Ellen.

I am not much of a TV watcher, but one show that I record daily is the Ellen Degeneres show. It is hard to think of Ellen and not smile. Her personality itself is what draws so many people to attend and watch her day show. I am in awe of how just by telling jokes and dancing attracts such a huge audience to the show. Ellen has proven to be one of my favorite celebrities simply by doing these three things: making me laugh, helping those in need, and portraying the art of good conversation. It always baffles me how Ellen can take just the simplest, every day topics, and talk about them in a way that has people roaring with laughter. Her jokes referring to Tony the DJ, her staff, and anybody else are always on point. She just has a way of starting her show on a good foot, and continues to produce the awesome energy throughout the entire show. One of my favorite parts is (of course) the dancing. Dancing in its own form evokes good feelings, and I love how she uses that to engage with the audience and set the mood for the show.
       Another huge aspect of this show is the message that it sends: to help those in need, and as Ellen concludes each and every show- "be kind to one another." In almost every show, Ellen finds a deserving audience member or person that has endured some kind of harship, and helps them out with either monetary or material gifts. A lot of these individuals are interviewed by her, and it is truly amazing to see their grateful faces when Ellen surprises them with a gift. It is a moment of pure, genuine love, and so awesome to watch.
       Watching the Ellen show literally lifts my mood. There have been many days where I was feeling down and upset. By choosing to tune into the Ellen show, I get what I like to call an "instant happy". Watching this show makes me feel so much, and that is what I love about it. Being able to laugh, cry, and learn all in one show is truly remarkable. This show has helped me get through rough times, inspired me to be a better person, and entertained me until I was crying from laughing so hard. So here's to Ellen! I am so happy and excited to report that I will be able to attend my very first Ellen show come September!! A friend from work invited me to come with her a month ago, and just found out that we got guaranteed tickets! Excitement is an understatement. :)))

A clip from one of my favorite episodes:

Coffee Shops and Such

If you asked me to write down a list of my favorite things, I can assure you that coffee shops would be on it. Yes, going to coffee shops is an actual favorite pastime of mine. And I'm not just talking about the Starbucks shop down the street, but also quaint and unique ones that you find when you're traveling. One thing that I do miss about living in Chicago is the variety of indie coffee shops that you could find off almost any train stop. There is something about coffee shops that just makes me so happy. Almost always I encounter friendly baristas, delicious lattes, and intriguing books/art to look at.  Coffee shops offer the perfect environment. A perfect balance of peace and chaos. Study time and social time. Drowsiness and alertness. The picture below is a picture of a coffee shop called Metropolis in Chicago (Belmont stop I believe.) I went to this particular shop with my friend Jenna last March when I came to visit for my birthday weekend. Metropolis is a popular chain in Chicago, and let me tell ya, it's some good coffee! Sometimes just having a good friend to talk to, great coffee to sip on, and a lively environment is all you need. And the people watching! That's another aspect that I'm sure not only I enjoy when going out to public places. Watching different people in coffee shops can be pure entertainment, and also motivation! I remember having to write a paper one afternoon last semester, yet I had zero motivation to do it. So I decided to leave my apartment and head to a coffee shop. And sure enough, this place offered the perfect environment for me to wake up, and get to work! COFFEE SHOPS. One of the best things on earth. 

Change Is Good

     Hello all! I have been slacking hardcore on my blog posts as of late, but one of my new year resolutions is to be consistent in my postings! So now that I have it written down, I am going to stick to this promise. The main reasons being that I get so much joy out of writing and sharing my thoughts with you all, and that I actually miss it!
     So today's topic: CHANGE. And how essential it is in our lives.
I've started reading a book that I got for Christmas called "The Happiness Project", by Gretchen Rubin, and let me tell you, I have learned so much about the science behind happiness. For instance, Rubin writes, "my research has revealed that challenge and novelty are key elements to happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction." She goes on to explain how people that do new things and have new experiences more often are actually happier than those that stick to familiar activities. This explanation made complete sense to me, because I seem to thrive on new experiences and situations...for the most part. I love meeting new people, traveling to new places, and trying something I haven't done before. However, as much as I love new things and adventure, I also have this side of me that is actually a little afraid to change and dare I say it, grow up. Although I have been resisting this aspect of novelty, I have come to realize that it is actually very necessary in life. The whole process of trying new things and embarking on new adventures is really what life is all about. Moving forward and changing along the way is so much better than the opposite.  I have found the thought of remaining the same and not progressing to be quite scary! So I ask you, what kind of changes are you currently making in your life? Are you embracing it? Feeling a little anxious? Just remember, changing means you're growing, and growing brings happiness. Change is good :)