Tag: life

Human Connections > Networking

Leave a comment

I’m not a big fan of networking events. I know everyone says that networking = life and that you have to do it in order to find success, but I honestly find the whole process very uncomfortable most of the time. I tend to find a lot of people that are full of themselves, I struggle to be polite and keep track of what they’re saying. Imagine this after a full day of work when my attention span is almost nonexistent and the energy to properly debate a subject has been mostly drained for the day.

Still, once in a while you find strangers with which you end up having deep conversations about life, goals and whatever motivates us. All of the sudden, you find yourself expressing great ideas and genuinely interested in the other person’s responses and opinions.

That is what’s really at the core of human connections. You find that other people have the same questions, feel the same restlessness as you do and that you can provide for others that reassurance that you are looking to find yourself. Don’t get me wrong, I like my job and I love the people I work with, but let’s be real, nobody wants to be in a desk Mon-Friday from 9-6 (or more). We all have things we enjoy doing at work (I hope!) but you know that if you’re offered free unlimited travel for a year you would set sail, no questions asked. This person I was talking to was SO refreshed to hear someone say that, he said that in 3 months he had not heard anyone complain about work in some way and some even expressed they wish they could work more! Think about that for a moment!

If the word networking makes you shudder a little, like it does to me, just think about it as making basic human connections, helping you exercise your mind. You’re not going to enjoy every single conversation, but if you don’t put yourself out there, you remain static and static becomes boring.

What I Can Do in 38 Years

Leave a comment

Cape Cod by Cristina Nogueras

What are 25 years? They are nothing without perspective. I think of all I’ve done in my 25 years of life so far, it seems like a lot. Now I think that the time I’ve lived is the same time that is standing between me and hitting 50 years of age. It feels like another world of possibilities. Then I think of all the people that I see every day reinventing themselves after they turn 50, just like my mom is doing now. That’s now a third lifetime, according to this perspective.

That being said, a year seems like nothing, right? The thing about time that makes it so painfully wonderful is that it’s relevant. Waiting a year can seem like an eternity, yet it can go by in a second. Whatever struggles you are facing now may seem small and simple compared to the big picture. A year apart for a long distance couple may seem like torture, but all worth it when you then have 20 years of marriage. Five years of school might seem endless, but it pays off when you’re thinking of a career that spans over three decades. Yet a month of unpleasant tasks can seem like a lifetime.

In life, day-to-day struggles seem big and unbearable. You can’t seem to understand just how small they are until you overcome them. That seems unfair because you really need something to get you through each day and you know that at the moment of struggle, every pebble seems like a boulder.

It’s beginning to scare me how fast time can pass. If you don’t sit and think about it, it really does fly by. You have no control of how quick time goes by, but you can control what you do with it. Time is going to pass anyways, might as well spend it towards something that will make you happy, something that will make you feel complete. That’s the eternal journey, isn’t it? It’s all about being happy, right?

So now that I’m 25, I can keep hitting myself in the head saying that “it’s too late to start now” or I can quit moping and get some perspective. My dad is 63 and he is still doing amazing things each and every day. He challenges himself every day and never ceases to amaze me. I still have 38 years to be where he is.

Heck, I can conquer the world with 38 years in my hands.

P.S. – Just in case you don’t know my dad and you still need some perspective, Hillary Clinton is 67 years old. I’m good.

* Photo by Cristina Nogueras *

Dear Cheese, We Need to Talk

1 Comment

mac-and-cheese-on-fork

Dear Cheese,

You know my love for you is true, but we need to talk. All I’ve ever done is praise you and treat you with love and what do you do in return? You hurt me. You hurt me when I least expect it and it drills a Swiss cheese hole in my heart.

You know I want to be with you every waking moment. I want you in my breakfast, as my snack, with my lunch, before dinner and for dinner. You make me happy in so many ways and you’ve given me some amazing times I will cherish forever. Your versatility provides for unexpected delight in different situations. Melted, hard or spread, you’re still amazing.

But Cheese, you’ve been hurting me too much lately. I can’t fathom the idea of life without you, the mere thought is too painful to bear. Still, my love, I think we need to spend some time apart. I’m not going to say goodbye forever because that’s impossible, but I think we need to see a little less of each other for a while.

I know you mean well, how can’t you with all the cheesy love you have to offer? You bring smiles to everyone who is lucky enough to encounter you, you make boring meals so much more exciting and even on your own… you are a wonder.

We’ve both seen what you can do to me. I know you’re sorry and you don’t mean to hurt me, I still love you in spite of the pain.

This is not farewell, it’s just a “see you soon” (and in smaller amounts).

Forever yours,
Cristina

Image Credit

A Quarter of a Century: Thoughts on Turning 25

Leave a comment

life life

Here we are, one more year.

Older? Yes. Wiser? Surely hope so.

Today, I’m turning 25. It’s a weird age, in my opinion. You’re absolutely not a kid anymore, but you have a hard time admitting to yourself that you’re an adult. You’re not old, but you’re not super young either, or are you? It’s a confusing age.

It’s easy to freak out on life and aging, everybody feels differently and everyone has a strong opinion about it. To some I am still blossoming, to others I am ancient. I’m going to say that I’m actually excited about this in-between, silly age.

Some things to look forward to:

  • I can rent cars without any stupid fees, hooray!
  • I still have 5 years to decide what I want to be and where I want to be by the time I’m 30, that’s still a thing right?
  • Hmm, that’s all I can think of…

The thing is, turning 25 is not supposed to be a big deal. It’s just another year, right? For some reason, however, every year in your twenties holds special significance and shows you what you have been able to overcome and achieve. Life in your twenties is ever changing and it can be scary and exciting, all at once. I’m halfway through this roller coaster, but what does that even mean?

Some things I learned:

  • Waking up somewhat early is not the end of the world- There’s actually some beauty to waking up before noon on a weekend and beating the crowds for brunch
  • Sometimes you’re going to have do things by yourself- It might feel weird, but you shouldn’t say no to great opportunities just because you don’t want to go somewhere alone
  • If you don’t ask, the answer is always no- I’m still learning that one. I’ve seen people around me get what they want only because they’ve dared to ask. If you’re afraid that the answer is “no” you might be right, but then again, you might be wrong
  • Family is everything – At the end of the day, they’re the ones that are going to be there for you, even in distance. You may not always see things the same way, but love is stronger than everything else and you will get through it together
  • People are selfish and sometimes, it’s ok for you to be selfish too – This one is hard for me, my instinct tells me to make people feel happy and comfortable but there are a lot of people out there that don’t really care about other people and you need to learn that’s ok. There’s nothing you can do to change that, so try caring a little less about them
  • Your wonderful metabolism won’t last forever- Yes, sadly, this one is true. My stomach has been super rude lately, sending me signals that I shouldn’t be having so much cheese. At first it felt like the world was ending. Heck, it still feels like the world is ending, cheese is EVERYTHING
  • Find that balance between believing anything is possible and losing all of your faith in humanity- I find any of these extremes to be extremely annoying. What is that balance, you may ask? I have no damn clue. There are days that I want to conquer the world and then the next day I want to run away from it
  • Love is awesome and it’s complicated – Love just is, right? Well, love is one of the greatest ironies of life. It can be the most complicated, simple thing in the world and it still makes us go nuts. I hate when Big in Sex and the City says that, “at the end you just want to be with the one that makes you laugh.” I hate it so much I didn’t even want to include the quote, but it’s not too far from reality, even if I don’t like his character (yes, I said it). Life is full of adventures, obstacles, challenges and restaurants. Find someone to share all of these wonders with, someone who will carry you when you’re feet are killing you, someone you can push into the water just for fun, someone that makes you smile against all odds

Let me stop right there before I get to cheesy (mmm, cheese). Here’s to getting older, crossing more places off my bucket list, trying new things and enjoying every moment!

bday quote

I have a feeling this is going to be a good year, cheers to that!

 

Is the grass really greener on the other side or is it just Instagram filters?

1 Comment

We’ve all heard that grass is always greener at the other side, whether you like that thought or not, you have to admit there’s some truth to it. It’s taken me a while to understand this concept and I still struggle with it. I like to tell myself that I look into other people’s “grass” for inspiration and motivation, to see the possibilities that can also exist in my life, but I don’t think that’s always the case.

Recently, someone I love very much shared a quote that once I heard it, made everything click into place. I liked it so much I even edited it below.IMG_9632This made so much more sense than the stupid grass people keep talking about. We get tired while comparing things that don’t even make sense in the first place and the sad thing is that deep down we know they don’t make sense but we think about them anyway. It’s like looking at Taylor Swift and thinking she’s so beautiful (nothing wrong with that!). If you had the amount of people she has to make her that beautiful you would be ruling the world too. I struggle just to brush my hair everyday, let’s be real.

We’ve lost a sense of what’s behind-the-scenes and what’s a highlight reel. We live in a world where sharing on social media sends out a false sense of intimacy. You can now see “celebrities” sharing their “intimate” cup of tea, which they are enjoying “casually” in bed with no fixes at all. Sure, we know that’s not how it rolls, but we still like to believe the setup. We see everyone seems to be running the world, but do we see them when they fall down, face obstacles or have a bad hair day? Rarely. (I woke up like this? Sure.)

Why do we feed of other people’s highlight reels? We have no idea what happens behind-the-scenes in the dark corners of their lives. Everyone has struggles, doubts and fears; people are silly to pretend otherwise.

I now realize that my behind-the-scenes footage, however crazy or average it may be, is what makes my highlight reel so much more genuine and exciting.

The best part? There’s still so much more filming left to do.

That One Time Lena Dunham Made Me Cry

1 Comment

lena dunham quote

I love things that make you feel something. Getting people to react is such a beautiful thing, it means you are acknowledged and in one way or another, taken into consideration.

I just finished reading the introduction to Lena Dunham’s new book “Not That Kind of Girl” and I cried. Yes, I got tears in my eyes (and may have even made some type of noise). They were not tears of sadness, but more like those tears you release when you experience an “AHA” moment.

I may not be familiar with all of Lena Dunham’s beliefs and political views (I guess I am about to find out) but she has already moved me by opening up about her struggles and hoping to touch at least one life on the way. She may get a lot of negative comments due to her “over-exposing” or “exceeded” nude scenes in her show, but in just one simple introduction she has exposed herself in a way that we should all learn more about.

I admire people that come forward with their struggles, not for feeding their attention needs, but in a way that it is humble, genuine… and available. We all know we live in a world where appearances matter and the part you play is what you become in the eyes of society. What a beautiful and liberating thing it must be, to be able to comfortably be yourself and strip away from worries and judgment.

I don’t believe we can ever reach that ideal world that is somehow judgment-free, worry-free and happy all together. I do, however, like to believe that we are in a journey of becoming better humans, better souls. I like to believe that we are able to overcome obstacles and pick up little bits of happiness along the way.

Life is not easy and I question everyone who pretends that it is. I am hungry for genuine people and I am happy to say I am blessed to have found plenty throughout my life. I like people who are real, in every sense of the word.

If Lena Dunham’s book is not as good as her introduction sets it up to be, at least I’ve already been moved.

Embracing your weaknesses

1 Comment

pisces

So this is probably the 4th post I’ve started to write tonight and I just can’t get myself to focus on something, I feel like my brain is just tossing and turning without the ability to choose one thing. I’ve also been over-thinking a lot of things, which in my life is nothing surprising.

You see, I am a Pisces. You may say what you want about astrology, I may not fully believe in it myself, but I am a Pisces in so many ways.

I can be indecisive at times, sometimes more times than what I’m proud of. I can take one little thing and over-think it to the max.

We live in a society that demands perfection, even when perfection itself is not natural. Whether it’s perfection in the form of physical appearance, intellectual or emotional strength, there is still an overarching demand to go above and beyond. Why? I don’t know. It’s like we’re in this constant competition of who is the best, and who can win? Whoever is perfect wins, because if you are perfect you must be the best there is, of course.

We live in a society where it is not socially acceptable to air and embrace your weaknesses. It even takes a little effort to write about it here. Nobody is perfect, you’ve heard it a bunch of times, but do you believe it? I sure see a lot of people sucking up their weaknesses and playing the part on a daily basis. I see as well, however, people getting exposed in ways that make you question if they are sharing their weaknesses or thriving on pity.

I want to be a strong person. I believe I am most of the time, especially when needed. I may not be a strong person at the gym and I may be lazy a lot of times, but I believe that I am strong when I need to be. I am just tired of people being afraid of exposing their human side. I want to explore what it means to be strong amidst your imperfections and shine between the cracks.

Yes, I may display a lot of the weaknesses that characterize a Pisces, but I can make the strengths shine too. My mind wanders a lot, but it goes to amazing places.

Image credit – http://society6.com/krize/signs-of-the-zodiac-pisces_print#1=45

Five Easy Ways to Make the World a Less Sucky Place

Leave a comment

you rock

Sometimes the smallest things can bring the biggest smiles. Also, one of the options below made my day today.

  1. Write random notes for people – Sticky notes, postcards, your pick. The weirder, the better
  2. Open doors for people – Even if it means an extra 2 seconds of standing there awkwardly waiting until they arrive at the door
  3. Say thank you to everyone – Even if they don’t hear it, even if they don’t seem to even want to hear it and even if they might not deserve it
  4. Donate – From time to time, put down $10 or $20 for that friend who is selling shirts for a fundraiser or that other coworker who is doing a run for a special cause… you spend that at the bars anyways
  5. Offer food to people – You don’t have to get fancy with this one, it’s as simple as extending your bag of chips and saying “Want one?”

So there, my 2 cents.

 

Image credit – bit.ly/WUdsHR

#TBT Glory Days?

Leave a comment

Some people say that your glory days should not be behind you, that you must live in glory every day. I leave it up to you to decide that, but in my life there’s definitely some glory that has left and will never come back. Like the tan I like to believe I had when I lived in Puerto Rico.

I miss performing and/or making a fool of myself in public. I don’t know how your schools were, but I went to some pretty cool schools in which it was actually expected for you to put up skits and parodies on a regular basis. Whether it was at Girl Scouts camp, ballroom dancing, school pep rallies, college dance showcases or talent shows, me and my friends would put up a show.

Why did I stop?

I want to believe that I still can go back to it if I really wanted to, but it’s not that easy. Time is not a renewable source and something about all the effort that it would take for me to go to a dance class and be part of a dance group again makes it feel like more of a job than a hobby. I used to happily go to talent show dance practices on the weekends, no complaints. Then again, I had practically no worries and dancing meant spending time with my friends.

I do miss dancing, but I guess I’m also feeling nostalgic for the simplicity of being able to do what you wanted to do without limitations or complications. Now every single decision has a consequence repercussion, your time is scarce, yet you still spend it lounging around playing silly games. I do still have the same 24 hours on each day, what has changed?

Oh yeah, I grew up.

Obviously, I had to make my mom dig out some embarrassing pictures of my short and questionable artistic career

(Gracias mami!)

Cristi bailando7

Although I don’t remember, I’m pretty sure the dance me and my friend are performing in the picture above was choreographed like 2 days before and was a result of a very productive dance night full of laugh attacks interruptions (or paveras).

Cristi bailando2

I’m actually not embarrassed of this picture, I’m actually pretty proud of it, not gonna lie.

Cristi bailando9

In the picture above, I was playing the queen. All I remember from this play is that my husband, the king, had issues with his molars.