"You alone have the power to have, do or be anything you want"- BuddhaBlog

This is the last day of 2013, this is the last December 31, 2013 that you will ever get in your entire life, what are you doing to make a difference? what are you doing to make this day memorable? what are you doing?

I keep reading posts on twitter and Instagram about how people are annoyed about the "new year new me bullshit" and i'm getting tired of it. Why can't people set goals and have a purpose? I wish people would just worry about themselves. Having a new years resolution and setting goals isn't bullshit; it's beautiful.

So what if each year you know a person who sets a goal and then doesn't do anything about it.. how about instead of criticizing them you help them reach that goal.

A lot of the resolutions I keep reading and hearing about are:

Be a better person
Lose weight
Love myself more
Make money

All I have to say to the people who set resolutions and goals is "good for you". Having a purpose is something to be proud of! If you want to lose weight, push yourself to do it. It takes hard work to accomplish goals. You have to step out of your comfort zone and find that inner motivation and inspiration to do anything you set your mind to.

And it starts by ridding yourself of the negative people that doubt you.
They only bring you down

This is the last day of 2013 and you'll never get it back. For a lot of the world, tomorrow starts as a new beginning, but what about today? Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone.

If I get blessed with another day I wake up and I seize it. I wake up smiling and I know that I have to make the best of it. Forget about the negative people who are only bringing you down because they don't know what their purpose is. Have a goal and do everything you can you achieve it, we're all capable of greatness.

And each day I get blessed with, I'm working on loving myself. My resolution is to love me.

"Negative minds create negative people and it rubs off like the plague, stray away from the plague and spread love"


Happy New Year

"In the dark there may be fear.. but theres always hope" - Grey's Anatomy

Greatness is within all of us, but it is the worrying, the doubt and the lack of confidence that defeats us.

But in those moments when you do feel defeated.. you can't give up. Defeat and failure are a part of every day life and only strength will help you persevere through it all.

We live in a world that cares so much about what people think and caring is a beautiful thing but when you let it overcome your thoughts; that's when caring will begin to defeat you.

I tend to care too much, my mom says it's because I have such a big heart and a meaningful soul. But my lack of confidence takes over and I defeat myself. I am my own worst critic and I believe that confidence is so important because in order to get far in life and reach your goals; you have to believe in yourself. You have to believe that anything is possible because it is, you can do anything you set your mind to as long as you believe you can.

Worrying will get you no where
Complaining will get you no where
Excuses will get you no where

You must take all the doubt, the fear and the negativity and rid it from your life.
You can't settle for mediocre and just enough, you have to strive for more than that because when you believe in yourself you will achieve more.

Obstacles happen every day, sometimes twice a day just to see how strong you can really be. And when you overcome them it's a beautiful thing but you cannot stop there because when you get blessed with another day to live, more obstacles will keep coming...

But that's okay because you keep getting stronger.

There will be days when you break down and you feel worthless and weak, trust me they will happen. But you can't let those days break you. You are strong and greatness is within you. Never lose sight of the ultimate goal; happiness. Because even in your darkest days the stars will shine and the moon will guide your way.

And when you feel like you're having a weak moment, drive to a good place to watch the sunrise or sunset, the beauty of the sky always gives me hope.

"You will get there when you are meant to get there and not a moment sooner" -BuddhaBlog

"Whatever you give to life, it gives back. Do not hate anybody, the hatred that comes out from you will someday come back to you. Love others and love will come back to you"- Unknown 

Today started out as a beautiful day, I was up at 430 am with my production team filming for an upcoming film festival, we had to get the sun rising just right for the shot and we absolutely succeeded and it brought true smiles to all of our faces because the early mornings and the late nights are nothing compared to the feeling we get when we can convey our message and story through film. 

The beauty of life is creating, I live to create.

I live to tell a story through my lens.

When my day turns for the worst and I'm fighting back tears, my camera is my escape. 

That's what you need to do, you need to find an escape from the problems in your life, an escape from the people bringing you down. You must find an escape that washes all the worries away, even for a moment. Because honestly the worries may come back but that little escape that you can get gives you strength.. 

And I need all the strength I can get 

"What made her strong was despite the million things that hurt her, she spoke of nothing.. nothing but happiness" - j.a

I'm going through a lot these day.. but it's nothing compared to what majority of the world is going through. I cry about life and sometimes I complain to much and it needs to stop. Half the world is starving while the other half is on a diet.. Is this what 21 years of my life has come to?

I use the term "what is life" more than enough times a day.. mainly when things go wrong; which seems to happen a lot. 

But instead of asking "what is life" I should be asking what I can do to make life better.

Complaining gets you nowhere.

Times are tough, more tough then they have ever been in my life, but like I've said before "If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's.. we'd grab ours back". 

I'm just trying to better myself, I've never been selfish before.. and as much as I need to think about Danielle and think about my future, sometimes I feel like I'm in the wrong for wanting to focus on me.

All I know is, no one on this earth knows what the future holds, and no one knows if tomorrow will even come. I'm conquering each day that I get blessed with and I plan to change the world; one word at a time. Hardships make you stronger, at my weakest moments I need to learn how to wipe my tears, keep my chin up and continue to move forward. I will perservere on my pursuit to the ultimate goal; happiness. 

<3

"I didn't always know what I wanted to do, but I knew the kind of woman I wanted to be" -BuddhaBlog

My word of the day is Eleutheromania; because I truly have an intense and irresistible desire for freedom. 

Freedom from my mind

Freedom from all the pain

Freedom from the negative

Freedom from this place..

I am a wanderer; I could pick up and find a new place to call it home each year if I had the money to do it.. and honestly one day I will.

I have all this passion and drive and inspiration built up inside me and I wish I could set it free all at once, but it takes time. Everything takes time and like Buddha says "The trouble is, you think you have time". 

I could sit here on my uncomfortable dorm bed all day and write.. Sometimes my voice doesn't speak up when I need it most and that can be a problem, but sometimes I feel like I write because I don't know what i'm really thinking until I read what I say. I hope that makes sense, but to put it in a broader definition.. writing is my voice.

Finding yourself isn't easy; it's actually one of the hardest things you'll go through in life. But that moment when you do find who you are.. I bet it's so beautiful.

Not knowing is scary, but once you finally know... that's when you realize that you have so much ahead of you

"Always keep your chin up and your eyes looking forward. The rearview mirror is for the past and you should always be looking ahead" -BuddhaBlog

<3

Wise words from my father

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." -Buddha

I'll be honest, lately I have been unable to control my mind. The positivity that I preach to all of you has been disintegrating and at first I didn't know what to do...

But then I went to my family for help.

I feel like I always overwhelm myself when there is no need for that. I put unnecessary thoughts in my mind and I end up thinking the glass is half empty. I hate when I become this way because that isn't who i am. I am a positive person who wants to enlighten people around me; so when I become the antonym of who I truly am, it hurts me.

The other day I went home and I talked to my parents; they are my best friends and when I need help most I confide in them. They raised me to be the woman I am today, so their advice means the world to me. I let out everything that was on my mind and I cried in their arms. My mom cried also because when I hurt so does she and my dad does what he always does; he laughs at me and my mom for crying and then gives the best damn advice on the planet...

He told me this exactly "Danielle, whatever isn't making you happy; change it, whatever is making you worry; fix it, whatever is bringing you down; drop it and do what you can to "make it happen". 

I then dried my tears and my mind went from a worrying mess to figuring out just what I could do to stop being overwhelmed and just be happy. Some say that it isn't that simple, some say it takes more than that but honestly if you want to be happy you must simply "make it happen".

The mind is a scary place, trust me I know. But the only thing you can truly control in this life is your mind. Happy thoughts generate happy feelings and you become happy. Don't let things in life bring you down and get rid of the people in your life that are holding you back. Set a goal and reach it; don't stop until you are where you want to be in life.

"Don't worry, just MAKE IT HAPPEN" -BuddhaBlog 

"You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself". -Buddha 

I have so many plans and goals ahead of me. I have so many desires and ambitions and i just want to put them all into action right now. I want to create a path that i travel upon where i help people and along the way i help myself. I need to see the world to be able to change it.

I am only 21 years old, but since I was around 16 i have been planning all of the things i want to do with my life and places i want to visit. Your goals can't just be said, they need to have a plan of action in how your going to get there. I used to follow this path of society of doing and being what everyone else wanted, but i finally put that to a stop and i have been walking my own path creating a life i'm proud to live.

You must walk to the beat of your own drum and instead of following, we must lead. I can say all of the places i want to go and state all of the impacts i want to make, but none of that really matters until i do it. 

Joining the Peace Corp has been on my mind lately; this is an organizing built to help people in developing countries. You give up 2 years of your life to people in need. This sounds like an amazing experience and i would be perfect for it because that's all i want to do in this life; help others. I just need to stop saying it and start doing it. I need a college degree so that motivates me 10x more to keep pushing myself to my highest potential. I will join the Peace Corp, now its just a matter of 'when'. 

If theres something you want to do, comment with that idea and i'll help you get there

"Actions speak louder than words. Words are beautiful and tell a story, but action puts you on that path to greatness" -BuddhaBlog

"Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it." -Buddha

I want to take a minute and let you all get to know me because i keep posting yet you all barely know anything about me and I'm here trying to get you all to open up to me.

To start my name is Danielle and i am a student athlete at St. Thomas University majoring in communications. Family is my world and i will do anything for them. Family comes first, second and third in my life and my true friends and boyfriend are also my family. I am in my senior year of college and i will be the first child of my parents to graduate and that really motivates me. I have 5 brothers and i am the second youngest and also the only girl. I live to make others happy, especially my parents. They are the type of couple who still laugh and enjoy themselves; they go against the stereotypical married couple that they show on television and i want to have a relationship just like them. 

I'm a hopeless romantic as you would call it in movies and in songs. The little things matter most to me, I don't need to be someones whole world, i would much rather be someones morning coffee, car keys or wallet. Something that is so insignificant but if lost it'll throw off your entire day. I'd much rather be something someone needs each and every day.

I'm ambitious, driven, inspirational, kind hearted, loving, intelligent, giving and someone who will always be there. I put others first and i always will. I live my life to reach my goals and generate happiness throughout the world. Even if i only make one person smile or change one persons life, i'm satisfied because it only starts with one. 

I am a lover, not a fighter but i will truly fight for what i love. I want to make movie trailers and photograph beautiful moments with my camera. I want to write hallmark cards and create my own kids TV show. I have a plan a-z to do with my life and if one fails i move on to the next because i will always stay driven and push myself to excel at everything in this life. 

I'm growing each and every day to be better than who i was yesterday. 

If you felt inspired today comment with a moment that made you smile and an interesting fact about yourself; don't be shy. 

"Know your worth and stand up for who you are, noone can dim your shine" -BuddhaBlog

A man said to Lord Buddha "I want happiness", Lord Buddha said first remove "I" that's ego. Then remove "want" that's desire. See now you are left with only Happiness. 

Happiness is such a beautiful thing, some people strive for so many things in this life and we forget to realize that happiness is the ultimate goal. 

Music is happiness, holding hands is happiness, it's seeing the smile on someones face after you make their day. Happiness makes the world a better place. If you were walking in a random hallway and someone gave you a mean look i'm sure some of you would brush it off, but others would take it to heart and i happen to be one of them. I like to radiate love and happiness everywhere i go because if I'm walking through a hallways and i smile at someone, their smile makes my day that much better.

Of course everyone has their bad days where they don't want to be happy every minute, and some people want to punch that person smiling all the time, but you can't let bad days get the best of you, you can't get bitter you need to get better. You need to better your life. I'm a genuinely happy person.. ALL the time, and i feel like it's contagious and i love that because even if i just make one person smile, i know it only starts with one. I leave my roommates cute notes with quotes that will inspire them and make them happy because everyone needs a little boost to get their day going, or if they see it in the afternoon or before bed they still get to smile. I hid some also so whenever they find it it'll be meant to be for them because i believe it'll be on a bad day, they'll find the note and be able to be happy even if its just for a moment. 

Little things in this life are so beautiful because they go so unnoticed. And with something so simple as a smile to the person next to you, you have no idea how much it could impact them.

If you're having a bad day, do the things that make you happy! Listen to music, write, read, play video games, call your mom, workout, do anything that will turn your day around. When i'm feeling down i like to write and call my mom because she always knows just what to say, even if i just hear her voice and know she's okay. We need to remember that family is forever. 

Wake up, read a quote, look in the mirror, smile and start your day positive so that you continue to radiate that positivity through the people around you. Comment with something that happened in your day that made you smile and i'll feature you in my next post. Just know that some people out there are going through more than we'll ever know and a smile can even save a life.

"Happiness is contagious, and so is negativity, surround yourself with people that change your life for the better, a little smile goes a long way"

-BuddhaBlog

"However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?" -Buddha

Today is about action. If you want to do something; go and do it, like Buddha said what good will your words do if you don't take action upon them?

Words are beautiful to me, I'm better at writing than I am at speaking but I also need to learn how to put my words into action. Lately I have been stressing about class and softball, but I'm honestly being lazy so when I begin to get overwhelmed the only thing to blame is myself. But I woke up this morning and read that quote by Buddha and I had a reality check with myself. I can speak all I want about motivation and a better life, but I need to put that into action within myself and my life. I want all of you to get up, smile and do something with your life, but at the same time I have to also.

I like today, I feel empowered and I'm ready to face whatever obstacle is thrown at me. This week is actually a hard busy week for me, I'm in my final year of college and softball is beginning and I have deadlines to meet. Usually I would be a mess, crying to my mom and boyfriend all the time. But honestly writing this blog and reaching out to other people is helping me stay positive and inspired to do great things with my life.

Today is about action, I'm taking the action to better myself and not be so lazy, what about you? What quote inspired you to take action and what are you doing to change your life for the better?

"Action takes believing in whatever you want to accomplish, it takes the mind, body and soul and if you put your all into something, results will occur"
-BuddhaBlog

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” -Buddha 

Today I woke up feeling blessed, happy and thankful to be alive. This life is so 
limited and people don't realize that time will eventually run out. One of my 
boyfriends friends died last night, he just didn't wake up from his sleep. 19 
years old and he was taken in the middle of the night without anyone expecting 
it. I met him only one time while I was visiting Tennessee and the fact that 
he's gone and so many people are hurting makes me feel so much for his friends 
and family, noone wants to lose anyone close to them. I'm 21 years old and the 
hardest thing I've had to face was losing my grandmother 2 years ago. Seeing my 
mother cry for weeks hurt me so bad because one day that's going to be me. 
People don't realize that tomorrow is guaranteed to noone and I wish so much 
that I cherished the time with my grandma more. 

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” -Buddha 

I wrote that in the beginning and I wrote it again because it's true, if you 
want peace you must create it from within because on the outside there's 
negativity, hate, terror, massacres, mistrust, and many more things that disrupt 
your peace. Take control of your life, you need to LIVE. Tell someone you love 
them today and mean it. I know I did <3 

If a quote inspired you through a hard time, comment and tell me your story

"Realize that time will eventually run out, take control of your life and make 
the time count" -BuddhaBlog

"You yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." -Buddha

In this life before you find love in another, you must find love within yourself. You have to learn to love who you truly are before you love another.

Take the story of the sun and the moon for an example. "tell me the story of how the sun loved the moon so much she died every night to let him breath". The story is about the sun who is a woman and the moon which is a man, without the sun there would be no moon so when the day is about to end, she dies so the moon can live. They depend on each other and together create this never ending love story. The sun already knows who she is and so does the moon, they both give light to the world so the love they have is romantic and true. They loved one another, but before that they loved themselves.

There are so many misconceptions of love in this world, and young men and woman create an ideal world of love and fairy tales in their minds because of that. But the truth is, you'll never know what love truly is until you experience it. It doesn't take going out there and searching forever, it doesn't take loads of makeup to find it, it happens by accident and it turns out to be beautiful.

I used to never think i would fall in love and live happily ever after. It goes through everyone's mind, the question of "is there really someone out there for everyone?" i absolutely believe that there is another half to each of us. The sun and the moon happened by accident and they showed that they would live and breath for the one they loved. Most people dont believe in love, maybe from a bad experience or because it hasnt happened to them yet but i know in my heart that all of you will find love, everyone deserves to feel butterflies.

I found love by accident and its been our own kind of love story ever since, he is my best friend, my number one fan and my main source of motivation, and of course he gives me butterflies each and every day. We have a long distance relationship at the moment, but anything is possible when you're in love with you're best friend. Fights may happen, and it'll be hard at times but love overcomes it all.

Start reading quotes each morning and continue to follow me and we can inspire each other. Comment with a quote you started you're day with that made a difference and a story about how it motivated you and I'll feature you in a post. If you have a love story you want to share with me or you need advice comment also and i'll help in any way possible.


"Anyone can wake up and go with the motions of life, you must wake up and create the life you want to live".
-BuddhaBlog

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, 
joy follows like a shadow that never leaves" -Buddha 

 Start you're day by looking in the mirror and telling yourself that you will be 
successful, tell yourself that you're beautiful, strong, smart and most of all, 
believe it. It sounds silly right, talking to yourself through a mirror but you 
have to be willing to get uncomfortable to make a change in your life. Once you 
start believing what you say to yourself that's when it'll truly come out.

I used to look in the mirror somedays and call myself ugly, I didn't like how 
lazy I was and I was disgusted at who I was becoming. But that changed, that's 
the old me and I'll never regret who I was because you learn from everything you 
do in this life, good or bad. Buddha said it correctly "we are shaped by our 
thoughts..." If you want to be successful in this life it takes action but it 
also takes a mental toughness that no one realizes. You must be strong 
physically, emotionally and mentally. You're mind is a tool that can make or 
break you, you must keep it positive and strong and you'll become unstoppable. 
Happy thoughts generate a happy life.

My coach used to make us listen to a man named Jon Gordon speak online before 
practices and games. He's a motivational speaker and a writer and his words 
inspire me to be the best I can be while helping others be the best they can be. 
I woke up this morning and I read a quote by him saying "the only person who can 
limit your possibilities, is you". It doesn't get more real than that quote. 
This world is full of possibilities waiting for you to go get them. It isn't 
about waiting for good things to come into your life, it's about creating the 
great things. Jon Gordon inspires me, and I hope I can inspire all of you as 
well. This life is limitless, you just have to be willing to wake up, look in 
the mirror, tell yourself that anything is possible then go out there and make 
it possible. Never give up. 
 

On Tuesday when i released my first post Stevie Rodriguez commented and said a quote

that inspired him was by Henry Ward Beecher and he said "Men's best successes comes 

after their disappointments". 

Start reading quotes each morning and continue to follow me and we can inspire 
each other. Comment with a quote you started you're day with that made a 
difference and a story about how it motivated you and I'll feature you in a 
post

"Tomorrow doesn't happen for everyone, if you're lucky enough to open your eyes 
and see the sunlight for another day, get up, get motivated and never stop 
working hard for what you want in this life" 
-buddhablog

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on
the present moment"- Buddha

Have you ever just woken up on the wrong side of the bed? How about everyday of
you're life. You go to sleep unmotivated, you wake up uninspired. You feel like
time just keeps passing you by and you're not making the most of it. How about
together we change that, together we start waking up knowing that there is no
wrong side of the bed. It starts with today and it starts from within.

There were a few times in my life where I felt like I wasn't making a
difference. And one day I woke up and realized that I wanted to be the
difference. Motivation can come from anything. Quotes are what really help me, I
start each day by reading a new quote that's going to put a smile on my face and
help get my day started right. Today I woke up and read this quote by Orison
Swett Marden and he said "don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize
common occasions and make them great." Those words are so real and true because
we should never wait for something special to happen, we need to make the most
of the things that do occur in our lives and go out there and make them
incredible. I used to let people control my happiness, we can't let that happen
because then we become a puppet in the hands of others who only want to bring us
down. If you want to be happy, do the things that bring a smile to your face and
it'll become contagious to the ones around you. 

I want to help, my goal in this life is to change lives because I realized
recently how this life works. You aren't guaranteed a tomorrow, so why not enjoy
today. I want to inspire you to inspire others while bringing out the you that
you've always wanted to be. Whether you need inspiration to write, sing, build
or teach as well as the motivation as an athlete to reach your goals and better
yourself. It doesn't matter who you are or where you came from, the only thing
that matters is where you're willing to go.

Start reading quotes each morning and continue to follow me and we can inspire
each other. Comment with a quote you started you're day with that made a
difference and a story about how it motivated you and I'll feature you in a
post.

"Never limit yourself, always strive for greatness and believe that you can make
a difference"
-buddhablog