​Are you happy because you choose to be happy, or are you happy because everything you want in life is going the exact way you want it to go? I had to learn that happiness is a choice, as cliché as this sounds. You are in charge of your own happiness, and if there are people in your life who do things to tear down your happiness you have the power to eliminate them. Protect your personal space and your place of peace that dwells from within.
 
If your friends or family members always have negative things to say, especially when you are going through times of frustration or disappointment, you have to love them from a distance. People who truly care about you will not say things to make you feel bad during those moments when you need someone to speak positive things into your life. The ones who want to see you win will love you, encourage you, and be there to uplift your spirits.
 
Negativity is toxic, and sometimes it spreads into how we view ourselves. When you look in the mirror do you see yourself as royalty, or do you allow the obstacles of today to blur your vision? Some of us are guilty of speaking negative things into our own lives when we become discouraged about situations. In times like this we have to remind ourselves that the only thing that’s constant is change; therefore this too shall pass. Times will get better, so we can’t live unhappy and defeated over something that’s temporary. We have to be so busy preparing ourselves for when things get better, that we forget about how bad they may be at the moment. I view it as preparations while also living and enjoying life. What really defines happiness anyway?
 
My definition is being able to smile and appreciate the small gifts of life even when problems arise and things become challenging. Although life is not a fairytale, there is always something to be happy about. The hardships we face do not have to affect our entire attitude. Worrying and or being down on ourselves will not eliminate the problem. When we understand this and start to speak good things into our life, the weight becomes a little lighter and then we are able to accomplish more because of it.
 
If you had a bad day, this doesn’t mean you have to allow it to make you unhappy. God didn’t have to wake you up this morning; so everyday is an opportunity to get that much closer to where you want to be in life. I hope this is a blessing to someone.
 
Love Trish xoxoxo

​When the love is real you will know it. You will not know it right away but through time you will know. Rome wasn’t built over night, therefore you will not know if something is real over night. Trust me, I’ve experienced so much in my life and I’m grateful and blessed for the people who are in my life now.
 
I’ve never been the type to have many friends, but the friends I do have are genuine ones. I look at my friends as family members. We are connected forever, in other words there’s no disagreement or conflicting opinion that can keep us from being friends. We realize that we will not have everything in common and agree on everything all the time. When a person loves you, nothing or no one should be able to come in between that, this goes for friendships and personal relationships.
 
What I like about my friends is that the respect level never leaves, even in the midst of differing opinions. In a relationship it should be the same way, this is why I’m a firm believer that you should marry someone who you took time out to become friends with first. It will make life so much easier. Relationships are about respect and valuing the other person’s feelings. That’s what it all boils down to. I used to be the type of person who would cut people off quick, but the friends I have now taught me the true definition of friendship. Friendship is forgiving, loving past differences, and laughing away pain.
 
The people that are closest to my heart could never let me go and I could never let them go. I was upset with one of my friends’ years ago. We had a disagreement, and someone else was involved in the discussion, which elevated things so I was like whatever I’m done with the friendship. That friend called me and genuinely apologized. I know that it wasn’t intentional so we moved forward. There was a separate occasion when I had to apologize to that particular friend and the apology was accepted. I learned that it’s ok to make mistakes, because none of us are perfect; we don’t always get things right the first time. What matters the most is that we make an effort to apologize.
 
I’m grateful that I didn’t get stuck into the habit of walking away from meaningful relationships. Walking away from disrespect is one thing, but walking away from a misunderstanding is something to think twice about. Life is not a fairytale, so you may not always share the same views as the people God has placed in your life. However, it’s important to know that the people who have been in your life for years are there for a reason; I believe it’s God’s way of showing you who really loves you. When the love is real it will not let you walk away and you will not let it walk away.
 
I hope this is a blessing to someone.
 
Love Trish xoxoxo

Have you ever loved someone so much that you couldn’t see your life without him or her? I’m talking about unconditional love; love that overlooked flaws and apologized to keep peace even when it wasn’t your fault. You knew deep down the love you had for the person was unhealthy, because you overlooked your own feelings to cater to them. Why did you love this person so deeply? Maybe it was because of the things they said to you, or maybe it was the way they treated you during a particular time of the relationship. This time I’m referring to is usually the beginning, when the sparks are flying high and the person is willing to do anything they can to get and keep you. Now things were different.
 
Although you were being treated differently, your heart remained the same. You had already chosen the decision to love, which is a decision that doesn’t come with an on or off switch. You talked to your significant other in the most respectful way and wanted so deeply for them to understand how you felt. How did things go left? Was it your fault? After a while, you started analyzing yourself even though you knew deep down that you were the same person you were since the beginning of the relationship. Nothing had changed on your end, except your love that had grown deeper for your significant other.
 
Things became a constant battle and when you tried to talk it only got worse. Discussions ended in your significant other yelling and making you feel bad for expressing your views. Where did it all go wrong? It went wrong when you started caring more about the other person than yourself. It went wrong when you put the other person before you. It went wrong when you sacrificed your beliefs for the other person. It went wrong when you forgot your value. Life is not a fairytale so there will be times when you will be misunderstood and judged for the way you choose to live your life. Set your expectations at the beginning and if a person decides they no longer want to agree with them, move on. Don’t sacrifice your worth for another person’s ego. I hope this is a blessing to someone.
 
Love
Trish xoxoxo