My birthday is coming up this week.  In the past couple of years, I felt like a failure around this time of year because I was reminded of milestones of adulthood that I hadn’t yet achieved. However, this year my outlook has changed and I am embracing the day!

This quote has been my mantra as I’ve been navigating the journey of my twenties.  I threw off my bowlines, sailed away from the harbour, caught the tradewinds, but got stuck.   I stopped my journey for awhile, as I was unsure of the direction to sail my ship. The wind (i.e., the passion) was there; I was just unsure in which direction to steer.  Do I choose mainstream (i.e., the common path) or set my own course? 

During my pitstop, I reflected on my life journey thus far and where I could go from there.  I wanted to manifest my calling of empowering others to persist despite any setbacks they encountered.  As I was stuck momentarily, I decided to use my personal journey as a tool to start discussion and implement change.  Therefore, I developed my blog as a way to coach others to navigate their personal journeys. I went against the wind and began creating empowering media; I was turning my dream of helping others thrive into a reality.

I had this powerful dream the other night which I have to share with you.

It relates to a situation I have been going through over the past year.  I find that if you have been thinking about something a lot, your mind has a way of incorporating those thoughts into your dreams.

What happens when you meet that special someone, and then they move away? Do you pursue them, or do you forget them and find another who lives closer to you?

I find I’m hearing this question a lot in my circle of friends and with others in their twenties and early thirties. Therefore, I thought I would share this question with you all.

Tell me if any of these scenarios sound familiar to you:

• I met this special someone during school; after I graduated, I moved to a job somewhere else.
• I met a special someone on vacation, and then we both had to go back to our “real” lives.
• I met a really special person, then found out they have a job where they are travelling all of the time.

Have you ever hiked up a mountain? Or driven up one?

It honestly doesn't matter how you got there (although, hiking is way more fun); there are many routes to the top. As a recent graduate, I feel there are many ways for me to get to the top of my personal mountain (i.e., achieving what my goals are in life).

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.

I have been to two weddings in the past couple weeks; one as a bridesmaid and one as a guest.  The main question that was on many peoples minds when they saw a mid-to-late twenty something woman was: WHY AREN'T YOU MARRIED YET?

For example, here is the conversation that I had with my cab driver leaving the city a couple days later.

"So what brought you to town? Were you on business?"

"No, I was in a friends wedding."

"Oh ok. So... when's your wedding?"

"Not for a while. I haven't found the right guy yet"