How to be More Present While Traveling (& in Life)

When you're visiting a new place, you want to soak it in as much as possible. Nowadays, it seems that our attention spans have decreased and our brains need a constant stimulation to stay interested. Instead of being distracted by what's going on elsewhere, learn to stay focused on the now. Below are some tips on how to be more present while traveling (& in life) to help you fully experience where you are and what you're doing so you never miss a moment.

5 Things to do Before the New Year

When a new year rolls around, we are given a blank slate, a fresh start, a new beginning. It is the perfect time to think about all of the experiences (good & bad) you've accumulated within the last year so you can use them to your advantage. Reevaluate your year up to now, and implement changes to benefit your life.

Remove Negativity from Yourself Emotionally & Spiritually

It is common for us to feel the stresses of everyday life bearing down upon us. Sometimes it is hard to get away from the negative feelings and thoughts especially when it feels like nothing can go right. But, not only does negativity affect our minds, it affects the people around us as well. When we keep thinking these negative thoughts, it gets us deeper down into the pit,

What to Do on the Autumnal Equinox

I am so excited for fall as the Autumnal Equinox will soon be upon us (or spring equinox if you're in the southern hemisphere!) This year, it occurs on Thursday, September 22, 2016. I couldn't remember 100% exactly what an Equinox is, so I did a little research to refresh my memory. If you need a refresher yourself, check out the text below for a small explanation. If not, scroll on down for some advice on how you can bring in the new season, as this is a time for change and balance.

5 Travel Quotes to Make You Feel Adventurous

Lately, I've been coming across so many wonderful travel quotes online. Just reading some of them fills my heart with joy as I can feel the sense of adventure and wonderment within me. They inspire me to go out and live my life

What is a Mandala?

Every Monday, I love to post an image on my Instagram of a beautiful mandala that I find online. I call this #MandalaMonday. The images range from beautiful hand drawn art, to mandalas arranged with flowers and crystals. These images are so

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Another year has gone by, and I am another year older. It's starting to feel like the next year is flying by faster than the last. Having my birthday come around again, of course, makes me think about my life and what I've done. I'm so very proud of where I have traveled, and my life so far.

Best Quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird

With the recent passing of Harper Lee, I thought it was fitting to gather some of my favorite and best quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird, an American classic. This beautiful book is one of my favorites, which I definitely recommend for those who have not read it. Just thinking about it brings

Valentine's Day: Love Yourself

Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate and show the love to everyone. But to do that, you must first love yourself. You are the most important person in your life, so pamper yourself, you deserve it.  I challenge you to take some time, not just today but everyday, to sit & reflect on how

4 Easy Steps to Bring More Meaning and Purpose into Your Life

The first week of the new year has come and gone, leaving us some time to reflect on the meaning and purpose we have given our lives in the past year(s). You may come to realize, like many, that you're not fully living the life of your dreams. It's important to notice when you're not entirely happy with the direction your life is moving, so here are some easy steps to help bring more meaning and purpose into your life. It will most definitely bring so much love and happiness back into your life.

1.) Be Adventurous

Being adventurous doesn't necessarily mean you should quit your day job today and travel the world tomorrow (it may to some!) It simply means that you should take more risks, live in the moment, and be spontaneous. Life tends to get a little too comfortable at times, and we become creatures of habit. It's great to add some change into your life to remind you to live, rather than just be alive.

2.) Be Grateful

Be thankful for where you're at and for everything you have. When you remember that you can have it much worse, you are able to really appreciate what you have, and hopefully realize that you don't necessarily need more. Being content with your possessions will make anything new you acquire seem more special and well deserved. “If you aren't happy for what you already have then what makes you think you will be happy with more.” - Maddy Malhotra

3.) Be Present

Remember that you are presently living your own life. Try not to get too caught up with the people you "see" online. Be present in every moment, and remember to enjoy the human interactions in front of you. If you are visiting a magnificent place, keep your phone or camera down, and really soak in the moment. Make it so that you can relive that moment not through a screen, but every time you close your eyes.

4.) Be Happy

Above all else, do what makes you happy. If you are unhappy, stop what you are doing and change it. Don't force yourself to be in a place you don't want to be in. This is your life, you will only live it once. I can't tell you how many times people vent to me about how they are unhappy with their job, or their home, or pretty much, their life. Make some changes, and start living the life of your dreams. It may be difficult and scary to start, but oh, will it be worth it.

These steps may seem pretty obvious, but that's the point. We know how to be happy and how to lead wonderful lives, but we get into a habit and sometimes we need to be reminded. Life isn't just about being alive, it's about living.

So most importantly, be positive. Because, as they say, positive mind, positive vibes, positive life...

Have you tried any of the steps above to being more meaning and purpose to yourself?

What are some things you do to help put more meaning into your life?
Let me know in the comments below!

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❀Riah

Inspiration | Thornton Wilder

Always remember to be thankful. I'm sure this has often been repeated since you were a child, but there is always someone who has it much worse than you. You are alive. You are a living, breathing, creature of the earth that has enough to survive another day. You do not need all of

Inspiration | Nikki Rowe

The past is gone, and cannot be changed. The future lies ahead, and the present is now. It is important to let the past go, and focus on the present. Stay positive in what you want for yourself because you bring in what you put out. If you are stuck in the negativity of the past, take a breather. Envision what you want for yourself, see the change you need in your life, and bring it to fruition with manifestation. Breathe in the positivity, the strength, the love, and the happiness of what you will have in your future. And breath out the negativity that you wish to change and cut out of your life.

This photo was taken in the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. ☼

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Change

Change

Said the sun to the moon,

You cannot stay. 

Change
Says the moon to the waters,
All is flowing.

Change

Says the fields to the grass,
Seed-time and harvest,
Chaff and grain.

You must change said,
Said the worm to the bud,
Though not to a rose,

Petals fade
That wings may rise
Borne on the wind.

You are changing
said death to the maiden, your wan face

To memory, to beauty.

Are you ready to change?
Says the thought to the heart, to let her pass
All your life long

For the unknown, the unborn

In the alchemy

Of the world's dream?

You will change,
says the stars to the sun,

Says the night to the stars.

❈  Kathleen Raine ❈

Roads

I know a country laced with roads,

They join the hills and they span the brooks,

They weave like a shuttle between broad fields,

And slide discreetly through hidden nooks.

They are canopied like a Persian dome

And carpeted with orient dyes.

They are myriad-voiced, and musical,

And scented with happiest memories.

O Winding roads that I know so well,

Every twist and turn, every hollow and hill!

They are set in my heart to a pulsing tune

Gay as a honey-bee humming in June.

'T is the rhythmic beat of a horse's feet

And the pattering paws of a sheep-dog bitch;

'T is the creaking trees, and the singing breeze,

And the rustle of leaves in the road-side ditch.

A cow in a meadow shakes her bell

And the notes cut sharp through the autumn air,

Each chattering brook bears a fleet of leaves

The sun splashed bright on the road ahead

Their cargo the rainbow, and just now where

A startled rabbit quivered and fled.

O Uphill roads and roads that dip down!

You curl your sun-spattered length along,

And your march is beaten into a song

And the panting breath of the dogs I love.

By the softly ringing hoofs of a horse

The pageant of Autumn follows its course

And the blue sky of Autumn laughs above.

And the song and the country become as one,

I see it as music, I hear it as light;

Prismatic and shimmering, trembling to tone,

The land of desire, my soul's delight.

And always it beats in my listening ears

With the gentle thud of a horse's stride,

With the swift-falling steps of many dogs,

Following, following at my side.

O Roads that journey to fairyland!

Radiant highways whose vistas gleam,

Leading me on, under crimson leaves,

To the opaline gates of the Castles of Dream.

Roads

❈  Amy Lowell ❈

Just Go...

If you want to travel, go. Even though it may be frightening to just leave, put your fears aside and do it. Do whatever is necessary to get you to the place you've dreamed of traveling to. When you think about it, the only thing actually holding you back, is you. So wander away to the city you visit in your dreams, if only for a short while. Anything is possible if you work towards it, and travel is something you do not want to put off. Because in the end, you'll only be asking yourself why you didn't live.

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams."
- Oprah Winfrey

This photo was taken while on top of Aspen Mountain in Colorado. ☼

Please give credit when used.

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Have a Wanderful Week...

Spring Break is finally here, along with some wonderfully warm & sunny weather in Texas. I just wanted to wish everyone a wanderful week. Have fun + stay safe. Don't be afraid to take a spontaneous adventure wherever you may be. I'll most likely be around town for South by South West, so I hope to see some of you there!

This photo was taken while on the road in Utah. ☼

Please give credit when used.

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Inspiration | Martin Luther King, Jr.

Keep your head up and continue strongly towards the future. Dr. King stood up for what he believed was right because he wanted to make a better future. Do not be afraid to do what you are passionate about, or what you love, if you know it is the right thing to do. Dr. King's passion overcame his fear and he inspired so many people to do the same, changing the world for the better. 

This photo was taken while on a long Arizona highway. ✧

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Inspiration | C.S. Lewis

We can't change the past, so there is no reason to dwell on it. Keep your head up and look forward to the future. A new year is here, bringing along many new opportunities and changes. Adapt and learn from the past to make a better future.

This photo was taken while on a long Arizona highway. ✧

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Five Things I've Learned from My Dogs

In order to live a happier life, live in the now and let past things go.
My pups are always getting into trouble. When they're placed in timeout, they always give me their best sad puppy faces, but the moment timeout's over, they're back to playing and giving me love. ♥

Don't let handicaps hold you back.

My puppy Raffie has been blind in his left eye from a very young age, but even so, I can't remember a time when he has been too timid or scared to do something. He's the smaller of my two puglets as well, yet he is the bravest of them both. His brother Chunk can't even stop him from getting in a few good tackles now and then.♥

Family is everything.

My little boys can get really rough while playing, but in the end, they still love one another no matter what.♥

Don't be too scared of the world around you, be curious.

When you've found someone you love, never let them go.

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Inspiration | Albert Camus

To truly live is to experience the world first hand. Undergo something that invokes happiness, fear, anything. Make life an adventure, and learn from your experience.

This photo was taken on the Navajo Bridge in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. ☼

Please give credit when used.

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