Something to SMILE about

ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY COMPLETELY 

 WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Something to SMILE about.
Something to SHOUT OUT to the world. 

Something to TELL your friends. 

Something to CELEBRATE. 

Something to BE PROUD OF. 

I bet you’re eager to know what I’m talking about. 

Do I have you sitting at the edge of your seat?

Are you bubbling over with excitement?

Okay, okay!! I won’t make you suffer any longer!!! 

I was talking about the feeling that immediately consumes you after you’ve earned your…

ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE!!!!!!!!

Yes, that’s right. I got my Associate’s Degree!!!!! 

{repeatedly jumps up & down as confetti falls from the ceiling}

From my first year of college in 2009 at the marvelous Frostburg State University, to my year off to heal from 2010 to 2011, to my three glorious years at the incredible Montgomery College…

I can finally say that I have earned my Associate’s Degree. 

This {bumpy, unpredictable, crazy} adventure has been filled with the most colorful, most joyful, most frustrating, most rewarding, most teary-eyed, most magical, most educational, most memorable years of my life, & I will cherish them forever. 

Well, now you know why I haven’t posted in a while. 

The cat is officially out of the bag. 

I needed to step away from the computer for a while to embrace this newly acquired achievement! 

I hope you can forgive me for my “three weeks+” absence. 

And the other reason I’ve had to remove myself from my desk?

I’VE STARTED YOGA AGAIN!!!!!!!! 

{giggle giggle}

I’ll get “back on track” with blogging real soon. I pinky promise.
I truly hope you’ve been well & I’m sending healing vibes your way!! 

Wishing you the very best, 

Allie 

What matters the MOST

Well, I don’t think I can post to my blog once every week.

I’ve tried multiple times now & I just can’t seem to reach my goal!
Perhaps it’s OK to set a more reasonable goal, like a post every “almost two” weeks. ;)
If you make goals that are too high in the sky for you to ever reach, what good is that doing you?

Yes, you’ll have super pumped-up arms from reaching for the moon all the time. I know that’s a plus. :P

But other than that, I think constantly setting goals that are beyond your reach (for the time being) is not what you should be doing!!!

If you do that, YOU LOSE TRACK OF WHAT’S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

It’s the little achievements that matter the most anyway, not the “insanely huge & unachievable in this lifetime” ones. 

THIS is what I wanted to talk to you about:

~The teeny tiny itsy bitsy things that have a huge impact on your wellness, even when you might think otherwise!~

I'm talking about...

• When you’re totally anti-“climb out of bed” & the irreplaceable aroma of fresh coffee teases your nose in the early hours of the morning. Can you think of a better way to wake up? J This can be healing for the soul. Whenever the scent of strong coffee hits my nose, I immediately think of my darling momma & dad who’ve never left my side on this difficult journey. <3
• When you’re down for the count on the MOST comfortable couch in the house & your precious 12-pound pooch decides to join you. This can be healing for the heart. While there’s not much room on the couch for two, nothing touches the heart like a fuzzy little dog snuggled up against you. Their warmth, their love, their unwillingness to leave any room for you… It’s all healing. ;)
• Random, thoughtful, loving text messages from family & dear friends. This can be healing for your entire BEING. Do you know what I’m talking about? You haven’t chatted with these people in a long time & they’re always on your mind but you just never have the energy to pick up the phone & call them. Getting a text from them brightens your world by about ten billion percent. <3
• When you go to bed at night with your very best friend/soulmate at your side. This can be healing for your heart, for your head, for your soul, for your confidence, for your EVERYTHING. Spending the last few minutes of the day with the person you love the most releases all sorts of healing magic. Next time this happens to you, tell me you don’t notice your face glow brighter, your heart grow warmer, or your cheeks get rosier. ;)
• That moment when you suddenly realize you will have an Associate’s Degree in FOUR DAYS!!!!!! THIS HEALS ALL OF YOU, FROM THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD TO THE TIPS OF YOUR TOES!!!! It’s something you weren’t even sure you would ever be able to call your own since you were too ill for school at one point. It symbolizes SO MUCH MORE than a two-year degree. It says to the world (and especially to YOU) that anything is possible if you grab your war paint & fight for what you want, regardless of what your body or any chronic diseases say about it. :D 

THOSE are the things that we should be focusing on.

~The people, the animals, the precious moments, the conversations, the memories~

WHAT do all of these things have in common?

They are happening & living & loving you RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND in time.

Don’t miss out on these gems that are staring you in the face when you might be too busy gazing into the future.

J

What are “those things” for you? WHO are those SPECIAL people? WHO is that FURRY animal? WHO are those MAGICAL texts from? WHO is that SOULMATE laying at your side? WHAT is that PHENOMENAL thing you’re about to achieve that you never thought you would?

Until next time, lots and lots and LOTS of love,

Allie Brown 

<3