The warm sun gently kisses my eyelids, waking me from a peaceful slumber. I roll over to the mess of wrapping paper, presents, cards and discarded outfits that had been carelessly pushed to the side the night before. My heart burns with gratitude for all of the joy and love that the Christmas season brought, but I groan at the thought of having to tidy up all of the mess that came along with it. “What a hot mess,” I thought to myself, looking at the place in my bed meant for another person - but for the last few days has been filled with the remains of excitedly rushing in and out of the house.
What a Christmas season it was, full of love, laughter and … well, would it really be a celebration without just a little drama? And so it began – the annual “reflect on the last three hundred and sixty something days ” marathon. For a brief moment, as he tries to do, self doubt disguised himself as a concerned friend, questioning what I’ve accomplished this year. NOT TODAY, PAL, NOT TODAY. He was quickly kicked out of memory lane and sent elsewhere, because 2016 has taught me that though I don’t have it all together just yet – the journey has only just begun. I must admit that 2016 was good to me. I had the fortune of traveling (Tobago, Miami, Trinidad, Bahamas, New York, Los Angeles, Grenada, Grenadines), I made new friends, reunited with old ones, graduated university, and I may not have figured out exactly what I DO want, but I certainly know what I DON’T want, and that’s half the battle. There were a few ups and downs, but as this blog has made a point of sharing my life with you, today I would like to share some of the top lessons that I learned in 2016. HERE GOES... 1. WHEN IN DOUBT, ALWAYS CHOOSE THE ADVENTURE - From an impromptu spring break trip to the Bahamas, sipping Moet on a yacht next to Shaquille O’Neal’s, private planes to Ultra, all nighters in New York, interviewing Grammy winners in LA, and leaving a steady job to find true happiness – the adventure has made for some great pages in my book! My road to success is full of turns, but it's certainly not boring! 2. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS - My heart told me that it was time to come home, and while financially I’m still waiting to see why, my personal life is thriving. Being present for my younger cousions growing up, being around for my family when they need me, being there for my best friends engagement, having a real life relationship that’s not over Skype. To me, life is about who you spend it with, and by trusting my instincts enough to come home, I’ve found the utmost truth and happiness in this. 3. YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE - If you don’t like something about your life - FIX IT. No one else is going to do it for you. Work, relationships or otherwise – YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE. 4. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU, AND THAT’S OKAY. - “You could be the biggest, juiciest peach in the whole world… but there will always be somebody that does not like peaches.” It sounds silly, but it’s SO TRUE. Stop wasting your time trying to get people to like or understand you. If you like you, and those who matter like you – stop troubling yourself with the opinions of those that do not positively contribute to your life! 5. YOUR SELF WORTH BELONGS IN YOUR OWN HANDS, NOT THAT OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. - It’s called SELF worth for a reason; it should come from yourSELF. Don’t allow your value to be dependent on another human’s opinion of you. People change their minds all the time based on their own realities that have nothing to do with you. YOU know your value – treat yourself as such... Oh! And about that person who your selfworth may currently be dependant on? - Heads up! they aren't perfect either. 6. THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW ALL OF YOUR FLAWS AND MISTAKES BUT LOVE YOU ANYWAY – DON'T LET THEM GO. - This world is full of people who are very quick to forget your good but judge your shortcomings, often forgetting that NO ONE is perfect. When you're lucky enough to find the handful of people who see all of your flaws and mistakes but can forgive/look past them...the people who despite a lapse in judgment, know your true character - those loving hearts are worth preserving. Make sure to do everything in your power to keep them dear to you. 7. LOVE IS HARD. LOVE IS WORK. LOVE IS A CHOICE. - Love will never be forever butterflies and spontaneous kisses. Sometimes love is actually frustrating and painful. The people you love can disappoint you or drive you crazy at times – but the thing is, everyone will disappoint you; it’s to decide who’s worth it. Eyes can always roam, but by choosing to love someone, you’re choosing to CHOOSE them everyday- ESPECIALLY when things get hard. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that true love isn’t work. 8. “BUSY” IS NOT AN EXCUSE. PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST. - Dreams get lost and relationships fall apart all the time because people are just “too busy”. FALSE. People will ALWAYS make time for what’s most important to them (priorities) – you have 10080 mins in a week. You can take 5 of those to pick up the phone and say hello. 9. ALL YOU HAVE IN THIS WORLD IS YOUR WORD. - I’ve come to realize the immeasurable importance of the people in my life who I can confide in, and know that I can trust that their word is golden. Being transparent and truthful is possibly one of the most freeing experiences. It's not always easy to keep a secret or tell the truth - but in my oppinion, I've come to realize that to be respected for honesty is better than being respected for false perfection. 10. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING - FIGHT FOR IT. -No one cares more about your needs and deisres than you do. That job you want? FIGHT FOR IT. That boy/girl you love? FIGHT FOR HIM/HER. Trying to get fitter?- WORK FOR IT. That goal you're after? - CHASE IT. SERIOUSLY! JUST GET UP AND FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU WANT, because nothing worth having ever comes easily. 11. EMBRACE THE JOURNEY, BECAUSE IT’S THE WHOLE POINT. -So you're not a millionaire yet? Lost your job? You haven't found love yet or maybe recently divorced? Someone you love deeply has passed away? Or maybe you've recently made a string of terrible decisions? - TAKE A DEEP BREATH – this is only the beginning of a new chapter. Each day is a new chance for greatness. ____________________________ Almost a lesson per month? I'm sure there would be more if I sat and pondered longer, but I got things to do! So as I close this chapter of 2016, I would like to say THANK YOU to every single one of you. Thank you for being my friend, for teaching me about life, for loving me, for trusting me, for hurting me, for driving me crazy, for comforting me, for motivating me, for adventuring with me, for laughing with me.... Thank you for reading this blog and being a part of my journey in person or online. With each new year brings a metephorical new start for us all, so as we all celebrate the clock ticking into 2017 - I would like to wish you all of the love and sucess in the world. 2017 is not going to be easy. It will come with many trials and tribulations as each year does. We may lose friends, gain friends, rise and fall - but through it all, I hope that you know that YOU'RE NOT ALONE. We're in this together... So on behalf of everyone reading this blog - BRING IT ON 2017!! We're ready for you!
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Okay, so ... I don't know about you, but I'm constantly on a one man see-saw with my stance on how I feel about the human race. In one moment, I’m giddy with the external love and kindness that hugs my soul - the next - I’m cursing the existence of people everywhere.
How many times has some variation of the words: “Ughhhhh I HATE PEOPLE!” slipped off of your tounge? It’s terribly unfortunate, YET SOMETIMES THEY JUST ASK FOR IT, RIGHT?! After all, people are rude, mean, sly, hurtful… we've all felt the wrath. Parents try to warn us from a tender age through nursery rhymes like, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” It is an admirable effort and warning of defence…truly! But no nursery rhyme can change the fact that words do in fact hurt. Words are so often used like the vennom of the human race, pulling one another down without physical battery. I believe that the value of the nursery rhyme comes from the idea that there is a choice. As usual, there is always a choice. Look, I’ve made a couple of terrible decisions throughout my life… and I’m not talking about the type of terrible decision where you listen to your roommate, drink a 60 oz margarita and wake up the next morning having lost your house keys. Those less than sterling decisions were probably worth the memories. I’m talking about actual poor judgment calls that can test your character- like the one that just popped into your mind while reading this. The thing is, I can genuinely say that all decisions I’ve ever made in life, good or bad, were never made with ill intent. I never sought out to hurt, or spite those around me, even if by extension that was the case. Which makes me wonder… Of all the burned bridges and broken relationships in your life, how many were due to actual malice, and how many to misunderstanding? The choice is always yours to find out. I don’t believe that the majority of this world TRIES to be a*s h*l*s - it just kind of happens sometimes. That taxi man illegally holding up unnecessary traffic to stop for a passenger - he could need the extra cash more than you know. That friend who’s whispering mean things behind your back - she could have more personal troubles than you're aware of. & what about the girl that you don’t like because her face is always sour?- I’m telling you, 'resting bi*ch face’ is an actual thing. She’s probably really nice if you make the effort to find out. I believe that we’re very quick to “hate people”, because we always choose to see OUR side of the story. What would happen if we look around at all of the people that we don’t get along with, and try to understand their story first? And no, not the surface level story that your WhatsApp group gave you the rundown on - their REAL STORY. I know it’s not easy; some people genuinely frustrate the core of your soul, and others may not even give you the chance to understand if you tried. I understand that the world is not all rainbows and unicorns (though it should be), and we can't all hold hands and get along … but I think that right behind appreciation, COMMUNICATION is the key to a happy life. So many conflicts can be avoided and put to rest if we learned to positively and productively use our words with an open mind. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can prevent the quarrel." So many realtionships could be saved and salvaged if we took a moment to understand another point of view. Don't let words be the venom of our world, but the antidote. Not every broken bond can be fixed, but internal peace can be found in understanding. If from today onwards you try to replace hate with compassion, you may just find that you become one of the key pieces that will build a better tomorrow for all of us. <3 Let's try not to hate people. We are people. Let's make 'people' better. Take a moment to open someone else's book; understand their story. Even if it might be the hardest thing you ever to do; release the hate and replace it with love. Let's talk about men & love, shall we? I know I got your attention with that one... ;) Have you ever been in love before?
The kind of love that clouds your thoughts and autocorrects your (almost) every word to his name? The kind of love that makes mundane tasks enjoyable simply because he’s by your side, his eyes painting a permanent smile on your face. Tell me, have you ever met someone that knows your every flaw, yet sees it as a unique kind of beautiful? It’s a wonderfully, terrifying alchemy to feel so strongly for another human being, isn’t it? You don’t get to decide for yourself, but before you even realize it you’ve found 'your person’ and the world as you know it will never be the same. As time scurries onwards, this person captures the title of some of the most important figures in your life: best friend, partner in crime, even family… he’s your everything. (You didn’t think this was coming without a 'but' did you? wait for it… wait for it…) But what about everything before him? Throughout my lifetime i’ve had the privilege of knowing love, and also watching those around me find the same. Each time a new love is found (even if it’s not your own), a dynamic in the world shifts; new friends are made and circles are formed. Your time is distributed differently as your priorities shift, and the rush of new love leaves you always craving more. But ladies, ladies, ladies - no caliber of love should ever grant you an excuse to weaken the bond of friendship. Last weekend I had the pleasure of a joining my girls on a perfect ‘girls getaway' (birthday celebrations woohoo!). A weekend where working women splashed around in a sparkly mermaid tale, sang Spice Girls and laughed till we cried [#adultlife]. I looked around at these amazing women and couldn’t picture my life without them. As we swapped stories that included the great men in our lives, it warmed my heart to know that even the most forever loves couldn’t break our bond. It is so easy to become immersed in your love life, but the people who loved you before you knew love should never get lost in the chapters of your tale. Love is intended to compliment our story, not diminish what we have already written. When there is a chip in your painted smile - your girls will be there, paintbrush in tow. When you feel as though you’re drowning, chasing a love that has been forced across oceans- your girls will be there to throw you a raft. And if ever your love leaves dark cracks in your heart, it will be your girls who come marching through with a lantern. I can tell you, my girls have installed disco balls in my heart where cracks once lay, driven across states so that I can cross oceans, and built ladders to keep my love climbing higher - and THAT is what I’m talking about. Without the love and strength of these women, there's a possibility that my romantic love might not be as magical. So today I want to tell you to LOVE!! Love wildly! But don’t discriminate between your romantic love and the love between friends. Your friends are the protagonists that will keep your story vivacious. Don’t wait until a storm is brewing to look around and realize you’ve forgotten to write them into the most recent chapters of your life. To my ladies (you know who you are)... Thank you for keeping my story so full of love, light and adventure. <3 My heart will never be too full of love for you. The power of art is immeasuarble. Through artistic creations we have amazed (&frightened) the masses bringing still pictures to life, we have designed cities, eternalized history, clothed the world - the reach is infinite. Art is an extremely powerful medium, yet one that is far too often taken for granted, underestimated and ignored. We praise the scientists and the mathematicians for unlocking puzzles that we could not solve, but dismiss the artist who can produce creations that we could not construct. Unless you've entered the elite of artistic fame, your work is regularly treated like that of a child who presented a page of scribbles to his Aunt Meradith. After a lot of jumping up and down to get her attention, you're patted on the back with a smile and a quick gasp of appriciation, then politly brushed to the side once again. In my experience, I've come to realize that many don't understand the true value of art. They don't understand that it is not only crucial to the preservation of our cultural roots (whatever that culture may be), but an outlet of expression that connects us across nations, a way to document history for all eternity, a way to CREATE history, a viable business if done right.... The creative mind is imperative to human progression. To me, art is not simply beautiful paint strokes in a frame, but every beautiful creation you've ever been witness to. Art is the construction of your home, the clothes on your back, the stories that you read, the films that you watch, the family portrait on your wall, a well kept garden - art has no boundries, but by not supporting one anothers art, we create boundries. I can't rant for all avenues of art in one shot, nor speak for all places in the world, so today i'm going to be a little specific in expressing why we SHOULD INVEST IN THE LOCAL ART OF FILM & TELEVISION. 9 REASONS WHY Investing in local televeision is essential In THE CARIBBEAN.[ Feel free to click the grey links as you read for more information ] 1. CULTURAL REPRESENTATION FOR OUR REGION The children of our nation will not be subjected to the danger of a single story. We can give our people a voice; an identity. 2. NATIONAL PRIDE "Together we aspire, together we achieve" - Trinidad&Tobago's national motto. Flashback: World Cup 2006: Do you remember that feeling of unity when the entire country bound together to support the 'Soca Warriors'? Investing in ourselves can rebuild that sense of pride for our nation that will trickle down into all avenues of daily life. When people respect their land and their people, life in said land will significantly improve. 3. DECREASED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE Investing in local television will create hundreads of 'non-traditional' jobs, decreasing unemployment numbers. People can find avenues of work within the production with skills (that maybe they did not know were profitable) for jobs that did not exist before production. (production assistant, actor, boom opperator, cordinator, set designer etc.) 4. TAX INCENTIVES There is a 35% cash back tax rebate with a 20% profit rate when investing in local film/television (In Trinidad & Tobago - or so it's suppose to be.) 5. SYNDICATION & OTHER SERIES PARAPHERNALIA If a series is successful it can generate extreme profits from syndication, books, DVD's, toys etc. 6. PRODUCT PLACEMENT Not only does placing your brand in a television show give it a huge market reach, but the brand becomes embedded in society forever. This marketing tactic has brought GREAT success to many businesses throughout the years. 7. TOURISM Statistics have shown that countries represented in film and television have received a significant increase in tourism. E.g. 'Braveheart' brought a 300% increase of tourism to Scotland a year after it's release. 8. ECONOMY Boosting the local film scene will attract foreign crews looking for different landscapes to our islands which will be putting money back into the economy. International sales of the series will also do this, generating foreign currency. 9. NOBODY WANTS A STARVING ARTIST. Nuff said. Like I said, 'the creative mind is imperative for human progression' and we should start treating it as such. Art is not a notion to be underestimated, but a powerful force to be respected and explored. Islands like Trinidad & Tobago need to start diversifying their means of national income. Why not start here? By investing in local film and television you're not only benefiting your pockets, but the nation/region and it's people. It has enourmous potential to generate revenue and expand into a web of viable business ventures. Whether you're contemplating jumping on board as an international or local investor on a quality Caribbean prodution, the estimated potential ROI is worth your consideration. Trust me, you don't want to get left behind on this journey. The rich culture and exquisite landscapes of the Caribbean create a unique backdrop for any production. ALL WE NEED NOW IS YOU.
Let us band together and allow creativity to prospor in our region. What do you think? If you agree, share this post. Let's get the conversation started. |