Following Your Bliss

"Follow your bliss and the Universe will open doors for you where there were only walls." ~Joseph Campbell

I don't want to be a nurse. There I said it. All my life I was told over and over again that I was a 'caretaker' which naturally meant, I had to be a nurse. In my head I thought, "well since God didn't give me any awesome talents like singing, playing an instrument or being record breaking athlete, I'm good at taking care of people so I guess I'll be a nurse." It was convenient for me to convince myself that's what I wanted; I would tell myself "They're in demand and if I work up I can make good money." But the truth was I didn't want to be stuck in a hospital taking care of people who didn't want to be there. Granted I could have worked elsewhere as a nurse but didn't that appeal to me either.

In high school I discovered my love for cooking, and it helped that I was good at it. I learned how to cook by watching Rachel Ray after school and through one of my close friends (really like another mother to me), Hope. Every time I was trying out a new recipe in the kitchen I found myself wanting to know more. After I graduated, I was dead set on going to culinary school. I was going to bite the bullet, pay the tuition and follow my dream. I remember telling my boyfriend's dad at the time (and I looked up to him), he said with a stern voice "my brother went to culinary school...now he's a mailman."
Heartbroken.
Dreams crushed.
Culinary school flew out the window like a tossing out a cigarette on the freeway with the top down.
A few months later I moved to L.A. attended APU and planned on starting the nursing program the following semester. In my classes, there were a lot of nursing students; they all would huddle together. Overtime, I started realizing they had passion, drive and ambition behind their major. I didn't feel the same way about nursing. That same semester I began to journal about my life, I called them my "writings." I remember the first time sharing them with someone else. I felt vulnerable and naked letting someone else inside my mind. Hydee, my roommate, listened intently as I read her my second entry about a new guy I met over spring break. She applauded my words and gave me the courage to keep writing. Entry, after entry I would share with Hydee and she pushed me to read my writings with others. When summer came and I moved back home; I kept writing and stopped sharing. I felt the desire to share my thoughts, experiences, recipes, stories, pictures, and my life with others; this is how Amber Hart was born.

Writing this blog makes me happy. I love giving the world a little piece of me, in hope that one day I can touch someone's life. It is what keeps me going to write more. As of right now, I still don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm figuring it out. I can cross off nursing school on my lists of possible careers. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that if I follow my bliss, discover all my passions and talents then the money will come. Not only that but I will be happier, more peaceful and over all more successful than if I were to give in to social pressures and follow the 'norm.'

Dream Board

This is my dream board. Everything on there has some meaning behind it. I heard some study once that people with dream boards are more likely to accomplish them. I wake up everyday and look at all the different pieces on there. That is my future: finishing school, falling in love, getting married in the temple, pursuing cooking, living close to the beach, having a family, etc. At the bottom it says "thank you." Thank you because I believe in my silly, fairytale dreams so much that they are already in motion. Money nor logic has lead me to believing in my dreams or the dreams I have already accomplished. My bliss has been my arrow. 

If you have a dream, share it with others, take a step toward that goal. You are reading this, you are alive, you have a purpose that isn't compete. It's that simple. You are meant for greatness. If you don't have anyone believing in you, I believe in you. If you don't have someone to share your dreams with, tell me. If you don't know where to begin, start your adventure. That's what I'm doing at this very moment. I'm following my arrow to see where it leads.

Here's to 2014 and following your bliss!

I'm cheering you on in this life. Go get 'em tiger.

Hugs & kisses,