* 2147Miles.com *

    Out of the many things I've got to learn in this life, it's that we not only get bullied when we're little, but it can continue the rest of our lives - if we let it. If you really think about it, it's true. So many of us are bullied in our relationships, our friendships & our careers but we continue to put up with things that we shouldn't be putting up with. Why? And what is it that finally gets us to take action? Why does it take so much to get us to take action?

    When I was little, there was a big part of me that believed that standing up for myself would get me into big trouble. Granted, I wasn't about to punch someone or anything, I'm talking about my fear to even fight back verbally. I couldn't do it. I was too nervous or not quick enough or had too many people ganging up on me. It was exhausting. And this bullying continued somewhat through high school.

    It wasn't until I was 21 that I realized it was still happening. Even though I was out of high school, there were people in my life that were pushing me around & messing with me just because they knew they could, people who played mind games & always left me feeling like I was the one to blame. And when I realized it, my world crashed in a little.

    That's the other thing about life, when you start taking actions to defend yourself, sometimes your world will fall. You might lose friends and burn bridges, but you want & need to know what it feels like to not have that burden anymore. But you want to know the best part about it all crashing in? After crawling out of that rubble? There's sunlight & blue skies. And then, just when you thought it couldn't get any better, you start rebuilding... renovating your world. It's exhilarating. You find a passion for life that you didn't know you had because of all that was piled on before, & you get to build it however you'd like.

    I guess what I'm getting to is that standing up for yourself shouldn't ever be scary, because not only are you changing your life for the better, but you're building a strong, meaningful person. Standing up for yourself is your first step in gaining confidence; a gateway action you could say. Each time you take that stand, you learn something new about yourself, as well as those around you. You build character & you find people who would never treat you that way.

    Making a change is a big deal. It's intimidating & exhilarating & so unbelievably scary... but you need to start living life for you. And - trust me - when you live life for you, the world is a completely different - happy - inspiring - moving - and all around amazing - place. It's one of the most incredible things in the world & I would highly recommend it.


A.E.C.  

    Hot chocolate cheers to my website this morning. :) Words cannot express how incredible it is that it's been up & running for two years today, let alone the fact that it's been impacting others - even in the slightest. I cannot thank you all enough for allowing me to share all of this with you. :) It's a big deal to me.


    With that said, here are several features & activities in celebration of the site's 2nd birthday. Today's celebrations include an all-day quote day. Instead of just one quote, there will be many - provided on the new Quote page, within the Inspiration Page tab. I'll also be posting two other blogs and a few new Goal Stories this week. Lastly, take a look at the following new features provided on 2147Miles.com.

    Many of you might be wondering about the adventure Lucas & I had driving down the Oregon coast this last weekend. We drove nearly 1600 miles in four days stopped at one concert, three air museums, & visited with one of my good friends, as well as some family. I must say that we accomplished so much... as well as a few of my goals. :)
    The first morning, we woke up around 6 am to find it snowing. Needless to say, we decided to head out on our adventure even with the snow & the trouble we had in some of the passing lanes. It wasn't until nearly 80 miles into our trip that we finally found some clear skies & roads. We actually began to wonder when we had last seen the sun.

    After that first bit of snow, we only saw a few raindrops and mainly sun as we headed to Portland, to Seattle, & all the way down the coast starting in Astoria as well.
    The photography options were endless & I got so many great shots. Here are just a few of the unedited... over 800ish photos we accrued. :) What can I say?
    Because it would take a novel to write about everything that we got to see & experience, let me just say that if you ever get the chance to drive down the Oregon coast - don't hesitate to scream YES. I cannot wait for our next adventure. :)

A.E.C.

Adventures take you places you never thought you would ever go & give you knowledge you didn't even know you could gain.

Adventures involve risk, which is one of the many reasons why one might not go out on a limb to try something new.

Adventures are always bold. Whether you're traveling across the country or you're just trying a new food.

Adventures are fulfilling & help us to accomplish so much more.

Adventures push you, give you guts, & allow you to continue on to yet another adventure.

Adventures teach you & shape you... always for the better. We learn, we move forward, & we take more adventures.

If you've ever questioned who you are & what you want out of life - go out there & find out everything you can about yourself. Try different foods, take road trips, send messages in bottles, bury at time capsule, pay it forward, take chances & learn from the outcomes, do things you've only imagined. :) Because now's the time.

For my Cousin Lena. Xo

A.E.C.

    Feeling lucky? It's St. Patrick's Day! To celebrate, 2147Miles.com is giving away the New & Improved 2147Miles.com Personal Planner - PRINTED & BOUND - full of fun activities to motivate and inspire you each month for the rest of the year.

    How do you enter? Simply post your favorite motivational or inspirational quote into the comments section of this post by March 31, 2012. Be sure to leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. You will not be contacted with advertisements. *Promise.* Your planner will be shipped as soon as I receive the details on where to send it, and can be shipped anywhere in the USA.

    Out of the states? Don't worry! The 2147Miles.com Personal Planner will be available for FULL download on April 1st. (No, this is NOT an April Fool's joke.)

    IT'S BACK April 1st! Technical difficulties due to file size kept the 2147Miles Planner on hold, but not anymore. Enjoy quotes from the site, activities, sections for goal lists, ways to pay it forward and so much more with the 2147Miles Personal Planner - All about going the distance. :)

A.E.C.

    At a young age, many of us are told that if we put our minds to something, anything is possible. We're told that we can be anything we want to be if we believe in ourselves with everything that we have. What many of us weren't told is that this would also require a great physical effort; that our greatest dreams and goals don't simply fall into our laps.

    Nearly five years ago now, after graduating high school, I found myself so confused as to why my life hadn't officially started yet. I was questioning everything: Where am I going to go to college? Do I want to go to college? Where do I live? Should I travel? I had options. Too many options. How do you choose?

    What I discovered while trying to answer these questions amazed me: Somehow, I'd subconsciously believed that something would come along in my life and give me a big push. Wrong. Just as we're the only ones who can step in the way of our dreams, we're also the only ones who can push ourselves toward them. Believing in yourself, in others, and in your dreams is just like writing down a goal list: It gets you somewhere in theory, it's positive and important, but in order for any of it to come true, you must step into action.

    We cannot just Believe, we must also Live the things that we believe in.

    Pushing yourself toward your greatest dream can carry with it all sorts of fears and intimidation, but the best part of it all is that you are truly in control. There is no waiting for 'luck' or 'good fortune' to strike because you create those things. There is no waiting for life to begin because it already has... and you may be missing out.

A.E.C.

 
I've seen some of you - rushing to get to work or school - not taking note of those around you. Speeding, running red lights, tailgating, & cutting people off.

Come on now... that's no way to get ahead in life. :)

Here are a few of my favorite ways to really get ahead, and change your life for the better.

1. Pay It Forward - There are quite a few out there who don't believe in giving to others, and they don't understand how this can get them anywhere in life. Not only can helping others change your view of the world, but it can help you meet some great friends, partners, and even contacts who could help get you even further. :) See my list: 83 Ways to Pay It Forward.

2. Believe In Karma... at least a little? - Whether you like to admit it or not, being kind to people (or being rude) can really make an impact on your life. No matter who you are or where you live, word gets around. A great example is a real estate agent: you want people to refer you, but if you're rude to someone the chances of them referring their millionaire buddy to you are extremely slim. Same goes with any business you're involved in. Being rude won't always come back at you, but you'd be surprised how often it does.

3. Take It Easy - So someone made you mad on the road? Whether you're in a hurry or not, getting upset and doing something rude isn't going to help you or anyone else. Make yourself feel better by taking it easy, and letting others in front of you every now and then. (Remember to also be courteous to the people behind you. Stopping to let five cars in every two seconds is not very nice.)

4. Create A Bucket List - I won't deny that this one's my favorite. Creating a list of everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) that you want to do in this life time not only gives you peace of mind, but it allows you to build the world and the life you've always wanted. A bucket list is your very own, personal guide to life.

5. Sleep On It - If there's ever something I'm not at least 80% sure about, I tell myself to sleep on it. Whether this be a big purchase, a change in your career, or something you're looking at dramatically changing, sleeping on it can really help you decide if it's really something you want to do. - Listen, we all make mistakes, but fewer are made this way.

6. Be Yourself - There's nothing more frustrating than trying to be someone you're not. Starting today, be the real you in every way that you can think of... and if you're not sure who that is, go figure it out. I'm not sure there's anything more  appealing than someone who knows who they are, what they want, and who's not afraid to go after it all.

7. Lighten Up - All of these options are ways you can find opportunity, but what happens after it's finally knocking? This means it's time to lighten up, grow up, and take your pick. This is not a time to be afraid of rejection or failure or 'heading down the wrong path.' It's time to take action and start living your life for you... It's time to make yourself feel worthy of the life you're living.

A.E.C.

Many of you may have heard that I recently got involved with the Kelly Clarkson Fan Club/ rewards center on her website. For a few months, I was on her site nearly every day: watching videos, posting comments, playing music, etc so that I might get the chance to meet her or get front row tickets.

It was a battle until the very end. Staying up pretty late and hitting the refresh button over and over, having internet troubles every now and then... and being pretty upset last night when I found out I wasn't going to meet her during her Seattle concert like I'd hoped.

I read through a few peoples' comments on her website about how 'unfair' everything was, how they didn't feel that they were giving everyone a fair chance. And out of all of the excuses, there wasn't one that said: Wow. That was a rush. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I'm going to keep my points and prepare for next time.

I can understand people being upset about not getting to meet their all-time idol - trust me - but that's no reason to freak out at her managing staff. We should be thankful we get to go to the concerts - thankful we've been given a free opportunity to meet someone so meaningful to us... because, believe it or not, some people don't get opportunities like that. Most fan sites are ones you can only pay for, and even then you're not guaranteed a meet & greet. All I could think about, even as disappointed as I was, is how cool is it that I'm getting to go to my 3rd Kelly Clarkson concert? I'm so lucky.

People have said it time and time again - and they're right: When something gets you down think about everything that you're thankful for. There's always something to be thankful for. Stop being negative and think positive.

A.E.C.

1. Ask Yourself: What Do I Want? - It may sound like a simple question, but it's an important one that many people forget to ask themselves. It doesn't matter if the answers come out random, if they're 'unbelievable' or if you feel that this dream may only come with luck. Just take a moment to really think about everything you've wanted in this life time.

2. Write It Down - This is a very difficult task for some, but I've known it to work for everyone I know that's been unsure about something. Taking the time to get out the tools and write everything down will really help you to not only visualize all of the things you've always wanted in life, but it will also help you when you're ready to attack.

3. Remove The Limits - As you begin writing down your random list of goals, don't limit yourself. Anything and everything you've ever imagined doing is possible, so why limit yourself in any way when there are no limits in life?

4. Don't Forget Your Fears - You'd be surprised how many goals are set because of the fears people carry with them. Your fears limit you, so making it a goal to overcome them is a way of truly bringing your forward personally.

5. Break Them Down - Another way people set their goals is by breaking the big ones down into a 'step by step' form, allowing the goal to not only be less intimidating, but a little more reasonable. For example, a singer looking to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry might begin performing in Nashville locally, pushing themselves toward a signing contract, and perhaps performing in several huge local venues before lastly making their way to the 'big leagues.'

6. Do It For You - I cannot stress how important it is to accomplish your goals for you. So many people get wrapped up in trying to impress a loved one. Make and accomplish your goals for you and you will go so much further!

7. Get Them As You Go - Some people feel as though they need to accomplish their goal list before they can go after something else, but that's not the case at all. As you create your list of goals, there will be more that you'll want to accomplish. You'll find goals through your experiences.

8. Learn Along The Way - Another myth some people hold on to is that they cannot remove a goal from their list unless they've accomplished it, but just as you'll get new goals as you go, you'll also learn things along the way that may change a few of your goals.