Pura Vida

Keeping a positive mindset is very important when working towards your dreams. Even the most optimistic of people have their rock-bottom moments, but my suggestion to anyone is to make positivity a lifestyle. It's something I strive for everyday and is the key to bringing good happenings into your life.

For me, when things get really bad, I like to remind myself of a saying I picked up in Costa Rica--pura vida. However, it's more than just a saying. It's an attitude and a lifestyle. Perhaps I should first explain that traveling throughout Costa Rica has been one of the most spiritually enriching and eye-opening experiences of my life. If you ever have the opportunity to go, DO IT. It is astounding to me that this tiny country has such endless beauty. Costa Rica truly transcends all natural beauty--rich forestry, breath-taking beaches, and mountainous landscapes--and evokes a beauty so precious that you need to go right to the heart of its people to discover it. It is an appreciation for the beauty of life itself--pure life or pura vida. In fact, often times when you ask a Costa Rican how they are doing they will answer you with the phrase pura vida which at first may seem odd or chucklesome, but soon becomes irresistible and adopts a positive attitude all on its very own.

Pura vida is much more than a greeting or a form of gratitude. It is a phase that surpasses boundaries and interweaves the richness that is the human spirit at its brightest and purist of forms. It's an appreciation for the everyday blessing of life. It's embracing the most important aspects of life--family, friends, community, generosity, humility, and love. It is finding the beauty and simple joys in life and remembering how important it is to not only to acknowledge it, but to devote our time and heart to what matters most--each other. 

It's essential to always love life. Even in its imperfections, it is beautiful. We all stumble and falter, but we pick each other back up and learn from our mishaps how to love and become better people. Stay positive, stay pura vida, and live each day with a grateful heart. 

A special thank you to my friends Tia and Omar for the inspiration.

Super-Size Your Courage

They say it's never too late to live your dream. I sure hope that is true. Lately, I have been struggling a lot with what my dream actually is... I feel defeated by setback after setback, and I know it's time for to make a major change.

Things were so much easier before I graduated from college. Fast forward 15 months later and I'm still struggling to with my career path, but I know I'm not the only one. How can I be? After all, deciding upon a career is probably the most important decision a person can make, and that decision takes time. It's a journey of ups and downs, and there are always going to be set backs, but it is crucially important that we remember it is not to late to live your dream. All you need is the courage to do so.

Always remember this, "Don't shrink your dreams. Super-size your courage and abilities." You can't be afraid of failure. If you only settle for what you have then you are never going to see change. Take that leap of faith and empower yourself. Follow your dreams wherever they may take you. Accept that teaching job in Arizona, move to Nashville with your girlfriend, leave your country with nothing but a few suitcases. That is what life is about--embracing yourself and letting life embrace you back.

I may be in a difficult transition in my life, but I cannot surrender. It is time to go BIG.