Keep waiting, don't settle

"Unless it is mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it is a waste of time.
There are too many mediocre things in life. Love should not be one of them."

Girls in college are going through a strange age. Many of my friends have told me that they feel like they are too old to live at home, but too young to live on their own. They feel eager to start their lives. I've heard many of my friends say things like, "I want to get married" or "I want to have kids now!" It seems like we are all loosing the patience to start our independent lives away from our parents. We are right in between childhood and adulthood, and it is an irritating feeling.

I've seen so many girls (and guys) jump into relationships with the wrong person, just because they are tired of waiting and they want to feel like they are starting their lives. They feel like a serious relationship is the first step to moving away from your parents, and thinking about your future.

College students need to remember - this is the most crucial 4 years of your life. You are given so many opportunities, and have a chance to gain incredible experience in your work field. I am afraid that my friends will jump into the wrong relationships, and loose themselves. I've seen so many girls give up opportunities and miss great things because they are too focused on a significant other.

I guess what I am trying to get at here is - don't loose yourself. Don't sacrifice your dreams for someone. If they really love you, they will want you to pursue your dreams, and they will stand by your side through it all. Don't loose yourself while trying to hold on to someone who doesn't care about loosing you. 

Although I am young, I have had plenty of experience with the wrong relationships. Instead of holding on to them and trying to make something out of nothing, I let go. So many girls allow themselves to be an option to their boyfriend, while their boyfriend is their main priority. I am proud to say that I have a better head on my shoulders to ever let myself be second best to someone. Life is so short, and there are so many opportunities out there. It is crucial not to waste time or give things up for the wrong people.

The current relationship I am in is the first one that I do not plan on giving up. It is the first time I have felt like a priority. I feel like for the first time, someone cares about me the same amount as I care about them. Mark treats me like a princess. I never have to question anything about our relationship. He is my best friend, and I love absolutely every single little detail about him. We balance each other out so well. He motivates me and makes me feel incredible about myself. 

He has made me so sure that I have made the right decisions about my past relationships. He walked into my life, and made me realize why it never worked out with anyone else. He tells me "I am the girl of his dreams, and that nobody on the face of this planet will ever love me more than he does." He is everything I have ever wanted in a partner, and he makes me excited for life. I wake up every morning feeling loved and happy, and that is how I want all of my friends to feel.

I want the world for Mark. I would never act like a selfish or jealous girlfriend. I want him to do great things, because I know he can. I want him to feel free, and love his life. He is the most incredible person I've ever met, and I want him to be the happiest he possibly can be. 

If you truly love someone, and know that they truly love you, their happiness is your happiness. Mark's happiness is my happiness.

It is hard when trying to give friends advice, to use my own personal relationship. I want to make sure that instead of talking about my love, that I am solely helping them with theirs. But I know that Mark would never let me miss out on an opportunity for him. He pushes me to be successful and offers to help whenever he can. I know that if I were to travel or explore opportunities for my future, he would be right there waiting for me with flowers when I returned. That is what a boyfriend should do. If we stay how we are, and end up together one day, my success will turn into our success, so it is important that he pushes me to be successful, and I motivate him as well.

I hope my friends stop settling. I want them to find someone who wants them to pursue their dreams. I want them to find someone who supports and motivates them. Someone who they trust and will be there for them through everything. I want them to wake up every morning and feel how I feel about Mark. 

We settle for so many things in life. Jobs, homes, schooling. Love is something that you can NEVER settle for. "We accept the love we think we deserve." Understand that you are an incredible person, and you deserve someone who makes you shine like the star you are. You deserve someone who will make you feel like you are on top of the world. Don't settle for anyone who makes you feel any less than that. 

I love you Mark Christopher, thank you for being my inspiration.

Thanks for reading,

Love always,

Morgan

It's all about the little things

When you think of happiness, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

The stepping stones in the path to a happy life are the little individual things that put a smile on a person's face. But how can these stepping stones be possible without finding what specifically will brighten your day?

Think about it. Make a list. Find the little things that make the difference. The things that bring joy to your day. The next time you are feeling down, think of these things. Even when you are feeling great, surround yourself with these things. There are so many things to be happy about in life. Find the things that mean something to you, and embrace them.

The top three things that are known to make people happy are 1. family and relationships, 2. meaningful work, and 3. positive thinking. Use these as a guideline to find your own happiness.

On top of surrounding yourself with the happy things, make sure to rid your life of the negative things. Anything that prevents you from happiness should be kept far, far away from you. Don't let anything get in the way of your success, your happiness. It is your life and you have complete control over it. Use this to your advantage. 

Do what makes you happy. Live positively. Allow yourself to love and to be loved. And always, through the hardest days, remember to breathe. It will always get better. 

FTC Disclaimer : All rights go to the rightful owners, no copyright is intended.

Special thanks to Lizz for her incredible video editing, and all my colleagues that participated!

Thanks for reading,

Love always,

Morgan

Suppress your stress, exercise

We all know that exercising releases endorphins and burns away chemicals that cause stress, but doesn't all that scientific stuff seem so far away from actually increasing our happiness? Like as we are working out we are physically waiting to feel like something is happening? Sometimes it seems like in my head I am saying, "alright endorphins, release yourselves already, make me happy." But it is important to think of the bigger picture and the ways working out really can make for a happier life.

Not only does a workout distract you from daily worries, it gives you a reason to breath and loosens up your muscles.

Aside from its direct stress-relieving benefits, exercise increases your overall health and well-being. Exercise increases self confidence, and decreases the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. 

It definitely isn't something a patient wants to hear, when seeking a doctor for anxiety or a depression-related illnesses. "You should do some yoga, or start running." It really just seems impossible that it will do anything to help anytime soon. 

College students spend hours of their time studying, writing papers, and doing homework. All of this involves sitting down and burning mental energy. Without the physical energy that exercising produces, the mind has a hard time functioning at its best ability. With the mind working at its highest performance level, a students grades are likely to be exceptional. Good grades make a student happy, right?

A healthy workout routine is also a key element for a great night of sleep. Obviously, if you burn more calories during the day, you will be more tired at night. But working out also keeps the body more awake during the day, preventing naps. This provides a student with more time to get things done, and also promotes a greater night of sleep. 

It is so simple to work out as a college student. Most schools have more than one free gym right on campus. There are millions of sports and active clubs that a student can join that will allow them to be active.

Working out daily will make a student look better, feel healthier, sleep better, and academically perform better. It helps to manage stress, and prevent long term health risks. 

So why not? It's spring, go run outside. Put on some happy tunes, breathe in the spring air, and run. Make yourself healthier, make yourself happier.

Thanks for reading,

Love always,

Morgan

Friends, your most important motivators

Life is a journey and we don't travel on our own. Who should we bring for the ride?

The people that you choose to surround yourself with, can easily make or break your happiness. Surrounding yourself with positive people is a huge step in the right direction toward a happy life. 

You have the choice. It is your life. Do you want it to be spent with pessimists, who are negative toward life and your decisions? Or people who will support and motivate you through everything?

Friends and family are the people that will be there for you when you are at your lowest points. They not only listen to what you have to say, but they provide feedback and advice that shows that they genuinely care about you.

Friends care about your happiness. They want to do whatever they can to make sure you are the happiest that you can be. If you surround yourself with people like this, it is easier to look at life in a positive manner.

We adapt to the attitudes of the people around us. If you are spending your time with a friend who is lazy and never wants to do anything, chances are, it will influence your behavior. If a co-worker that you have befriended is constantly complaining about your job, it will influence the way you think of the job. 

Positive people will do nothing but good things to your interpretations of life. If your friends motivate you to do good things, and want what is best for you, it is easier to feel like you are not alone. 

So here is my advice- Get rid of the negative people. If they really care enough about you and want what is best for you, they will stay a part of your life. Otherwise, who needs people weighing them down? Be a good friend- If you are honest and genuine to the people you interfere with, chances are, they will be the same way back. Don't settle for friends that don't treat you the way that you treat them. Always be there for your friends. Make sure they are the happiest they can be, and if they aren't, do whatever you can to help. Care about your friends feelings as if they were your own - but through all of this, make sure you are recieving the same respect and encouragement in return.

Having a group of friends that picks you up when you are feeling down, is a key element in finding happiness. It can be a lonely world without the right group of people supporting you. You deserve loving and caring people in your life. Find them, and do not let them leave.

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."

Oprah Winfrey 

Thanks for reading,

Love always,

Morgan

Happiness, it is not a long shot

People seem to be constantly searching for something. Constantly wanting more. Something better. They are always searching for happiness and success. But without understanding the small steps to take that will make one happy with themselves, it is challenging to reach a point of total happiness in life.

What does a person need to be happy and successful? A big house? A nice car? A large wardrobe? Some people find happiness in their own success. If they are happy with their career and the accomplishments they have made in life, they might feel completely happy and successful. Others find happiness in love. If a person finds the companion that they have been waiting for their whole life, they may reach total happiness.

What college students need to do, is find a way to pave the path toward total happiness for themselves. There are steps to take and things to learn before it is easy to find a point of happiness in their lives.

My name is Morgan Nash. I am a 19 year old college student, striving to help my colleagues  reach the point of inner happiness that I have finally reached.

Love always, Morgan, is a blog of inspiration and happiness, that shows some of the things I have done and things that others can do to lead a happier and more successful life :) 

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts" - Marcus Aurelius

Thanks for reading,

Love always, 

Morgan