Worrying & Bubblegum

I'm generally positive, but before I received my student visa I was more worried than I had been in a while. I had already picked out all of my classes at the business school I'll be attending and paid for my entire four month trip in advance - plane ticket included. The only factor that was potentially stopping me from fulfilling this trip was not receiving this one little document. As I turned in my bed over and over the night before my appointment with the consulate I thought about everything that could go wrong. Not having the right documents, not having the approval I need from other organizations, etc. Then I remembered something:

"Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum" 

It's really easy to get caught up in a web of worries and most of us do. Most things we worry about aren't even under our control. What is under our control is the choice to stop worrying. Consciously working towards this peaceful state of mind is all a part of acheiving a balance that can seriously improve the quality of our lives. Life is going to happen. It's happening right this very moment. The way you react to it is going to determine your mood. And if you're in a good mood life is great. Who's going to tell you otherwise?

A friend showed me a video months ago that I still think about daily & share with others whenever I can. It's an assortment of pictures that are set to a speech by Baz Luhrmann, a director from Australia. It's really difficult to pick my favorite line from this speech. I can honestly disect it and would be able to live by each and every single phrase. Whenever I am having a rough day or become carried away in a spiral of negativity - this inevitably puts me back on track. If you've seen it before, I know you won't mind watching it again. If you have never seen it before - you're in for a treat.