ROAD TRIP! - Tips & Tricks. 17 Hours, 2 Adults, and 1 Five Year Old!

Destination: Davenport, Florida.

Miles: 1,105.4

Time: 17 hours, 10 minutes.

Every year around this time, Chris goes to Florida to visit his family. A few of them work for Disney so vacation is usually filled with tons of awesome Disney destination trips, pools, beaches, lots of food and family fun! I have joined Chris on his Florida vacation road trips the past two years and am so excited for our third trip together! Even more so because we are toting along little man! YAY!

In this post I will be talking about how I prepared for the trip- from what I packed to tips and tricks I used in the car to keep a 5 year old comfortable and entertained! I will also be talking about all of the places we visited and just documenting our trip! :) Hope my information can help or at the very least entertain you!

So lets get started..

What to pack?

I am going to break this section down into a couple categories.

1.Emergency Kit

2. Car Entertainment

             a. Chris & Myself  

     b. Little Man

3. Car Comfort

4. Snacks, Drinks, etc.

5. Pool & Beach Bag

6. Toiletries

7. 5 Year Old Suitcase

8. Adult Suitcases

1. Emergency Kit

Any time you are going on a trip, especially one that is like ours- very long, in drive and stay, you have to be prepared! It is especially important in this case as we will have a little person with us! Of course you can always stop to grab something you may need but that is wasteful in gas, time, and money. SO BE PREPARED! 

I just used a little OPI bag I had sitting around. Any small bag will work just fine!

This is what the inside of my Emergency Kit looks like. And if you remove the towel roll that is sitting on the top it looks like this....

Below, I have all of the items of my Emergency Kit laid out. 

The items include:

• Kitchen Towel
• 2 Garbage Bags
• Hair tie
• Tooth Pickers
• Little Man's Sunglasses
• Bandaids
• Wet Ones
• Tissues
• Paper Towels
• Tums
• Children's Motrin
• Iburpofren
• Allergy Relief
• Vitamins
• Cough Drops
• Mucinex

That should about cover any emergency items that may be needed while in the car. I have other items as well such as Aloe Vera, Kids Avengers Vitamins, etc.- but those can be located in the Beach and Toiletry Bags. Hopefully nobody will be getting sun burnt in the car! 

I have the baggies of pills labeled. (In case I ask Chris to grab something for me ;) I of course know what they are based on looks.)

You may be wondering why I have a towel with garbage bags tied up in it? Well...Sometimes, spills can be a bit too hefty for paper towels- so in the case of a larger spill, we will be prepared. I have garbage bags in case I need them for trash, dirty clothes, etc. I have them rolled up because I needed an extra hair tie anyway and it was helpful for saving space in the kit! :)

See..just some bags wrapped up in a towel! 

This little Emergency Kit fits nicely in my Books/DVD tote that I will have with me in the car!

2. Car Entertainment

Being that we will be in the car for about 17 hours, we are making sure that we have plenty to keep us entertained. I know a lot of people have trouble reading in the car. However, I don't have that problem and reading makes my time in the car FLY! So I am packing tons of reading material! 

Road trips seem to require lots of bags. So I picked this one up at Old Navy for $1.50! This is the bag I am using to hold reading material and DVD's. 

The Emergency Kit will sit right on top as well :)

This bag holds more than it looks like it would!

This is the reading material that I am bringing and I am sure Chris will add a few more books to the selection! I have a good range in case I get bored. Everything from Cos magazine, a memoir, self help books- to educational teaching books. (Can you believe I fit all these in that bag?!)

These are only a few of the DVDs we are taking. We also have The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and more! The DVD player will mostly be for Little Man, but we may take advantage of it as well while he's sleeping.

Make sure your Portable DVD Player is FULLY Charged before leaving! 

TOY BAG!

We will be taking a bag of toys, not only for in the car but also for the entire week we will be there. While we will be busy and on the go most of the time, I wanted to be sure I had toys for any down time in the morning or before bed. :) He is only 5 and any unstructured time to him is play time! Keeping him busy and having fun is always a priority.

• I bought a couple clearance toys to bust out on the ride any time he might get sick of the car. Its just something he has never seen before that will hopefully grab his attention for even a short period of time. 
• Leap Frog
• BOOKS!
• Angry Birds

My mom is AWESOME and also pulled through with tons of awesome stuff for him to play with in the car. She's been there, done that and her items are all pretty ingenious. THANKS MOM! :) Love you!

3. Car Comfort

There is nothing worse than being uncomfortable when you are in the car for hours on end. While it obviously won't be luxurious, the goal is to make the car as comfy as possible while being safe. 

We are not willing to compromise our safety and especially not little man's. So the best we can do is bring lots of blankets and pillows!

The driver is the driver and they don't get to ride on the comfy train.

However, the passenger seat is a different story!

When I travel in the front seat I like to make sure I have plenty of leg room, a nicely reclined seat, a pillow for my back, a pillow for my head and my awesome fur blanket! Aahhh.

For Little Man, we covered his seating area with his Angry Birds sheet. For some reason laying a sheet down just seems to ALWAYS make things comfier. If nothing else it surrounds him with his favorite, angriest little birds! We have a pillow for his back, a pillow for his head, and of course all of his buds- his stuffed Angry Birds. :)

We have a good stock of cold drinks and snacks to keep our tummies comfy on our trip as well.

Accepting Defeat

Have you ever wanted something so badly and have it just not work out for you?

Sometimes you may even get your hopes up and the feeling of the fall isn't the best. But you can look at it one of two ways. As always. With a positive or negative mindset.

This is a post about something I have been dealing with lately and I am surprised with how quickly it came to me and how strongly I truly feel about this.

Looking defeat in the face can be discouraging.

That is our immediate feeling. But it only lasts as long as we let it.

I have been applying, studying, reviewing, and gathering ideas for the past year in my search for a full time job doing what I love. I have had several bites but none have worked out for me. I have had momentary thoughts that I must be doing something wrong, even that I may not be good enough. But those thoughts didn't last. Partially because I have the greatest people around me reminding me of my worth and assuring me that it just wasn't the right job. And the other reason is because I know in my heart that's simply not true. I know that when the time comes I will be great at my job because I am passionate about it and I will be successful at all costs. 

But in my defeat I have also felt liberated. I have felt thankful. I know that there is a plan and I know that every turnout is part of the plan. In each interview I have learned something new. What I don't know enough about, what schools are focusing on, and what they are looking for in their future employees. I have got to meet a lot of people and practice my interviewing skills. Perhaps the most valuable lesson I have learned is to be myself. I am not trying to fit the vision of what somebody wants. I am showing up, answering questions honestly and to the best of my ability and waiting for the employer who wants what I have to offer. 

At the end of the day I know that there is a specific place for me to teach at and there is a specific time for that to begin. While I do not know when or where, I do know that it will happen in it's own time. And until then, I will prepare myself as best as I know how.

Everything is happening according to plan and I am learning and growing with every obstacle along the way. 

xoxo, Bethany

My Purpose For Being Here..

"You laugh, you cry, and you work harder than you ever thought you could. Some days you're trying to change the world, and other days you're just trying to make it through the day. Your wallet is empty, your heart is full and your mind is packed with memories of kids who have changed your life. Just another day in the classroom."

When I was a little girl, I was intrigued by the art of teaching. I don't know what it was at the time that interested me but I would play "teacher" for hours in my grandma's basement. She had a little chalkboard with the Alphabet across the top of it and workbooks from the 70's that previously belonged to my aunt and my mom. That chalkboard was my throne in my pretend classroom in that cellar. 

I also turned the basement at my parents house into my classroom. In fact, I wrote all 30 names of my imaginary students, the 10 classroom rules, and our classroom schedule on the basement wall...in pen. Sorry mom and dad! :)

Whatever it was, that's what I wanted to do. Teach. 

I argue that it could be that I loved school. I always have. I love learning, I love classroom activities, I love recess, school lunches, the uncomfortable desks that I organized my stuff in just so, pencil boxes, routines, new folders, a fresh notebook, and ballpoint pens. I love it all.

But I also think it's credited a great deal to the adults in my life that instilled a love for the classroom. My parents being the first people. They made school a positive experience for me. When I succeeded in school they were proud of me. And second, the teachers I was lucky enough to have. The ones in particular that provided me with a-ha moments and a caring enriched environment. I will always remember those teachers.

Starting Early

Having realized early in life what my end goal was going to be, I started surrounding myself with any experiences that I thought would help me grow in that field.

At 14, I got a job at The Rec working with children. I did anything from teach gymnastics, youth yoga, youth softball to working parents night out, youth summer craft events, and more. I loved my job and that is where I stayed for many years.

After High School I moved onto BGSU Firelands where I got my Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education. To broaded my grade span I continued my education and received my Education Generalist Endorsement for grades 4 & 5. This program provided me with some of the most important lessons, experiences, and blessings in my life thus far.

This is where I : Student taught, spent countless hours in the education room, built relationships with colleagues, built rapport with students, bonded with classmates with the same heartfelt goals as myself, failed, succeeded, worked with professionals who bent over backwards to prepare us for the classroom, and soaked every last bit of knowledge as I could from my peers, students, university mentor, classroom mentor, and professors so that one day when it was my responsibility to teach children I would do so successfully.

My Graduating class of BGSU Firelands will always hold a special spot in my heart!

Also, after High School I was hired as the Assistant Cheerleading Coach at NHS. This job prepared me in many unexpected ways as well. To be able to teach, support, and keep control of 20+ high school girls toughened me up for a classroom of younger children. 

I student taught in a 3rd grade classroom in an Intermediate School about 30 seconds down the road from where I live.

                           

My collaborating teachers were all so different in their teaching styles, yet all so effective. It really showed me that despite the methods you go about teaching you can be successful in many different ways. It helped me realize what my style is and what I want to be like as a teacher. My mentor was understanding, supportive, and just overall a kind-hearted woman in her last year of teaching. She is such a strong person who is tough as nails with a heart of gold. She gave me an example to strive for.

                               

My first year out of college I was hired as the Head Preschool Teacher at Playland Daycare Ltd. The experience I had as a Preschool teacher was awesome. It taught me that chaos is okay, flexibility is key, and that sometimes you just need to stop and shake your sillies out. I had two classes. A 3 year old class and a 4 year old class. However, having a PreK in a daycare is different than a school in that you can have any kids in your classroom on any day. This helped me improve my skills as far as keeping children challenged regardless of who your focus is on at the time. My experience was rich and fun and I wouldn't change it for the world! I will never forget my kiddos from this past year!

Where do I go from here?...

 I have decided that it is my goal to teach in a public school setting. Hiring season is in full swing and things are still up in the air. But I have decided that next year I would like to be a Substitute Teacher in full force so I can get acquainted with the schools and staff in the area. 

I have been beyond blessed with every opportunity and experience that has been handed to me so far in my stride to being a classroom teacher and I am so thankful.

xoxo, Bethany

My Fitness Journey

A Compilation Post: My fitness journey, goals, strengths, weaknesses, and upcoming plans!

 

Almost 5 months into my new lifestyle and I am learning something new everyday....

If there could be just one small ten item list of what I have learned so far it might look something like this.

1. Being healthy is a lifestyle.

    You want to look good for bikini season? Sounds Good! You want to fit into your old jeans? Okay! But if you're going to get healthy it needs to be a lifestyle. There's no 21 day fix to being unhealthy. 

2. It takes time to create a new lifestyle.

     I am learning new things every day about having a healthy lifestyle. Its not always easy to say no to unhealthy things, and to be honest, a lot of the time I don't say no. But that goes without saying, the consequences follow. It takes awhile and for me it has taken research and a lot of questions to figure it out and I am still learning. In order for it to be permanent you have to be happy with it or have an extreme amount of will power. So you have to make it right for yourself. 

3. It takes a LOT more time to improve than it does to backtrack.

    I have found that there is a reason you have to do things the right way- no excuses. Because if you don't, the weeks it took you to get somewhere will only take days to reverse. Do it right and don't waste your time (I need to remind myself of this)

4. Having support and people working towards the same thing is a blessing.

     As you know, I have a personal trainer. I also attend several of his circuit training classes each week. Through these workouts I have met so many awesome people. Knowing that we are all there working towards the same goal is such a great feeling. It's something you have to experience to understand, but it's one of the truest forms of motivation. 

5. Half ass work will get you half ass results, at best.

    This isn't a 5 page report, this is your life. If you're going to put in piss poor effort you are only hurting yourself and essentially wasting your time. A little hard work never hurt anybody. But at the end of the day, you only get out of something what you put into it. My trainer always makes it a point to tell us this and make sure we are giving 100% effort.

6. You are capable of much more than you give yourself credit for.

     You may not be where you want to be. But if you work hard, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually you will get better. And if you keep it at, imagine how much you can improve. I am much more capable of certain workouts than I was to start, and now that I have seen improvement, I know that there is more to improve on. Set big goals then work hard to get there. It will happen.

7. Don't take advantage of healthy foods and nonfat labels

     STRUGGLE CITY! You mean these reduced fat cheez-its add up after you eat the whole box? That's weird...

8. Staying Positive is a lifestyle

      Having a positive attitude is not only mentally life changing, but physically. You are literally not going to get as much out of anything in life with a negative attitude as you will with a positive one. Keep your head up and keep working.

9. Healthy lifestyles don't just look good on you but they feel good too.

    When I started eating healthier and getting active it was amazing the things I didn't realize were encompassed in this kind of lifestyle. You mean that not every meal shouldn't make me sleepy with a stomach ache? The foods you eat should make you feel better not worse. That's our energy source, and if it's not doing it's job then you're not doing something right.

10. JUST. KEEP. MOVING. -Tim Dorsey

       It really is just as simple as that. 

Do What Makes You Happy

In every minuscule aspect of your life..

Because you can.

And because, why wouldn't you?

It all comes down to this- We wake up each day with a choice. People have argued this to be true or not to be true but I believe it to be 100% true in every situation because I live by it. I have seen it prove itself to be true over and over. The choice we wake up with each day is simple, to be happy or not to be. Even though this is my choice, doesn't mean I always choose it. But even on those moody days, when I decide I am not happy for whatever reason- it is still completely true that I have knowingly chosen that for myself. And that's okay. But when it comes down to it, for the most part I choose to be happy.

Choosing to be happy creates a wonderful and beautiful ripple effect of happiness. I am truly happy but it all stems from the moment I decided that today, is gonna be a good day.

The law of attraction will tell you everything you need to know about this ripple effect of positivity. It's simply the truth that when you think good things, good things will be drawn to you. This also is true for  the most part that when you treat people REALLY well, they will treat you well in return. If you do what you can at all times to see the best in people and to be there for them they will most likely do the same for you. Can you imagine the type of people you'll have in your life if you treat EVERYONE in this way? It's amazing. I see it everyday. Now, not everyone that I treat well treats me well in return. But I don't care. That's not important. I believe that maybe me treating them the right way, over time will rub off on them. And to be honest, who knows what is going on in their life causing them to act the way the do. This isn't important. People can only affect you as much as you let them. This is another thing people OFTEN struggle with. People letting others control how they feel. That is also our choice. Do what you can do, and if people don't respond how you want them to then that is just not your problem.

Moving on...

Now that you know that happiness is your choice, know that all day long you should be doing something that makes you happy. Because like it or not, today is extremely important. Because today is all that we really truly have for certain. Yesterday is over and tomorrow is going to hold it's own events and memories. So that's why TODAY is important. 


All day long, do what makes you happy. Smile at people, play your music as loud as you want, text your friend when you think of something funny, hug your significant other, tell people you love them, sing out loud even if you sound like an in patient at a psyche ward. And most importantly, be yourself.

If you're the biggest weirdo ever, than be that! The people who are supposed to be in your life will be drawn to you. If people don't like you for who you are then that's insignificant because they don't have any business being in your life. AND THAT'S OKAY! No beef.

If that one song from 1998 makes you happy, then blare that! Stop caring about whats cool and do what makes you happy. Dance around your room and laugh at yourself thinking about how big of a creep you'd look like if someone saw you. Talk in a weird voice because it makes you laugh. Make weird entrances and exits in and out of rooms. WHATEVER IT IS THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY- DO THAT!

My ideas of what makes me happy may be totally off the wall to you, because that's what makes ME happy. Silly little things. So go...pay attention to what it is that makes you laugh, smile, feel good and make an effort to do that as much as possible.


Because you can.
And because, why wouldn't you?

                               xoxo, Bethany

                   

What Happy Women Know

A Thursday night read...

"In the end, I learned that happiness is far more than a mood or an emotion; it is a way of being, a way of knowing what is right and good, and living true to that."

On Thursday nights I am home while Chris closes down the store so I am always thinking of different ways to spend my spare time. Tonight's plan includes reading some of my books I had sent to the library since they finally came in today!

Tonight's book of choice is What Happy Women Know written by Dan Baker, PhD.  Something about nonfiction books written by intelligent and experienced writers catches my eye. 

The idea behind the book:

• Dan Baker is a medical psychologist dedicated to the study of human behavior. He carries out his studies at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. His idea behind this book is to provide tools and information that works specifically for women. It is supposed to provide skills to develop a greater sense of purpose, reconnect with love and appreciation, recapture a sense of adventure, and achieve emotional well-being. Teaches you to look on the bright side and enjoy a richer, healthier, more enjoyable life. (Can you tell I pulled this from the back cover? lol)

The focus is on Positive Psychology. The idea that looking ahead does not mean repressing memories of the past, but embracing your past experiences and moving forward into your future with emphasis on possibilities. The following quote I think sums it up extremely well-

"Identifying a person's virtues, strengths, and character and then building on them is far more helpful than pointing out a person's weaknesses and trying to fix them."

This outlook is so attractive to me. I have always been big on positive outlooks but this quote makes perfect sense to me and sums up the idea perfectly. This takes my train of thought directly to my students. It is an awesome outlook for teachers. Sometimes it is easier and feels better to point out a person's flaws and make them understand what they did wrong to prevent them from doing it again. But for whatever reason, the opposite works so much more effectively. The more you point out a person's positive qualities, the better they feel about themselves, and the more they want to do good.

I wanted to point out some noteworthy points that I have come across in this book! They make you think.

1. Skiing through the trees- First of all, skiing through trees sounds like a terrifying experience. However, it serves as a great metaphor. When skiing down a slope through trees your defensive instincts want you to focus on the trees. However, you literally move towards things you are focused on. Having said that, you would want to focus on the space between the trees. While yes, you are more tuned into threatening forces, that doesn't mean you need to spend the majority of your time focusing on them. 

2. The Joys of Getting It Wrong- Perfectionists fear this outlook and have a hard time accepting it. However, the happiest most successful people face getting it wrong head on. In fact, they embrace it because with being wrong comes the undeniable fact that you are one step closer to getting it right. There's something to be said about having:ownership of knowledge that can only come from experience of failure.

3. Its About Priorities-At one point in the book it talks about people-pleasers. While doing things for others is an amazing thing, it should never get to the point where you put yourself on the back-burner. The people who have so much to take care of often say "how could I make an hour for myself" but the question is how can you not? Especially if people rely on you, you need to first make yourself the person you need to be. This struck me because I have said it myself and have heard so many others say they don't have time for themselves, but Baker says it perfectly. "Here's the truth: You have the same amount of time everyone else has, so it's never really about time; it's about priorities."

4. If Not Now, Then When? - The main thing I can say about this is that it stood out to me because I struggle with it. Why are beds and couches so comfy and inviting? I DONT KNOW! But, the reality is we have the make the most of our time because when all is said and done we really don't have a whole lot of it. Especially if we want to do what we are here to do- whatever that may be, we aren't going to get their on the couch. "Happy women understand that today is all we can be sure of, and they know how to make the most of it."  Below is a video I ironically watched earlier today that supports this idea. Mind boggling. 

5. Downtime- "Happy women know that downtime is not a luxury, it is essential to well-being." I am adding this to the list because it was a moment in this book where I kind of patted myself on the back for always somehow having realized this. It also correlates with the last point- always making the most of your time. Don't confuse making the most of your time with going going going 24/7. If you live a crazy chaotic life, using 30 minutes for downtime is one hell of a way to spend those 30 minutes if you ask me. It isn't a luxury but something one must to do look out for their own well-being. 

6. Getting drug down by negativity- This part of the book talks about revenge, which I don't really know about- I'm not really a revenge type of person but he does bring in very good points. Negative thoughts in general- revenge, holding a grudge, etc. They are not possible to be had without negativity and until you let it go it will keep you there. Another awesome idea he had was- Victimization, entitlement, rescue, and blame- VERBS.

He starts by saying, he has never met a happy victim. It seems like an easy way out at the time. But really? Own up to whatever it is and don't play the victim card. "Happy women understand the importance of personal power, which means their life belongs to them." You have a choice to be the victim of a situation or transcend from it and channel it into something that grows you. 

As far as entitlement goes, the idea that the world owes you something. It doesn't. Entitlement is nothing more than a passive approach to life. And that's all I have to say about that. "Happy women know that taking responsibility for what they have and haven't done leads to a powerful and fulfillment way of life."

7. Forgiveness- "Happy women know that forgiveness isn't letting others of the hook, it's letting yourself off the hook."

8. Getting them to Zero- While it's definitely not recommended to go around hating someone, some people just can't shake someone who has done them wrong or even just someone who rubs them the wrong way. Think of a scale from -20 to +20. This is your personal scale. -20 being the most hate you can feel and 20+ being love. Anyone who makes their way into the negatives is capable of doing nothing for you but awakening negative feelings that bring you down. What is the point of disliking someone anyway? They are getting more out of you than they deserve. Why center your thoughts or maybe even your life around someone you dislike. That's where "getting them to zero" comes in. If you don't enjoy someone, then don't think of them. They aren't worth expending an energy on. Besides, negative feelings are bad for your health.

9. Be your own best friend- "Happy women will never be alone because they never abandon themselves." Now, this point is not something I have always had on lock. I have at time been completely wrapped up in a relationship that I was literally reliant on that person. I can't express enough how important it is to be your own best friend. At the end of the day this is the only thing that will ensure that you live your own life of happiness. Nurture your passion, do what you love, make your life meaningful, focus on yourself, and help others.

10."Happy women know that a good attitude, valued relationships, and a meaningful life are the central ingredients to happiness."

Toward the end of the book Dan Baker lists the 10 Qualities of Happy Women. Being a psychologist for 20 years he has worked with all scores of women and these are the most prevalent qualities of the happiest ones, despite what they've been through. He has also come across some of the most blessed women who are nevertheless unfulfilled. His 10 Qualities of Happy Women are as follows:

1. Believing in yourself

2. Finding Your True North

Find what makes you happy, and do it for yourself and by yourself

3. Taking Personal Responsibility

4. Having Courage

Doing things for your own sake despite how hard it is

5. Being Altruistic

Do unto others. 

6. Embracing Optimism

"if more people could just lighten up and see life in a positive way, they would find more inner peace.

7. Being ProActive

8. Appreciating Life

9. Being Wise and Sharing Your Wisdom

10. Persevering

This book just may have landed itself on my Top 5 favorite books. I would recommend it to anyone. And while it is written for women I don't see any huge points that wouldn't be beneficial for men as well. Dan Baker is a very down-to-earth and realistic psychologist and writer with a lot of experiences to share. 2 Thumbs Up! :)

Shots of Awe

Jason Silva's Shots of Awe...

"Okay, so the idea is to believe in a more brilliant world. This requires a more child-like state of wonder. As Allen Harrington wrote in The Immortalist, 'we must all remain uncompromised as child voyagers, we must all maintain a child's eye view of what might be...'

What happens with adults is that we become jaded, you know? The 'been theres' and 'done thats' of the adult mind. It's a form of laziness, it's a form of dispensing with the here and now and jumping to the conclusions. It's a sort of impatience with lived life that we need to transcend. We need to reengage with the senses. We need to awaken the mind's attention from the lethargy of custom and the film of familiarity and redirect it to instead the wonders of existence."

"We're all born artists, we're all born ecstasy-seekers. And then it all just gets pummeled out of us, it gets like stripped away by banality."

"We need to strive to reenter these spaces because these are the only spaces that have ever led to visions that have reformed the world. And that my friends, is that."

Jason Silva is a film maker who has made a series of videos on his YouTube channel called 'Shots of Awe". All of his videos are only 2-3 minutes, but they all result in me sitting at my computer in awe. They really make me think and have a sense of legitimacy behind them. He is obsessed with the idea of life being a masterpiece and is blown away by the fact and idea that we have no limits. That when we step outside of our comfort zone we really start living. To tie into this philosophy of his, he says it is only possible if we maintain a child-like way of thinking. His favorite video of mine is "Ignite Your Child-like State of Wonder". 

I don't know why this idea is so provoking to me. It may be because my career is centered around children. Or maybe that my passion in life is to teach children. Either way..this idea is something that I have not only thought of before, but have actively explored in my own life. Like he says either in this or another video..they're all starting to blur together...is that it takes effort to put ourselves into this mindset. As adults, we consequently become jaded. We experience life and in return we build walls and barriers between the world and ourselves. Most likely as a defensive mechanism. This way of thinking, Silva calls a form of laziness. I think what he means by that is it takes effort to get ourselves to step outside the drawing of conclusions and look at the world in a child-like light.

I love this idea. He talks about how we are all born artists. As children, before we built those walls we were all dreamers and if we can get back to that way of thinking we can reform the world. 

Now don't get me wrong, I know that it's not realistic to go out into the world everyday without your defenses. But, you have to admit..it's definitely a cool idea. Something worth thinking about. And if you're like me, something worth striving for..