#birthdaytextsfromarussianmom
#happybirthdaytome 
#yesthisactuallyhappened 

twenty-one years of life.
happy birthday to me (: 

two days, and I’ll be twenty one.
i am undone. 

Cheer up, readers. I’m not sad, lonely, or upset.

The way I process my thoughts is through writing, and that writing sometimes take place on my blog. I no longer feel so wound-up or restless and, while those feelings are still very much a part of me, I do not feel nearly as suffocated by them as I was before I began to write my post.

I love my life. Truly, I do.
I love the people I share it with, too.
But a vagabond isn’t a vagabond unless she feels a little restless from time to time, don’t you think? 

My darling friend, Kate Gazaway, recently posted about her “rules to live by”. What can I say? I was inspired.

1. travel
I cannot stress enough the importance of travel. When you step outside of your comfort zone and leave the familiar behind, you open up your life to the beautiful possibility of growth and (more importantly) perspective. If at all possible, go overseas. You won’t regret it.

2. be honest
Always be honest. I’ve never been one to mince words or hesitate to share my thoughts and feelings. There is something so liberating about knowing that your voice is heard- you never have to fear that you are loved for being someone you’re not. Besides, lies have a nasty way of catching up to you. Now, do not confuse honesty with over-sharing. Some things are meant to be kept to yourself, and you and I both know what those things are. Use common sense, but when in doubt, be honest. To quote Shakespeare: To thine own self, be true. 

3. listen
This one’s tricky. I am a talker and in many cases I find myself dominating conversation. At parties, one-on-one, while out with a small group, etc. you can almost always hear my voice interjecting with thoughts and questions. However the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve learned to listen. That friend venting to you about her life? Yeah, just shut up and let her talk. She doesn’t want your advice and if she did, she would ask for it. One of the most beautiful, sacred gifts you can give to someone is your ear. People want to feel heard, and that much is evident from yappy children pestering you about the macaroni art project they made in school the other day. Be still, listen, wait your turn. You never know what’s going to come out of someone’s mouth, but you will if you listen.

4. be patient
I’m writing this as much for you, dear reader, as I am for myself. Good things really do come to those who wait. Be patient with others, be patient with yourself. Life is a journey and that’s what’s so mind-numbingly beautiful about it. The end goal is not the end goal, it’s the journey. The fact of the matter is this: people take time, life takes time, and a good pot roast needs to marinate in its juices before you can eat it. Nobody likes a dry pot roast.

5. be adventurous
I want to look back on my life with a smile, knowing that I wasn’t always safe and smart, but knowing that I took life by the horns and ran it all the way to the finish line. Routine can be good, but it can also suffocate creativity and passion. Watch out for those “comfort ruts”, they can be quite toxic if you take up residence in them.

6. work hard, play hard
Show up, be on time and give it your all. This country was founded on the backs of the hard workers, the dreamers, the daring folks who wanted something different and fought hard until they got it. Get sweaty, get your hands dirty and get into it. But don’t do that for too long or pretty soon you’ll end up burned out and exhausted. Be passionate about getting work done and then be just as passionate about taking time off and “doing you”. The world won’t collapse in on itself if you take a day off, I promise.

7. be authentic
I guess this could go hand-in-hand with honesty, but I think it’s important enough to have its own little segment. BE YOURSELF. Do what makes you happy, fuck all the rest. If you being happy means living in a cardboard box while wearing a pair of underpants on top of your head, DO IT. Who cares if people look at you funny? Sure, you may smell kind of weird after a while, but at least you’ll be pursuing your happiness and not someone else’s. If you laugh loudly at inappropriate moments during movies, keep laughing. Don’t let people sush you or put you in a corner. Don’t let their strange looks or rude remarks phase you. You’ve got to stand up for yourself and your dreams, because nobody else will. And while we’re on the subject: stop judging people for pursuing their dreams, too. This is a two-way street, you know. Words like “successful” and “happy” mean something different to every person and we need learn to respect that. Can’t we all just get along, underwear hats and all?

8. never, ever, EVER give up
Not on yourself, not on others, not on life. Nobody likes a quitter, and messes can always be cleaned up. The only way a mess will stay there is if you do nothing about it. 

loveleighmuse:

she had brillig blue eyes
slept on briny seas
and drank up the skies

she grew tall and short
in two quick bites
she held her glass too tight

then another girl with skin
like freshly fallen snow
lived with seven men
and fed her own ego
who’s the fairest that you know?

they were lost in the reflection
in the empty affirmation
please be wary of your vanity
the more you look the less you’re pleased