Throughout my experiences and interactions with people, there is one conclusion that I've come to: People love talking about themselves. Many times, I let other people talk because they seem to enjoy having someone listen to them. I learn a lot about people simply by listening more and responding when appropriate. Some people will continue to talk about themselves as long as they have an audience. It's normal, we are all social beings that need interaction and need to be heard.

Don't worry about what anyone else is doing or what they're telling you to make yourself feel bad. Worry about you, and think about your own goals. Sometimes our dreams are not unrealistic, but our timeline of how things will turn out is. Ignore the backlash. Once it all turns out right everyone will then go back on their words and finally understand. And if they don't...well you don't need to impress everyone in the world anyways. Just prove it to yourself.

If there's one thing that people acknowledge, it's when you remember their name and call them by their name. It establishes a relationship because you are not only taking the time to remember that person's name, but you are also urging them to remember yours. I did this with a woman who I'll be working with in the future who didn't seem to know anyone else in the class, and instantly she became friendly with me. She turned out to be extremely sweet and gave me a piece of paper with quotes she wrote on it because I had told her about my future endeavors. Never have I felt so appreciated by someone I had just met, even if it was just a piece of paper with inspiring quotes on it.


"Some succeed because they are destined to; most succeed because they are determined to." - Anatole Fance

"Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it." - Bill Cosby

"Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X

I was probably about six years old and sitting in the backseat of the car while my mom was driving back home in the evening. I looked out the window as I was asking her a myriad of questions about how life works. I asked her why dad has to go to work, and what he needs money for, where the money comes from etc.- simple annoying questions that little kids like to ask. After trying to answer all of my questions, my mom said what she usually says when she doesn't feel like explaining: "You'll understand when you're older." I responded by saying that I wish I was a grown-up so I could understand what all of this stuff was that grown-ups apparently knew more than kids. She just chuckled and said, "When you get older you're going to wish you were a kid again, so don't rush growing up." It's the piece of advice that I've kept close to me to this day, because even at six years old I had a feeling she would be right.

And she was. 

I feel like everyone needs to see this, because I'm sure most of us have encountered or been a part of almost every single one of these situations at some point. As technologically advanced as we may be now, it's a good idea to disconnect and be present in the moment.