Do You Believe in Destiny?

I believe that certain things happen in our life that we have no control over, and they are part of destiny’s plans for us. Being somewhere at the right moment in time is the result of an unseen force in the universe.

I became a strong believer in destiny after I met my husband (which you can read about in my last post: “Eternal Love: Dreams Do Come True”). I have believed in destiny for quite some time, but it wasn’t till recently I really understood the power of it.

My husband and I are not just two compatible people that met and fell in love against all odds. We are two people that are meant to be together based on the characteristics of our personalities. I recently learned what it meant to be an INFJ personality type. I’m less than 1% of the population. My husband is an INTJ, which is rare and only 2% of the population. With 3 traits in common are personalities are sure to be a great match. However, both our personality types are known for struggling in romantic relationships. Yet, we get along so flawlessly with one another.

Even with a lot in common I was shocked to find in written text that we are a very strong match as the intuitive connection between INFJ and INTJ is likely to be instantaneous. When my husband before even meeting me saw me for the first time and ran into a table, it was a result of instantaneous destiny taking shape.

We are both introverts that dream of the future and search for meaningful careers. I read from another person’s blog: “INFJs and INTJs are wired to be agents of change.”

I was also fascinated to find out we are a compatible pair after taking this fun little quiz online: Which Disney Royalty Are You Most Like? I’m Ariel and my husband is Eric, the couple from the Little Mermaid. We both swear that we didn’t cheat. We even match our descriptions quite well.

Here are the descriptions from the quiz we took:

Princess Ariel: Friendly, spontaneous and sometimes your curiosity can get you in a little trouble! You have a bit of a rebellious side to you especially when your dreams are involved! You will make a wonderful and fun wife because you will always be a child at heart! Although brave you have a big soft spot for love and are a strong believer in love at first sight! You would go to any lengths for true love and happiness no matter what it may take. Be proud to be one of the most courageous Disney Princesses Disney ever set pencil to 🙂

Prince Eric: You can be a bit stubborn at times but totally lovable. You love the open water and fishing…and pretty much all the rugged manly stuff! You’re very charming and your smile brightens up a room! Aside from your toughness you are a helpless romantic and once you see something you like, you will stop at nothing to get it…once you have it, you will stop at nothing to keep it. Be proud of being one of the most handsome, well rounded Princes that Disney ever set pencil to 🙂

So, do you believe in destiny?

Eternal Love: Dreams Do Come True

Ever since I can remember I had one very distinct dream and it was to fall in love with someone who would fight to be with me against all odds.

In a past post “Solving Your Life Puzzle” I mention I was around 8 years old when I started dreaming of love, because I felt alone in the world. I felt like no one understood me. This is my true love story of the one other person in my life I know will be: “Always and Forever There for Me” (this is a follow up to my last blog post).

It was my first year of college and I was living with my best friend who I talked about in my last post. I was dating a guy that I had met in high school and we were drifting apart. I knew this, but couldn’t admit it to myself, because I wanted so badly to be in love and have it last forever. Lots of friendships don’t last, people move away and family members fight a lot. But, a husband (or wife) is someone who is supposed to be there for you against all odds. So, once my relationship ended I was a complete mess.

About two months later I was home for winter break and was back working at the job I had in high school. I worked at a Walgreen’s store and I hated it. The people were horrible and the job was tedious and boring. Two new guys started working there while I was away at college. I decided I should introduce myself to both of them in order to form a good relationship with at least one employee there. One of them walked in and without me noticing his eyes locked on me and he ran directly into a table of candy knocking several pieces to the floor. I didn’t see it happen and so later I walked over and introduced myself. We then became good work friends. I started checking the work calendar to see what days he worked and what days I worked hoping they would overlap. Then, I had to go back to college and we exchanged AOL Instant Messenger screen names (it was the popular form of communication at the time). Wow! That’s old right?

Every time I logged in he would instantly IM me. I started to realize that he wanted to be more than friends. But, I just complained about love and my broken heart which would have sent most guys running. But, he was understanding. We could talk for hours about anything easily. We would share music and fall in love with the songs we shared with one another. He started to feel like another best friend. I was sick of college and needed a weekend away, so I found a ride home and planned a night with just him. It wasn’t supposed to be a date, but somehow it turned into one. He kissed me and I wasn’t ready for it. I went back to college worried our friendship was ruined, because I made it clear I wasn’t happy about it. But, he kept on IM me and we even started talking on the phone.

Spring break finally came and we spent several days together with him continuously trying to charm me, but still allowing us to be friends. Then, I finally realized I wanted more and gave him a kiss on the cheek before he left my house one night. After he got over his shock that his persistence was paying off, he finally asked me to be his girlfriend and gave me a single red rose. I said yes of course and our relationship grew from there. He thought I was worth the 4 hour drive he had to take to visit me at college. Sometimes, we would have to wait 3 weeks to see one another. It didn’t matter what road blocks were in the way or that I was an emotional mess when we met because he knew that there was more to me than that. I was an unpredictable book full of surprises that he couldn’t stay away from and he was a stable rock that I could rely on to keep falling deeper and deeper in love with me. He fell for me while I was at my worst, so I knew right away he would fall in love with me when my best traits shined through. The only question was: Would I fall in love with him too? Would he mend my broken heart?

Yes, I fell deeply in love with him. He was the love I had waited for all my life. He fought to be with me against all odds and didn’t give up easily. And I couldn’t stay away from him, he brought out the best in me and made my spirit come alive. But, I didn’t believe in love at first sight. I still can’t believe he ran into a table at the sight of me.

The summer before my senior year of college he took me out for a play, a fancy dinner and afterward turned on the radio to my favorite station to hear his dedication. A woman read a letter he wrote to me and afterward our song came on the radio and he got down on one knee and proposed. In 2 years we had the most perfect wedding. We have been married for close to three years now and with each passing year we have grown deeper and deeper in love. Life has not always been easy for us, but over time we have learned more about ourselves, discovering even more how perfect we our for one another.

I truly believe our love is eternal. 

I love reading love stories so if you have a great story to share feel free to post a link to your blog site.

Always and Forever There For Me

Life is challenging and life alone is nearly impossible. It’s the people in your life that make life worth living. I’ve been blessed with many good friends and family and I realize that, but this isn’t about all of them.

This is about the people who know almost everything about me and love me regardless of all my flaws. They never judge me for anything I say or do. They know who I truly am. I can say anything to them and I know they will still feel the same about me. I know they will be there for me even it feels like the whole world has turned against me.

I have many people who care deeply about me, but only two who truly know me. I wish there was more, but I’m grateful for the two I have. These two people know about my blog and I don’t mind them reading all my posts. They know all about my past and how I’ve struggled through accepting myself and loving who I am. They know me on a much deeper level than the rest of the world.

These two people are my husband and a friend I met back in the 1^st grade. My best friend who I’ve known for 20 some years helped me to realize what true friendship was. We weren’t always best friends and our friendship hasn’t always been easy. We fought and struggled through some difficult situations, but we always managed to put the past behind us.

When my other friends turned into bullies and targeted me, she stood by my side. When we made new friends in Middle School and High School we hung out with all the same people. Then, we ended up going to the same college and I’m not sure how I would of survived being away from home without her. But, we made the mistake of living together. It almost destroyed our relationship, but in the long run it strengthened it. We made friends with a lot of the same people and most of the friendships didn’t last. But, our friendship did. When I was a mess after breaking up with a guy I dated for two years she was one of the only people who didn’t give me a hard time for continuously whining and being in a constant state of sadness.

We’re both shy and can be socially awkward and super sensitive. No one else I know understands me the way she does. I’m not afraid to tell her anything. She listens to me complain and will talk about my problems with me. She doesn’t create unnecessary drama between us in the way that some girls do. We can hang out and do nothing and still have fun. We come up with crazy, fun ideas together, and were both always willing to try new things.

I miss her!

She’s moved to another state and has been gone for over two years, I barely see her but were still best friends. We still talk for hours on the phone and share anything and everything over the phone. I care about her like I care about my family and I hate that I can’t be there for her when she needs a best friend.  I hate that I can’t be there for her when she’s lonely and she can’t be there for me when I’m lonely. Someday I will have more money and then I will make an effort to visit her at least once a year. Maybe someday I will have two homes and one will be where she is.  A friend like her is impossible to replace.

Do you have relationships similar to what I have with my best friend?

Words to Inspire: 25 Inspirational Quotes

Words can inspire and words can change your way of thinking about your life and the world around you. I’ve created a list of 25 inspirational quotes about happiness, dreams, life and embracing who you are.

These are all quotes I believe in and some that have even inspired me to change my way of thinking about things. For most of my life I’ve struggled with self-esteem issues and reading inspiring articles and quotes was one of the things that helped me change my way of thinking. The 3rd quote about loving and accepting yourself and how it makes everything in life work is something that took me years and years to figure out. It’s something I’m continuously working on, but only recently realized how truly powerful it can be.

The 2nd quote: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself,” I found several years ago and it made me think about the type of person I wanted to be. It is a reminder that I have the power to create the ideal version of myself. It’s sort of a quote I’ve lived by along with my first quote about happiness. I created my blog title “Creating Your Life Journey” with this quote in the back of my mind.

1. Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections. – Unknown
2. LIFE ISN’T ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF. LIFE IS ABOUT CREATING YOURSELF. – Unknown
3. I find that when we really love and accept and approve of ourselves exactly as we are, then everything in life works. – Louise Hay
4. How you feel has nothing to do with what is happening in your life. It’s merely your interpretation of what’s going on. – Unknown
5. Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. – George Addair
6. Confidence is the key. If you don’t believe in yourself, then nobody will. – Unknown
7. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead. – Nelson Mandela
8. Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. – Jamie Paolinetti
9. If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs. – Tony Gaskins
10. What you expect to happen, happens. Life responds to your outlook. – Unknown
11. Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be. – Abraham Lincoln
12. Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. – Steve Jobs
13. My dad has always been really helpful. He taught me that talent is a bonus, but persistence is what wins out. – Zosia Mamet
14. Everybody has a creative potential & from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world.  – Paulo Coelho
15. Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. – Epicurus
16. The only thing standing between you and your goal is the BS story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.
    – Unknown
17. Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. – Jim Rohn 
18. Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. – Charles Swindoll
19. The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
20. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. – Mae Jemison
21. Change your thoughts and you change your world. – Norman Vincent Peale
22. Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. – Benjamin Franklin
23. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. – Steve Jobs
24. Surround yourself with people who only bring you positive energy and you shall have a positive life. –Unknown
25. At some point you just have to let go and move on because no matter how painful it is, it’s the only way we grow. – Unknown

What inspires you? Have you run across a quote that completely changed your way of thinking about some aspect of life? Please share.

An Ordinary Life is Just Not for Me

I’m not ordinary, by any means. So ordinary is just not for me. As I mentioned in my past blog posts a lot of my life I just felt out of sync with the world. I felt like I didn’t fit it in. Because of who I am, I see the world in a different light.

So, what is ordinary? Ordinary to me is having a regular full time job 8 to 5, being married with kids and a house and a few pets and following constant routines. It’s mostly living a life that most people would consider normal. It’s not that I don’t want anything ordinary, but I can’t stand the thought of having a completely ordinary life. I am married and I do have a house and two cats and sometimes I get worried that my life is too ordinary. I don’t have the 8 to 5 job though and I love that I don’t, but I still need to be making more money. Right now I work part time and I like the stability of that. So, I want to do consulting or freelance writing. I’m still figuring that part out. But, I love having the opportunity to learn new things and find creative ways to make money.

The big question is: do I want to have kids someday? I don’t know if I could handle the constant routines associated with kids. I don’t know if I have the emotional capacity to deal with all the stress and constant needs of another person. I can’t fathom the though of having to put someone else’s needs completely before my own. I think kids would be fun, but right now I can’t even imagine having them. It doesn’t help that with the way the economy is I’ve barely been able to afford my own wants, and even needs on some mental level. I can’t even seem to pay off my college loans. I don’t plan on having kids until I’m financially stable, but even then I fear the life of an ordinary person.

I dream of a life of adventure and seek the life of an explorer. If I had the funds and then time I would try new things constantly. I would eat at new restaurants and take classes in art, cooking, wellness and leisure activities. I would travel all over the place and create things for a living. Maybe someday I will have the funds to have that life, but with kids the possibility isn’t very likely.

I finally have a job that isn’t tedious and the time to improve myself and find something I’m passionate about. But, will that be enough to keep me from falling into the trap of feeling ordinary? Will I fall victim to all the people around me who expect that I will have kids someday? Or end up like my uncle who never had kids and always wanted them, and later felt empty because of it?

I can’t stand a life of routines coming home from work, making dinner, doing chores and then sitting on the couch the rest of the night watching TV. I live in a state where it’s cold half of the year. Often it’s so cold that you don’t feel like doing anything or going anywhere. I often just feel trapped then. I can’t stand the cold and I hate the snow. I’m an outdoor person and many outdoor activities are free. I wish I could move, but I can’t imagine starting over and having to make all new friends and be away from family (meaning the family I can stand being around). Moving is just hard in general. But, I’m an outdoor girl and can’t stand being stuck in my house for even a day. As you might have noticed my pictures are centered around nature.

Sometimes I think I should have done my life differently. But, when I see all the problems in the world and all the dysfunctional relationships I honestly feel very lucky. I don’t believe anyone could love me as much as my husband and I really love him, my house and my cats.

I will keep on fighting for a life that is anything but ordinary! I want a life that’s worth reading about with exciting stories from all my adventures. I want to be the happiest person in the world and be the most passionate person in the world. I want my excitement and passion to be contagious and I want to give to others less fortunate.

I want to be able to give to charity both my time and money. I want to influence the world in a positive way. I want to light up the world with my drive to be anything but ordinary.