{Soulful Sunday} Ludovico Einaudi

Good evening! As anyone who looks at my Facebook page from time to time is probably aware, I'm currently working on learning to play a new song on the piano. I acquired the sheet music in May, but only this week did I actually sit down and start to rough out those notes that make up one of my favorite compositions, "I Giorni" by Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi. Referred to me by a close friend some years ago, Einaudi's alternative classicism spoke to me and I've listened to just about every one of his pieces, which are as stunning as they are numerous.

In accordance with today's listening experience I would recommend plenty of uninterrupted time, a cool drink and noise-canceling headphones. A darkened room is preferable. I have found that most of Einaudi's compositions are best accompanied by a clear mind or one that desires to be cleared.

{Thoughtful Thursday} Looking for a Boy

"I am just a little girl who's looking for a little boy who's looking for a girl to love."

Alright, I've got this all figured out. The features that will continue henceforth on Oh, My Darling are Beauty Tuesdays, Soulful Sundays, and my newest addition, Thoughtful Thursdays. For the most part, these categories leave plenty of room for interpretation but grant me safety from excessive rambling.

Dictionary.com is a good friend of mine, especially when I'm in need of something out of the ordinary. The reference site posts daily words and quotes, and Thursday's quote was the one up there beneath that cute picture. No, it isn't philosophical. And at a first glance, of course you wouldn't think about it twice. This simple phrase introduces the whimsical piece, "Looking for a Boy," originally written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1926. Though it's been widely covered, my favorite version belongs to the phenomenal Ella Fitzgerald.

Here are my thoughts on this sentence. Every time I catch up with an old friend, regardless of age or position in my life, the question is inevitably raised as to whether or not I'm seeing anyone. This is a fair enough detail to be taken into consideration, seeing as I've held the statuses of girlfriend and forever single and just about everything in between. The truth is, I myself have never been notably fond of the active pursuit of romantic relationships. Granted, once a romantic relationship stumbles over my pinky toe, I'm not going to slam the door in its face. I'm just not walking around barefoot with my head stuck in the clouds.

I'm told many different things by many different people regarding this decision, or lack thereof. Some may support me in living my life one step at a time and allowing things to run their course, while others feel the pressing need to ascertain that I am not suffering from depression or any similar disorder. I also find that often certain people will stand by my side for the wrong reasons, thinking I'm sticking it to the man by not conforming to the local phenomenon that involves every kid and their dog getting a boyfriend or girlfriend moments after tossing that tasseled cap in the air. That's just silly. Praise me as a lone wolf or mock me as a lonely fool, but I know there are plenty of individuals like me who have mastered the art of preserving joy in rain or shine.

Curse me for sounding cliché, but I'm okay with anyone and everyone who chooses to act otherwise! Today at work I had the privilege of meeting an adorable woman with whom I struck up a conversation. Said conversation wound up on the precarious (not to mention hilarious) lines of her requesting that I go out with her son sometime. To her daughter's embarrassed "Mmmooommmm...what are you doing?" she exasperatedly responded, "You know what, honey? We have got to be actively helping him find a wife!" Now, this was all in lighthearted fun, but I can respect a mother's concern for her darling boy's future welfare. From her description he seems to hold a standpoint akin to mine, which may come in handy.

I believe each person retains the right to date in whichever fashion he or she so desires. Without question I assert that there are indeed more effective methods than others to reach any particular goal, but there is no exact formula for achieving precisely what one hopes for. Some are serial daters - a girl might have boyfriend after boyfriend after another extra-special-this-one's-different-just-like-all-the-rest boyfriend - while others care only to dip in a few digits at a time and grant a kiss on the cheek every several months to extremely rare exceptions. Neither type is at terrible fault; however, the serial dater's tactics are ever so slightly more likely to land her in trouble than those of the timid mouse.

Girls, if you're looking for a boy, more power to you. You've heard this a thousand times, but you truly must strive toward becoming a likeness of that person you seek. If you want a smart man, educate yourself. If you want someone who will take care of you and treat you well, look for ways to care for others and be of service. Boys, if you're looking for a girl, read the sentence I just wrote to the girls, and then find one of them and get to know her. Birds of a feather flock together!

For those who want to stay single for awhile, it's cool. You aren't obligated to fall in love until it's right. Just know that eventually it will be to your great advantage to team up with someone who makes you happier than you thought you could be.

And for my fellow Whatevers, I hope you're not just being apathetic. The way I see it, I'll always be improving myself in preparation for the day when I do cross paths with my most unforgettable gentleman, even if I don't have my Husband Radar tuned in just yet. The important aspect to remember when "living in the moment" is to make the most of where you are and what you're doing at all times. Be up for and accepting of anything, and you'll be happy with the outcome.

Happy looking!

The Necessity of an Update

Now that I'm a working girl once again, I am appalled at my lack of availability for even the most basic of routine activities. I love doing laundry, and I haven't gotten around to mine in weeks! So indeed, I resort to making excuses as to why I haven't updated my most beloved blog in far too long. And in order to make things fair, you should know that I definitely do not have enough time every single afternoon to slap down an outstanding post. Therefore, mark Tuesdays and Thursdays as designated post days, with a few extracurricular events from time to time. I truly hope nobody's feelings are smashed in the door by this alteration.

A few pleasant insights to my life as of this day:

Work, while time-consuming, is stupendous. I count myself among the lucky numbered who actually find themselves happy and successful in their early working days. For those of you in my area, come to ULTA's Grand Opening on Friday! If for nothing more than to check us out, I promise to help you have a great experience. And I don't just say that because it's my job. I have so much fun, and you should too!

Speaking of work, the associate handbook recommends that ULTA associates maintain an appearance consistent with ULTA's current image. This, they suggest, includes wearing makeup carried at their store, always reapplying lipstick or lip gloss as needed, and changing hairstyle and color on a relatively frequent basis. Demanding? Yes. But I have it under control. Today the one woman to whom I entrust my short hair helped me out this afternoon. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

Alarmingly Charming (finally) created a Facebook page! Also, we recorded a select few songs and made some quick videos the other day, which you would do well to watch on my YouTube account. Expect regular updates from me and my partner in crime. If you're too lazy to click on the link, here are our two most recent uploads:

As demonstrated, lots can happen over a short period of time! But in this instance, things are improving.

Happy upgrading!

{Random Saturday} The Persistence of Memory

Nostalgia, in and of itself, holds both extremely negative and extremely positive capabilities. I find some of my most joyful moments even remembering those of days passed by, and yet a distantly familiar scent or sound that seems perfectly acceptable to others has the power to provoke my tears. Certainly these acute reactions manifest themselves in many normal, healthy, sane members of society. Often I become frustrated (a word I use far too much, though it is truly the best adjective for the most negative of emotions I portray regularly - I'm not an angry person) at the violence I seem to respond to some memories with. After a potent reminiscent episode, I feel like a big baby walking around wearing my heart on my sleeve and an extra gallon of Pathetic stuffed into my fanny pack.

Just this day I have reached a few conclusions about this mysterious haze we refer to as 'nostalgia.' Trust me, folks, cleaning, stocking, and organizing a company office for eight hours straight with little to no human interaction allows plenty of time for personal contemplation. 

One, it's okay to remember. We sometimes convince ourselves that pondering the past is wasteful and hopeless. This can be true, if our only thoughts are focused on how dismal things were back then or how dismal they are now that the glory days have all but abandoned us. However, even a sad memorial may be safe if we correlate it to something positive at one point.

Two, we gain a clearer, broader perspective when looking back at the past. I venture to declare that all have experienced the inexplicably catastrophic couple of seconds when the universe's entirety comes crashing down. The unyielding pressure weighs down like a hundred tons of hot steel, and the only reality is that there will never be an escape. What a horrific event this is to its captive. But years or even months down the road, that terror is dissipated to some degree as we realize that so many forces caused this condition which at the time seemed unbearable. Here is an example. In third grade, I prided myself on being the best speller in my class (and, for the next three consecutive years, in my school). During a routine spelling test, my teacher said aloud the word "theater" and asked us to write it down. Well, was it T-H-E-A-T-E-R or was it T-H-E-A-T-R-E? I chewed my pencil and stared down at the blank line on my paper. The teacher paused long enough for us to write our answers, and then she began to move on. I still hadn't written the word. I couldn't disrupt the spelling test; that would be so embarrassing! I would look so stupid in front of all my classmates who thought I was the smartest kid ever. And my teacher would single me out and I would be teased at recess and no one would sit by me at lunch and all the other kids would whisper behind my back and my parents would disapprove of my bad grade on the test and I wouldn't get the New Century scholarship (yes, my teacher discussed that with my parents in third grade. And no, I did not even apply in high school). The rest of the class was several words ahead of me. I began to cry, grateful for the cheat-proof folders that hid my face and my disgraceful test. The aide saw me and she and my teacher hurried to my side to assess the situation. To make a long story short, I had to leave class to clean myself up. It was the end of the world.

And now, please tell me that I was overreacting. Because I was.

Three, history repeats itself. Unless we prevent that from happening. If we learn from our mistakes, we can ensure that we don't have to relive painful incidences caused by our own misjudgments. On the other hand, if we remember what made a particular state of affairs wonderful, we may seek to recreate its effects later on.

You have the control to manipulate your own future to your advantage. I repeatedly promulgate my position on the validity of effective decision-making. Live in the current moment, but remember how your decisions affected you in the past and consider how they may affect you in years to come. 

I miss some relationships I used to share. Others I am respectfully grateful to be without. All I can do is appreciate the ones I have now and take good care of them. Be an exemplary companion, even if it isn't popular or easy. Sure, you'll be blessed for it, but don't give love with thought of reward. If you do, it is not love. And please, never, ever, ever try to convince someone that you are what they need just because you want it to be that way. Instead, love that person enough to want what's best for him or her, even if it is not you. This is what I've gained from my memories.

Lastly, for anyone in doubt, have hope. All forgotten is not lost.

Happy remembering!

{Wedding Wednesday} the Fifth

I have a limited amount of time today, as my great new job has a great big orientation for half the great long day! Therefore, I've conjured up everything for Wedding Wednesday apart from a full playlist. Deepest apologies! Wish me luck on my first day!

The dress: Sophia Tolli. Ahhh. Everything about this gown exudes elegance, poise, and grace. In a silhouette flattering for any body, you really couldn't go wrong. The soft, flowing way in which the train falls is my favorite part of this dress.

The flowers: All deep reds and burgundies (roses and peonies). A splash of pink (calla lilies) here and there gives highlight to lots of dark hues, but I'd keep flowers and decorations as deep as possible to create the feeling of richness and completion.

The cake: Just plain cute. Though the overall theme of the wedding is very grown up, a sweet bow and dot clusters keep the atmosphere youthful and not stuffy.

Happy waltzing!

{Beauty Tuesday} Beef Up Your Brows

A good friend of mine generally refuses to date girls who don't have cute noses. The nose is the first thing he notices on a person, and he blames it on the fact that everyone in his family was blessed with the same cute nose (including him). Likewise, though my policy isn't quite as strict, I don't usually find myself attracted to men with terrible eyebrows. I tried explaining this to a different friend the other day and she told me it's just because I have such great eyebrows myself. To that I responded, "Yep. Probably!"

The natural shape of my eyebrows: looong, full, and cowlicked in the center

I'm proud of my eyebrows like a mother is proud of her son on graduation day after four long, tough years of spending more time smashing mailboxes than reading textbooks. I've mentioned before that my eyebrows caused me significant trouble until only a few years ago when I finally figured out how to manage them. I do still have a cowlick on both eyebrows that causes the hairs to stick out from my face and turn toward the bridge of my nose, but with a few minutes of extra care each day I'm able to make it look less like a wannabe-unibrow. Today I thought it'd be nice to spotlight the only desirable facial hair that could possibly grow on a young lady.

For the eyes, all you need is a quick swipe of mascara.

Using a flat slanted brush, fill in sparse areas with brow powder that matches or is one shade darker than your natural eyebrows. Please don't use black powder unless your eyebrows are actually black already. Even then, I suggest a dark brown powder. (Hint: You can use a matte or slightly shimmery eye shadow in the right shade, too.)

Dip a clean spoolie brush in a non-sticky, preferably water-based gel. You don't want anything with a super strong hold, because your eyebrows will look stiff and may flake...which is gross.

Use the spoolie to comb hairs into place. Always comb up and out, never down. Downward strokes drag your face down and make you look like a sad dog. Upward strokes lift and brighten your features. It's true - eyebrows make a huge difference on the way your entire face looks!

Finish with a dusting of soft pink or peach blush. Suck in your cheeks to find the hollow, and make strokes from your ear toward your mouth. Use a more narrow angled brush to contour instead of overwhelm (the big fluffy one can be saved for translucent powder all over your face).

Happy browsing...

wink.

P.S. Enjoy this song.

{How To} Get Your Act Together

As some of you may have noticed, last week I was a particularly skimpy blogger in comparison to the previous week or two of consistency. Alarmingly Charming was busy as can be working our (cute) little tails off in preparation for Friday night's WhySound show with the incredibly talented Sofia Talvik and our fellow locals, Hoodoo, and after a slammin' event and too much excitement for one Andrea Alexis to handle, I was wiped out. So, against my better judgement I convinced myself to take a personal day...or weekend...or whatever.

Generally when you imagine taking a few days off work, you're either lying in bed wailing of ailment or carelessly heli-skiing in the Swiss Alps. Fortunately for my health and safety, my downtime was spent in neither category. Instead, I was efficiently and peacefully readjusting all the areas of my life I had given slack due to other obligations. Seems a bit counterintuitive, right? Using the few days you've allotted yourself to do whatever-the-heck-you-want to work? Nah. It puts you ahead. I've learned that it is one hundred percent possible to relax and get things done at the same time. You simply have to go about it the right way.

Here's how to put your soul at ease while fixing the forsaken pieces:

1. Accept the right to spend a couple hours on your own. It's always nice to spend time with friends and family, but without any alone time our sanity deteriorates more than we realize. It really and truly is okay to be by yourself for a short while. Try going outside and taking a walk. Fresh air does tremendous things!

2. Drink water. And lots of it. Water is positively miraculous in every way.

3. Cook yourself a healthy meal. We always turn to quick, easy junk food on lazy days, but cooking is a calming activity and you will truly feel better eating fruits and veggies and whole grains and white meat than including lettuce and tomato on your Big Mac to make it feel healthier.

4. Get an adequate amount of sleep. I'm certainly not one to be dishing out this kind of advice, as I tend to function at a higher level on slightly less sleep than is on average recommended. However, it's physically impossible (and stupid) to try and do your best when you get three hours of sleep each night. So please, even my fellow night owls, shoot for the eight-hour moon at least once in your life.

5. Give your face a break. Take a hot bath, wash your face and hair, slather on lotion and a deep conditioner, and leave it at that. No makeup or hair products for a day is good for you. If you're looking to help out acne-prone skin, whip up 1/2 cup plain oatmeal like you'd normally make it and mix in one raw egg and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Spread it on your face and wash it off after half an hour. To moisturize dry skin, mash up half an avocado with two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and leave on for 20 minutes. I also like to scrub my skin all over once every week or so with three tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 cup sugar or salt. Trust me, this works wonders.

6. Stretch or do yoga. Slow, steady exercise improves balance in every aspect of your life.

7. Write in your journal. It doesn't have to be terribly detailed, but catch up with yourself. I write religiously, but if once a month is all you can manage, that's just fine. A journal keeps you in check and lets you get all your thoughts down on paper. I've worked out many of my issues just by writing them down.


8. Rearrange your living space. Even hanging a new picture or moving your desk to another spot in the room can refresh your whole outlook. This is my go-to activity when I feel like I'm stuck in a rut or when I've been stressed. Sometimes all we need is a small change to get us motivated for bigger and better things, or even to face the challenges of each week.


9. Speak sparingly. A day of vocal rest is so precious to me, especially before and after shows. It always helps me to realize how little talking is actually necessary for communication. We as a society seem to jabber and raise our voices so much more than we need to. Speak quietly and less often than you might normally. And practice thinking before you open your mouth!

10. Play. It's really more simple than you think - just enjoy yourself! To laugh and be silly is the advice I most often give to anyone who's feeling exhausted or under the weather. I used to be so easily embarrassed until I learned that it's not a crime to laugh at myself. Every day is full of things worth smiling about, so take advantage of it.

Most importantly, take your time. Notice the details that you normally wouldn't give a second glance. You'll be surprised by how quickly you regain your sanity and happiness. A day off spent working on yourself needn't be a momentous occasion. Just allow life to run its course for a little while and absorb the good things that come your way.

Happy renewing!

{Literary Thursday} Just Some Encouragement

I read this on a quote card next to our kitchen sink as I washed my hands yesterday morning, and I feel as though it's self-explanatory. Please, enjoy your day! John 14:27

{Belated! Beauty Tuesday} Those Messy French

So sorry for yesterday's absence; I was dashing about town all the day long and my routine obligations completely slipped my attention. As today I also have many busy things to do, Beauty Tuesday will take the place of Wednesday's innate wedding (ahem. I already had my beauty post all planned out...and weddings take much more time than I have on my hands at the moment...).

As anyone who has followed my blog - or my life, for that matter - would know, I have had long hair and short hair and everything in between. During my junior year, my favorite style to throw my mid-length strands into was a French twist. It's classic and sophisticated, and a whole lot less complicated than most people expect. My good pal Brontë volunteered her gorgeous hair to model a messy version of this simple updo.

Begin with second-day hair in your natural texture.

 Brush hair out completely.

 Brush all hair to one side.

 Pin loosely into place.

 Gently tease hair toward bobby pins. When I say gently, I mean it! Use a light touch section by section and it'll give you rough texture all over instead of a clump in one spot.

 Hold all your hair together and roll in toward the center of your head. Tuck the ends inside the roll and pin into place. Yes, you'll probably need quite a few pins.

Make sure all the pins are hidden underneath the twist.

Brush lightly over each side of your head to smooth any weird bumps. You can pin the twist tighter to keep your head from looking oblong, but don't smash it down to your scalp. It should feel comfortable. Leave a few strands out to keep your style from looking too constricted.

Happy twisting!

{How To} Get A Job

I usually feel obligated to include a disclaimer at the beginning of every post, but often I withhold my apologies and let the reader decide for him/herself if it's worth the time to read. Today, all I want to begin with is that I truly claim no expertise! My only knowledge is from personal experience, of which I have a subjectively adequate, if minimal, amount. So please, I ask that you restrain yourself from breaking down my door if my advice proves less useful than you had expected.

Exactly one week ago, I participated in a group interview for a cashier position at the ULTA Beauty store that is soon to be installed in my hometown. Ideally I would have liked to apply as a makeup consultant, but I feared that my lack of extensive background in the business would be turned away immediately. To my delight (a vast understatement, my friends), two days later I received a telephone call from the hiring manager actually offering to me the job I had originally intended to work toward. She wanted me on the team as a Prestige Consultant, as this particular company terms it, and all I needed to do was fill out the application so she could move me forward in the system. I was literally unable to squeak out a goodbye after so many "thank you"s, but moments after hanging up the phone I began to holler and dance about the house so raucously I scared my poor puppy half to death. Cloud nine right here, folks.

Now, I'm making this sound easy as pie, but I did a lot more behind the scenes toward finding the right place than one might expect. As with my first job working at Pizza Hut (uh...yum...), a ton of legwork preceded my employment. Here's what you can do to get yo'self a job, brah:

{PUT TOGETHER A RESUME}

This is the business representation of you as a whole. While you will more often than not need to fill out an additional application, you have the power to create a page that highlights your strong points and makes you look especially valuable to potential employers. Don't skimp on your resume - it's likely one of the key determining factors as to whether you're worth hiring.

{KNOW YOUR SEASONS}

Always be aware of when companies are primarily hiring. Some businesses have huge turnover, meaning they go through lots of employees and hire often (think fast food restaurants), while others may hire with more rarity as their employees stay with them longer. If you're looking for a summer job, don't wait until summer to apply! Start applying around March. And every time you go to inquire about a position, ASK when the manager plans on hiring. Act accordingly.

{DON'T BE A SNOB}

An increasing issue in these United States is complacency. People think they have to have THE job in order to be worth anything, but without background doing the hard stuff that nobody else wants to do, you can't build any sort of work ethic. Unless you're so secure you don't need to be looking for a new job anyway (in which case, why are you reading this?), you can't pick and choose where you'd like to work for the most part. Yes, there are places to which you may be suited better, but in entry-level situations, you're the one who needs to adapt.

{TAKE ACTION}

Apply everywhere you possibly can. And I mean that. I would estimate that I've turned in approximately 120 applications since I first started looking for a job two years ago. There's a particular job you're hopeful for, but the harsh truth is that a dream job is not affordable to the majority of the population under our country's current condition. Just apply, apply, apply. You have to start somewhere!

{BE PERSONABLE}

Even if you don't want to be. Everyone bears the capability of being friendly. Don't make excuses as to why you can't go up and talk to the manager. This is how you make a good impression. If you apply online, go into the store and introduce yourself, letting your potential employer know that you're interested in working for him. Trust me - it makes an impact. I do offer a quick warning, however; don't be pushy or obnoxious. Companies love enthusiastic employees, but it's just plain annoying if you won't leave them alone before you even get the job. Remember personal bubbles? Keep yours big and respect everyone else's.

{LOOK THE PART}

So you booked an interview! Congratulations. That's a big step. Apart from having your positive thoughts in mind and your social skills intact, your appearance does work either in your favor or against it. If you show up fresh out of the shower with a toothpaste stain on your t-shirt and tripping over your flip flops - and you aren't Chris Gardner - your odds of a second chance decrease by a landslide. Now, please don't go out and buy a Prada suit for your interview at McDonald's. But be clean and neat and presentable. Comb your hair, brush your teeth, be on time, and stick with conservative apparel. For some this may be hard - I know! I'm a clothing liberal - but well-tailored slacks or a skirt and classy shoes will do the trick. Girls, no Gaga bows or purple eyebrows. Unless, of course, your potential place of work is geared toward Digital Age Japanese teenagers. In which case, don't forget those rhinestones.

{STAND OUT}

Group interviews are awesome for a number of reasons. First of all, the pressure is dispersed over everyone present instead of hammering down on just you. Use this to your advantage and allow yourself to relax and be confident. Then, you can glean some of your ideas from other people in the group. Listen carefully to the question, think about your response, and then relate it back to what someone else said. This shows that you're paying attention and aware of what's going on outside of yourself. Thirdly, you have the opportunity to make a unique impression. Be different! Just do it in a professional manner.

{ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS} 

At the end of my ULTA interview, the two managers asked us what questions we had to ask them. Immediately the other five women wanted to discuss benefits of employment and upcoming sales and makeup in general and...we got off topic pretty quickly. I asked my employers what they wanted to see from their staff. They were well-prepared and gave us a plethora of qualities that an ideal ULTA employee might strive for. My question showed them that I was willing to subscribe to their high standards, and their answer gave me the information on how I can succeed under their employment. Asking these types of questions launches a mutual trust between you and your future boss and helps him or her to see you as a hardworking and dedicated employee.

Once you've mastered these steps and landed yourself a position, always aim to improve. It's just as vital to maintain a good relationship with your boss as it is to get hired in the first place. You won't get anywhere if you leave a trail of fuming references. Make service your ultimate goal and watch the rest unfold beautifully.

Happy succeeding!

{Soulful Sunday} Katie Thompson

I have no one but the great Brock Wilson to thank for my introduction to the incredible performer and recording artist Katie Thompson. I'm always in search of strong, emotionally intact voices like hers. It honestly blows my mind listening to so many boundaries being broken by one with such vocal power and stamina. And it wasn't until I really started to exercise my own voice that I began to see how much it really does take to make such miraculous music. No one understands the painstaking effort that goes into a piece of art better than a practiced artist. I commend (and find it difficult to abstain from worshiping) those with the hard-earned, however natural, talent that Katie Thompson displays. Listen. And learn!

Happy belting!

{Random Saturday} Rolling With the Punches

It seems as though every obstacle I overcome immediately adjoins to a new problem. Sometimes I need only tackle one relatively small issue before moving on to the next objective. Other times it feels like everything that could possibly go wrong does, and the intense pressure really throws me for a loop. Would I find safety in assuming everyone else deals with these same inconveniences? Upon evaluating a summary of my life's experiences, I suffer no hesitation in concluding that no period of time passes free of any trial whatsoever.

Make yourself aware, this statement holds not an ounce of remorse or self-pity. Instead, when undertaken reasonably, I submit that this conclusion indeed yields the ability to bless he who truly understands it. You see, any rational individual could jump to the belief that a life filled with hardship equals a life of impediment and sorrow. It takes a little more research and contemplation to recognize what else your "barriers" offer.

What this realization boils down to is solely a matter of perspective. We learn from our mistakes, correct? At least, we strive to. Why not learn from the exterior circumstances that get us down? So, you get fired from your job. What a bummer. You possess the option to blame your hopelessly misconstrued ex-employer and pout about what he did to you, or to take a hard look in the mirror and figure out the details that require your attention in order to mend properly. Separate entirely from beating yourself up, this action leads you to not only fix your current problem, but to improve your situation dramatically. 

The key to improvement and its maintenance - while I'm sure that many disagree and may possibly even hold me and similar thinkers in general disapprobation for such outlandish ideas - is optimism. I strongly assert that even the direst of conditions are capable of being adapted to or conquered by administering a healthy dose of positive. No, this confirms no guarantee of a million dollars dropping into your lap, but it motivates you to set goals and subsequently work hard toward their achievement.

Recently I met a new friend, and on our third day of acquaintance we wound up engaged in a profoundly intriguing and progressive discussion. He declares that despite what we may reflect on the surface, the unspoken energy we emit from within speaks louder than our words. With great enthusiasm he explained to me how "the universe will always say yes." In other words, if a person constantly thinks negative thoughts and sends out negative energy, that's exactly what he can expect to receive in return. On the flipside, if you do everything in your power to promote love and positive energy, your surroundings will reciprocate. And this young man firmly avers that humans rely on love for basic survival.

Give heed to what dominates your thoughts on a regular basis. What brings you joy? What saddens you? What begs to be healed? Significantly, what have you to offer the world around you? Remember the Golden Rule: One should treat others how one would like others to treat oneself. Adults begin stuffing that mantra down children's throats before they even learn to speak. Why? Because it's the basic code of morality. Treat your life with optimism, and your life will treat you right back.

Happy optimizing!