Over the course of my college career, I have been faced with several obstacles and drawbacks that have been a significant factor to my growth thus far. I believe that “everything happens for a reason” and that EVERYONE you come in contact with are placed in your life for a reason as well. Some people may be placed in your life to challenge you, to make you a better person, to remind us of unconditional love and to teach you a lesson. No matter the reason, everyone has a significant role in your life. The hard part to grasp is that you may not always know the reason at the moment or will never be able to pin point the purpose for things or people in your life.

Personally I am a person who likes to know why everything happens and the significance of it all. Sometimes I find myself trying to justify the reasons behind everything, without understanding that not everything is meant for you to understand. The important thing to keep in mind is that things are supposed to happen the way they do. I have been blessed over the past couple of years with very important people. I want to focus something that is going on in my life right now. Last year I met one of my BEST friends; this person has helped me through so much and has helped me grow so much over the past year. I am very grateful for this person because she has paved a path in my life that has directed me into a self-identity process. This summer I also met a group of wonderful young women who have also been put in my life to direct me to through life changing process. I have been blessed with these people for a divine reason, and this I am very grateful for.

This year I have decided to make the decision of becoming confirmed as catholic. This was a very important decision I decided to take part in because I think it is very important to feed your spiritual minds. I come from a wellness background with my major being wellness management. Wellness has seven dimensions, social, physical, intellectual, occupational, environmental, emotional and SPIRITUAL. During a meeting with my spiritual mentor, he stated something that was very powerful. He talked about how most people think they are healthy because they work out every day eat, well etc. But if you think about it that only one aspect of wellness and most people don’t take the time to feed their spiritual minds. If wellness means balance between these dimensions of health then why aren’t people taking time to become spiritually enlightened. I believe these people were placed in my life to direct me to this process I have been missing out on and I couldn’t ask for a better time for this to happen.
I think the one thing that inspires me in to take part this journey is keeping in mind that at the same time I will be able helping others by living my life in a positive light for others to embrace. Luke 6:37 “Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don’t condemn (find guilty) other people and you will not be condemned. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven. Give to other people, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands–more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to other people is the way God will give to you.”

Quotes can often INSPIRE and MOTIVATE people to live life a certain way. One quote that has consistently done that for me is “the most IMPORTANT emotion is LOVE” by Sonia Sanchez. I remember the first time I heard this quote; it was about 3 years ago during an inspirational speech given by Sonia Sanchez. For those who do not know who Sonia Sanchez is, she is an African American poet who has had a huge impact on the Black Arts Movement. After hearing this quote, I was concentrating on the power and meaning behind her words, I could not stop replaying the quote in my head trying to justify whether this quote related to me. I knew there was something special about these words and I still do.

“The most IMPORTANT emotion is LOVE” because without LOVE there’s no PASSION, without LOVE there’s no DETERMINATION and without LOVE there’s no MOTIVATION. So if LOVE is associated with all these great qualities than without LOVE there is NOTHING. If you are not PASSIONATE, DETERMINED, or MOTIVATED by anything in the world than what is your PURPOSE? LOVE builds relationships, LOVE builds businesses, and LOVE builds US as individuals that are PASSIONATE, MOTIVATED and DETERMINED to do something in life on this earth.

If this is not true than why are we here? We are all put on earth for a PURPOSE. To LOVE one another UNCONDITONAL, to find what it is that we LOVE so we can use that to DRIVE us to the things we are PASSIONATE about. So let me help you understand, my LOVE for basketball and fitness is what MOTIVATES me to be the best I can be in those aspects of my life and to help those around me live to their HIGHEST POTENTIAL. I am MOTIVATED, PASSIONATE and therefore DETERMINED to be SUCCESSFUL at those things that I LOVE. I hope this makes sense and if not I hope this gives you something to think about, just a little food for thought. I will leave you with another quote “Who you are is Love itself, even if you do not recognize it; for LOVE has NO LIMITS, it just IS, and just as you are, ONE WITH EVERYTHING!” ~ UNKNOWN

October 15th is when it begins again, the beginning of a journey to the top. Pre-season is the first step, how hard are you willing to work in order to become better than you were. It’s all about heart, your drive and the love for the game. This is a glimpse of what my pre-season consist of, “no pain no gain.”

Click The Following Link to Watch Video:

For The LOVE Of The GAME

*Please leave comments, words of wisdom and feedback, I worked VERY hard on this video! Thank You in advance!

I am a strong believer that you should never give up on the things you love or the things you would like to accomplish. 3 years ago I was tested on my character, since then I now know that I am not a quitter and I am very DETERMINED to achieve all of my goals and prove any one who doubts me wrong. In high school, I was a very well known talented women’s basketball player for Louis D. Brandeis HS in Manhattan, New York. I was ranked amongst the best, that are now in the WNBA and who play overseas basketball. For unfortunate situations, lack of guidance and resources I was not able to play at a D2 school in which I desired. I was one foot in the door from playing for the Central Connecticut University Blue Devils. But because of a lack in financial ability on top of housing confusion I was forced to pave another path in my life, which was to begin a journey attending SUNY Oswego. This wasn’t too much of a disappointment only because I had a very close friend who attended Oswego at the time. So I easily adjusted knowing that I had someone to help me during this drastic change in my life. Being as to I would be 5 hours away from my family for most of the year, having someone to guide me along the way was very important at the time. I was excited about playing college basketball, that meant one step closer to being a better player and increasing my chances for playing ball overseas or something close to that.

One day all that flashed before my eyes when I was informed that I did not make the SUNY Oswego Basketball team. Me?… top ranked girls basketball player in NYC… the one who averaged 18 points her senior yr? This couldn’t be happening to me. I remembered it like it was yesterday…. crystal clear. I slept over my friends house that night and had a meeting with the coach the next morning about who had made the team and who got cut. I walked over to Laker hall at about 8 a.m very nervous and anxious to know whether I was as good as I thought I was. I walked into the office shaking and scared.” you are a great player, we appreciate you trying out this year, but you did not make the team…. BUT please don’t let this discourage you, we would love to have you around. I know how much basketball means to you… Think about being a manager and helping us out. I know the girls would love to have you around because they speak so highly of you” this is what she said…. something along those lines at least. I felt the tears coming on, my heart dropped, all I could say was thank you and I walked out. As soon as I stepped out, the tears ran down my face. I couldn’t stop as I walked back to my friend’s apartment crying my eyes out. I felt like my whole world was destroyed. The one thing I ever loved was taken away from me so quick and I had no say. I reached my friends house went inside n cried, I was so upset, so disappointed, so depressed. Since then everyone who asked me how the try-outs went, I ignored. I didn’t want to tell anyone, I was too ashamed to admit that I didn’t make the team. (I am surprised I am writing about this now, it is still hard for me to talk about but it is a step closer to closure)

After months of not touching a basketball, I finally build up the courage to play again. This time I was never aloud to put the ball down again because no one would let me give up my dreams so easy. It did take a lot of time in order for me to feel like a basketball player again. My family and friends were by my side throughout my journey of self-discovery. While going through this time of struggle I was searching for inspiration. At this time I decided to get a tattoo for my birthday and I knew exactly what I wanted. I knew it had to describe me and had to be something I could look at that had a story behind it. I was determined… determined to play ball again, determined to prove everyone wrong who doubted me like the coach who cut me. There it was, determination in Japanese, in my 2 favorite colors red and black, that is what I got. I took things slow and just played pick up games at lee hall here and there until one day… I was on bridge street with a couple of friends and two of the women’s basketball players came up to me, asked me how I was doing and if I was going to try out for the team the following season. I hesitated and said I wasn’t sure. I don’t think I could handle another let down. They told me I should and that the current coach was leaving and that they were getting a new coach. They told me I would make the team as long as I kept working as hard as I always have and that they don’t understand why I didn’t make the team in the first place. “Everything happens for a reason” and I know now that I had to go through what I did in order to make me a better player and a stronger person.

Now I am grateful for going through it all because now I am better than I was. I have now been playing for the Oswego State Lakers Women’s Basketball team going on 4 yrs. I became stronger, faster and better than I thought I would be and I have continued to push myself into a different player each year. The finish line is far from close but each day I am closer and closer to the BEST player and person I can ever be.

~Ms. 23

ONE GIRL DETERMINE TO HELP OTHERS LIVE TO THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL, FACES OBSTACLES TO RISE TO THE TOP …. THIS IS NOT ONLY GOING TO BE A TYPICAL BLOG ABOUT MY LIFE BUT THROUGH MY BLOGS YOU WILL FIND FUN FACTS ABOUT HEALTH, NUTRITION, FITNESS, STRESS MANAGEMENT, SPORTS AND MUCH MORE. I HOPE THIS CAN BECOME A LEARNING OPPURTUNITY AND A RESOURCE FOR EVERYONE INTERESTED. CAN SHE HELP OTHERS LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE??? FOLLOW HER QUEST TO FIND OUT…