Q&A

What is the most important "thing" in your life?

  Passion. I love life, people fascinate me especially those whose lives are a lot different than mine. I'm tremendously passionate about getting to know what makes someone tick.  When they let me get to know them beneath their surface I just eat it up like candy.  It's completely exhilarating to me.

  I'm more open than ever to learning and experiencing just about anything, and not afraid to get uncomfortable doing it. I find approaching life with an aggressive curiosity and enthusiasm brings new experiences that make it incredibly rewarding. We all need to have things and people we're passionate about.


What is the most difficult situation you ever faced? Why was it difficult for you to deal with? What did you learn from it?

  Recovering from my car accident two and a half years ago was probably the most difficult situation I've ever had to deal with. Physically I recovered in a short time but emotionally I came out of it changed, a more intense version of myself. I wasn't sure what I was feeling or why. All my senses were overloaded,  I was extremely emotional and attuned to what others were going through.  I felt a huge void and questioned everything I thought I knew about myself.

  What I learned from it is that there's a reason for everything that happens in life, even if it isn't readily apparent to us at the time.  If I hadn't had that accident and felt something missing in my life as a result, I wouldn't have started my blog and reached out. And I wouldn't have met so many unbelieveable people. The void I once felt has been filled.

How do you deal with negative people?

  First I think negativity is very subjective.  The attitude you carry determines how you see others; if you're generally negative you won't notice it as much, generally happy and you'll see more negativity around you. But it's what you do with that attitude that will determine how you deal with others.  

  The hardest thing sometimes is to put yourself in another's place. People usually aren't miserable for the sake of being that way, there's usually a set of circumstances that have lead them there. I think it's important to show compassion and give people the benefit of the doubt.  But...

  ...it still doesn't mean we have to be around them. Over time negativity can wear on even the most positive person.  It's tough but sometimes we have to cut those who bring us down out of our lives, for the sake of our own mental well-being. Like a drowning person who will pull us down if we let them.  Maybe this sounds harsh, but in the same way we look after our physical health we need to look after our mental health as well, and protecting our attitude is an important part.