#DailyWings: "Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once." -Paulo Coelho
A person's mood is like the waves of an ocean, a cosine graph. It fluctuates in a gradual manner. We all have our bad days, brought forth by a spilled coffee or perhaps traffic. And then there are great days, when everything seems to be falling right into place and we can't help but smile at the good fortune this world has brought us.
Lately I've been living on a high. Wonderful things have happened, left and right -- an editorial internship at Chapel Hill Magazine's THE WEEKLY, reunion with my closest friends, excellent fall semester grades, beautiful 70 degree weather, a position as Arts & Entertainment Editor for Blue & White magazine, inspiration for poetry, enjoyment of the masterpiece that is "The English Patient". I can't help but wonder how I have been able to deserve this good life. (Or rather the past two good months, at the very least!)
After weeks of straight studying for exams that never seem to end and pitching stories and tackling writer's block, it's incredible to see what has come out of it all. I feel like I'm moving forward. Then again, it could be that typing this all down will lead to a jinx. *crosses fingers*
After weeks of straight studying for exams that never seem to end and pitching stories and tackling writer's block, it's incredible to see what has come out of it all. I feel like I'm moving forward. Then again, it could be that typing this all down will lead to a jinx. *crosses fingers*
To ponder over Paulo Coelho's words: Last semester, it seemed like nothing was happening. Every day was just about the same, with minor changes such as in pizza toppings or class seating; I didn't do much about it except keep going. Now that everything has happened all at once, what is next for me?
There is so much to look forward to, so much to learn and do and experience. With opportunity comes a certain level of anxiety, of course, but it's the good kind. The kind that has you shaking with anticipation of what's to come.
I know this high will, at some point, start to descend; nothing good can last forever, after all. Eventually, a bad day will come round. Inspiration will run out, exams will return and deadlines will creep up like shadows in the night. I am wary of the downward spiral that is bound to come sooner or later.
Perhaps the best thing to do when everything good is happening is simply appreciate. Enjoy and give yourself credit. Do all that is possible to keep the ball rolling, but once it begins to slow -- and it will -- be resolved to tackle the imminent obstacles head-on.
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There is so much to look forward to, so much to learn and do and experience. With opportunity comes a certain level of anxiety, of course, but it's the good kind. The kind that has you shaking with anticipation of what's to come.
I know this high will, at some point, start to descend; nothing good can last forever, after all. Eventually, a bad day will come round. Inspiration will run out, exams will return and deadlines will creep up like shadows in the night. I am wary of the downward spiral that is bound to come sooner or later.
Perhaps the best thing to do when everything good is happening is simply appreciate. Enjoy and give yourself credit. Do all that is possible to keep the ball rolling, but once it begins to slow -- and it will -- be resolved to tackle the imminent obstacles head-on.
When was the last time you felt the most alive? What would you do if all your dreams came true? Conversely, when you're down in the dumps, how do you pick yourself back up again?
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| Crescent City Connection in New Orleans |
The first place winner (of 45 award winners!) will receive $60,000. The Everyday Ambassador team will be posting a few guides to help you enter the challenge during the next two weeks. Also, be sure to enter EA on the referral/promo code field!
This is a great way to get your ideas out into the world. What do you have to lose? You have a vision -- how far will it take you?
6 comments:
Enjoy the high while it lasts Wendy! And who knows, maybe it'll last forever! You might just be that lucky :D
I'm pretty content in my life too, though I wouldn't say I'm on a complete high right now.
So lovely when everything works our favor. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if all my dreams came true. What would I have to look forward to, lol. I'd like a few of the simpler ones to happen though.
When I'm down in the dumps, I give myself permission to wallow in it for a bit. Then I get disgusted and move along. Your saying is exactly right for me, like riding a wave with ups and downs and some long steady periods of satisfying calm.
Congrats on all the good stuff though. Well deserved Wendy.
........dhole
Congrats on things working out. If you do come down, maybe it won't be so hard and you can get going again. I agree with you, just enjoy it while it's happening. It's very hard for me to do. I'm still working on cutting myself some slack this year. Cheers!
Have a great time while you can, and store the happiness for the not so great times. All the best Wendy, and thanks for sharing the opportunity.
Trisha - Haha I don't know if I'm as lucky as that! And without the lows, how are we supposed to fully enjoy and appreciate the highs when they come around? :) Hope you're having a great week!
Donna - So true! I think the best way to experience a high is to have good little things happen that help us move toward our goals. When I'm feeling down, I usually take a day or so to build my attitude back up; that can involve long walks, writing, etc.
Wendy - Good idea; we all need to cut ourselves some slack every so often!
Myne - Thank you for your kind words and for stopping by!
I sometimes think that life is like a buffet more than a cosine graph. Maybe that's why I'm fat (I like to eat). But to explain my analogy...each time you revisit the buffet, you try something else. Maybe you won't like it as much as the last meal. And if you go back to the last thing you ate, you won't enjoy it to the same level as the first time you tried it. Variety is the spice of life. And what life hands you from day to day is going to be variety. Some of the dishes that you get may not set well with your taste. However, each one may have something you appreciate. And there is always an undiscovered masterpiece waiting to be served up to you.
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