So I've been prepping for a while now (and by "prepping" I mean opening Keynote, closing Keynote, opening Keynote again, you get the picture...) because I was recently asked by the girls over at Miriam College to give a talk on Self Worth whilst in a Relationship.

**SIDE NOTE: I've done the talk... months ago. I just found this entry floating around my "drafts" sections of the blog.. oops.

Now by no means am I an expert at "feeling good 100% of the time" nor am I a "relationship guru" but after being asked to give this talk, it got me thinking. A lot. So I thought I'd share with you a few things that came to my mind when I was reflecting on life and being happier with yourself.

Current Mood:


And no, it doesn't have anything to do with relationships- don't worry! It's more on being happy with yourself. The relationship part is still in the works (I should definitely start working on my presentation for that talk...)

1. The # of Likes, Follows and RTs do NOT measure the quality of your worth and the life you live


Social media has quickly become the most powerful creation ever. Like, ever. Look at me now, blogging my thoughts on this simple little website. Linking it to my Twitter and Instagram- how funny how we can seem so connected to the world and not really live in it.

Don't get me wrong, Instagram is fantastic. I mean hey, I basically live in there. I wake up, check my feed, eat breakfast, check my feed, go to work, check my feed... you get the gist. It's a great way to draw inspiration, connect with old friends, and see what everyone else is up to. I just hate how it has slowly become something that makes people super conscious of what they post and when they post it.

Apps like Instagram are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to be light, a cool sharing platform, something you just like to go on and post on. I hate how some people treat it like the determining factor of their self worth. Coming from someone like me who posts the most random things (if you follow me you'll understand) I can see how we want to be more "cool" about what we post but honestly, who cares? Yes be mindful of what you put out there (no nudies please) but don't feel the need to only post things you think will garner more likes.

It saddens me when I hear people talking about how they didn't get enough likes, or want to delete a photo because it get the amount of likes/comments they wanted it to. Guys. Stop. Just stop. Remember that Instagram is an app. Nothing more. And just because you don't have thousands of followers or hundreds of likes doesn't make you any less of a person. Your life isn't equivalent to how cool your Instagram feed is. Remember, we're all posting highlights of our days. Not everyone's life is that perfect. No matter how much they claim it to be.

2. People are always going to have something to say


I think I've said this statement numerous times on my blog here and on my Tumblr but it is something I constantly remind myself of everyday as well. I'm not gonna go on and on about this so I'll keep it brief.

People talk. We all do. About the good things, the bad things, the wrong things and stupid things. We. All. Talk. I think in order to not care as much about what others say is to remember the truth and to constantly tell yourself that as long as you do good by God, your family, friends and yourself, you'll be fine.

The moment you let what others say about you stop you from going after anything, is the moment they win. And it makes whatever they say about you, true. So just do you, boo.


3. It's okay to cut toxic people out of your life (and not feel bad about it)


Ouch! Painful, but true. I think the older I get, the clearer it becomes for me that it's never about the number of friends you have- but the quality of the friendships.

I'm not telling you to go out there and cut yourself off from your barkada- no. Just keep in mind the type of friendships you keep. If a friend isn't helping you become better, if a friend is dragging you down in their own little misery pool, if they're a bad influence, cut them off. It's better to cut ties now and move forward, than to be so deep into the friendship that you yourself don't even remember how you got there in the first place.



I see it this way: Some friendships only stay on a certain level, they don't go deeper. And that's okay. Not everyone has to be your BFF. And not everyone can be. Just be wary of the company you keep.

4. It's okay to compare yourself with the successes of others... but it's not cool to feel bad about it


But they have this and that and I don't. I suck. Boohoo.

I know I've said it before, the whole, "Don't compare yourself to anyone blah blah...." and honestly that would make things so much easier. But we're all human, and we all look at what everyone else has. I've come to the realization that that's okay, too.

It's okay to compare where you are vs. others. It's fine. It's human nature. Sometimes it makes a great inspiration or boost for you to want to be better, to strive for more, to work harder. Just always try to keep it that. The moment you start to compare and feel bad, is the moment you cheat yourself of your own potential.

Remember that things happen for different people at different times. What may seem like it is never going to happen for you, might actually happen sooner than you think. Everyone has their own style of doing things and so do you. Again let me say it, just focus on you, boo.

5. At the end of the day, it's your choice. On everything.


It's all up to you. Simple right?

You want to be happy? Be happy. You want to work harder to achieve your goals? Do it. There's no time like the present. At the end of the day it's all on you and how badly you want to be happy and be great.

So don't you think it's finally time? Go after what you want. Change and happiness starts now.