Friday, December 27, 2013

Let's Go Down to the Tennis Court

Tennis Court [Originally Sang by Lorde]

I've been obsessed with this song for many many months and all the while contemplated doing a cover. After building up the courage to do it, my good friend Adam Lovell did the tracking, and here it is...my very own cover of Tennis Court! I hope Lorde would approve.

No copyright infringement intended.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

I did it again.

I fell too fast.

Now I've shattered as if I were glass.

I could of sworn we had something.

But you've went and clipped my wings.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Promise Yourself

“Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.” 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

I'm not giving up...I'm just giving in.

I'm not so sure soul mates exist.

Too much in life is dependent on finding "someone".

And maybe. Just maybe. Some of us are meant to be alone?

Being alone, however, does necessarily being lonely.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

“Finding happiness should not be seen as finding a needle in a haystack. Happiness is within. Each day is a blessing that brings an abundance of happiness. Therefore, finding happiness should be like finding a gift in a stack of gifts.” 
― Steve MaraboliLife, the Truth, and Being Free

Friday, April 19, 2013

Learn to Laugh

I've talked before about how laughter is a way of getting over your problems (for me). By that, I mean, laughing at the things you do that make you feel stupid. If you're on a date and you accidentally burp, you might think, "Oh man! How could I do that?" and become ashamed and embarassed. But what good does that realllllly do you? Think about it. Why beat yourself up about the little things?

Which leads me to my thinking out loud question, why as humans do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be EVERYTHING? I can't be that lady who never burps all the time, for example. Since moving out on my own, getting a full time job, and learning how to handle my own finances it didn't take long for me to feel as though I had to be everything. I had to be the girl who had money, to be the girl that had friends, to be the girl that looked nice 24/7, or to be the girl that was dating. I had to be perfect.

Often times during my move I would watch Sex and the City and compare my life. Asking myself ridiculous questions, "Why can't I go out on a work night and meet guys? Why don't I have any friends here yet? Why don't I have furniture for my apartment?" (FYI: never compare your life to a TV show, just don't do it.) Anyways, IT HAD BEEN LIKE A MONTH SINCE MY MOVE! I was already putting so much pressure to be all that I could be that I wasn't even appreciating my accomplishments. It took friends and family to put this in perspective for me. Instead of looking at what I didn't have yet..I needed to look at what I had gained: a job, an apartment, money, and even relative healthiness.

If we continue to put constant pressure on ourselves, how are we really supposed to move forward? Because you can't move forward if you're too busy harping on yourself about what went wrong in the first place. Which brings me back to my first paragraph about learning to laugh at what's going wrong. I'm not saying that you should never be sad because that's a whole different set of problems that can happen if you do not let yourself feel emotions. What I'm saying is don't sweat the small stuff. Don't borrow trouble. Once I was able to stop and look around and appreciate, I was able to laugh at how ridiculous these pressures were.

Give yourself a break. If you mess something up, try to laugh at it and MOVE ON. I guess the moral of the story is, if you burp on a date - don't be mad at yourself for weeks or embarassed. Laugh at yourself. Because if you learn to laugh at yourself, I promise your attitude will improve and you'll be happier in your personal life. Remember this the next time you screw up. It's almost like a process of healing. Learn from your mistakes, laugh at your mistakes, and then move on from your mistakes.

xo

Monday, March 4, 2013

I'm jealous of the angels, because they see you everyday.



Yesterday you were in front of me
Woke up this morning,
All of a sudden you're a memory
Oh, if life is as short as they say it is,
I guess we'll meet again sooner than we think we will

They say a picture says a thousand words
But I would trade a thousand pictures to hear one of yours
And I've been saying prayers like I was writing you letters
'cause if heaven's far like I think it is
You wouldn't get them

I know heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they got you babe
I know Heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they took you babe

They say that god is full of mysteries
Sometimes I wonder if you tell him that you're missing me
'Cause I miss you every day
Like they took summer away
Like they took color away
And this grey
Needs to get the hell away from me

And I'm jealous of the angels
'Cause they see you every day
And I see you when I'm dreaming
But it doesn't feel the same

I know my heart is broken
But you can have it anyway,
If I could only see you again, again

I know heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they got you babe
I know heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they took you babe

Give my life for one last time with you
With you
Give my life for one last time with you
With you

Got my space suit on
Gonna blast off
Take a vacation to where you are
Hoping heaven ain't all that far
You passed me by on a shooting star
Cause I wish so bad
One last chance
Take me back to the photograph
I close my eyes and I feel you laughter
But all I got is a frame and a glasses
Selfishness?
Should've made a room for the both of us
Loneliness
I'm not lost but I've got no direction
Parachute gone and I'm falling fast
My heart stopped but I'm still breathing
So numb but still I'm feeling
The less I look
The more I'm seeing
I just lost my hero

I know heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they got you babe
I know heaven must be beautiful right now,
Since they got you babe
Since they took you babe



Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm spending mine the best way I know possible....at a concert and with the EXCELLANT band Imagine Dragons.

But since I'm pretty sure Mindy Kahling is my tv spirit animal when it comes to dating, I had to share this: 

Friday, February 8, 2013

I wish I would have learned to laugh at myself at a younger age.

You're so much happier when you just make a joke out of the bad things that happen to you.
The Misadventures of Dating:

Signing up for a popular online dating website and a being matched or "winked at" by a kid who looks 13, whom is CLEARLY not old enough to be on the site.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

'Be an advocate of joy'

I feel like my life is resetting and I'm getting a chance to start over.

When something goes wrong, I no longer think everyone is out to get me. I see the tribulation as a challenge that I can and will overcome. A challenge that I'll learn something vital from. 


Like the silly instance when I messed up my dishwasher by using the wrong liquid soup. I had been at work all day, had to go to the doctor, then drive around a city where I knew where nothing was to find cleaning supplies. At the moment it would have been so easy to get mad and break down or frustrated. But I just kept laughing. Calling friends and telling them I was having a "Hollywood moment" with my dishwasher that was foaming soap out of the bottom. I kept looking at it as a learning experience, "You won't be doing that again, Ashlyn." or "Now you know the CVS across town doesn't carry towels or common household items." 


My point is, since I've been able to hit the reset button. Even when things are going dramatically wrong like they have many times this first week of living in my apartment, I have and will continue to stay positive. 


'Swallow It' by Brandon Flowers, one of my favorite songs ever, says it best:



"Take your medicine and crawl before you walk. Think it through before you open your mouth to talk. Be an advocate of joy! Find your little heart's desire and follow it. . . . . Don't be afraid, this is your year. It's gonna be alright, you're a performer! Just take your time, but not too much time."

For Ashlyn, this start over this means being more positive. Looking on the brighter side of life. And yes, finding my little heart's desire and following it.  

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Today I moved furniture into my new apartment

Today I became a new person.

Today I became the person that I'm supposed to be. 

And tonight, I go to bed happy