Breast Cancer Awareness

As I'm sure everyone knows, this month is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness. This month always hits home for me as my grandmother was diagnosed three times and my mother was diagnosed with stage 3+ breast cancer. Thankfully, they both survived. I've seen the tragedy that this disease brings, but also the inner strength that can be found, the strong bond that family can have, and of course, the benevolence of humanity.

This year I participated in the CIBC Run for the Cure and was astounded at how many people are involved. Over 7,000 people ran in the Calgary race alone and raised $1.5 Million. And that's only one city! Not only was it the 7,000+ people who ran or walked, it was the fact that whole families were involved, or teams; it's also all the houses who set up decorations, choreographed dances, and opened up their houses for people needing to use the washroom; and of course, it's all the people who donated to the cause. The positivity was contagious, even in the cold morning. It was an inspirational experience for me to say the least.

As for me personally, special thanks goes to all the people who sponsored me for the run:
My mother, father, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin, one of my best friends Dustin, and special thanks goes out again to the lovely Stephanie who donated the most when I told her to donate the least as she does so much for me all the time.

Also, dressing up always makes things more fun!

The Joys of Job Hunting

I think we all have experienced the difficulties in finding a job in our lives. Particularly when you only have a high school education under your belt and a resume full of relocations like myself. So I'd like to give my personal thanks to all the people who have gone out on a limb over the number of years that I have been working to refer me to their own employers. For putting their trust in me, when it could potentially risk their reputation in the company. (Thankfully, no reputations have been tarnished due to my referrals). And of course, for helping me along my ultimate goal of becoming a professional dancer, as every job I've ever had has been to pay for some sort of dance experience.

So my sincere gratitude goes out to: my father (Jim), my uncle (Rick), and my dearest friends Alyssa, Miranda, Kayla, and Mo.

A special thanks is required to Stephanie, who not only gave me my first job helping her teach dance, but has been my reference for the past 5 years, and has recently referred me to a wonderful job where I've met so many amazing people. The kindness in her heart is insurmountable.

Explanation

Positivity; Kindness; Happiness;

These three words, though seeming simple enough, when combined equal a state of contentment that I am in pursuit of currently. At the age of 20, I have lived a fairly exciting and privileged life. However, these past 8 months have been the toughest months I have personally ever experienced. I found myself in a state of suppression that I had never been near to feeling before. Even dancing, a passion of mine since the age of three became a chore as opposed to a joy. The worse part? That almost every pain or negative emotion I felt was directly started or highly contributed by another person.

Only in regaining some of my logic did I realize this to be the case. The way that people behave towards others can have such a large impact on so many different people's lives. As humanity, we tend to be careless with our words and our demonstrations of feeling. However, with this new conclusion of being a victim and an antagonist, I still felt miserable.

To this came an epiphany. And it may sound simple when I relate it in writing, but it has honestly begun to change my entire outlook on life. Dwelling on the negative, only makes you feel likewise. So why am I spending so much time focusing on these past 8 months, when the large amount of my life has been full of the complete opposite; Kindness and the hope for humanity. Yes, a large amount of people do a large amount of horrific things. However, I like to think that an even larger amount, do things way more powerful, because they initiate from compassion and love; From one heart to another.

Therefore, in my pursuit of contentedness and my want to pass on the love I have been given for the vast majority of my life, I have created this blog. The blog in short, will be a collection of good deeds that have been done for me, that I have done, or that I have had the joy of witnessing. Hopefully, if this blog achieves nothing else, it will at least begin to make someone who happens upon it to find the positive, the kindness, and the happiness in this world.