Everyone has goals January 1st

But it's February 1st when you really see who is sticking to them...come March? There isn't a soul left at the gym.  Not that that is everyone's goal - but quite a few people.

This week is exam week, which of course is also known as brain-drain-find-anything-to-distract-you-from-finals week.  I've been finding inspiration in places I never thought I would lately and I'm excited.  There are some great things coming up and some great things that have just past and I hope to share them.  My blogging skills have been quite horrible, but through my english class this semester I've really started to love writing again.  That being said I'm going to try my best to do my best at this blogging business. But I'm not going to organize and be crazy, i'm going to take baby steps and go from there :)

A lot has changed in the past few months. I, as well as my group of friends, are all adjusting to a new normal - a new way of being and living that no one would have suspected just months ago.  I have had incredible amounts of kindness extended towards me and have been blown away by a powerful love. I have learned so much about hardship and relationships and friendship and honesty and true happiness.  I have learned a ton in both class and life.

I will be in Canada a week tomorrow for quite a while and hope to get this place up to scruff.  I am so excited to see my family, my friends, my puppies and my home.

I'm going to leave you today with this quote, which has been playing on my heart a lot these past few days :

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad and focus on the good. So love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living!

Edited:

I'm back! and it's the same day and I'm still thinking about the same thing - goals.  I just looked through my old bucket list and many of them still hold true - unfortunately.  I would love to pay off my debt, but I haven't yet.  I got caught up in the incredible life of Disney CRPs once again, and didn't save. I would love to run the Disney Marathon, and this time with my training buddy we plan to accomplish that - January 2014! I have a lot of different goals now as well though.  Many revolve around school, career, self improvement, health and family.

Everyone starts their goals in January.  Who wants to cut out alcohol or cookies right before Christmas? Not this girl! So we shall see.

I've always been a planner and a lot of that is taking place lately.  I am starting to focus on healthy breakfasts to power me up for the day, and getting to bed earlier so when those AM workouts begin it won't be such an intense turn around. One thing is for sure - having someone at my side through the entire thing is going to be incredible motivation and help when I don't want to go for a run or I really want ketchup chips!

Okay, to be honest, I don't think ketchup chips are going to get cut.  They are such an anomaly since moving here. However we have been sharing the same bag for like 2 weeks now and it's not gone - if that's not will power I don't know what is.

We also have talked a lot about the importance of home cooked, healthy meals.  The produce section is going to be my eternal best friend, and we're going to see how long we can go without those middle aisles of the grocery store!

I have a lot to save for, and even more to pay off. When you think about a future you don't want to be dragging along extra baggage that it is possible to be rid of just through hard work and smart spending.

My goals haven't changed but my motivations are stronger and based on more than just myself.

Health.
Happiness.
Financial Stability.
Graduation.
Career.

Although career starts before graduation occurs.  In April. The end of April? ASAP!

Not working for a year because of visa requirements? That, my friends, is an entire post of it's own.

Up next: My Disney Christmas Extravaganza...

I WAS IN DISNEYWORLD!.....

For a whole year.  You may not be aware of this because I'm probably the world's worst blogger.  However I am somewhat of an amazing taker of photographs with my telephone.  This being said I don't have a computer of my own currently. So herein lies the problem.  I would love to post all these incredible photos as it is a lot easier for me to update you with photo updates than with all these silly words in a huge block of letters....

...I am in the midst of receiving a computer.  My friend has an old one and for however much it costs to get all of his stuff off of it I'm going to have it. Yay! However it's a wee bit of a process. So just a bit more patience... if I even have readers anymore.

I'm also going to be diversifying the blog a little bit.  Obviously I love Disney and Disney World and I live about 10 minutes from it and frequent it often.  However I'm not a cast member anymore.  I do however have many incredible friends who are that allow me the privilege of going all the time! I also have a SeaWorld pass (Sorry Carrie) until the end of the year and a Universal pass until next November.  In general I'm going to broaden my Orlando view point a little bit.  I also am attending this little thing called University! and will be talking about that a bit as well.

So we can look forward to some future posts about:

• I'm done a lot of dining out so we're going to do some restaurant reviews both on property and off.
• Updates on Harry Potter World expansions
• Updates on Fantasyland Expansions (yes I've done the Enchanted Storytime with Belle that is in test phases/soft opening) 
• Updates on the Beauty and the Beast Restaurant (I bet I knew about the alcohol being served there before you did...and that it's only beer and wine and 3 of the bottles are over $17/glass. And it was Tom Staggs idea!)
• Interesting things I learned in class today: Such as why Burger King started advertising with that creepy King mascot. 
• Running!!! You got it, Kate is getting back into the world of running in circles. And since I've become a stagnant non-mover it's going to be ROUGH and SWEATY (thank you 80-90 degree weather) and we're going to suffer through it together!
• I have an intense love of PINTEREST ...so look at my pinterest, follow it, love it!
• Random photos of random fun/awkward/hilarious (to me) things!
• Super deep thought provoking posts which cause my family alarm. (Just Kidding! I'm honestly doing awesome, self reflection is wonderful ;) )

So in general...anything I want that fits into these subcategories of my life:

1. Parks/Orlando
2. Ramblings
3. Dining
4. Health
5. Learning

And of course the Bucket List! Which will be expanding to include so many more things. Like hot air balloon, who doesn't want to go hot air ballooning?!

(This post obviously falls into 'Ramblings' in case you couldn't tell ;) )

Strength

"This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.” 
-Marilyn Monroe

You're going to get kicked in the teeth.  You're going to fail.  You're going to feel like there is no way all the dreams you've dreamt can come true.  But when you fall seven times, you have to get up eight.  It's not an easy life - nothing easy is ever worth it.  If you follow a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. 

Everyone has a story, everyone has hard knocks and scars. We know what people have done, not what we've been through.   You can't get through life unscathed.  It's continuously moving forward, striving to make what you do worth something - your actions should mean something as you are giving an hour or a day of your life for them. 

A truth that I find hard to realize is this one:
"Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens."

I worry and I plan.  I stress about what has happened, how I'm viewed, what I've done and what has been done to me.  There are things I can barely speak of and things I speak of too often. At 23 I think I've been through a fair bit, yet as it says above, people can know you're story without knowing what's really happened.  I imagine myself to others as a self assured, ambitious, outgoing, happy person trying to make her goals come true.  To myself I'm ambitious, awkward, happy, and random.  I live amongst the clouds where dreams are reality and everyone likes everyone and things will be okay.  Then I rapidly tumble towards reality and fear the present, fear the future and fear the past will hold me back.  I worry about money. I worry about not being as great as I hope. I worry about not accomplishing what I've set out to. I worry about giving up my dreams. I worry about new dreams replacing old ones and leaving me forever saying 'what if.'  I worry about my external image and the self brand I'm creating.  I worry about my appearance. I worry about the people I associate with and if I'm surrounding myself with those who will improve me or those who will hold me back.  I worry about my family being so far away. I worry about my friends forgetting me or replacing me.  I worry about my weight.  I worry about my height.  I worry about the amount of water I drink and if I've had enough nutrients and protein.  I worry about my bones because I don't like dairy. I worry about the white lies to keep others from worrying.  I worry I'll carry the chips from the past forever.  I worry about who I love. I worry about their happiness. I worry about having my heart broken. I worry. I'm not good at taking things as they come.  I need a plan for the day. A plan for the week. A plan for the month. A plan for the year. A plan for the next 5 years, and the 5 after that. A plan for my future.

I want to be honest. I want to radiate truth. But not the mean truth. The truth of happiness, kindness, treating others as you want to be treated and believing that everyone is good and means well.  You can get trampled being this way - and I have - but in the end a life of openness and love is better than a life of bitterness and being closed off. 

There will never be enough money. The day I'm as great as I think I can be, is the day I've stopped dreaming.  I have faith in myself - a unbreakable though sometimes hidden faith. 'What ifs' will always be there - no matter what you choose. I want to live with intention and integrity - I actively think about being like Uncle Scrooge at the end of Scrooge.  I may not have been perfect all my life, and I won't start being now, but I can always show kindness, and I can always care.  Accepting how you look is part of accepting who you are.  I'm still going to work out and eat healthy - but I can't change the fact that my nose looks like Kona's or that I have a birthmark oddly centered in the middle of my ankle or that I have a huge escalator scar on my right hand.  Those things will always be there, and I'm going to be okay with it 93% of the time.  Friends should never hold you back, friends should encourage you to be the best you can be, and not weigh you down or pull you away from what's important. I rather have a few incredible friends than a ton of acquaintances.  If the people I think are my friends walk away from my life, then it just means their chapter is over, it doesn't mean the story we had together wasn't worth it.  My family is full of the most amazing people - they have dreams and aspirations of their own. Even if I was in Vancouver or Comox, they all wouldn't be there because they are off chasing dreams as well.  Life isn't stagnant and sometimes you just have to miss people.  Missing someone means they have impacted your life in a positive way, and I rather miss them then not feel what they are and what they've done throughout my life.  It just makes coming back together that much better.

Which leads me to this: the past is the past.  I was hurt, I was cheated on, I had a lot taken away from me, I spiralled, I acted in a way and said things that I'm not proud of, I didn't respect myself.  But that's then and this is now.  It's all a part of growing up. Even the darkest things teach us a lesson. The greatest things in life can blossom out of the worst.  Sometimes things have to fall apart, for better things to come together.
And they have.

Life isn't a game, it can't be won.  It just has to be lead the best way you possibly can.  Day by day.  Plans are good, but pencilled in, because they are going to change. I'm not the girl I was 4 years ago, or 2 years ago or even last August when I returned to this sunshine paradise. I'm stronger, I'm wiser.  Life takes strength.  And I'm strong.

Vegan Carrot Cupcakes & Pinotage

I'm sitting in my flat eating a vegan carrot cupcake, watching Winnie the Pooh and drinking a south african pinotage. I also am realizing that I have so many incredible things to share, and haven't shared any of them.  Lets recap the last week alone...Last Friday and Saturday we stayed in a Boardwalk Inn Villa for my boyfriend Kyle's birthday.  We went for dinner at Bistro de Paris in the France pavilion and had an incredible bottle of wine with a delicious meal.  We went to lunch the next day at Le Cellier and had another delicious meal (which we were all extra excited for because it was the new menu!) and I surprised Kyle with a huge intense chocolate cake! It had a huge solid white chocolate mickey on it, was painted with gold on the chocolate flakes around the edges. It was pretty! We then drank around the world, watched fireworks, went to a duelling piano bar on the boardwalk and had a bunch of friends over! It was a great celebration. Sunday I worked in the evening, Monday I worked in the evening as well.  Tuesday morning I had a wonderful shift with amazing guests, then came home and spent the evening with my fantastic Scottish roommate Lindsay pal and watched...the end of the Muppets, moulin rouge, oliver and company and tangled with yummy wine and beer and pizza! Wednesday I worked in the morning again and then went with Kyle to Wonderworks..a silly "science world'-esque place where we saw how long we could keep our hands in titantic temperature waters, felt what the shakes of an earthquake are like and the winds of a hurricane. We found our respective homes and high schools on google earth and walked through a spinning tunnel that made you feel like you were falling everywhere! The highlight was actually the huge bubbles! We were able to pull them over out bodies and be INSIDE the bubbles! It was pretty fun! haha.

Thursday was my day off and I ran some errands, sent my school some papers and then met a friend for a glass of wine by the water in Celebration. We sat outside and people watched before heading for dinner at Jiko in Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was so delicious! They have an entire vegetarian AND vegan menu! Score! I don't know how I've never been here before! (Also may be where the pinotage is from...) we ended up in the pool and hot tub and spent the night thanks to my fantastic friend! So much fun!

We got late check out this morning (sleeping in until 12:30 in the comfiest huge bed ever? YES PLEASE!) and I went shopping at...Whole Foods! They sell soygurt which is my favourite breakfast! I bought some things for a cute dinner as well.  I cooked dinner for Kyle and I tonight...burgers (meat for him, veggie for me) and green beans and got a little dessert even (raspberry sorbet...yum!).  We watched a lousy movie too! haha. I remember being excited to see Couple's Retreat in the theatre..I'd forgotten being disappointed in it.

Tomorrow I work at 1015 and then six of us are going to Tampa for the Lightning vs. Jets Hockey Game!! I will never be a Jets fan, but I can tell you soo many things about them haha. But can you believe that that's just one week of life! Of course most weeks aren't this full of crazy fun, but a lot are.  There was one week where we hit all the different parks in one week not long ago and it's just so fantastic and wonderful. It really makes you sit back and realize how incredibly special it is here.

I love Disney. Can't wait to make magic tomorrow :)