Decision #1 =D

So it has been awhile, thus this blog is long so I apologize. I hope you will still read to the end. The ironic thing is that I couldn't decide what to write about to write another blog. Talk about Indecisiveness!!! :P

But I have come to a decision, in more than one way, I have decided what to write about and made another big decision in my life.

Here is the background: About 3 1/2 years ago I began taking Prilosec, a medicine used to help those with Acid Reflux. In my personal opinion it is a drug, bad for your system and bad for your morale. Well about a year ago I ran out and had to go 2 days without it, just 2 days, and in those 2 days I had withdrawals from the medication that scared me. (This was before the medication was available over the counter.) I thought at one point after throwing up that I was going to die from the excruciating pain in my stomach. Who knew that something that was supposed to help could have such a horrible side affect when one stopped taking the pills. Yet I was too dependent on it and when I got more medication I immediately started taking it again, swearing I would never run out again so I would not have to stop taking it. I became paranoid, always refilling days in advance to make sure I was never without.

 

 But now I have decided enough is enough! No more fretting, driving myself insane, being paranoid. I have made a decision for once, life changing yes, but a decision nonetheless. I am going off Prilosec, once and for all!

What you may ask made me decide after the consequences of last time? Well there is this guy I work with, his name is David, and he told me that his brother and him take Ginger Pills to help with their stomach issues. David told me it is cheaper and natural, so no going bankrupt and no foreign substances in my body, sounded great to me.

 So I set a schedule and am sticking to it. One day with Prilosec and the next day with Ginger, 3x a day after each meal. I will have been doing this a week tomorrow, and so far I am greatly pleased. The first 3 to 4 days my stomach ached in pain, but I never once threw up. =) Now the pain is only a dull throb, barely notice it anymore. Tomorrow, Thursday, I am going to change my routine and go 2 days with Ginger, still 3x a day after each meal, and 1 day with Prilosec. I hope by the end of May or mid-June I will have come to a point where I no longer need Prilosec. By the end of the summer I hope to only be taking Ginger at Breakfast and Dinner. When September comes around I will evaluate the past few months and decide what the next action will be. My long-term goal is to get to a point where I only need to take Ginger when absolutely necessary.

I have not done much research on the affects of Ginger over a prolonged period of time, but that is next on my agenda. I hope what I find is positive. I will keep you posted as I continue on my quest. I would appreciate your support over the next long months ahead. I am excited with myself for finally making a decision, one that will help my health and morale. It makes getting up in the morning much easier, but that is for another blog :)

What decision have you made lately? How will it affect your future life? It is amazing how one small decision can change your perspective on so many things. Decision making is hard but healthy, a life goal we all should strive to accomplish. It may mean failing at times but keep striving, each of us will get there eventually together.

Monster of Indecisiveness

One of the hardest things in life is expressing and doing what you want. There is always the possibility of hurting the feelings of others that keeps us from accomplishing even a menial task. A coworker of mine asked me something similar to that today, "Are you stating what you want in life? Stating what you want can make or break a relationship. It's not easy, but it's a necessary step to a happy, successful life." So I'm turning the question around to you. Do you know what you want in this life? Can you state it with passion enough that no one will change your mind? A first step to stating what you want is knowing you can be decisive in a conversation, placing your foot down and refusing to move.

A classic example of indecisiveness is a family or a group of friends heading out for the evening to get something to eat. Before they leave a huge debate usually ensues on where to go for food. "I don't really care. What do you want?" What a typical response. When in reality your mind is saying something like, "I'd prefer to go to the local bar down the street but I know you don't really like that place so I guess we can go somewhere you'd like". Have you been in a situation like this? Each of us knows what we want, at least most of the time, it's a fact we cannot hide, but the hard part is stating it aloud and accepting any ridicule that may follow. After multiple responses of the same thing again and again, a place is usually decided upon to eat, sometimes a completely different place because none in the party could decide upon those suggested. At this point thirty minutes, sometimes even an hour, has gone by and the precious few hours you had to hang out are swiftly disappearing. I have a friend who told me that once it took her group of friends so long to decide on a place that by the time a place was decided on they all had other things they needed to go and do, so they never made it to the restaurant they had finally decided on. What a waste of time! It makes a lot more sense to be proactive and make a decision!

Yet, I really am not the one to speak on this subject. I have the worse time at deciding things. I am so bad at times that I war with myself on whether I should vacuum or take out the trash first. I usually go with the dishes because it seems like the easiest thing to decide on. They're just sitting there staring at me. ; ) As I look back on my life I feel as if I have missed out on sooo many opportunities because I could not come to a conclusion on one matter or another. Still today I miss out on opportunities because I have trouble voicing what I want in a decisive manner.

What I find really funny about decision making is that sometimes even after a decision is made there is still debate on whether the conclusion is actually a good idea. My older sister, Rachel, and I are a perfect example. My younger sister, Bekah, is coming up to visit us. I am to pick Bekah up from the train and give her to my sister, who is at work. Rachel's work is about thirty minutes from my house. We argue/debate over where to meet so we can make the swap. I can tell my sister is busy and on a tight schedule, the two of them are going to Wicked later that night, so I tell her I will drive her to work and drop off Bekah. Rachel tells me that sounds good, but then continues to ask me if I am certain that is okay, because if she needs to meet halfway she can do that. Even after dropping Bekah off Rachel still asks to make sure we were okay with driving the whole thirty minutes to her work. Of course we were! We are here, aren't we? We decided that was what we thought best and knew that was what she wanted even if she did not realize it. All that to say that indecisiveness is an unhealthy aspect to any relationship. State what you want. Make a decision. Grow closer in your relationship with your family, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, and spouses.

I challenge you to try today to make a decision about something you really do want, hopefully a good, healthy one, especially if you are a perpetually indecisive person like myself. The result could make a tremendous change in your life. Yes, some decisions need to be thought over before they are made, but those decisions I am referring to above are ones that we encounter on a daily basis. So go, take courage and have faith, make a decision by stating what you want today, and start growing your relationship to a better future. I will try and do the same. We all have much to learn. Let us start at the beginning and grow together as we try to conquer the battle of indecisiveness. Maybe after our victory we can conquer procrastination! (Or maybe not... ; )

CA Girl Craving the Midwest

Why would I like to move to the Midwest and explore those states that have tornadoes, mounds of snow, & super hot summers without a beach? Growing up my family moved a lot because my dad was a doctor for the Navy, so I have seen my fair share of this country. I was born in California, moved to Guam for a bit, lived a few years in Washington, and completed the circle by coming back to California.

One may ask, so, those are all on the West Coast or near the ocean. How can you be so sure about the Midwest? Well, my dad is from Kentucky, it is farther East, but the quiet and calm that settles over the valley at sunset is a peace I have not felt in years! My family went back for a family reunion awhile back and I fell in love all over again. There are houses without fences for pete's sake! How cool is that? And people own huge houses for the price of a tiny apartment in California. And in the Midwest where street lights are few and far between people actually look out at the stars at night. But more than anything else is the fact that those houses can come on huge pieces of lands with rolling fields for miles. That means miles of land to wander, think, and thoroughly enjoy life to its fullest. I can think of no better way to spend a summer afternoon than wandering a corn field or sipping ice tea on my front porch.

Sure the beach is nice, but it is usually crowded, loud, and public. To afford something private in California is expensive, and not many of us have the ability to afford that luxury. In the Midwest I can enjoy the luxury of big houses, lots of land, and silence for a fraction of the price. I have been cooped up in this desert for 15 years now. I am ready to spread my wings and look for something else somewhere else. California is nice, and I am so happy for those who love it here, but for some people, like me, I have different, bigger dreams that no amount of palm trees, beach, or concrete can fulfill.

A Few Pictures of My Family Reunion in Kentucky

Hiding in the Huge Sunflowers With My Sister (in the back)

<3 Beautiful, Rolling Fields of Kentucky <3

The Forest and Lake Behind Gpa Duncan's House

The Concrete Jungle

I will have spent fifteen years of my life this summer growing up in sunny Southern California: the land of dreams, beaches, and surfing. Before college I lived in San Diego, only knowing of the lurking, smog-filled Concrete Jungle of LA. It was the place to avoid with your life, as I was told. And I saw no need to linger into new territory, not with Sea World and the Zoo right down the street.

Yet college dawned on the horizon as high school graduation neared and knowing not what else to do I followed in my older sister's footsteps and headed to Biola University. There I set my roots as I ventured into a new life centered around the Concrete Jungle. As I spent more time in LA talking to those who grew up knowing nothing else besides their Concrete Jungle, I realized to them it was paradise. Yeah, maybe I would prefer something outside of the smog-choked infestation, but the idea of staying for awhile took root and I decided to make the most of it while I was here.

It has been four years now since I started to make this wasteland into a home, and though I am far from staking my claims forever in this territory, I am satisfied with the life I have, for now. I still have big dreams to journey to other unknown lands, like the Midwest--why would a California girl want to move to the Midwest you may ask, well that is for another blog--but for now I am alright with living in the Concrete Jungle and seeing what adventures await me here.