Tag: self-reflection

Life-Changing Moments

Here is my first post of the new year. Happy 2022! What is a better time than talking about life-changing moments. I feel like the last few years have given me a lot of life-changing moments, everything from moving to getting a new job, developing new relationships (romantically and friendship wise). I know it is a topic that I have talked about many times in this blog and it is something I will talk about in this very post to start off the new year. Sometimes things change for the better and sometimes they change for the worse. I am talking about every life-changing moment, whether they are good or bad. That leads me to my very first quote of this post. Delta Goodrem says “Anyone who has gone through a life-changing experience will tell you there is a different understanding of what is real and what is important, and when you are going through different moments, you can reflect and go, ‘I have been through worse.'” In other words, every life-changing moment or experience can shape us in every which way. Every one of those moments really make you realize how lucky you are to go through them because I feel like they can help shape who you are. In that moment it can feel like you are going through something really bad but in reality you could have gone through something way worse.

I feel like for the most part life-changing moments are great or good because they can take you from a not so good place and propel you in the right direction. For example I was not in such a good place emotionally or physically and there was a person who was a part of a life-changing moment. That helped me get to a better place. That is what the following visual poem is all about. It is about someone who saved me from a bad place. A life-changing moment can involve a person who sometimes does not realize how much they are helping you. That brings me to my next quote that says the following. “One smile can start a friendship. One word can end a fight. One look can save a relationship. One person can change your life.” Like I said before, it could be someone who is a friend, a romantic partner or even a stranger and sometimes they do not realize how much they can change your life.

I know that I have gone on and on about this topic. I know that this is a topic that will come up again in my blog at some point in the future. I will conclude by saying that with life-changing moments come some discomfort. That is sometimes the price we pay because not every life-changing moment is comfortable or easy. This brings me to my next quote by Arnold Bennett who says “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by discomforts.” Change is never always easy. We may try to fight it but change is necessary in life. How are we going to grow or evolve otherwise? We may just stay stuck otherwise. That brings me right into my next quote. This is a quote that I have on my lock screen as inspiration and I am sure this is a quote that I have shared before. It is a quote by one of my personal heroes, Mandy Hale. It says “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” It is a quote that keeps me going because nothing is as painful as staying in place where you do not belong.

I promise that this is the conclusion of this long post. I will leave you all with one final quote to kick off the new year on this blog. “There is no use to looking back at yesterday. I am no longer the person I was back then. Every morning when the sun rises, I am a changed person. Changed by the experiences I’ve had, the lessons I have learned, and the love I have received. It’s time to move forward and embrace the life that I’ve been given, be grateful for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me, and start living a life of passion. There will always be ups and downs, good times and bad, losses and gains. Life is about learning lessons, showing love in the process, and growing into the beautiful souls we are meant to become. Don’t let yesterday rob you of your happiness today. Every time the sun rises, it’s a new opportunity to make your life the best of your life. Enjoy every moment.” This is my way of saying happy new year and I hope that you all enjoy the following poem. Cheers!!!!

“When Love Saved Me” visual poem.

Self-Reflection

I just recently posted a poem I wrote for a competition called “6 Years Ago Today…” on DUP. I ended up winning, but that is besides the point. One of the first people I met and connected with from the very beginning of my time on DUP was Ahavati. She is someone I have looked up to and is in a sense someone I would consider as a mentor. She commented on my piece and she said the following. ” This is classic Elena laced with open honesty. Good to see you posting again!  Despite our future obstacles, it’s amazing how much we see we’ve grown when we look back.  It really provides perspective.” Her comment led me to think about how far I came and this poem/competition gave me a chance to self-reflect. And it is true, I have come a far way despite the challenges and obstacles. That comment led me to think about this topic of self-reflection.

As I thought about 6 years ago, which was 2013 for me, it was a time when I was in my last year of college and it was a time when I was still trying to find myself in this crazy world. I did not know what the hell I wanted to do. I thought I wanted to do theatre since that is one of the things I really love. Although I am not doing much theatre now, a part of me still loves it and misses it. That is besides the point too. I feel like self-reflection is a must or an essential tool to use to get through life. I love this quote that I found about that very idea. “Self-reflection is necessary to dig beneath our own layers and visit the inner crevices of our heart and mind to develop an understanding of life.” What I must add to that quote is that self-reflection is also a way to develop an understanding of ourselves. It ties it to our past and how to create a better future for ourselves.

I feel like self-reflection is a way to tie our pasts to our now and future. Self-reflection is used in any parts of our lives, but is most definitely used after a relationship’s breakup and/or after a job’s end. That reminds me of a quote I found by Robert L. Rosen who says, “Self-reflection entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures, thinking about your perceptions and interactions with others, and imagining where you want to take your life in the future.” I feel like that is why we learn so much after relationships and jobs end. We take what we like and leave behind what we do not like. Everything in life is a learning experience and we learn more about ourselves, as well as where that takes us in the future. Those are the two pivotal moments in which self-reflection is used most.

I thought I would talk about self-reflection since we are now more than half way through the year and it is a great time to see how far we come. I will leave you all with one more quote by Paul TP Wong who says, “Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted – it is an intimate date with yourself.” Like I said before, it is a way to get to know yourself and it never is a waste of time. Anyways, I encourage my readers to self-reflect and really see how far we have all come. We learn so much and gain so much perspective when we look back. Here is my poem I was talking about earlier. I hope everyone enjoys it!!

6 Years Ago

Six years ago, I was just someone
Who was trying to find her place
In this world filled with chaos and
Uncertainty everywhere she went.

Back then I was trying to outrun
My old demons and tried to face
That I might not be able to stand
On my feet. Everything was bent,

Twisted and all out of shape back
Then. My friendships were tested
And we all made memories along
The way. There were some days in

Which I thought I would be off track
Or lost forever. My lungs, congested
With yelling, laughter and my song
Made me comfortable in my skin.