My simple pleasure was not something I thought I valued so much until I moved cross country by myself. I am originally from the Oregon Coast and was raised in the same tiny town my entire life. I very luckily grew up submerged in the breathtaking beauty of the Pacific Northwest and, unfortunately now, realize that I had taken it for granted. Before my move, each morning, I would sit on my porch, drink my coffee, and breathe in the fresh air as I half-heartedly appreciated the gorgeous scenery I was surrounded by. Now in my days down south, I have taken up my same routine. This time, in an entirely different climate and environment but now with more attention and gratitude. While I am trying to wake as gracefully as possible in these short minutes outside, I am constantly overwhelmed with appreciation. Not only for the beauty we are able to take in no matter where we are but also for all the places I have been able to do exactly as I am. The outdoors brings so much clarity to my soul, and in the times I have found myself homesick, I sit back on my porch with my coffee, and slowly but surely, those feelings fade. There may be many things around me that change, but filling up in the morning with caffeine and appreciation has been a constant along the way.

I come from a family of five women, which is a statement in and of itself. After years of taking my hurt out on others in an attempt to hurt them, my mom felt she needed to have a severe and genuine conversation with me. The many hormones and sharp tongues led to some rather heated discussions, and words used that had little credibility behind them. In our conversation, she educated me on the effect of people's words and their repercussions on how we make people feel. She stated something to me that has stuck with me ever since; she said in a calm and collected tone that it is not what you say to someone but how you say it. She followed this by letting me know I can politely and respectfully tell someone the meanest, crudest thing they have ever heard. But if I have a good demeanor and deliver it properly, it could be taken entirely differently than we imagine. This small but grand statement has since led to a continuing attempt to re-evaluate my words and how I approach people. This was referenced in a hostile situation but has been something I have been able to use lovingly, sadly, and informatively. I have since followed her path and let others in on something I have deemed priceless, most recently to my roommate's daughter. I hope she finds it as helpful as I have and can pass it on when she feels the time is right.

To narrow down to a singular thing that brings me happiness would take years and might lead me to resent it throughout the process. So instead, I will talk about something that brings me joy most frequently and works every time. My tried, and true source of happiness would most certainly be music. Music has brought me happiness and many other emotions for as long as I can remember, and it's something I now find myself relying on sometimes as an outlet. My mom raised me heavily submerged in all of the many genres she enjoyed throughout her life. These historic artists have followed me into my adult years, where I can share monumental classics with others. I find myself dabbling in several genres and have spent my time at over 60 concerts now. To me, there is nothing in existence similar to the first experience you have with your new favorite single. It is undoubtedly one of the more euphoric moments we all universally enjoy, and it's something you can share with others as well, making it even more enjoyable. The memories I have tied to many songs, albums, and artists make me so emotional to look back on. There have been many scenarios where I will hear a piece of music I once spent so much time with, and I will often rekindle conversations with the people I tie the song to. This has made many of my friendships last a lifetime, much like music will.

This picture was taken impromptu last December after not having any luck with photographers for my Christmas card due to the pandemic. My roommate and I stage our living room and did the absolute most by bribing them with many treats and love. They turned out great and I will absolutely be doing this again!

As we grow older each year, I think we would all agree we gain insight and more understanding on what makes someone "good" and others less desirable. I have had many relationships inevitably phase-out based on learning more about one another and realizing we aren't as compatible as we had initially thought. I have also learned many things about myself and who I am as a human throughout these relationships. I have noticed some things I didn't necessarily like and other things that I wanted to change a little, but one thing I have never faltered on was my loyalty. Loyalty has grown to become a pillar of my foundation and something I have considerable pride in. Not many people realize they want or need out of others until they see it in action. I find my loyalty being most used when someone feels vulnerable or attacked and finds themselves in a scenario where they want to defend themselves. Having the reassurance that someone else is there for you regardless can completely change your attitude and approach in a tense situation. There have been many scenarios where I have wanted this in return from others and been unsuccessful. This has led me to realize that it is not something you can buy or beg of someone; this is a value deeply ingrained in who someone is.

Motivation is something that comes in many forms and can be interpreted differently, given my mood. I am tough on myself both mentally and physically, and given the day, I may need something entirely different to motivate me. Motivation has been narrowed down to a few major points I consistently need help with throughout the last few years. Some days it may be my fitness, and a simple video or caption on Instagram can get me in the garage to train. Other days it's changing my mood to want to hang out with people in my own personal time. But since the beginning of last year, there has been one primary motivator in my life that has put everything into perspective. My older sister and best friend had her first child in March of 2020, and I have been a different person since. Every day since she was born, I have made a conscious effort to do more or be more or give more. I can find myself being stingy with my time, and now I find myself missing her even when I am with her. I have thought many times while in school, I can wait to do this later. But every time I find myself being lazy, I think about all I want to do with her and give her later on. She has made me realize what is essential and forced me to realign my values and dig to find out the kind of person I want to be for her. So now, there aren't many things I need daily to stay motivated, I think about her, and that is enough.

Being raised in a very broken family, I have dealt with many hardships throughout my life. I could tell you countless stories of events that happened as I grew up, but I will stick with the most recent event where I found myself appreciative of my inconveniencing scenario. Earlier this month, my mom was in a freak accident and had to be life-flighted to the nearest major hospital in Oregon, where I had recently moved from. She was put into a medically induced coma for a short period, which resulted in me receiving a phone call informing me that I was her power of attorney. This was very difficult to deal with while making an emergency trip back and having the time change affect our calls. But once I got there, I had a lot of significant legal issues I had to take care of that I had never heard nor dealt with before. I was put into a position to make financial and medical decisions for someone I hadn't spoken to in years, which I wish upon no one. Throughout the week, when I wasn't doing my homework online and begging my professors to believe me, I was dealing with banks, insurance companies, hospitals, and a heavily sedated mentally ill woman. In the end, she will be okay and I am now aware of all that is needed in being prepared for those freak accidents. I have since flown back to Lousianna, set up my power of attorney, added contingencies to my insurance policies and bank accounts, and realized that people need a plan for those freak accident moments. Your loved ones will be going through enough, don't burden them with formalities as well.

In the beginning of the pandemic, I along with many other Americans didn't have many expectations but shortly after I found myself in a much more progressive scenario than ever before. This was due to me losing my job and having to reevaluate my personal goals and ambitions and decide how to execute these accordingly. I found other work, saved up money religiously, and decided to finally start prioritizing my life and goals. I applied for a school, quit my jobs, and drove cross country from Oregon to Louisianna to fully commit to my plan. This was something I never could have imagined myself doing prior to Covid-19 due to being so busy with work, family, and life in general. I was finally forced to sit alone with my thoughts and think about where I was in life and where I wanted to be which in turn was the best thing that I think has ever happened to me. It hasn't been easy, nor practical, but now I am certain my plan is exactly as it is supposed to be and I cannot wait for the finish line.