C is for Change.

“You can’t change your situation, the only thing you can change is how you choose to deal with it.”

Change is inevitable. You can not avoid it. You can only face it.
You have to have faith that things will be okay.

Change is probably one of the most feared aspects of life. Once someone is comfortable in how things are, why would they want that to suddenly be different?

Everyone is faced with hardships. Things happen. And they can not be avoided. And there is not always an easy answer to them. But the best answer is to embrace it. Embrace the change, preferably with a smile rather than a groan.

The outcome of change: (assuming you handle it well) strength. Each situation you are faced with teaches you to grow and be a stronger person. Which results in more change within yourself, which further leads to learning about who you really are. It isn’t always a bad self-change. (Warning: sometimes, there are some rotten apples). Hopefully, you learn to keep your head up and how to handle more changes headed your way.

Ultimately, it is your decision. Sink or Swim. Cry or Laugh. Groan or Smile. Try not to fear the inevitable. No matter how far you run, it will always catch up to you.

Change something, find yourself, and be happy with it. Embrace it. 🙂

B is for Better.

In addition to my last post, I found it necessary to add that sometimes, Plan B works out better than Plan A would have anyways! Keep that in mind next time. Make your situation the best it can be by doing everything it takes.

B is for a Plan

“Life is All About How you Handle Plan B. Plan A is always my first choice. You know, the one where everything works out to be happily ever-after. But more often than not, I find myself dealing with the upside-down, inside-out version — where nothing goes as it should. It’s at this point that the real test of my character comes in.. Do I sink, or do I swim? Do I wallow in self pity and play the victim,
Or simply shift gears and make the best of the situation?

The choice is all mine…
Life is all about how you handle Plan B.”
— Suzy Toronto

Things rarely go as you please. Being a victim of Type A, that is a hard concept to accept. When things don’t go as planned, then what? More often then not you will end up disappointed, upset, (crying if you are like me), mad, frustrated, and feeling lost.

You’ve just been thrown for a loop. How do you handle it?

While all of those emotions are normal, common, and to be expected; they aren’t going to get you very far.

Pick yourself up and turn everything around. So something didn’t go your way (I understand you want to be a princess and pitch a fit) But like I said, that will get you nowhere. Search for the positive in every situation. People used to always tell me to “look for the silver lining.” To be honest I always thought that was dumb and much easier said then done. But after recently going through my own loops of life, I have learned how true that saying is. Nothing more will get you through any situation than keeping your head up to the sky, staying positive, and sincerely looking for that silver lining.

Do yourself a favor. Let yourself be happy. Stay positive. And make sure you are prepared to handle Plan B.

E is for Emotional.

“Crying isn’t a sign of weakness. Since birth, it has been a sign that you are alive.”

On top of being Ms. Type A, I find one of my other strongest traits to be my emotions. Yes, I will admit I am what they call “emotional”. I like that term better than “cry baby,” naturally the title I have received 100 times over since Kindergarten.

I cry at everything. I cry when I read a good book. I cry when I watch a beautiful dance (normally one choreographed by Travis Wall) or hear a beautiful song I can relate to. I cry when I watch a sad movie (Titanic and the Lion King get me every time). I cry when I am mad and when I am sad. When I am frustrated and stressed? You guessed it, I cry.

But crying is my way of releasing what I am feeling. And everyone has their different ways. Maybe you prefer to eat a pint of ice cream. Or perhaps you like to run 7 miles to clear your head. You do what works for you and I will do what works for me.

To me, crying shows that I am sensitive. That I don’t have a patch of rough skin on my body. (I exfoliate every day, so I shouldn’t) But to me, it shows that I care.

In middle school, my athletic coach stopped the entire line to look at me with a huge smile and say “sweetheart, you are fragile like a porcelain doll.” And here is what I should have said to him years ago: Yes sir I am.

Here’s to you Coach, because several years later I have grown up into a strong young lady. One who still cries when she gets a bad grade, one who still cries if she gets yelled at and one who still is and always will be a fragile porcelain doll.

And here is to you, my reader: Be in touch with your emotions. Don’t be afraid of what others might think of you. You will find someone to accept you. And if they don’t, then who are they to you? Crying is a sign of strength, a sign of beauty, and a sign of life. So go do yourself a favor, put on a sad movie, read a sad story, or listen to sad music and shed a tear or two. It won’t hurt ya, only help.

A is for…Perfect?

Everybody has a type.

Maybe you are the non-chalant, careless, take life as it comes at you, type. The type of person that is patient, relaxed, and easy-going. The type of person I am not.

But maybe you are not like that. Maybe, you are the tightly-wound, ambitious, controlling, stressed out type. The type that has a plan for anything and everything. The type that is slightly anal retentive, with more than a few obsessive compulsive tendencies. The type that people like to classify as “A.”

For my fellow Type A friends, you are not alone. I am like you. And let me be the first to tell you, you are not crazy. I enjoy being the way I am, as you should enjoy being the way you are. I’ve run into multiple people (as I’m sure you have too) who tell me to “take a chill pill.” I’ll be honest, nothing bothers me more than people telling me to relax. I don’t want to relax, I don’t know how to relax, I will not just..”relax,” but thank you for the suggestion. I strongly believe there is always something I can be doing in replace of what comes across as laziness to me. Not to contradict myself – I am human and I do have lazy moments, who doesn’t? Lazy just isn’t a preference of mine.

It is safe to say, I strive to be perfect. But the way I see it, perfect is what you make it. “Perfect” much like it’s friend, the word “normal,” does not have a clear, precise definition. What is perfect to me, may not be perfect to you. Just like what I find normal, you could find completely bizarre. That does not mean I don’t do my best to come as close to perfect as I can according to my own standards. This may result in me being hard on myself, but you know what they say “you are your own worst enemy.” I’m sure my Type A friends will agree to that statement.

I will not sit and babble about all of the measures I may take, or list all of my OCD tendencies. But I will remind you, no matter what your type may be, you are perfect. Because you are you. And you have given that all you’ve got. (or so I hope). Do not waste your time striving to be someone you aren’t or else you will live a life filled with disappointment. You are as perfect as you can be.

On that note I welcome you, to Type A for Perfect. A blog made for me to write and for you to read. Remember: no matter what your type, you are perfect.