November Favorites

ONE// November 13th 

Checking out a fun coffee shop in down town Boise called Janjou Pâtisserie with my best friend in the world. 

I think that I will be in the minority here when I say that macaroons are not all that they are made out to be. The raspberry tart on the other hand was ON POINT. 

TWO// November 9th

Sunday dinner with Kevin at Olive Garden. This man never fails to make me feel like I can take on anything, and for that I am forever grateful. 

Also the first day that I decided to make some changes in my life, and the blog post that came with it.

THREE// November 13th

The first snow fall of the season. 

This also happens to be the worst thing on the list as well, because I absolutely hate driving in the snow. 

I made that sign! Holla for 7th grade industrial arts teaching me how to use crazy power tools.

FOUR// Thanksgiving (& the break that comes with it) November 22nd-30th

Easily one of the best holidays simply for the endless supply of food. I was able take time off of school for the week (HALLELUJAH) to spend time with those that I love. I think that is pretty darn amazing.  

As November ends, December begins, bringing a whole new set of things to do. I can't wait to see what the joyous month will bring! 

An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things that we are grateful for, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy endless amounts of food (that we inevitably end up eating for the next two weeks straight). 
In honor of Thanksgiving, here are a few of the things that I am most thankful for:
ONE// The amazing people in my life
I have been blessed with an amazing group of people in my life who laugh with me, cry with me, tell me when I am being stupid, put up with my antics, and love me for me. I wouldn't be the person that I am today with out all the amazing people in my life. 
TWO// The roof over my head
Driving to work everyday I see the men and women who often call home the area underneath a bridge, and it has been a wake up call. I am incredibly blessed that I have a safe, warm, place to lay my head every night.
THREE// The ability to make choices
I can't express how amazing it is to be able to have the opportunity to make choices in my life. The opportunity to choose where I work, the education I receive, and the millions of other things I get to decide. 
While there are many, many more things that I am grateful for, it is important to understand that I recognize these things daily. Having an attitude of gratitude means you acknowledge the amazing things that you have in life, and in return, you are able to live a positive life. 
I challenge you to write down something daily that you are grateful for and why, and start noticing the changes in your life, I promise you won't regret it. 

Decisions & a Neon Sign

Today I made some decisions about the next few months of my life, and quite frankly it was an easy task (which is incredible shocking). Last night, while browsing, I found this picture, and if it isn't a neon sign telling me what to do, I don't know what is. 

I think that message of this is extremely powerful, especially seeing how much pressure is put on higher education (or is that just the pressure I put on myself? hah). After going through three semesters it has become increasingly obvious to me how difficult it is to maintain grades, have a job, be social, and have time for yourself. I applaud those who can maintain all aspects of their lives (like seriously, YOU ROCK), however, I am not one of those people. I have put myself through hell the past two semesters trying to make it work, and enough is enough for me. Change will not come if I keep repeating this pattern. 

By no means am I saying I am quitting school, because that is not my intent. With that being said though I am dramatically cutting my course load for the next semester. This will give me the time to excel in the classes I decide to take, as well as have time to grow myself as a person and to explore all the possibilities I have in my life. 

After all, 'no homework assignment is more important that actually living your life'. 

Roller Coaster Ride

Life has a lot of twists and turns. 
Over that past few months, my life has been a crazy roller coaster. I have been constantly whipped around, but it has finally slowed down and become more steady. 
The past couple of weeks have proved to me that I have the most amazing people in the world in my life. I am beyond grateful for each of these people helping me through a rough patch. Reassuring me that if things don't go well, its not the end of the world. Inspiring me to find the right path so I can succeed. 
I have learned that I don't need to race through my schooling, and that it is okay to fail, as long as you get back up and try again. The most important thing that I have learned though, is to not put so much pressure on myself. 
This roller coaster might be steady now, but in time, it will be back to whipping me around. But I am not worried, because next time I will be enjoying that ride.

Something New

It's funny how much you learn about yourself in a short amount of time. Recently I have had a series of mental breakdowns regarding what I am doing with my life. I will be 100% honest, I still don't know what I am doing. I don't know if the traditional college route is for me, and it's all a big struggle right now. What I do know is that there is something out there for me, and I won't stop searching for it.  
My name is Taylor, and this is my life.