Mental Illness is Real

So today at work the most strange/scary/heartbreaking thing happened. Im sure this isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened because we do live in a world full of mental health issues, but for some reason it had a massive affect on me at the time.  So, there is this regular customer, a girl about the age of 19 that comes in probably about once or twice a week. She is always with what I guessed was a male carer and she has some kind of mental disability. But regardless of this she was always really happy, sometimes singing and always talking to people. I always talked to her and tried to make conversation.
But today was different. She was quite when she first walked in and her carer man looked a bit on edge. Anyway, I went off to smoko and came back as they were going through a register. She was at the other side of the register when she just started screaming bloody murder. It was like a full on scream, not holding back. And she just kept going, until she started to get really worked up. She started throwing things and the carer was trying to calm her down. She got to a point where he must have been worried that she was going to hurt someone so he kind of stepped in front of her so she was against a wall blocked in by him. At this point she was getting really violent and starting abusing him, kicking and hitting, and the carer guy was taking all the hits. I was freaking out by this point, the situation could have easily gone bad. The male managers that were working at the time instinctively made there way up in case the situation got worse and it did. She started banging her head against the wall and banging the glass windows with her fists. He ended up calling the police and it all got sorted.
Now, hearing this story I know the thoughts that are going through your mind, and at the time everyone else minds. In this situation the carer looked like a victim and the girl looked like the offender. And that is what saddens me the most, it is actually the exact opposite. The girl is the victim, the victim of a horrific mental illness. She is a kind hearted person that is stuck with a body and a mind that has a glitch. And I take take my hat of to that carer, he isn't the victim. He knew, when he started his journey with this girl, what the job would entail. But he did it, he endured all this because he sincerely cares for human beings and their welfare. He is willing to take care of her when she can't do it herself, and that, I think is heroic.

The Wanderlust is Real

So I understand that there are a lot of different types of people in this world. There are those people that are so content with who they are and where they are that they couldn't imagine being anywhere else or doing anything differently. And that is totally cool, each to their own. But, then there are those people that are just itching to explore the world, meet new people and discover new things. Lets just say thats me. I dream of travelling the world. Call me what you may; gypsy, dreamer, nomad whatever I just want to travel!
I think its been something I have wanted to do since I was really young, I LOVE cities. Everything about them fascinates me. The hustle and bustle of the traffic. The hecticness of the public transport. The different aromas you smell as you walk down the street. The lights at night time, and the fact that everyone is in their own little bubble of life, they are totally absorbed in. I just think its amazing.
Late last year I was able to experience this for the first time. I know, for someone so passionate about travelling I haven't done much of it at all. But, some friends and I went to Melbourne. Lets just say it was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. It was everything I had imagined and better.
It was the Thursday morning, we got up early and grabbed a coffee. We sat of some seats on the side of the main street in Melbourne city. It was the most amazing feeling. I was looking around at everyone walking past, some where rushing to work, others where laughing and enjoying themselves.
Then it occurred to me why I love the city so much. You look around and see so many people and you just think it is amazing how many individuals are in this city, how many unique lives are contained in such a small space. People are falling in love, getting married. Discovering things for the first time, creating art. Studying for exams, getting their hair cut, trying to make a living and trying to spend it. Some are creating memories, others are trying to forget them. Behind the walls some are being born and others are growing old and dying, leaving others to mourn. Its happening all the time, going totally unnoticed, and thats what I think is the most amazing of all. 
So, my passion to get out there and see the world is uncontainable, if you feel like this don't let anything stop you from doing what your heart is telling you. Following your heart is one of the most amazing things you could do.

Fear of the Unknown

I think one of the biggest reasons why people give up or fail at something is the fear of falling. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, I don't know why, and I have come to a conclusion. It started when I was starting to learn how to skateboard. I always thought skateboarding was something the came naturally to a person and if you couldn't do it don't try. As a started getting better at it I realised that wasn't the case. I kept getting really scared that I would fall and it was starting to hold me back. I wanted to get better but I just was too afraid of falling. Thinking I could really hurt myself and most of all it would be really embarrassing. Then one day while skateboarding with my friend I was starting to get some guts. I started to get faster and go down steeper hills. It was then that I realised how stupid I actually was. I was so scared of falling that I didn't even take a step back to look at the situation. My skateboard is only a few inches off the ground, why is it such a big deal if I fall? Is it really that big of a deal? So what if I get a bit of a scraped knee, at least I will have a story to tell. What am I so afride of, it's pretty much just the same as tripping over, which I'm pretty good at anyway. After that I didn't hold back. It's like I had no fear. Yeah sure I fell of the skateboard a few times, but the adrenaline and freeness I felt when I was skating down hills and soaring down the road was way better than fear.
I think people let fear stop them from doing and accomplishing things all the time. The unknown can be a really scary thing. It can lead in any direction, but that it what is so beautiful about it. You don't really know what is going to happen and what is going to become of it. That is until it is done. If it doesn't work get up and dust yourself off. At least you tried.you need to not doubt yourself, but rather have confidence and be bold, you might surprise yourself. Doubt and fear rule this world, don't let it rule you too!
Think about how boring the word would be if people didn't take that jump into the unknown but insteadlet fear and doubt take over. Think of all the lost opportunities or regrets. My advice to you is to let all that fear and doubt go. Don't let it stop you from having fun, being free and reaching total happiness. But what if I fall....darling what If you fly....

True Friends

Lately I’ve come to realise how hard it is to find true friends. The amount of true friends that have turned out to be not so true makes it hard for me to believe that you can even really find true friends. Im a really forgiving person and tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes it gets to a point where I need to stop kidding myself and realise maybe they aren’t the type of people I should be wasting my time on and let them go. Ive been walked over, lied to and hurt so many times. 

I want to surround myself with positive people that have the same goals as me and are supportive. But lately I’ve realised that I’m surrounded by the exact opposite. People that lie and are fake, you don’t really know where you stand with them. They tell you one thing and say something different to the next person. Now, I’m not talking about the pathetic little “she was flirting with my crush” or “She called me a bitch behind my back” kind of situations. Im talking about the friend you have known for years that has been throughout thick and thin with you kind of situations. You can think you know someone so well and they turn out to be a whole other person.

So, lately I have cleaned my life of the fake people and started to find some REAL friends. I will never be able to know what the definition of a real friend is, however I can try to be one myself.

My theory is if you show those true friend qualities in day to day life you will eventual see it in other people and you will attract those type of people too. Don’t try to be anyone else to try and get people to like you, because that is not going to work. You want to surround yourself of people that like you for you, not what you are trying so desperately to be. We need to have the qualities ourself before we expect people to give it back. Friendship should be built on strong foundations of honesty, kindness, humility, kindness, love and respect. If a friendship lacks any of those things it is not going to last long.

So, take a look at your friends and determine the ones that are true and not. Don't waste your time on people that don’t really care, surround yourself with people that love you for you.

Everyone Has A Story

The world is a massive place and it is full of people from all walks of life. Everyone is different and had a unique story. Lately, I have started to realise that. I meet and serve so many different and unique people and I want to know their story. When you look at someone all you see is the outside, the shell. You have no idea what their story is, what the have been through and what that have seen. Every line of their face holds a different story. Its amazing to think about really. But lately I’ve started to really talk to people. I love hearing people stories and its crazy the courage it gives you. 

The other day I met a man that was training to do the Kakoda trail. He had climbed Mount Everest and he owned his own business. I met a lady that is a aboriginal artist and does murals for the council, she has painted her entire dining room walls with aboriginal art. I met a lady from Melbourne that comes up here for work, she told me some awesome place to go in the city when i go there at the end of the year. 

The amount of different people you can meet just by saying hello and starting a conversation. Happiness rubs off on other people. When you are kind and willing to listen its crazy the place you can end up. 

I challenge you to start a conversation with a stranger. Its crazy where that conversation can lead. Be a good listener and let them talk. You will learn a lot. 

Live in the Moment

Ok, so lately for some reason i have just been really content with my life and where I'm at at the moment. I have an awesome group of friends and have just been genuinely enjoying life. Every now and then I love to just sit back and take it all in. I don't know why but i literally just look out into the distance (Im so weird). I love just living in the moment. Don't worry about the stresses of tomorrow or the mistakes of yesterday, just be content living in the present.

It makes you feel so happy when you do. I remember when I was on holiday on the Sunshine Coast in QLD, Australia we were staying in an awesome hotel on the top floor. It was the nicest hotel. Anyway, my best friend, her mum and I where sharing a room. In the corner of the room was windows from floor to ceiling, just two panels of them. I had a fold out bed so we put the bed in the corner against the windows and then put the curtains over the bed to create a kind of cubby house with a view of the whole city. It was amazing. We literally just sat there living in the moment. Taking in the world beneath us. It was the best feeling ever. 
So, I urge you guys, just enjoy life. Live in the moment and savour it. Life is too short to be running around stressing. Why waste your life worrying. Just stop for a moment and you will realise how large and amazing the world is. You just need to take a step back to realise it.

PS. It was a bit of a random post, but whatever.

Xx Bonnie

Do What You Love

Wow! Hey guys its been a while.... Iv'e been telling myself to write a blog post for a while now. But Im finally doing it! Yay! Ive been really sick lately with the flu and stuff but I'm all better now!!
So, I've had this topic on my mind for a while and I've been trying to think of an amazing way to write about it and do it justice.... but I'm totally blank. So I'm just going to sit down, write and hope it comes out somewhat structured and not crappy.
So, where to start...
Ok, Ive been doing research for my Art assignment over the last few weeks because I had no idea what i was going to do, like I said my mind is dead. The way it works at my school is we are given a concept, for this term it was "MyTime" and we can build off that in any way we want. I was thinking more along the lines of- What will I do with my time, like what will I accomplish or how will I make a difference. So, I Googled it, cause thats what I do, and I stumbled across a speech by Allan Watts called "What would you do if money was no object?". Let me tell you it is probably one of the most relevant and amazing speech i have ever heard. It basically describes me and my thoughts at this point in my life. I won't put the whole speech on here but I will quote some parts. I Will leave a link to the Youtube video at the bottom. I want you to watch the speech below first before you read on because then we will be on the same page. Don't worry its not long, only a few minutes and its totally worth it.

Amazing right?
Even though this speech was created years ago, it applies now. To every person going through school and trying to figure out who they are and where they want to go in life. That moment in life where you have to choose, do you want to live your life doing things you don't like in order to go on doing things you don't like, or take the risk and spend your life doing things you love trusting that you will make it. It is true we go through life getting taught and teaching our kids that its alright to do things you hate as long at it gives you the money to buy things, have a big house, financial security and the latest gadgets. Its wrong. We should just live in the moment. Doing what we love. As long as we have the money to keep doing what we love. Our life is short, why waste it on doing things you hate and making sure you have money in your savings.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its a bad thing to have a secure job. As long as its something you love. If you love being a doctor and saving lives, working as a teacher empowering future generations, working in an office, acting or sport, just do it. Never let anyone tell you that you otherwise you will live a sad life.
I am going through this struggle at the moment and so are a lot of kids my age. Do they waste years of their life going to Uni or doing things that make them want to poke their eyes out with a toothpick or do they go against what we are taught and live like everyone else. Or do we try to excel at the things we love in hope of creating a career out of it.
I really want to motivate you guys to do what you love. Don't do things for other people. Its your life, you are the one that has to live it not anyone else. Everyone has different opinions on what they think is right and wrong, good and bad or fun and boring. Only YOU can decide what you love and when you know don't let anyone stop you from doing it. I can tell you if everyone in history didn't do what they loved, were passionate about and believed in, the world would be a really boring place.
Remember, keep doing what makes you happy, don't watch your life waste away, seize the moment and live how you want to and trust that it will take you places. I guarantee you it will.

I hope you guys liked this, i found another really cool edit of the speech which is linked Here