* 2147Miles.com *

    Change is inevitable. It may come as a shock, or as something that's been planned for months, but it'll happen & you'll change with it. Every experience you have - good & bad - is sculpting you... & you get to choose not only a great majority of the paths you end up on, but how they will shape you - simply by how you choose to view what's in front of you.

    For optimists, change is exhilarating. It may be powerful & sometimes painful but, with it all, comes that slight feeling of anticipation for that amazing something waiting around the corner. It's exciting & scary & sometimes emotional... but it's what we live for. With change comes possibility & opportunity. Change has become an addiction, leading us to any & all of the places we've ever wanted to go.

    Somehow we know that if we accept the changes in our life now, things might just be easier in the future. Instead of panicking about a bad haircut we've just received, we remember that it will grow out; instead of allowing ourselves to criticize ourselves for something we have no control over, we search for & find the things that we do have control over... & get our butts in gear. We look at the bigger picture & decide what's most important to us in the world... & then we fight for it because we can.

    If change is inevitable & attitude is everything... If opportunity is knocking & anything is possible... Then why the heck not?

    Are you willing to go the distance?

    Now that we've really thought about how a complaint can affect your life, I thought I would give you details as to how I've been avoiding complaints. Keep in mind that we all complain... especially in horribly difficult times, but these are things to put your mind on the right track for all of those minor complaints, the ones that action could get rid of.

    Many do not realize the power of a complaint. Though we may be thankful for what we do have, a complaint can make it seem as though we are not thankful at all. Several can make us seem shallow, and complaints on an hourly basis can make us seem not only unbelievably selfish, but in dire need of attention.

    Why do we complain? There are several reasons. One might feel as though they deserve something that they do not have, perhaps be jealous that someone else has it, or even complain because they are simply bored. But what's the point? Although complaining may get you temporary attention, action is the only thing going to possibly fill that void. If you want something, go get it.

    Perhaps you're thinking that you don't care how you're viewed by others, and good for you. However, the complaint has more power than just how friends, family, and even employers see you. Below are 5 other ways that complaining can hurt you personally.

    Instead of keeping yourself, and possibly others, from accomplishing the things they've always dreamed of, take time and step forward on your own. Accomplish something, then another - without the help or opinions of others - and see how you feel. You may be pulling yourself out of that complaint pool just yet. :)

Are you willing to go the distance?

        I've seen those 30 Day Facebook Challenges; daily photo posts & memories that last a life time. But what about challenges that have you moving forward, changing you with every step?

    This is one challenge I'm sure will change you & those around you for the better. Perhaps you'll even be willing to share this challenge on the 2147Miles Facebook Fan Page.

    Enjoy! :)

Day 1: Celebrate May Day (It's tomorrow!) or send someone you care for a gift.
- Leave a gift on someone's door step, even if it's just a flower.

Day 2: Accomplish two things you've been putting off for a really long time.
 - Mine would be sanding down the kitchen window & repainting it.

Day 3: Pick up five pieces of garbage on the side of the road.

Day 4: Learn something new.
- Do you know how to tie a neck tie?
- How to make a good lasagna?

Day 5: Give someone a hand.
- Even holding the door open for someone. :)

Day 6: Celebrate an odd holiday.
- May 3rd was Lumpy Rug Day... I really don't know why.
- May 6th is Beverage Day or No Diet Day.
- May 7th is National Tourism Day
- Check out more here: May, 2012 Bizarre & Special Holidays.

Day 7: Tell someone your most embarrassing moment.
- We ALL have them! If you'd like, you can even anonymously post it here.

Day 8: Meet someone new. Yet to meet a neighbor?
- Introduce yourself to someone like you would've in first grade, like it's nothing.

Day 9: Eat something you wouldn't normally try, or something you hated as a kid.
- Mine was Elvis' Grilled banana & peanut butter sandwich. I then tried black liquorish... I still don't like it but taste buds do change.

Day 10: Turn off your phone & go without internet for an entire day.
- You heard me. It's time to take a break from technology. :)

Day 11: Catch up with an old friend.
- Facebook, email, good old fashioned mail... either way, check in.

Day 12: Get lost on StumbleUpon or Pinterest.
- Spend the day looking through all of your favorite things.

Day 13: Give a high five.... just because.

Day 14: Safely take a walk alone with your iPod.
- Sometimes that long walk on your own can be the most peaceful place.

Day 15: Let go of a grudge. - What are you letting go of?
- We all hold them. If something's bugging you, today's the day to let it go.

Day 16: Write a letter to a soldier - Send your support through A Million Thanks.

Day 17: Give a great review.
- Know a restaurant you absolutely love? Leave a review - it seems people only leave reviews when they're angry. Lets change it. (This can be done through yahoo, google, local newspaper sites & my favorite: Urbanspoon.com.)

Day 18: Contact me!
- Tell me something you would like to accomplish this year & why. I'll be sure to respond to everyone on how I might be able to help. :)

Day 19: No more complaints!
- Post on Facebook what you're thankful for.

Day 20: Be proud of your body today.
- Eat something you've been avoiding today and be proud!

Day 21: Send a thank you note, card, or gift.
- Has someone really helped you out lately, even in the slightest? Thank them.

Day 22: Give a compliment to someone you don't know.

Day 23: Plant something.
- A tree, a flower, pumpkin seeds, strawberries. Enjoy!

Day 24: Take a stand. Sign a petition on Change.org.
- Have something you stand for? Show your support. Worried about spam mail? Don't be. Change.org may send you reminders, but they can be easily taken off of your email by simply hitting the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the email.

Day 25: Gimme A Break Day!
- Go get a Kitkat bar. :)

Day 26:Enter a contest.
- Check out CMT.com for some fun ones if you like Country music.

Day 27: Learn a random fact. - I've always been curious why pilots say "Mayday."
- There are all sorts of random things to learn on the internet.

Day 28: Like the 2147Miles' Facebook Fan Page.
- Alright, this one isn't mandatory, but I thought you'd still enjoy it.

Day 29: Find out how well you know yourself.
- Check out Chatterbean.com for a fun 'know yourself' quiz or make a list of your favorites. Eggs? Color? Car Make & Model?

Day 30: Find out what makes you happy & take a leap of faith.
- Afraid to ask a girl out? Not sure about your career path? Do your research; find out what is going to make you happy for the rest of your life & take that next step. Giving it a shot is better than never knowing what could've been.

Are you willing to go the distance?

    Is headed your way. Stay tuned for details: You're sure to be impressed! Want a hint? - It involves these letters & numbers: M  E  2  I  I  E  4  1  L  S  L  V  7 ... and it has absolutely nothing to do with the world Evil. :)

    Also, don't forget to check out our first EVER Celebrity Person of the Month: Tuesday, May 1st at 8 am Pacific! ... *Her interview is bound to be magical.*

    Thought for the day: Life is about trial, error, & success. Without one, there isn't the other. Maybe today is the day to start living.

    There are so many things we've learned over the past year or so; whether big or small, we've grown in more ways than some of us may even realize. We learn from experience; teaching ourselves things or having others teach us instead, but my absolute favorites are the lessons we learn from others without them even knowing it.

    While I'm thankful for the lessons learned when watching others, I'm actually talking about the accidental lessons we learn when someone has hurt us badly, & on purpose. Somehow, knowing that pain will lead to a new lesson, a new me, makes it a little more bearable for me.
   
    As the lessons & experiences continue, whether good or bad, it's so important to not only remember them, but possibly even to document them; to remember how this lesson changed you for the good. With that positive note, no matter how spiteful someone might get, you have something to look forward to. No matter how spiteful someone might get, you've already won & can move forward.

    This blog is dedicated to several people I know, as well as myself; dedicated to the bullies & the bullied. Now is the time to change if you don't like who you see; now is the time to embrace who you've become, & look forward to who you're becoming.

A.E.C.
Song of Inspiration: Lessons Learned, Carrie Underwood

    Some days can remind us that life's not fair; whether you're watching the raindrops hitting a window on the weekend or you're hiding in your room trying to pull the pieces of your heart back together. For some, these days may come often; for others they may come seldom, but each and every one of us knows what it means to sing the blues.
    We also have our own ways of finding our way back into the sunlight, and I thought I'd share with you mine. Here's a get well package that's bound to bring you back.

Share Your Ideas by commenting below!

Dedicated to a good friend of mine. :)

A.E.C.

    We've all passed someone in the hallway at work who doesn't seem quite like themselves; we've all seen someone sitting alone seeming pretty down; & we've all felt down at one point or another ourselves. So why is it that so few of us stop to give that person a compliment or even a hello?

    Research has shown the power a compliment can have on someone, but do we really need research to get us empowered to compliment someone? Do we really need research in order to get ourselves to do the right thing and uplift someone when their down? Do we really need research to help us save the lives of others?

    One compliment is all it can take to make someone realize that they aren't invisible, that they do in fact matter. Make it a point to compliment at least one person every day, and at least one person you don't even know once a week. They will feel better about themselves and you'll feel better about you.

Who knows... maybe someone else will return the favor to you one day when you need it the most.

A.E.C.