Month: July 2017

Fourth Wish

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

If a genie were rubbed out of one of my lamps at home tomorrow, and he materializes in smoke and grants me three wishes, I would wish for a lot of happiness, a lot of money, and a lot of puppies. (That is, if I couldn't wish for more wishes.)

But if I had a fourth wish, I would wish that I was someone else entirely. New hair. New face. New attitude.

Because most days, I'm frustrated by myself. I'm shy, I'm weird, and I'm self conscious. And it's not cute, like a misfit in a teen movie.

But I'm starting to realize that I should never waste a wish on being someone else. Because I was put on this earth to be me. It would be a crime of the universe to be anyone else. And it's time that I recognized that whatever I am, I have to love me.

So bring on the happiness, money, and puppies. I promise to be careful what I wish for.

Your Best

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

I'm a 150% kind of girl. I like to give my all. Whether I'm at work or just cooking pasta, I want to give every task everything thing I have.

But then Friday rolls around and things start to slip.

Well, I'm here to tell you that it's okay. If you're operating at 90% and that's all you have to give, that's okay.

Just do your Best. That's all anyone can ask of you. And it's okay sometimes to not be functioning at 100%. You're trying and that's what matters.

So, go out there and give it everything you've got!

(But that's all from me for now.)

Dance

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

I found this wonderful quote by Wayne Dyer today:

When you dance, your purpose isn't to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.

I like this quote because it touches upon something that we all take advantage of: life. We race through the work week to get to Friday and the weekend. We stare at the clock, waiting to go somewhere else with someone else. All we do is try to waste time when we should be…well, living.

So I'd encourage you to dance. It's the only way to stop time completely. To say, I will enjoy this moment for the sole purpose that I'm alive and I'll shall ask for nothing more. I will enjoy this beat and this rhythm until it ends. And I will not wait for the next beat — I'll just dance right on through.

And don't forget that dancing is just usually fun in the first place so it's a great way to enjoy yourself anyway.

So, make time to dance. Turn up the music. And forget about time for awhile, except for the time you spend on your feet.

Don’t Give Up

Bailey Gunn4 Comments

I was reminded today that you should never give up on what you want and what you love. Even when it feels like the entire universe is against it. Even if it doesn't work out right away. Even if it doesn't pay well (or anything at all).

Because doing what you love is why you get up in the morning and what makes you happy to go to bed at night. It simply makes life worth living.

And if you're not doing something you love everyday or working towards a goal, even just a small thing, then you're wasting your life. I can't say that enough. And I know, it's harsh, but it's true.

So, do me a favor and end everyday with something you love. (Hopefully you'll stay right here on this blog, but hey, you do you.)

I Fell

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

Let me set the scene for you:

I’m walking to work in a major city…on a hot day with heels on. There are people right, left, and center. I’m not used to walking in heels, so I’m a little off balance to begin with. But then I am trying to get out of someone’s way so I speed up. My foot slips in my shoe, slicked with sweat, knocking me completely off balance until I fall onto my hands and knees. 

I’m frustrated and annoyed. Not because I apparently don’t know how to walk, or because I suddenly feel 5 years old again when I would fall and skin my knee. No. Because not one person asked me if I was okay. Not one. They all let me fall and pick myself back up with no assistance offered. 

Let me remind you, society, that you’re allowed to break the rat race script. If you see someone fall on your way to work, you can ask them if they’re okay. You don’t have to be afraid that I’ll murder your family if you talk to me. Just help me. Help someone in need. 

If we do that, we can make life a little more human. 

There’s Always Tomorrow

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

Today was rough. In about every way possible. 

So today was not my day. But that’s okay. There’s always tomorrow. 

But I know you’re saying, but Bailey what if tomorrow is no better? What if it’s just an endless string of bad days? What then? 

Well, you just have to have hope. Because wherever there’s hope, there is a tomorrow. 

I hope your tomorrow is great. And the day after that. And the day after that. And I hope it continues like that until you’ve had a great life. 

Never mind a bad day.  Just hope for a better tomorrow.

Self-Ish

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

I’m sure I’ve written about this topic before (maybe even under the same name), but I think it bears repeating. 

It’s not okay to be selfish. But it’s very okay to be self-ish. Let me explain. 

Selfish means that you’re not in touch with the needs of others and that you put yourself before everyone else all of the time. 

Self-ish means you’re in touch with the needs of others and that you put yourself before others some of the time. And that’s really it — some of the time, you need to take care of yourself. So be self-ish. Just ish. Just a little. 

Take yours truly, for example. I’m what you call a workaholic. (I call it overachieving). But whatever you call it, it doesn’t change the fact that I feel guilty and ashamed when I take a lunch break. A break that is provided to everyone equally, but for some reason, is difficult for me to accept. 

Now, I’m not selfish. I certainly don’t take a longer lunch break than anyone else. But I’m self-ish when I take a lunch break. I’m  putting myself and my needs first some of the time when it’s needed. 

So be self-ish sometimes, and you’ll find no reason to be selfish. 

Pass

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

“It’s gonna pass like a kidney stone, but it’ll pass!”

All time passes. That’s the one thing we can count on. That when you’re having fun, time will have flown. And when you’re not, it’ll be all you can do just to kill time. But it trudges forward. Every second. Every minute. Every hour. Every week.  Every month. Every year. 

And that seems pretty foreboding. Sand in an hourglass kind of foreboding. 

But notice I didn’t say every day. Because you can decide what happens in a single day. And hopefully, you’ll choose to recognize that your suffering is passing too and not just the good times. Because that’s the thing about time; it heals. It may rub salt in the wound first and leave a scar but it does heal. 

I just hope you like how you spend your time. You will never get more of it, but you’ll learn to do more with less. 

10 Ways to be Nice to Yourself Right Now

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

I think, as a human, it’s hard to be nice to yourself sometimes. But add in the fact that you’re a rather awkward and clumsy human…and it gets harder.  

So, we all need to remind ourselves that we’re not all that bad. And sometimes, we’re even that good. And here’s how you do it:

1. Find a mirror. Look yourself in the eye. And smile. (I bet you can’t resist smiling back!) 

2. Take yourself out for a treat. Ice cream. Chocolate. Broccoli. However you define “treat.”

3. Wrap yourself in a blanket so your whole body is inside the blanket. Roll around the floor a couple of times. Call yourself a burrito. 

4. Read a book out loud to yourself before you go to bed. It’ll remind you of what it was like to have a bedtime story read for you. 

5. Take a shower or a bath. Or just wash your hands in warm water. It’ll feel good. 

6. Watch cute animal videos. Actually, make a habit of watching cute animal videos. They’re good for the soul. 

7. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Count fireflies. Say hello to people. (But don’t overthink it.) 

8. Watch a movie or tv show that you just love. Stay in the moment. Really watch it, like it’s the first time. 

9. Talk to a friend. Vent. Then let them take care of you for a little while. Just until you feel better. 

10. Take one deep breath. Take another. And another. Remind yourself that you’re doing the best that you can. 

Stop and Sniff

Bailey GunnLeave a comment

“Stop and smell the roses.”

I always thought that meant that you should appreciate beauty in the world, wherever you find it. Or acknowledge living things when you can. 

But that’s not really what it’s saying. 

Stop and smell the roses means that you’re staying in the moment. You’re not worrying about what you are doing next week or the next moment. You’re simply admiring what life has to offer in this one. 

I’d encourage you to do more stopping and sniffing. You may never know when you can do it again.