pursue those dreams, because your goals in life won't happen just because you want it. It takes passion and perseverance! If you don't have the passion to pursue your goals, you'll end up giving up when things get tough. You need perseverance, because the journey isn't going to be a walk in the park. You must stand strong in the face of difficulties.

Lastly, don't let a "No" discourage you. "No is the first word to success," because you have the courage to continue even when others may not believe in you! When you have this courage, you're bound to succeed. Your dreams are your dreams, so don't let others say you can't do it!

hehe, this last quote was from my professor. She assigned the class a journal entry in which she had us ponder on her ponderings. This was my response to her quote! :)

It's not always "no"

The answer is always "no" if you never ask.

This is one of the lessons I've learned this year. I think it's made a big impact on how I interact with people. I know it's intimidating to ask people for things, but if you never try, the answer is always "no." However, if you ask, sometimes the answer may be "yes."

I think we think people will think badly of us if we ask for help, but in reality, most people don't mind. They won't judge us for what we ask. In my experience, most people are open to helping others.

For me, these were some of the ways I applied this lesson:

• asking people for interviews
• asking friends to drive me to the airport
• asking professors for office hours outside of scheduled times
• asking people to donate to a charity

Do you ever feel too intimidated to ask?

I've definitely been too intimidated. I've very shy by nature and often worry about how I'd look if I did a certain thing or asked a certain question. However, I know that people don't care too much about what you do. They might think it funny or strange for a moment, but they'll quickly forget. Don't get caught up with the fear! 

If you don't ask, you will miss many opportunities.

Let's talk: where magic happens...

Everyone likes to stay inside their comfort zone. We all like the feeling of being safe and protected...but what if we ventured out? It'd be scary, uncomfortable, and worrisome, but will it be worth it? Yes, there may be times when we're embarrassed out of our minds, but there will also be times when magic happens!

Outside your comfort zone is where magic happens.

I just wanted to share this image (I found it on tumblr!). It's so inspirational~ It so true that a lot of times, I stick with what I'm comfortable with, and sometimes I regret it. There's so many valuable and wonderful opportunities out there that I'm missing out just because I'm too shy or too shared to try something new. I want to change. I want to go where "magic happens"!

What about you?

I think many times we feel as if we'll be judged by the people around us, but actually think about it. How long do you think about someone who does something clumsy or stupid? Most of the time, we don't think too much about it. Once we see it, we often forget about it. If that's the case, then what do we have to be afraid of? Just try something~