I saw the "I am not afraid ... I was born to do this" necklace that Tina Steinberg designed, and it made me think of a message that has been on my heart and mind for quite a while. I started thinking about this topic when I first wrote about it in one of my earliest posts, "Am I Really Free to Be Me? " For me, when I see this necklace, I think: " I am not afraid ... I was born to be me."

Music is a great way to convey a message and to connect people. My sisters always find these amazing songs that I have never heard of before.  My middle sister sent me this one tonight by Griffin House "The Guy That Says Goodbye To You Is Out Of His Mind" and I had to share it as it has such a positive message.  Most of the time if someone breaks your heart, you think it is your fault or that there is something wrong with you. That is not the case at all.  There are other people out there that would love to date you.

"Go where ur celebrated, not tolerated.. Where ur Adored & not ignored!"  was what Rev Run tweeted earlier today.  When I read that on my twitter this afternoon, it made me think of a few situations where this applied.

There have been a few times in my life, where I left or have wanted to leave environments where I didn't feel supported.  Why would you put effort into something if you are not appreciated and are generally ignored?

For example, there was one time someone went to this small group at a church three times before any one came up to them and the people they went up to did not really show an interest in them.  I mean it is hard enough showing up to a new group, but if the group is not friendly or inviting why would you want to be a part of it?  There are other small groups out there that are excited to welcome new people.

Have you ever gotten a text message from someone and have no idea what they mean? Or have you ever had to show your phone to a friend to help you understand what the text means?

Keeping in touch with people is becoming easier through the use of technology, but I believe it is getting harder for people to understand what others are trying to communicate.  Research says that communication is 90% non-verbal and 10% verbal; therefore when we text we are missing much of the message being conveyed.  I would argue it may be getting easier to communicate with others, but it is getting harder to understand what they are trying to say.   I think text messaging is good for sending quick messages that are easier to understand, but even then they can be misunderstood (i.e.  check out the video below for a great example).

I find it funny because the video brings up questions that I have had in conversations with many people this year.  From experience, when you enter your mid-twenties, finding someone to spend your life with increases in importance.   It also makes you think about settling for someone as opposed to finding your soulmate.

I was watching a reality show this week, and a guy made a comment about a woman he was dating.  He said that he had a great connection with the woman, and he could totally see himself building a life with her; but, he had to break up with her due to a lack of physical attraction because he thought she needed to lose at least fifteen pounds.   I know I should consider the source because it is a reality show, but I have heard people dismiss potential partners for a variety of physical reasons.

Therefore, my question of the the day is: what are the deal-breakers in a long-term relationship?  Human bodies change for a variety of reasons. There is more to a person than physical appearance.

Even though technology is very beneficial, there are downsides to it as well.  One being that many people are now out of jobs.  It got me thinking, while technology is a good thing,  is too much a bad thing?

There is no human interaction in any of these situations.  For example,  no cashier was there to smile or talk to them while at the grocery store, movie store, bank, or gas station.

In today's western society, individuals are constantly interacting with members of the opposite sex (i.e., at work, school, places of worship, in sports,  etc.).   Most people in the generation of individuals from 16 to 35, have many close friends of both sexes.  How does having many friends of the opposite sex influence the individual's romantic relationships?  As someone who has numerous friends of both sexes, here are some questions that I have been thinking about lately.   I would like to hear your opinions on this topic.

The first question that I have asked myself frequently is:  Can men and women be "just friends" without the question of dating entering the picture?  

"Do you ever feel like you are missing something in your life? If so, do you consistently focus on that loss to the point where you forget about all the other things that you do have in your life? How do you not let that loss become the focus of your life? How do you switch from focusing on the negative to the positive?"

I saw Michael Phelps compete at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Victoria, B.C. in 2006.  I am a fellow swimmer and find him, like many of his fans, inspiring to watch.  Prior to this time, I had only seen him on magazine covers, talk shows, and at the 2004 Olympics.  I will admit that before seeing him, I thought he was this amazingly talented swimmer who had innate talent and did not have to practice.  Also, I thought because he was a celebrity he was somehow different than other swimmers.   However, when seeing him in this environment, my views changed and I became even more impressed with him.   I realized he works extremely hard and that all those medals are well-deserved. He is human like the rest of us.  He may have the physical strength yet it is his mental strength that I admire most and makes him excel.