What Does Your Blog Title Say About You?

To take a little step back from all of the seriousness circling my blog, I thought that this would be a fun topic to discuss.

Blog titles are sort of a big deal, aren’t they? They’re essentially the first thing that a reader sees and it gives them an idea of what they’re getting themselves into. Your title also either has the ability to catch one’s attention or it doesn’t. It was those few, out of many, thoughts that pressured me to choose the “perfect” title for my blog.

When I first registered for an account on WordPress, my mind was completely void of meaningful names to call my blog. I wanted something that would stand out and would resemble my current standpoint, in life, but I didn’t want anything “cheesy.” I mean, yeah, you can change your name, but I wanted a good foundation for the start.

As I mentioned before, I wanted perfect. Not perfect as in lacking flaws or impeccable–whatever you want to describe it as–but perfect for my blog and my needs. It had to fit me, perfectly.

For the most part, I knew I’d be talking about my personal life experiences, my thoughts on various things and possibly a few posts on my hobbies. I’ll admit it: I even looked around at other blogs, for inspiration. Honestly, I think I sat there, staring at a wall for 15 minutes, just trying to figure something out.

And then it hit me.

My take on life, my stories, my feelings…it’s all the outcome of my walk, in this life.

I’m still learning how to “do life,” and that’s what I wanted to depict to anyone that gave my blog a chance. I’m just a young woman, stumbling about our world, and attempting to figure out who I am.

I also chose the word ‘stumbling’ simply because I am not graceful, in the slightest. I’m clumsy, I make mistakes and sometimes I’d rather wear a shirt that’s two sizes too big, than my own. That’s life, though, isn’t it? No one’s journey through life is as easy as pie and requires no effort; we’re all stumbling around or tripping over the sidewalk, at some point.

I wanted to remind people that we’re all going through life, at the same time. No, we don’t all walk the same walk, but we’re all moving about. Either way, we’re not alone.

Showing others that I’m struggling, too, is my way of humbling myself. Being prideful won’t get you anywhere, but if it does, did you really establish meaningful connection with your readers? Did you truly make an impact on their lives?

That leads me to why I close my posts with, “Always desire to inspire.”

We live in a dynamic world, yes. It’s always changing–WE’RE always changing–and society is constantly developing. But, as I’ve spoken on before, those changes start with those who are brave enough to take those steps. Before they make the choice to be brave, however, they have to be inspired. Nine times out of ten, I make a change because something motivated or inspired me to make that change.

My goal is to motivate my readers to inspire others; it’s like a chain reaction. I was inspired, which is why I publish my work for others to see. Within that work, I try my absolute best to inspire those who read my posts, in hopes that they’ll take what I have to say and run with it. You have no idea what you could change, simply by providing inspiration.

Thus my motto: Always desire to inspire.

To those of you that own a blog, why did you choose your current title? What does it mean to you? I’d love to hear from you, as always!

On a side note: I’m catching up on my comments, little by little. I take a little longer to respond due to life and not wanting to dispose of you with an insensitive, “thanks.” I hope you understand!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Choices

Do you ever have those moments where a song will just randomly pop into your head and then it’s stuck there for days? I am currently suffering from that very thing–not that the song sucks, or anything. 

In the midst of all of my thinking last night, coincidentally as I was trying to sleep, an old song was brought to mind.

George Jones is an artist that was introduced to me by a past friend. He immediately became a personal favorite, solely because he’s authentic. If you’ve been around my blog long enough, you’ll understand how much I value realness. With Jones, he doesn’t leave any emotions out; he expresses his sadness, his mistakes, his happiness…real-world events and emotions and not “meeting people in a club and then hooking up that night.” He also has a pretty great voice, so that’s a bonus.

As I laid in bed, thinking about my past, the song ‘Choices’ came to mind and the lyrics immediately resonated with me, emotionally, at that moment.

“I’ve had choices

Since the day that I was born

There were voices

That told me right from wrong

If I had listened

No I wouldn’t be here today

Living and dying

With the choices I made”

Excerpt of ‘Choices’ by George Jones

We’ve all had choices, have we not? In fact, we still have choices that we are able to make, each and every day. To be specific, the average adult makes, roughly, 35,000 choices a day. Although, for women, it’s probably a little more because, ya’know, we can be a tad bit indecisive (Kidding ;))

35,000 decisions a day; that’s good and bad decisions, too. The question is, though: what do you do with those decisions?

I do not claim to be perfect, whatsoever, because God knows I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life. Like George sang, in regards to his life, I had people around to tell me what was right and what was wrong, but I made the choice to not listen. Because I decided to use a few of the 35,000 choices, I make in a day, on bad decisions, I had to reap the consequences for quite a while.

I tarnished the trust between myself and a few individuals that I love, I ruined potential opportunities for myself and I even partially damaged my reputation–something that is a challenge to fix. All of which, previously mentioned, were the outcome of several different occasions where I chose to make the wrong decision. It wasn’t until I was nearly 16 that I realized just how much of an impact each and every decision you make leaves on your life, whether it be big or small. Small decisions add up, too, so be wary of how you act on them.

It took a lot of work to bounce back and re-earn trust, but I made it. Despite bouncing back, however, I will still have to live with the choices I made, until the day I die–and even then, they’ll still be with me because choices follow wherever you go.

The point that I’m trying to make to you is that every choice you make matters. Whether you choose you to eat one thing over another, take up a job offer, drive across town or even walk your dog; they all impact you, someway, somehow. Because of this, you need to be careful with how you decide on some things, no matter how small. Being conscious of your decisions allows you to really think about each possible outcome and will, hopefully, help you avoid some nasty, potential outcomes.

Another thing you need to be aware of is how your decisions affect others. Every single one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that one, in one of my parents’ lectures, but I’m so glad that I finally understand just how true it is.

I used to sit and think about different scenarios, in which I make a random choice, and how it would end up affecting others. Every time, I’d come up with at least one person being affected. You can try to work around it, but it’ll end up coming back to show you. Trust me.

35,000 choices a day. How will you choose to make your choices?

From personal experience, it’s so much better choosing to make the right decisions. You save yourself from the hassle of trying to fix bad-decisions-gone-wrong and it really improves your way of living.

Try it out; make a good decision today and watch what follows after.

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Learning to Love Yourself

If you thought that I couldn’t be anymore cliche, I’m here to prove you wrong.

No, but, seriously. This is something that I, personally, have been working on and have a few things on my mind, in regards to.

Self-love is something that is often overlooked, when speaking on self-confidence and self-image. It’s almost like most people don’t even realize it’s possible to love yourself and completely disregard anything that would help their self-esteem, thus creating a miserable and insecure mindset.

I should know; I was one of those people. 

I’ve had this post in my drafts for a while and, coincidentally, my friends were talking about it, this morning. It was then that I began reflecting on my own confidence and self-image, as they spoke on how they wanted to be able to say that they were actually ok with themselves, for once. Hearing that my broke my heart because I know what it’s like to wonder when that day is going to come; when will I finally love myself?

You see, loving yourself is so much more than simply looking in the mirror and saying, “I love you,” to your reflection. Loving yourself is looking in the mirror, even on your bad days, and knowing that you’re worth something. I mean, you might even add in a wink or a flirty comment because you’re just feeling that good! When you love yourself, you don’t care how “weird” you can be.

Think of it in terms of loving someone else; when they’re happy, sad, angry or even excited, you love them; when they’re smiling, frowning or making funny faces, you love them; when they’ve upset you or made you angry, you love them; when they think they look absolutely awful, you think that they’re the most precious thing that you’ve ever laid eyes on because you love them.

What a day it’d be if everyone suddenly realized how special they are and how much they have to offer. They’d treat themselves the same way they treat that loved one and they’d value themselves like never before, because they’d understand the concept of loving themselves.

Loving yourself unlocks so much more than you’d think. It gives you power in situations that you’ve felt weak in, allowing you to take control of your life, and it gives you more confidence than you could ever imagine, allowing you to make choices out of love. Those choices could impact others more than you think, if we’re being real. When you’re full of self-love, you choose to love others, too. When you’re broken and insecure, all you think about is the broken pieces and how you’re going to survive until the next day. When you love yourself, you’re more confident in yourself, giving you the ability to focus on others and their needs.

When I was at that point of self-hatred, I was vulnerable, weak and wondering when it’d be my chance to have happiness. Now that I’ve grown to love myself and my imperfections, I choose to love and help others because, in doing so, it only makes me happier.

“How do I even start?”

I can’t tell you that learning to love yourself will be easy, but I can tell you that it’s worth it.

When you wake up in the morning, feeling your absolute worst, you’re going to have to ignore all of the flaws and focus on the parts that you love about yourself. Each morning, little-by-little, you’ll find yourself loving various flaws that you once poked and prodded at.

When you laugh so hard you snort or make a funny noise, you’re going to have to ignore the temptation to say, “ew,” and apologize for laughing. Don’t apologize for your happiness and your way of expressing it; the world needs more people who aren’t afraid to be themselves.

When you’re out shopping and you try something on and it doesn’t fit, you need to avoid calling yourself names and purposely seeking out imperfections to scrutinize. That’s a big one, I know, but part of loving yourself is realizing that you might have those moments and it’s ok.

When you’re hanging out with friends, say, at a restaurant, you have to avoid publicly shaming your eating habits. It’s okay to order dessert, I promise! No one is going to sit there and stare at you, judging you for every bite you take of your dessert, because everyone is doing the same thing!

These are just a few things, but each of them could create yet another opportunity to love yourself.

When you get to that place where you’re beginning to feel the love, you’ll walk a new walk, stand a little taller and realize that you can conquer so, so much.

Do yourself a favor and choose to love. Happiness will soon follow and you’ll be filled with a new purpose.

I believe in you!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Unkept Weeds

Weeds.

Such dastardly little things they are, am I right?

You could spend hours, or even DAYS, planting and tending to various plants and flowers and the unexpected presence of one little weed could destroy your whole garden. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating for the purpose of writing, but weeds really do have the ability to destroy your hard work, if you don’t take care of them.

I can remember, whenever my mom was in the mood to garden, my brothers and I would spend hours pulling weeds and cleaning out the garden. Let me tell ya. There’s nothing more annoying than spending hours pulling weeds, only to step outside the next day and find the weeds beginning to sprout up again. AGH.

Before you know it, those pesky weeds can begin to take over your humble, little garden and, unless you’re an avid gardener, your garden will soon be filled with those unwanted nuisances. Then what? Most of the time, you’re too busy to get back out there and pull them again, so they grow and grow, and soon enough, you’ve got a garden full of weeds. How appealing…

Much like these weeds, infected relationships can do the same.

Picture this:

You’ve recently done some self-evaluating. Your life is at it’s peak and you’re feeling great. Your confidence is even higher than it’s been, in a while! And then you get a text from a friend, telling you that another friend had said some pretty degrading things about you, behind your back… Uh oh. 

That, my friend, is an unkept weed. You see, if you had evaluated your current relationships a few weeks prior, you would have seen all of the signs. You would have noticed that something was off and you would have corrected it. However, you chose to leave it be and now you have a messy situation that needs handled, with a snarling weed towering over you.

You may not have even seen it coming and, honestly, most people don’t. It’s how you choose to react that defines the situation.

Do you, A, choose to be oblivious to the obvious infestation in your life, or do you, B, cut that weed out? You can’t expect your garden to bloom if you have weeds taking over. 

Learn from your mistakes, evaluate yourself and your relationships often and make no room for weeds in your life. This goes for bad habits, as well; thus the reason it’s important to self-evaluate, regularly.

Let your flowers bloom and you’ll be amazed by how beautiful your garden can become.

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Why Do I Write?

“Why do you write?”

Many who don’t understand the joys of writing often ask me this. Recently, I realized that I’ve never really thought about it.

Why do I write?

Much like musicians, or those who love music, run to music in times of need, I run to words. While they search for an answer or a solution in the lyrics, the beat or even the instrument, I seek out my solution through the act of writing.

For as long as I can remember, reading and writing has always been my way of escape and communication. When my spoken words fail me, I can count on those that are written to be there to “catch me.”

I recently tried to have a conversation about reading with someone who doesn’t read, at all. They expressed to me how they felt reading was pointless and it really gets you nowhere, in life. Those words, for some reason, came as a shock to me. It’s almost like I just had it in my mind that everyone around me is as equally obsessed as I am with reading.

I may not read as often as I’d like or as often as I used to, but I know I can confidently say that I am who I am because of all of the reading I’ve done in my lifetime. From the moment I was old enough to understand libraries and how they work, I’ve been checking book after book out and hurrying back to get another.

Reading is truly something else. It can take you on so many different adventures, to so many different places. When I was at a place in my life where I hated who I was, reading gave me the ability to pretend I was someone else, even if it only lasted for as long as the book did. It was my way of escape from the self-hatred.

Reading has also been a teacher for me. It’s taught me things that really only books can teach, but it’s also expanded the knowledge I’ve received from schooling. Without books, I wouldn’t possess the knowledge that I do, either. Many people think that my personal lexicon is mostly composed of words that I use to, “sound intelligent.” I’m like…no? If you actually read or tried to understand words outside of our present-day slang, you’d likely be, “using big words,” too. Anyways.

I feel like my love for writing was spawned from my love for reading. If I’m not mistaken, it started as telling and writing my own stories, as a kid. As I aged, though, and my emotions and feelings developed, I began feeling the need and desire to write out those feelings. Now, I really wasn’t much of a consistent journaler, but I wrote when I felt like writing.

As puberty approached, writing became my lifeline. I can remember crying, while writing in my “diary,” in the most cliché way possible. It’s pretty hysterical to look back on, now, but I was slightly emotionally unstable, now that I think of it…yikes. Thank God I’ve got it (pretty much) under control, cause, man…my poor parents.

So, after summing up how I began writing, I feel like I have a decently good idea as to why I still write.

Many people have a way with words, but they don’t really have to think about it; it just flows. Me, on the other hand, (those who know me can testify to this) put me on a stage or even in front of 2-3 people and I’ll ramble on until I awkwardly close; it really is a mess.

Writing allows me to think about what I’m saying and to string those thoughts together into something meaningful, without sounding like an idiot.

Being someone who sucks at expressing their feelings, writing allows me to express myself.

Being someone who is also not the greatest at handling stress, writing has the ability to bring me peace.

The same goes for anxiety and depression; when I feel either creeping up, I write. I put so much energy and emotion into my writing that, when I’m finished, I’m completely at peace.

Lastly, being someone who desires to create in an, more often than not, artistic manner, writing is something I always run to.

Writing is a part of what makes me, me. I simply wouldn’t know how to live without it, as dramatic as that may seem.

What about you? What’s your story and why do you love to write?

Also, don’t worry! I read each and every comment, but I’ve just been a little busy the past few days, so I’ve been unable to respond. I’ll get to them, though, I promise!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Music Speaks

Before you dive into what I have to say, I’d just like to mention that this isn’t a, “when words fail, music speaks,” based post–although, that is a good idea.

Have you ever thought about why you add a song to your playlist or why you aren’t into a certain song when you first hear it, but then you hear it later on and it’s like where have you been?? Yeah, me too.

Self-evaluation time.

I read a thought-provoking question, somewhere; the reader was asked: what does your music playlist say about you?

Did you know that your choice of music, book, movies etc. can actually say a lot about you and your feelings, at that time. For the purpose of this post, I composed a list of the last 10 songs that I listened to. At the end of the list, I’m going to attempt to psychoanalyze myself and you are going to consider doing the same.

Shall we?

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1. Let You Down by NF

2. Unbreakable Smile by Tori Kelly

3. Seeing Blind by Niall Horan

4. Made A Way by Travis Greene

5. Intentional by Travis Greene

6. Overcomer by Eddie James

7. Pure Love by Ronnie Milsap

8. Choices by George Jones

9. Why Don’t We Just Dance by Josh Turner

10. My Adonai by Indiana Bible College

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First of all, my music taste is very diverse, as you can see. I do also listen to classical, 50’s and 60’s, some R&B and so on. I’m just one of those people who can develop a taste for almost any kind of music–I think it comes with being someone who’s fairly adaptive. Honestly, when you’re homeschooled or even have a lot of spare time on your hands, you have the ability to just sit and listen to different genres of music.

It is said that you listen to music based on what you believe your social identity to be. Because my music choice is so diverse, I feel that I am (slightly) subconsciously unaware of my identity. I know that I am intelligent, but I also have a love/hate relationship with the current, “Biggest Hits.” I was once someone who loved pop music, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve preferred songs with meaning over those that solely focus on relationships, sex and even drugs. It’s just not really my preference, ya’know?

Looking at the different tempos of the songs, it is also clear that I have no specific preference for how fast or slow I like songs; it really depends on my mood, if I’m honest. When I’m feeling stressed, tired or I just simply want to relax, I listen to softer, slower songs. When I’m studying, working or need a little “pick-me-up,” I listen to faster, more upbeat songs.

The lyrics. Ahhh, the lyrics. I feel like the sole reason I even listen to a song is because of the lyrics. I also feel as though because I am someone who has the ability to empathize with others’ thoughts and emotions, I can understand the emotion in a song, on a different level, compared to a casual listener. Because of this, I also tend to lean toward songs that stimulate emotion, in the listener.

I’m unsure about where I read it, but I once read somewhere that your music choice may even reflect on your career choice. I’m working towards becoming a nurse, so I can see where being someone who empathizes with certain music can be seen.

I’m not going to get too into it, but the titles of the songs you listen to can also say a little about who you are, as well.

It’s crazy how much the music you listen to can say about you, isn’t it? I’m sure there’s more, in-depth questions I can ask and reflect on, in regards to the music I listen to, but I kept it short.

Your turn!

Compose a list of a few songs, that you recently listened to (it doesn’t have to be 10, like mine), and really analyze the genre, lyrics and reason you chose to listen to it. What does it say about you? Are you someone who listens to songs for emotions or the structure (meaning the sound, beat, instruments, etc)?

I’d love to hear from you!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Thanksgiving Photography Shenanigans

To say I ate enough, for an entire week, would be an understatement.

My day, yesterday, was utterly perfect, however.

I took a few pictures of my parents, myself and my cousin and I also managed to get a photo of me and my dad.

We arrived around two o’clock, in the afternoon, starving because we were saving our appetites for the food. My family isn’t the only family who does that, are we?? I greeted everyone and immediately went out to take some pictures because the weather was that perfect.

I actually have a camera, now, so the pictures turned out much better than they would have if they were taken on my phone!!!

I had another post planned for today, but I was just a little too excited about some of the shots I got, so I just had to share them with you. I’ll keep it to a minimum, though 😉

All of these photos were taken with my EOS Rebel T5i. I am still learning how to use it and produce the best photos, but learning takes time. Any advice is appreciated!

I’ve been watching YouTube videos, like crazy, and I’ve been practicing on random objects (in terms of settings and what different buttons/adjustments on the camera do).

On a side note: I’m not sure if anyone was wondering, or not, but my featured images are always my photos. Each photo used on my blog is taken and edited by me.

So what do you think? Do you see any areas that need improvement, whether it be the photography, itself, or the editing?

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!!! I absolutely can not fathom the fact that we’re already pretty much a month away from 2018. 2017 has honestly flown by and it’s so crazy!

I’m going down south for Thanksgiving, so I’m actually writing this a day in advance, due to there not being any internet down there! I also want to make sure I get this posted and, not necessarily out of the way, but checked off of my things to do. I hope that’s coming across how I mean it. Keeping up with my blog isn’t a chore, at all, but more of something that I feel inclined to do.

To put it simply: when I’m inactive, even for a day, I feel like I haven’t been active in weeks. But, I realize that I do need to take breaks and I need to experience “life” if I want to have things to write about.

So, back to the actual post. 

As I walked around a nature park, with my siblings, today, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratefulness.

I had my perfectly healthy siblings walking beside me, the fresh air and beautiful scenery that I was able to experience with no problem and I had all of the means to get us to the park, to start with. I’m blessed.

I could have the memory of a lost sibling, lost senses and no car, but I’ve been favored and I am so, extremely thankful.

The drive home was a moment that I used to reflect on this entire year. In doing so, I was reminded of all of the things that I’m thankful for, this year alone, and my heart was immediately filled with appreciation and gratitude; two big qualities that I always aspire to have and portray. As I’ve done quite a bit on my blog, I’ve created a list.

This list is composed of just a few of the many things that I have reason to be grateful for, this year:

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1. I am thankful for the life that I am filled with, each and every morning that I wake up. Honestly, we’re not promised tomorrow. I, unfortunately, have witnessed the deaths of people that I have loved, who varied in ages. Many people expect to die of a natural cause, but, if we’re real with ourselves, each day we live, we risk death. I’m grateful to have even seen and lived the experiences I have because many have not even passed the stage of birth and lived life, outside of their mother’s womb, at all. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s life and life can suck like that.

2. I am extreeeemely thankful for the family that I have. Although my family can be a little crazy and overprotective, at times, I know they all mean well and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Each time I encounter someone who doesn’t have much family, has lost someone they loved or who never had any family to begin with, I am immediately reminded of just how blessed I am to have a family, at all. On the behalf of those previously mentioned, if you have a family, please, treasure them like it’s the last moment you’ll see them. Going back to #1, you never know when your last moment with someone is. To add to this, I am also extremely thankful for my sister, Liz, and her reintroduction into my life. We had a lot of catching up to do, but it seems as though nothing ever really changed, except for the things that we separately experienced.

3. I am EXTREMELY grateful for my crazy, wonderful friends!!! I haven’t had very many friends who genuinely cared about me, in my lifetime, so I’m constantly reminding myself to appreciate those that are currently in my life. Every laugh, smile, joke, tear and experience is treasured more than even my friends know. That includes you, Rach 😉

4. After having recently read an article on education in other countries, I realized just how privileged I am to live somewhere that provides “quality” education. Many children and young adults, in some areas, are unable to finish school or even attend school, period. I think it’s easy for those of us who live in “better off” areas to take seemingly simple concepts, like school, for granted, solely because we’ve never had to go without. From the moment we were of age, to begin school, to day that we finish, we never once had to worry about whether we could afford it or whether it would be socially acceptable. I’ll keep it at that, otherwise I’d go on all day. So, even though I really despise school, at times, I constantly remind myself that I could be in a position where I’m unable to receive an education, at all.

5. I am more than thankful for all of the “extras.” I don’t have to have parents that love my siblings and I enough to make sure that we are never in need, who pay the bills and provide a roof over our heads; I don’t have to have a reliable car that I never have to worry about, aside from the basics and occasional maintenance; I don’t have to have a job that pays me enough to make all of my payments, purchase gas and support all of my leisure activities, all while keeping up with school, church and my family; I don’t have to have any of it, ya’know? And just that simple statement is enough to add to the fact that I am BLESSED.

So, as I experience yet another Thanksgiving, I am reminded that I need to remain thankful and grateful because I am blessed.

What about you? What do you have to be thankful for?

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and, to those who do not celebrate, have a fantastic day because you are as equally amazing!!! Appreciate those around you and that wonderful food before ya 😉

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Fear

I remember falling.

I fell so hard and so fast, all I could hear was the wind, as it pushed against me. The sound was so deafening, I couldn’t even hear my own screaming.

I reached up to touch my face and frowned. I’m not screaming.

“Help,” I tried to say.

Not a sound was made.

The wind stopped.

I’m now lying on something hard and cold.

I try to open my eyes, but they seem to be stuck.

“Help!” I scream, this time.

Nothing.

Something touches my leg.

It’s crawling up my calf and slowly up my thigh. It reaches my stomach.

No, please, no.

I feel its heavy breath on my skin. It’s–

I’m cut off by a scream.

I jolt upright and look around. Noticing my familiar pale, gray walls and my fluffy, white blanket, I let out a sigh of relief.

It was just a dream.

Laying back down, I close my eyes and attempt to go back to sleep.

A few moments pass and my eyes bolt open as I feel something sliding up my leg.

“No…” I fearfully whisper.

It’s fear. He’s here.

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Hiyah and welcome to Monday! Although I am extremely tired, my mind feels a little more than awake, oddly enough. This past weekend, I finally shared the link to my blog, on my social media. Even though it was rather tough for me to do so, I was almost immediately flooded with response from my friends and loved ones.

Hearing that my stories and words have the ability to touch others and make differences in their lives is utterly priceless. Never once did I think that my passion for writing could impact someone else. It is for those reasons that I am so happy I finally decided to buckle down and just write. Nearly 2 months later–I know!!! It doesn’t feel like it, does it?!– 100+ followers and more reads than I could have ever imagined later, here I am.

Without your constant support and endless encouragement, I would have most likely gone back to writing for myself. I’m too far in to go back, now, though.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who support my passion and mission! I love you all!!!

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean

Stepping Outside Of Your Bubble

On January 1st, 2016, I made a promise that I didn’t realize I would end up following up with: I promised myself that I would do things that I wouldn’t normally do.

Sounds simple, right? Wrong.

The following months after I made that seemingly easy commitment, I forced myself to buy, wear or even act on things that I wouldn’t normally do. Let me tell ya…it was a scary experience, in the beginning. My anxiety was constantly through the roof and I was always worrying about what others would think of the change. Come to find out, though, no one even noticed unless it was something extremely uncharacteristic.

So, you’re probably wondering why I made this commitment, yes? If your answer was a no, I’m still going to tell you (shrug).

Like I mentioned in my post Get Real With Me: 7 Insecurities That I Probably Won’t Admit To, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things. Being an awkward, introverted, teenage girl who hates leaving her little bubble, trying new things was definitely a little more than a small task.

It started with little things like wearing color or dressing nicer and then moving on to wearing shoes that I had always felt too uncomfortable to wear. Before doing any of that, I wore the same old, same old and I simply could not purchase a pair of open-toed shoes; not sandals with the strap down the middle of the foot– those were, oddly enough, okay in my mind– but shoes that showed my toes in a way that I felt was ugly. However, I was amazed to find that when I did those very things, I received compliments on my outfits and even on my shoes.

It was the encouragement that I received for the little things that spurred me to take even larger steps.

Before I knew it, I was going into stores by myself (that was a big deal for me), talking to strangers without internally panicking and making things awkward for both of us and forming new friendships, simply by putting myself out there. I determined, in my mind, that I wanted to be brave and try out new things because I didn’t want to be stuck in my bubble, for the rest of my life. I mean, what’s the least that could have happened? I fail and have a story to tell or a memory to look back on?

Which I did, not going to lie. Fail, that is.

Failing isn’t as bad as most people make it out to be, though. Failing is a learning opportunity and what you do with that loss is what matters.

I was tired of living in my bubble, fearing failure, change and anything else that made me uncomfortable, so I popped it. I popped my bubble, stepped outside of my comfort zone and dove headfirst into the uncomfortable abyss that is life. One thing is for sure: I have never looked back.

I didn’t want to be the girl who had a panic attack every time she left her house. I didn’t want to be the girl who constantly shaped her life to fit what she felt the standards of society was. I didn’t want to be the girl who constantly missed out on life, solely because she was afraid and uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be the girl who allowed her past to define her future.

I was sick and tired of allowing my insecurities to control my life, so I took the reigns back and steered straight for the cliff that would drop me in a realm of unfamiliarity.

The fall hurt, let me tell you, but I stood up stronger than I could ever imagine and I ran. I ran like I’ve never run before (and not because I don’t exercise) and I reached what I once felt were impossibilities.

You can’t tell me that it’s impossible to change who you are because I was once in your shoes. What did I do about it? I took those shoes off, one by one, and exchanged them for a newer, sturdier pair and my walk in this life has never been better.

You can do it, trust me. It takes courage, bravery and a newfound belief in yourself, but you can do it. I mean, look at me; I would have never worn a certain pair of SHOES, let alone start a blog, for goodness’ sake.

Even if you do not believe in yourself or you don’t have anyone in your life to believe in you, I believe in you. Please, take it for what you will.

Always desire to inspire.

Haylee Dean