Arianna Merritt, MEd | Health Educator & Digital Creator

Song of the Week: "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield

Happy 2013! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends.

I'm looking forward to getting back to posting regularly after January 12th (when my book is done). I have some wonderful "Profiles of Perseverance" interviews and personal stories to share with you.

Other than spending time with loved ones, I devoted my time to finishing my book "Stand Tall & Speak From the Heart: How to Find Your Way," which is due out this month. As a result of all the writing I am doing, I chose a song of the week which has helped the process. The song is "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield which encourages me to be vulnerable and write. Natasha is an amazing singer and songwriter who speaks from her heart. I hope you like it!

Twelve Important Life Lessons I Learned in 2012

On December 31st, I always take time to reflect on the events of the past year and the lessons I have learned. Through the ups and the downs, I have experienced so much this last year and I would love to share 12 important lessons with you. 2012 was an amazing year for me. Let me share with you my reasons why through the top 12 lessons:

Ruvini Godakandae's Advice on How to Beat the Unemployed or Underemployed Blues

As you know, I love sharing inspiring stories to #fuelpersistence in jobseekers and new graduates. So, when a good friend of mine, Ruvini Godakandae, sent me this post I had to share it, as it holiday themed . I love how even though Ruvini has an obstacle in her path (being unemployed), she perseveres, reaches out, and inspires others! She now contiues to do so through being an employment educator (December, 2015). Thanks, Ruvini, for helping others shine!

You've Received a Holiday Card

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!!! This is one of my favourite times of the year.

My favourite gifts to receive at Christmas, other than spending time with those I care about, are cards. I love hearing people's updates on their lives and the simple action of telling me that they care means a lot. It doesn't matter if the card comes in an email or paper format - the point is they sent it. I have a box of all the cards I have been sent over the years. They mean a lot to me.

Persevere Even When No One Will Listen

“Never, ever, ever, give up!” You may have to adapt your course like I have, but trust me don’t quit! I have persevered through many obstacles in my life; the most recent occurred within the last year. Instead of giving up, I changed my approach. Doing so has made all the difference to achieving my goals.

Through my research and athletic experience at graduate school, I saw a need to reduce bullying in sport. The research I had conducted focused on creating effective school-based bullying prevention programs. However, towards the end of my studies, it became very apparent that prevention cannot only occur in formal classroom settings (as these programs were using). I believe this needed to reach beyond the classroom. After I graduated, I wanted to improve the climates of educational and athletic environments by focusing on healthy relationships.

Honoured to be in the Top 50 Personal Development Blogs of 2012

I found out earlier today that my blog Arianna's Random Thoughts made the list (#14) of the Top 50 Personal Development Blogs of 2012. I'm so humbled and thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You guys rock! Here are some of the beautiful nominations that my blog received:

I really appreciate you all for taking the time to vote, read my blog, share your stories, and be a source of hope in this world. I couldn't have received this without you as 35% of your blog award score is based on reader participation and voting. This award goes to you as well. Thank you for believing in my message and adding your voices and/or random thoughts to the conversation! :)

"A Broken Body ISN'T a Broken Person": Lessons Learned from Janine Shepherd

As I mentioned in my last post, I found my answer to the question “Who are your role models?” To me, my role models are individuals who have the courage to be real, to be vulnerable, to be themselves, and to share their journeys.

Janine Shepherd certainly fits those criteria.

I was introduced to her TedTalk after a friend and fellow blogger shared Janine's talk on her blog. I cried the first time I watched it. Thank you Amelia for introducing me to Janine's powerful story and for sharing your personal journey!

What It Means To Be A Role Model

Someone asked me "Who are your role models?", and to be honest, I had a hard time answering it. I couldn’t think of very many females of my generation (i.e., in their twenties) who I wanted to aspire to be like. The person who asked me the question was looking for examples of famous people.

I have had encounters with some famous people who I looked up to when I was a child, but when I met them in person years later, they were unfriendly and standoffish. I lost respect for them as the image they portray in the media is disconnected from the real version of themselves. There are many people that are the same onscreen as they are in person; those I respect and model after.

December Reflections

Well, this year I feel like that is happening to me in terms of my true authentic voice. It wants to speak and share with others. My inner voice is trying hard to be heard; it keeps making noise so that I will listen to it. Therefore, by writing and sharing; I am nourished and strengthened.

Strengthening our souls, using our voices, and nourishing our authentic selves are as essential to living a healthy life as eating is.

Since I love sharing with others, I am passing this knowledge on to you. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Here are some inspiring words to start your week! My youngest sister got me this poster as a birthday present and I absolutely love it! I am so thankful for this beautiful present that I have it hanging in a position to see it while I am writing.

This poster's words help. Proof: I finished my very rough draft for my NaNoWriMo book. Wohoo!! 50,000+ words in a month = DONE. I got my badge for finishing too ( see it in the sidebar).

Rise & Shine Interview: Tamarisk Saunders-Davies

I have interviewed many people for my #FuelPersistence series about how they persevere through many types of obstacles. After Tamarisk reached out and shared her story with me, I had to ask her to be part of this series. She is a brave indidivual who perseveres despite the challenges she is presented with in life. Tamarisk has really inspired me, and I thank her for talking about difficult subjects. It was really fitting to hear from an individual who is at high-risk of developing cancer, as many people in my life have been affected by cancer. As Tamarisk describes herself: "I’m a Connections Catalyst. Awesome title, right? Yeah, I made it up because ‘life coach’ doesn’t remotely sum up who I am, what I believe, or how I show up in the world. My purpose is to help you get more of what you want by showing you how to create the foundation from which to get it. We’re talking: greater confidence, clarity, and commitments around your emotional and spiritual well-being."

Thanks, Tamarisk, for sharing with us the lessons you have learned throughout your life! Read Tamarisk's interview below and feel free to leave comments afterwards :)

How to Help a Friend Cope With Illness

Perhaps you were like me; you never really thought death or serious illness would happen to you or to someone you cared about deeply. Then one day, you get the news. Trust me, how you cope with it makes all the difference. I initially wrote this post months ago, but after hearing many stories of illness recently, I thought it would be fitting to share this story now.

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