Webster defines a blessing as "a prayer or solemn wish imploring happiness upon another;... that which promotes prosperity and welfare." In other words, to bless means to speak good rather than evil, to encourage rather than discourage, to project success rather than failure, to instil faith rather than doubt, to encourage boldness rather than fear, to impart hope rather than distress and to share love rater than neglect.

Here's to the people who get it.
(I like to read this while I crawl in a whirlpool of used tissues and midterm study notes)

tbt to my tumblr days, when I was afraid the broken system had no way out. 

Interesting article by Business Insider - #NTS
What the Middle Class Doesn't Understand About Rich People by Steve Siebold

Few people in the middle class really understand the mindset of the richest people.

After all, if they did, they would be among the top earners as well. We’ve all heard the remarks: Rich people are lucky, rich people had an unfair advantage, rich people are crooks, rich people are selfish, etc. These are mostly empty statements with little proof to back them up.

Yes, the rich think and act differently from everyone else, and the differences are as extreme as they are numerous.

Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the wealthy.

1. The wealthy are comfortable being uncomfortable.

Most people just want to be comfortable. Physical, psychological, and emotional comfort is the primary goal of the middle-class mindset.

The wealthy, on the other hand, learn early on that becoming a millionaire isn’t easy, and the need for comfort can be devastating. They learn to be comfortable while operating in a state of ongoing uncertainty. The great ones know there’s a price to pay for getting rich, but if they have the mental toughness to endure temporary pain, they can reap the harvest of abundant wealth.

It’s not comfortable for a millionaire in the making to forge ahead when everyone around her is negative, cynical, and unsupportive, yet those who can push forward are rewarded with riches for the rest of their lives. Make a list of the five things you must do today that are uncomfortable but will help you build your financial fortune.

2. The wealthy dream about the future.

Most of us grew up listening to stories of the good old days, when the world was a kinder, gentler place. The music was better, athletes were tougher, and business people were honest. This tradition of the masses is handed down from generation to generation while its purveyors have no idea how insidious and destructive it is. People who believe their best days are behind them rarely get rich, and they often struggle with happiness and depression.

The wealthy are future-oriented and optimistic about what lies ahead. They appreciate and learn from the past while living in the present and dreaming of the future. Self-made millionaires get rich because they’re willing to bet on themselves and project their dreams, goals, and ideas into an unknown future. Much of their planning time is spent clarifying goals that won’t be realized for years, yet they patiently and painstakingly plan and dream of what their future will look and feel like.

3. The wealthy are more confident.

The negative projections and derogatory labels placed on the rich are endless. One of the most common is that the rich are cocky, arrogant people who think they’re better than everyone else.

The truth is successful people are confident because they repeatedly bet on themselves and are rarely disappointed. Even when they fail, they’re confident in their ability to learn from the loss and come back stronger and richer than ever. This is not arrogance, but self-assuredness in its finest form.

The wealthy have an elevated and fearless consciousness that keeps them moving toward what they want, as opposed to moving away from what they don’t want. This often doubles or triples their net worth quickly because of the new efficiency in their thinking. Eventually they begin to believe they can accomplish anything, and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. As they move from success to success, they create a psychological tidal wave of momentum that gets stronger every day, catapulting their confidence to a level so high it is often interpreted as arrogance.

4. The wealthy believe money is about freedom.

Among the many money issues misperceived by the general public is the notion that acquiring great wealth is more about showing off than creating choices. While money certainly brings status, it’s acquired mostly for the purpose of attaining personal liberty.

It’s impossible to be truly free without wealth. The middle class is controlled by employment, government, and other entities with superior resources that dictate what they can and can’t do. It’s tough to make a moral stand for freedom when you’re worried about making your next mortgage payment.

Rich people can afford to stand up and fight oppression. They can afford to buy their way out of unhealthy work environments, bad bosses, and other unpleasant situations. They have the means to enlist the best doctors when they get sick, and they are able to make themselves as comfortable as possible when they can’t get well. When they want to raise money for business, politics, or charity, a few phone calls to their rich friends is all it takes. If they need more money, they throw a party or host an auction and charge $1,000 a ticket. The examples of how much money buys freedom are endless.

Start thinking about the freedoms you’ll gain when you are wealthy!

5. The wealthy carefully monitor their associations.

People with high-level formal education like to associate with the academic elite. Physically fit people enjoy spending time with others who are fit. Religious people like to have fellowship with people of faith. And rich people like to associate with others who are rich.

Like attracts like, yet the wealthy are often criticized for having a closed inner circle that is almost impossible to break into unless you are rich. Successful people generally agree that consciousness is contagious, and that exposure to people who are more successful has the potential to expand your thinking and catapult your income. We become like the people we associate with, and that’s why winners are attracted to winners.

In other segments of society this is accepted, but the rich have always been lambasted for their predisposition to engage the company of people with similar financial success. Millionaires think differently from the middle class about money, and there’s much to be gained by being in their presence.

Set a goal to double the amount of time you spend with people who are richer than you. Who knows, it might just make you rich.

And contrary to popular belief, the wealthy have much more on their minds than themselves and their money and making money. It's those who seek to support and provide for more than themselves that are willing to be uncomfortable so that they can bless others.

"Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
- Proverbs 31:25 (NRSVCE)

This scripture has been an encouragement to me… But more often than not, instead of taking it on board as my stance in life, I find myself thinking “I wish this were me…” It has at times been a heartache wish or hope of who I would like to be, rather than an encouragement around who I am. Through the day to day ebb and flow of life, I sometimes feel clothed with frustration and tiredness, lack and emptiness… frowning at tomorrow with worry and apprehension… We were not designed to live under the heavy weight of worry or frustration… our hearts are not meant to have that annoying itch of “if only and what if” attacking it day by day. This happens we focus solely on ourselves and our own sphere of resources, instead of centring ourselves in Christ and allowing Him to be our portion; our strength in weakness, peace in frustration and fear, our hope for tomorrow. There is a posture and lightness of spirit when you rise trusting in Jesus, taking Him at His word, and truly living in His strength and purposes. We are clothed in strength and dignity. Don’t leave those two beautiful garments lying on the floor gathering dust and slowly being forgotten about, but take hold of the strength of Christ and the dignity of His resurrection and redemption and place them firmly upon your shoulders. Wear them proudly. And when clothed with strength and dignity, head held high by the love and grace of Christ, you can’t help but replace worry with laughter and fear with a confident smile that no matter what you face today or tomorrow, you have a future and a hope. And this scripture isn’t exclusive to women, it’s applicable to everyone and is ultimately a picture of the Church – the bride of Christ. It’s who God has purposed us to be in our communities… A place where people can find strength in the midst of their weakness, restoring dignity to those who are weighed down, and giving hope to the broken so they can smile at their future. Pickup that beautiful cloak of strength and dignity, wear it daily and learn to laugh with joy at what is to come, the hope that fills tomorrow."

supreme bars at 2am, the uzshh.

I wouldn't say it's the meaning of life, but definitely such an awesome message to wake up to!

“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.”

—	Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Hey Me.
This is literally just a post to me and from me, reminding myself to take the time for self-reflection every once in a while.
Call it a "Clearing My Mind" (reference to the origins of my Tumblr in grade 11) post if you may.

• I misplaced (or someone stole) over $50 from me today and I feel oddly calm about it. Not sure whether I should be worried that I'm not worried about my own lack of responsibility. But a part of me feels like wherever that is right now, it's in whoever's hands God wants it to be in.
• I used to think a lot. And I used to think I was insane for doing so. It seems like I don't have time to think anymore. Slightly worried about that because I like to think that opinionated-but-open-about-everything Camille is a huge chunk of my personality gone missing. And besides, positive self-reflection is so necessary in order to internalize smaller details, recognize the abundance of blessings, and highlight areas that need growth. 
• I live in a hopeful world. Praise be to God. My current mission is to pass that on to every soul I encounter. 
• Current Read: A Woman After God's Own Heart
• I need to come up with 20 facts about me for Instagram. I knew myself so well 1-2 years ago. Now, when I think of myself, I see a white board that was wiped clean, with remnants of the ink that was untouched on that board for years and is now unrecognizable. 
• My biggest aspiration in life is to be able to discover "me". In everything that I love, that I always had inside of me, in the new things that I am going to love, in the things that I don't love so much. The me that is everything He meant for me to be. And I can only do that with complete and utter freedom. 
• Speaking of freedom, I drove alone for the first time today. Cruised down my favourite roads, with 103.5 in the background, playing every single Eagles song. I'll remember this day. 

"A woman who understands that when forgiveness, empathy and grace permeates your soul, you are a light to others."

- Kimberly Eaton

redi 2 conquer

Eager to start (and finish) my school work because I want to live the rest of the week moderately stress free, and continue that habit on for the totality of the fall semester. Daily disciplines!

Quite excited to be spending my Mondays and Tuesdays downtown. Despite the rain, there was already so much beauty there in which I uncovered today alone, and so many pleasant conversations as well.

Throughout my two hour break between classes, I decided to search for More Than Enough by Dave Ramsey but apparently it's unavailable at Chapters in the entire region. Instead, I read excerpts from another book on managing moolahh and planned out my September budget.

Being a Communications student and a young entrepreneur is tough, but the two have worked hand in hand to slowly trigger a desire for change in my spending habits. I've actually developed a desire for change in many of my habits, in order to build a stronger emotional stamina, and to become more disciplined and less impulsive. This disciplining starts with how I plan (and act on) spending my money and my time from here on out.

Since authenticity cannot ever be achieved through the consumption of goods that are constantly appropriated and re-appropriated by new meanings, I've decided to give that life a break (I mean, to call it quits) and focus the "me" that I can be and have yet to come to know. The "me" that can't be defined by the articles of clothing I wear or the photos of experiences I have posted on Instagram. No one but He knows who she is and so I'll take this time to discipline myself and grow closer to Him to figure out. Discipline is good. It's a sign of strength and self-control. It brings peace, freedom and true happiness.
Those were things that were once said to me as a child. I never believed it as much as I do now.

Here's an excerpt from the book I read (with a few edits by me):

To be grounded and anchored to have incredible self-belief. 

She manages negative thoughts that come into her mind. She rests knowing the Lord is in control. She is authentic and doesn't have to impress anyone. She is driven by her goals and her spending aligns to the long term vision she has for herself. She resists temptations when presented to her. 

Authentic money is tangible, thoughtful, directed and has a long-term vision. Moving from false money toward real money will transform how you earn, spend, save, and gift your money. Money that you hold yourself accountable for is money that is directed; you are no longer putting your head in the sand like an ostrich. When you are authentic with your money, you no longer have anything to prove to anyone, You are making conscious and mindful money choices. You are very present with your money and much more self-aware. You think twice before buying anything, you no longer engage in impulse buying and you have nothing to regret. You live within your means (I'll strive for below) and are conscious of all your money choices and decisions. 

Becoming more authentic boosts emotional well-being. Your wonderful gifts and talents will shine and you will stop pretending to be someone you're not. You will start reviewing your life on a daily basis, in a mindful matter, to ensure you are living an authentic life.

Monthly Goals: 

- Planned leisure outings of 6 delegated days a month

- $60 "me" money/food money a month 

- Not to post/take pride in photos of food or material items that are above my means

- To live off of 10% of my income (idealistic but doable)

- To conduct myself in a way that would make everyone glad to have encountered me (100% chance of sunshine)

- Control impulsiveness/Budget everything: especially with regard to schedule arrangements and saying yes to everything, money and anger. Practice self-control!

- Keep to daily goals and daily decisions to maintain a slight edge. 

 tl;dr 
Quit trying to keep up with the Joneses. Who the heck are the Joneses in my life? Idek. They're irrelevant. Impress Him instead. 

Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood. 

- George S. Patton

Do I ever sleep the night before school starts? Or my birthday? Or singing competitions? Nope, not really.

Maybe my movie taste isn't exactly the same as everyone else's because I actually didn't enjoy this movie all that much. Here's what I did end up relating to though.

My name is Sutter Keely and I'm 18 years old. Compared to other kids, I haven't had that many hardships. Not really. You know. Shit's happened. Stuff's happened, sure, bu, stuff always happens, right? But the real challenge in my life, the real hardship, is me. It's always been me. As long as I can remember, I've never not been afraid. Afraid of failure. Of letting people down. Hurting people. Getting hurt. I thought if I kept my guard up and focused on other things, other people... If I couldn't even feel, well, then no harm would come to me. I screwed up. Not only did I shut out the pain, I shut out everything. The good and the bad. Until there was nothing. It's fine to just "live in the now". But the best part about "now" is there's another one tomorrow. And I'm gonna start making them count. Sincerely, Sutter Keely. P.S. I don't know if this was due a long time ago. Probably was. But that's fine. It may be too late for this essay. It's not too late for me.