When Life Hands You Lemons


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April 10th 2013
Published: April 10th 2013
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This is a heavy one, I had a lot of alone time to think this weekend...

Let me start with updates. In the past two weeks I have been busy with summer school and cleaning out every old file and picture on my computer (so I can sell it). I have managed to pick up some tutoring hours to make a little extra cash on the side. In case you missed the Facebook pictures, I also had a little plastic surgery done. Don't get too excited, I just needed two tiny abscesses removed from my scar. My scar looks beautiful now; well, as pretty as a face scar can ever look, at least!

Here's where I get introspective. What was supposed to be a blog describing my travels, has now become almost like a diary. This was obviously not my intention, but I guess it makes sense since I am not exactly traveling at the moment. While Thailand seems exotic and foreign to all of you, its just the most recent place I'm calling "home". Allow me to elaborate.

People always tell me how jealous they are of my life, especially now that I am living in a tropical paradise. My first few months here were a whirlwind- finding a job, finding a house, discovering my abilities as a teacher, making new friends, going island hopping, and seeing the sites. I thought everything and everyone was magical; I could never get sick of such a beautiful place! But that magic eventually wore off, as it was bound to do, and reality sunk in. Visa problems made it nearly impossible to stay , conflicts with my boss caused tension at work, problems in my relationship resulted in unhappiness at home. All of a sudden this paradise became a prison, and I had a long sentencing to live out.

It is a common belief, or a regular thought at least, that if you just lived somewhere else, all your troubles would go away. Such an enticing concept, it's simply a derivative of the expression "the grass is always greener on the other side". Well, the grass may be greener over here (literally), but that doesn't mean I don't have my own worries. I can tell you, without a doubt, that moving does not miraculously fix your problems. I would agree that weather and seasons can have an affect on one's mood, and, yes, a change of scenery can provide a temporary escape from reality. But sandy beaches and palm trees don't magically erase life's challenges. I have still faced hassles from the Thai government, injustice at work, and turmoil in relationships. The bottom line is that you can't run away from hardship, it will always find you. Life doesn't give you a break just because you are willing to move 8,000 miles away. So, I may have nicer weather than you, and I have gotten to see and experience many new and exciting things; I would never deny that. Yet at the end of the day, I'm still tired, grumpy, and bored. I work 40 hours a week, pay rent, buy groceries, and make dinner. Living on an island doesn't make things different. Shocking, right?

Now that I've busted your bubble of hope, let me tell you how to fix it. World travel is my cup of tea, but it may not be yours. As long as you are willing to put in the extra effort and step outside your comfort zone, you can do new and exciting things right where you are. Try a new restaurant or bar. Go for a walk, hike, bike ride. Catch up with old friends, or make new ones. Take a weekend excursion to an obscure town two hours away and act like it's the coolest place you've ever been. Location doesn't determine your happiness, your mindset does. Take this advice from the girl who's been "everywhere".

The moral of my story is that my travels don't make my life better than yours. My attitude does! So stop telling me you "live vicariously" through me- you have your own life to be enjoying! Don't waste your time being jealous, go out and find what makes YOU happy. Let go of anything that doesn't grow you or serve you. The only thing you have any control over in life is your reaction, which means that your happiness is a personal choice. I wish nothing but happiness for all of you, and I hope you are never afraid to do what it takes to achieve it 😊

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11th April 2013

Thanks for your reflections...
you are so right. We choose how to react to situations. Situations don't dictate our reaction.

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