Nature MadeSAM-e Complete™**

First off, thank you for taking the time to consider my application! I believe I'm a great fit for this opportunity for many reasons (besides the fact that I LOVE x a lot to blog) and it's kind of you to read them. :) My favorite saying is, "Life isn't about learning to weather the storms, it's about learning to dance in the rain." It hasn't been an easy road for me, but my road has involved a lot of introspection and this has given me the ability to speak about the skills involved in CHOOSING to be happy. I have an absolute passion for life. I enjoy new experiences and try to learn from my trials PLUS I love laughing and sometimes I even like making up cool words. My hardships have taught me to be resilient in the face of personal danger, humble in learning to accept the difficult choices of others, and optimistic when hope seems lost. I've been blogging for the past year. I am on twitter, Facebook etc ... but more than that - I'm FUN! :) My hobbies: baking, writing, playing the piano, hiking, photography, videography, blogging, reading books on attitude and painting. I'm creative and my readers tell me their favorite part of my writing is that I make them laugh (which btw - and that's NOT just feedback from my mom.) A little bit more about me - I'm just finishing up a Masters in Digital Communication from the University of Sydney and can't wait to move back to the states in November!! I miss my family (and puppies - I rescued two adorable mixed-breed dogs 4 years ago.) My degree involves building websites, researching the impact of social networks, and how computers and the ever-evolving digital culture affects societal structures. I also have a Graduate Certificate in Peace and Conflict as well as a B.S. in Speech Communication w/a minor in Psychology. Communication is my thing - conflict resolution, especially inTRA-personal conflict resolution is a passion. Learning to listen to yourself, resolve things within your own mind and be at peace with your identity are keys to being happy and healthy. I would be perfect for this job because not only is it a dream job for me, but I also have not-so-secret dreams of making the world a better place (hence the degree in peace and conflict,) the personal background to give the blog flavor, heart-felt sincerity, and the dedication it takes to have an interactive readership.

Dedication, hard work, personal accountability, and slurpees. (ok ok - slurpees aren't natural in ANY sense but they sure do make me smile!) I am gluten and diary free so maintaining a balanced diet is especially important to me. I believe in moderation in all things and try to avoid any addictive substances. No coffee, no tea, no alcohol, no smoking, no drugs. I believe in the power of vitamins, herbs, minerals and am constantly looking at ways to optimize my intake. I also believe in the power of sleep. Sleep is so, so, so, so important to keeping a healthy mind (in addition to exercise.) When I feel down I try to refocus the negative energy into positively taking steps to correct what is bothering me. Sometimes that's as simple as writing a list of things I shouldn't be worrying about at the moment to stow away for a rainy day and other times it takes serious introspection and analysis - usually accompanied by recognition of a behavior or thinking pattern that may be in need of a tune-up. Additionally I use the following strategies to uplift: *recognizing my accomplishments as well as giving myself credit for these accomplishment *recognizing what I have to be grateful for *giving myself credit for the courage it took to overcome some of my obstacles and reminding myself that I've survived "hell" and I have the strength and determination to turn my situations around and make them better *telling myself silly jokes *texting my friends silly jokes *writing *helping a friend in need *making people smile *service The world is a big place and everyone has trials. If I can help even one or two people per day feel happier, less burdened, or make them laugh - I believe the ripple effect of positive energy is worth the daily effort. I hope the people I come in contact with, or who read my writings, feel my energy and passion for life.