Mood Music: Go the Distance

Inspirational Song: Go the Distance - Disney- Hercules


Aside from Beauty and the Beast, this is my favorite Disney song. It gives me hope. This song is all about doing what you can do to get where you want to be. It's a powerful journey that is driven by the motivation to believe in yourself no matter what.

As my friend Kim requested, here is a list of things I did to "Go the distance":

The Disney College Program - one of the best decisions I ever made
Becoming an English Major - one of my easier decisions determined by my book collection.
Telling my crush I loved him- one of the bravest things any person will do
Standing up to a bully- always a difficult thing to do
Reconnecting with people- I'll never regret this decision
Enduring tough times- I'm still here
Writing a novel - I finished two
Entering Writing contests- I'm still doing this one
Applying for the ABC/Disney Program - reapplying next month!
Applied and got two jobs- incredibly important
Talked to someone I missed for a long time- a big step for me
My blog- still writing an entry every day
Two scripts for two classes due at the same day- definitely a challenge
Two published works in the Crucible magazine for UNCO- something to be proud of
One published article for a Disney fan magazine- a super exciting feat ^_^
The Yunalesca boss fight in FFX- for those who know my video game experience, this is a major deal


 What have you done to "Go the distance"?

Destiny- Revisited

"Destiny isn't the path chosen for us, but the path we choose for ourselves" - Megamind

       I read in a book yesterday that living is not a passive practice. Although many people believe they are sitting on the sidelines, they are actually making a choice to sit on the sidelines for themselves. I admit that I used to be one of these people. Now, however I try to challenge myself everyday whether it is in writing, my tasks at work or my approach at problems. 
      To be honest, this idea has appeared in many things throughout my life. In Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is given a similar speech when the fortuneteller is proven wrong. It's mentioned in Once Upon A Time when Emma gives Ashley a pep talk on people and their opinions. But the reality of this lesson can only be experienced in life and dealing with situations that conflict with who you are and who other people want you to be.
       Even the big dreamers like Walt Disney, Albert Einstein and Abraham Lincoln had to deal with nay-sayers, and the way they dealt with these opinions determined how far they climbed the ladder to their goal.  The truth is, only you can decide who will influence your life. So what does this have to do with destiny? Control is a powerful thing, and no one but you should have it over your life. People will pressure you if you let them. It may even surprise you to discover who is trying to take control. What matters is that you never lose sight of who has the power to decide your future.
      I'm not saying that destiny is easy.  Sometimes that's one of the reasons people let others push them around. There is a certain comfort to not feeling responsible for yourself, but that dies quickly once you realize you have lost control. It is a test of will, strength and endurance when someone acts like they have the power to control you. That is the purpose of destiny. It's like a hero's quest, and a coming of age journey. Destiny is not something given to you. It is something you must learn and decide for yourself. There's a reason for all those stories and songs.
     Once someone discovers a path toward their goals, their destiny is right in front of them. This is one of the traits that make a character appealing. Strong characters know who they are and what they want. Powerful characters believe in themselves and understand that a goal must be earned. Like Hercules in the Disney movie, he could only discover what he was capable of once he believed he could "go the distance." Based on my experience today, destiny is a choice someone makes by believing they can and persisting until they get there.

Magazines I'd love to read

 I found these on Tumblr and had to share my favorites.
Find the rest here

(http://www.geekologie.com/2011/12/disney-princesses-as-magazine-cover-mode.php)