How to accept and respect everybody's opinions

Sometimes we forget to lower that shield or barrier that allows us to see and properly hear what others are trying to say to us. I'm really bad at accepting opposing beliefs of subjects I feel strongly towards. Even though sometimes people say hurtful things, a lot of the time I forget to realise that they might actually be trying to help me. In fact, most of the time they are just looking out for me and my future.

I would say that one of the most frustrating things is not being able to express what I feel around my parents. There is this language barrier that I can't cross, and in spur of the moments when I'm trying really hard to express how I feel, the conversation slowly edges towards the argumentative direction, when all I wanted was to have a normal conversation. 

The cultural difference is so extreme, and when you combine it with everyone's individual traits (headstrong, aggressive people) - it gets more and more difficult to express your inner thoughts or feelings. I'm really quite an impatient person, and that's one trait I really really dislike about myself and am hoping to change. I don't know whether I'm meant to train myself, like they do in movies with chopsticks and grains of rice, one at a time.

I'm easily frustrated and I absolutely hate the atmosphere of arguments - in which case I shut myself in and turn it all off to avoid being upset. I absolutely hate the feeling of fighting with my parents (for example)

It's a really hard thing to change. Opening your mind to accepting and respecting everyone's beliefs. My dad told me that a person can never be truly successful if they don't have the ability to truly listen to the opinions that are given to them. 

I really want to try this. I really want to be able to listen. And really take in what people say to me, even when their opinion is absurd to me or completely insane. Freedom of speech right? Everyone's opinion deserves to be heard, but you yourself are the judge - whether or not you agree or disagree is your choice. 

 I want to be able to forgive people, to live in a way that allows me to really listen to other people's opinions, to accept the fact that I need to be patient to be able to fully ever explain how I feel. I will be able to express myself if I try, accept, persevere, listen. What I really want to do is to be able to see the best in people, situations and experiences. To avoid shying away from daunting perspectives, to accept (helpful) criticism, to not be afraid to hear words that can hurt me. I don't want to shy away and be the stubborn person I am anymore, it's time for a change. In my heart I am grateful for so many things, but I've been so caught up in what I'm grateful for than actually remembering to express my thankfulness to my loved ones. 

What's more important is expressing how you feel. No matter how much goodness is in your heart - you must also exert that same love towards those whom you are thankful for. 

Acceptance, forgiveness, love, open minded-ness. 

I'm taking the first step to becoming a healthier individual, one that is able to take in the valuable advice, opinions and wisdom that is offered to me, bad or good, crazy or relatable. 

Drained and ready to let the tears flow

Right now, I am so close to crying. I need to be strong, and I need to learn how to say no, even if it disappoints someone.

Working has been a whole new experience for me, but I never realised it could be so taxing. It's the end of the day, my energy is drained, I can barely find enough stamina left in me to even have a casual conversation with my parents about my day. I simply can't let this get to me, I need to somehow outsource all my exhaustion or accumulated stress.

I fell asleep in the shower just before and I don't even know how it happened.
I sat down, and let the water rush over my head. My head was against my knees for a few minutes - I was just exhausted, I was utterly over it and I felt horrid with myself, I felt horrid for feeling this way when I knew that I was a perfectly healthy and blessed individual. Because I was so grateful at the same time, that I had a well paying job, a fantastic boss, and an awesome awesome team of people to work with, as well as parents and a family that support me 100% in everything that I do.

Then I realised that I just needed to find an outlet, that would allow me to release all that stress and just relax. I thought yeah, maybe watching a movie would do some good? but I soon realised, that would be the easier choice, not necessarily the best one. I could spend that time reading up on what's going on in the world instead, delving further into uni courses and figuring out what I want to do, learning... learning was a release, drawing, reading. Spending time with family or friends. Spending time doing exercise, and stress relieving stretches. Music (the best form of antistress). Cooking even?

_____________________________________________________

I can't say no, and that's something I need to learn to do.
Today my boss asked me if I could work on Christmas eve, and boxing day, and I responded with nothing but "of course!" in immense enthusiasm. At the time I was like "yes!" work will be good, it is beneficial to me, I'm learning more about the company and contributing to it, I'm doing something useful with my time. Of course, I still feel that way, however, when I'm tired and exhausted, what I thought would be an amazing opportunity to learn and extend myself further, a sleep in and some hot chocolate sound just as good.

BUT. There's no going back, I can't pull out of something I've agreed and promised to.
I am grateful. I am grateful to my parents for putting up with an energy lacking and lazy version of me when I get home.

Dad just came in the room to tell me that he is surprising me with korean bbq and a trip to the light show in city hall tonight, no excuses even if I'm tired. And with that, I'd like to put it out there that I love my parents more than anything, more than anyone, more than I will even ever love a man.

It was a slap in the face, when I went to get the mail the other day, and saw an envelope from an insurance company, to my parents. It read, help your family be ready for your funeral, or something obscenely shocking. It was sent to all their clients over the age of 50. And I held my breath, and stared at it, and I couldn't accept the fact or even BEGIN to imagine what the blaring letters were yelling at me.

I have to remind myself that time doesn't stop for me, I can't warp it to make it go longer or shorter, I have to treasure each moment.

Change the colours in the sky

My favourite songs at the moment:

Confessions

1. I witnessed a cockroach crawl up someone's leg, and I didn't have the guts to tell them.
2. Flowers are really really great, I really love flowers
3. I sing in the elevator
4. I find it really attractive when guys can either skate, play the guitar, play soccer ---- mmmmmmmmm lucky me
5. I have the "The Girl with the Dragon tattoo" books but I'm too scared to read them
6. I have five diaries
7. I think I'd be interested in Journalism
8. I like jars also.
9. I LOVE POMEGRANATE, PINEAPPLE, GRAPES, CASHEW BUTTER (from woolies macro), MY SISTER'S HOMEMADE BURGERS
10. I make really good salads
11. Vienna is my all time favourite song, but recently some songs have been coming very close to changing my mind
12. I cried more than three times when I read The fault in our stars by John green

Syria: Emergency Response needed

Syria: A Heartbreaking Human Tragedy - YouTube:

I cannot apprehend the lives of these families in need. I can only imagine the absolute devastation of losing family, losing shelter, leaving a place you once called home and even then my imagination could never come close to the true pain of all of these events taking place.

Starting this Christmas, I am going to donate a percentage of my salary to Save the Children. Today I donated $50, it's not much, but hopefully if I continue working a lot, I can donate consistently.
Although you have to be 18, to register for paypal, I transferred money from my account to my dad's and used his account to donate to the charity - so if you are like me, and unable to directly pay for it yourself, you can just draw money out or transfer the money to a parents or 18+ person you trust.
https://secure.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.7998763/k.FEA/Donate_to_the_Syria_Children_in_Crisis_Fund/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp
Save the Children is a legitimate organisation that aid the children of these families - ensuring that they are provided with the basic necessities such as food and blankets, as well as programs that enable the children to cope with tragedy. How devastating is it.. that these children have experienced war, they've heard bombs rain down, they've lost the love and connection of a family member, they've been torn at such a young age.

Four million children, and countless Syrians are in need of assistance. I'm sick of sitting around, and being a teenager - too busy absorbed in my own life, my own petty and insignificant problems. There's a need for us to look broader, and search for those who need us the most.

I can't even begin to list all the things I take for granted, like simply being able to sit here and type, to wake up in a home, in a bed, in warm clothes, to feel secure, safe and loved. I have a family, a beautiful mum and dad, I have a home, clean and delicious water, food and more clothes than I will ever need. All the basic necessities that are so essential in aiding us as humans to grow and blossom. I really urge anyone reading this to help out, there are so many organisations that are in action, attempting to help all the refuges, some especially targeting families, children or the women (75% of the refuges).

All I can say is that I wish I had been able to help out earlier, but from today, I am determined to get somewhere, and I urge all of you to do the same.
'via Blog this'

Let's begin

Having only started my first job ever at a retail store, I can't really explain or fathom the fact that I have six shifts this week... each shift being more than seven hours a day.

I am excited, and I feel grateful that my boss has hired me and has continued to give me so many shifts. Despite wanting to crash on the couch or on my bed and do absolutely nothing when I come home from work, I realised I've been finding myself doing anything but resting when I get home.

Nowadays it's like, every time I finish a shift... FREEDOM = friends = boyfriend = painting = eating = indulging = doing anything except lying in bed and doing nothing.
Tomorrow, I am going for a run at 6am, having a shower and prepping for work (rereading all my notes and reviewing store products)  - I'm going to make a salad tonight and leave it in the fridge so I can take it with me to work, and wash up heaps of fruit as well.

PROJECT #1 Embark on giving
1. Find out how I can support Syrian refugees and educate myself about what is happening now, the situation and what I can do to help.

I want to start reading I just haven't had the time to settle down, relax and read.

Today I am grateful for my patient and loving and caring boyfriend. Who is always silently and actively here for me.
I'm grateful for my trusting and loving parents and family, for accepting and encouraging me to pursue my future and my dreams and discover what I truly want to do with my life.

What do our choices mean and how do they define us?

Today, I want to continue my life making choices that better the world.

I want to remember that I am
a. blessed
b. capable
c. ready

I think the first thing I need to do, in order to do better for the world is to make active changes in my life that will allow me to learn and appreciate life at its fullest. I need to understand my own capabilities, culture, religion, the world and its people.

I have an absolutely beautiful family.
Although there is corruption and failures in everyone's life, every imperfection defines us just as equally as our strengths. We cannot define what beauty is, since it is individual and specifically unique to each person. However, what we can define as an aspect of beauty, is the very fact, that we are all different, we all have different capabilities to love or cherish or appreciate different areas of life.