Sunday, August 5, 2012

Ode To My Joy


I've been thinking a lot about the things I've done that have required a great amount of courage from my part and I thought, "That was really courageous! What did I have in my mind at that time?! How did I do that?" and then I though that if I have had the courage to do those things in my past that have been for my good, that means that I can do whatever I want. I know it is hard and I have to go through things that require a lot of sacrifice from me.

I have learned so many things thanks to those decisions, things I know I would have not learned if I would have not have the courage to do so. I have also had a lot of fun.
"Do not let the fear of the unknown stop you from anything you want to accomplish."- Claudia Recinos.
Today I heard very wise words that I decided to apply in my life. I feel happy that I get to hear wise counsels to make my life better and improve myself.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

A Friend To Laugh and Much More!

So happy together...
We enjoy ourselves...
We laugh hard...
We go crazy...
We like to party rock together...
We  support each other...
We listen to each other....
We go on fun and adventurous trips together...

We have over 250 friends in common (Facebook stats)

We love our friends that are as close as we are... 

Always there to cheer our friends up and make them laugh! 

We'll conquer the world!
1st Sunday of December 2011. Freezing cold weather
right after the LDS Christmas Devotional of the
First Presidency.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Eternally Grateful

I'm very grateful for my parents. I feel very happy to talk to them, they are really true friends. They give me courage to face life. They have taken care of me and done a lot of sacrifices to raise me.


Graduation
God loved me so much that He gave me the parents I have, and for that I am eternally grateful. They are not perfect people but they are perfect for me no matter what.            I miss them so much, sometimes I wish I could just leave and eat from my mom's food or talk with my dad about life while it's raining. There are so many things I miss about my family but this is part of life. Someday I was gonna have to leave home for marriage or any other reason. It's part of life.




Just how it happened in heaven... I yearn to go back home. No place like home.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Someone Who Truly Knows Me

"Did you know that Heavenly Father knows you personally--by name? . . .
You may not have heard the Lord call you by name, but He knows each one of you and He knows your name. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said. 'I testify to you that God has known you individually . . . for a long, long time (see D&C 93:23). He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars (see Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26); He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys!' ("Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been," Ensign, May 2004, 46)."
- Elaine S. Dalton

Friday, July 27, 2012

Love Trying SOMETHING Different

Coconut curry-Chicken
Henry came the other day from Salt Lake for work and stopped by to spend some time with me. I really needed to take a break from school and from all the emotions that had been all over me lately. I know is normal to feel upset, disappointed or sad and I usually fight over them and always replace them with other things or by doing the things I love the most but lately I kinda got tired of fighting AND accepted that I was not having a good time and I hated it because life has always been great with me and MY EMOTIONS had been in place. Now I look back and see that I hadn't even finished fighting the first round and I already wanted to feel knockout... No! I cannot do that!

What is the problem? The problem is me! I am so used to the life where everything seems perfect to me and everything seems to be working out amazingly great and there's nothing I have to worry about other than work, giving my best, looking up for better opportunities in life and other random stuff.

Yeah, I love trying new things but is disappointing and hard when they are not how you thought they would be. It's just that I'm experiencing big changes in many aspects of my life that are making me grow up, becoming more like an adult  and overall BRINGING MY FEET BACK TO THE GROUND!!! I'm facing my reality, THIS IS REAL LIFE! This is an opportunity to discover myself more, learn from this and act wisely. Getting used to changes is not always easy to handle. I must say.
Avocado shake

 Henry is really genuine and nice. I like people who is genuine because it shows a lot about who they really are, specially that they are nice because they are just like that, not only to please you. He took me out for dinner to a really nice place from Sri Lanka. It was way good, and there I tried an avocado shake... Huh? Avocado? Yeah, that's what I thought but it was really good! I love trying new things! It turned out that it was as good as I thought it would be! And that makes me happy... Oh they joy of life!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Winner: A Big Thing For Me

Competing was a big thing for me. I used to worry a lot about winning and I cried every time I lost a competition. I used to be more competitive than now because I was very involved in a winner-loser setting and I wanted to be outstanding but later on in the general settings of my life like school and work, I care about being an outstanding worker and student but at the same time I just care about giving my very best and becoming the best I can be. I don't seek to compete against people in particular. I think like this: "If the means of giving my very best take me to the 1st place, that is great! If not, I might need to do things differently." I compete only against me towards what I want and where I want to be. I might not always reach the 1st place but it's about giving my very best right? True thing is that there are a lot of people better than me in so many ways, and that is great! I don't worry too much about it, they are just my inspiration and I hope I can be like them someday :) In fact, I loved this great quote from Jeffrey R. Holland, “There are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin."
 Some of the medals I won from track and tennis. I was all about sports. I started competing in track and tennis in1998. I stopped in 2004 not playing tennis or doing track but playing basketball and badminton. I had an amazing time and I experienced great feelings of victory as well as sad feelings of losing. Sometimes is okay not being the winner but the best of it is knowing that you gave your very best!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Learning to Let Go "I Remember The Day I Met You"

I feel like I have finally accepted the fact of letting go each and everyone who once was part of my life but did not come to stay in it. I always have had the hope that maybe, eventually or later down the road a miracle to have you back in my life could be possible and that we could enjoy the moment just like the old days. Yes, I'm talking about that impulse of holding on to how I wanted things to be or how I want them now.

Assuredly, now I have come to understand and overall accept that I have to let go whatever is not serving me, whatever I no longer need (or maybe I do but it cannot be), whatever keeps me from accepting new realities and do not dwell in possibilities of having what once were my dreams of the future.
And this is why is hard to let go: Letting go is about being okay with the fact of what once was important, now it's all gone... I do feel okay with it but not consciously. I miss the commodity of the things I experienced, which now are in the past and it's hard to imagine something or someone better than that and because the future is uncertain, it's really hard to tell how things are going to be, specially who or what I will probably need. The way I see it: I am not used to let go because I feel like holding on to someone or something can eventually benefit me in the future.

Definitely, I should never give up, and that's one of the things that keeps me being persistent with my hopes but now with these kind of things I should remove all hope and possibility because that is what "letting go" means, "things will not change."
                                                                                                                                                                         
I'll look at it as if the people and things that were in my life once, have fulfilled their purpose and will never get back together with me.

And that's it. I no longer want to remember the day I met you, I don't want to remember how I felt, what I did, what you told me, what I should've done nor "what could happen if..."

I'm even willing to not recall or go back to those chapters of my life. I miss them but there's a lot more coming soon! 

Think positively and cheerfully!


Sunday, June 24, 2012

What I treasure the most

I feel very grateful with the life I have to learn and progress. I have been given many opportunities to experience joy and real happiness. My friend Fernando told me sometime ago that every time I made reference of the year 2002 in my life when I met him in 2004, I used to do it in a very thoughtful way and that was because that year marked my life forever. Between the years 2000 and 2002 I experienced many things that made me long for a happy life. Things were not pointing towards the future I was longing and life was not making any sense, and this is not corny. Really, life was not making any sense to me.

The day came for me and my family in 2002 when our lives were changed and taken to the path towards real happiness. What was brought to my life was what I was needing, my soul was so hungry and needy. A lot of my friends were a lot older than me, I was not living the childhood stage anymore, I wanted to jump quickly to the adult life so I was aware of my reality and the reality of others around me. I told myself that I would strive myself to make my family, my future family and myself happy as much as I could and that's why I'm so willing to do whatever it takes to prepare myself to be a good counselor, friend and companion for my family, future family and friends. 

I'm preparing myself right now to get a good education and I know that at the same time I have to work side by side to be mentally, temporally and spiritually prepared to face life. I had to go through things that I wish I never had to go through when I was 5-6 years old. They probably were not as bad as other people's but they refined my character and made me very strong even though I was a little girl.

Now I don't have many trials nor hardships but I know they will come sooner or later. What I treasure the most at this moment of my life is the peace and comfort I can receive from the gospel. That is definitely the best thing I have in my life, with only thinking about it my heart is filled with joy and gratitude. I feel very loved by a Heavenly Father who has never left me alone. I know He knows me by my name and He knows the greatest desires of my heart. He gave me wonderful parents that represent His love with their genuine love. 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Under Control



One more day. I woke up in a new place. I had to wake up without debating this time, a long way and maybe traffic is ahead. I gave thanks for being alive and start another day, same routine? Maybe a little bit different. It’s nice to be busy but it’s not cool when you can’t do something you want because of your busy life. Multitask if possible! Yes, some days working 8 hours and some days almost 16 hours. Atotal of 62.5 hours a week… Going the extra mile is always an opportunity for you or for others. The way I balance and manage my life has to do with “giving a little bit of this and receiving a little bit of that.” I learned at home that if I wanted something I had to work for it in order todeserve it. I'm very thankful with my dad for having taught me that, he always told me that I'll appreciate it later and that's how it is. Nothing was given to me without deserving it, though it was frustrating... Something inside me always told me my dad was right. I have very clear that“nothing good comes easy.”

Getting home after midnight, alarm goes off at 6 AM. Are youkidding me? Snooze button yeah! I leave home at 7:30 AM and come back after midnight! No way! I need to rest! 5 minutes more!!! Yay! Noooo it’s 7:00 AM!!!(One of those days) Get ready fast! Break my record so I can be trained for future inconveniences. Dry hair, braid it or tie it up  in the bus (ifI catch it on time) or do it in the car in every light where I have to stop. Call mom or dad on my way to let them know I’m fine and that I’ve been surviving for the last 3 months I’ve been working like this. Good thing is almost over... back to the 40/20 hours a week... My other life motto is “Don’t worry, I have everything under control,” be calm and take it easy.

Busy busy, fully engaged on what I do? Multitasking right? Cellphone in front in case someone needs me. Important call? Okay I pick it up or I can get back to you as soon as I can. Text messaging? I might answer in 2scs or next day (maximum). Facebook? Not really care about other people’s posts but Facebook messenger keeps me connected all day in case anyone wants to reach me or if I have something to say… 20th Century! I need to accept that communication is getting more and more nonverbal. Gym? Yes sir! Early in the morning or atmidnight, 30 mins or 1.5 hours at least 3 times a week.  Embarrassing moments? I think I was born for them… Sadly the most embarrassing moments are mine. It’s part of life! I cannot help it. Friends? Yeah baby, I love laughing hard with them. “Claudia, have you forgot about me”? Of course I haven’t, I always have you on my mind, I'm here for you. Count on me. Party rock? Oh baby yeah! Couldn’t be missed on Fridays or Saturdays! Errands? Go Saturday! Efficiency and effectiveness please! I love saving time and money, get me the best deals and don’t make me lose too much time. ----> I have many ideas, little money and little time to lose. 


Times Square, New York
(Frenando el mundo por un segundo)
Lifting and edifying my spirit? It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. I’m nothing without a great lesson every day, I can tell the difference. I need to have enough faith to keep moving forward with confidence in the future.It will all work out right? Following challenging and righteous advice has never driven me to failure but to success and real happiness, happiness and joy that I cannot find anywhere else and that anyone else can give me. Notepad by my side to write down at least one thing that I learned. Did I mention multitasking? 

Statue of Liberty, New York
Love. Live. Laugh.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Life as I Know it



Choosing a different path towards your aspirations means that you have to abandon other paths. I have left a lot of things behind, not that they were not important because they were as important as my life but… Now as the time has gone by I have realized that being what you want to be and becoming what you are capable to do is the sole purpose of your potential as human being. I define the path of humans as a path towards themselves; in other words, a path towards discovering themselves.
Trees from Central Park, NY

The more you live, the more exciting life gets. It never made sense to me the fact that we are born crying, live complaining and die disappointed. Life is not how it is, life is how you decide to make it up. Life is not a tragedy when you live by your feelings, give it some sense by thinking in how you won’t die disappointed. 


Monday, April 16, 2012

Treasure the Moments


"..in the end, all that really matters isn't the things you did, but what its effects are today, not the knowledge you have learned, but how you applied it, not the words that were said, but how they made you feel, and most of all, not the moment of occurrence, but how its now just a part of our memory... Everyday, we make memories.. Let's paint lives with happy ones.." -Unknown

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Hope

A friend left this on my desk. It gave me the hope I wanted to hear about. Just what I needed for the decisions I'll have to make in the following months.

“It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.”
― Gordon B. Hinckley

Thursday, March 8, 2012

If I Fell


This is how I’ve always felt...

If I fell in love with you would you promise to be true and help me understand cuz I’ve been in love before and I’ve found that love was more than just holding hands…


I must be sure from the very start that you would love me more than [him]… If I love you too don’t hurt my heart like [him] cuz I couldn’t stand the pain and I would be sad if our new love was in vain… So I hope you see that I would love to love you.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What it means to me...

The atonement of Jesus Christ


For me it means that my soul can be healed... It means that I can start over again... It means that I can feel clean... It means that I am really loved... It means that my life is a gift... It means that my heart can be purified... It means that I'm nothing without it... It means that my guilt can go away... It means that I can have peace of mind... It means that I want to be better for Him... It means that I am eternally grateful... It means that I can be born again... 
                                I know that my Redeemer lives! 

Monday, January 23, 2012

Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad

It's all about making the movement to accept and face a new beginning. Stop over analyzing the situation and follow the connection between your heart and your mind that tells you what and how to do it.

Don't think about a "someday" that "someday" might never come. Don't wait for the day when everything is going to make sense. Most of your life actually makes sense already, you just have to connect the dots.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets, life is too short to live annoyed by people, life is too short to believe the whole time that everything happens for a reason because many times you are the reason why everything happens.