No ifs, ands or buts.

Finding an excuse for a problem, is avoiding to face the reality of the situation. Sometimes we do not credit ourselves enough for the power and the things that we are actually capable of. Finding others to blame can sometimes be easy than blaming ourselves for our failures, although for some it is easier to just put the blame on themselves. By putting ourselves down we avoid the disappointment of actually trying and failing. Finding excuses to not try is an easy way out. One sometimes needs encouragement to gain the confidence in themselves to just try. After reading "Finding Your Power" it reassured me that people may make excuses because of the lack of confidence and motivation. They may feel like no one believes in their ability, thus why should they believe in themselves. One can be a good source of motivation and inspiration by encouraging others to explore their options and just try. If one can do it, so can they. Set the example.

Being a good ALLY can be a challenge. When discussing sensitive topics one can get very into the discussion and neglect others' opinions. One needs to realize that not everyone has the same opinion because they possibly grew up seeing a different side of the situation. After reading "The Do's and Don'ts of Being a Good Ally" I learned that one needs to be a good listener. It is important that you are conscious of the other person's point of view. One should not put themselves or their feelings first. By putting yourself down there is no help being done to either side. I feel like I am pretty good at just listening to what the other person has to say when in a sensitive topic situation, but I could really work on informing myself more on the issues. Gathering relevant facts that can support/frame my opinion. This applies to STARS LEAD because throughout the course of this program we have discussed important topics that need attention, such as educational inequalities. It is a topic in which we have had to inform ourselves of the situation and realize that there are privileges that some students are given that give them an advantage that others could also benefit from. We need to realize that if we want to be a good ALLY we cannot back down from discussing a topic.

Scholarships are a privilege. It is something that is attainable for everyone. You need to have the drive to look for them and apply! They really give a student the advantage to receive an education that could possibly not be available to them because of financial situations. Scholarships can make an affordable education possible. It is a rewarding feeling to try and win, rather than to fail and not have tried at all. There's a saying, you never know unless you try. You have NOTHING TO LOSE.

Be the Change.

After viewing the film, "Waiting for Superman" I was full of mix reactions. I felt guilty that I had the opportunity to attend a decent school and get a good education. But at the same time I was also very upset that these educational inequalities and failures in the school system are such great problems in desperate need of a Superhero's help. There can really not be enough help from a superhero that can be done to help completely because too many factors make up the established education systems. There are so many distinct districts in every state that make up their own rules and standards that are responsible for the education of many children. In my opinion, a reform in the education system is easier said than done. There will need to be much hard work and cooperation from a greater part of the heads in every education system. In order to help make a change it will need to start out small to try and work from inside the problem. Possible tutoring and mentoring for these students can be of much great help because just letting them know that someone cares about them and is concerned about their education can help start a chain reaction and make people aware of the importance of this problem.

While reading the "12 Lies to Stop Telling Yourself" article I kept telling myself, this makes so much sense. It is always easier to lie to oneself than it is to lie to others. A little motivation can go a long way. Simply by being more optimistic and looking at the cup half full instead of half empty can really help change ones' reactions toward the challenges that life puts in front of us. It is important that we can help the students of the Empowerment Pipeline realize these things too. They are students just like my peers and I, and just like us, if they believe in themselves, they can go to college. The idea of "I am not good enough for college" is very discouraging and encourages the students to not try to reach their full potential. Some of these students may feel lost in the system simply because they don't have the moral support that they may feel they should receive from their teachers or most importantly, their parents. Thus, through reaching out to the students in the Empowerment Pipeline I feel like we can make an impact in a students life, even if it's the slightest change of thought about "being good enough for college." Everyone and anyone can always benefit from honest motivation. So spread the word, because you never know; the slightest kind gesture can have a positive impact in someone's life.

Esperanza B. :)

Don't worry. Be happy.

I had always had the mindset that being happy is a choice. Although at times it may feel that the world has control over our opportunities and chances that we may think will make us happy. To me it has always been to be happy and grateful for what I do have and not bitter and resentful for what I haven't.
Although reading about smiling actually making you happier was interesting. I knew that a smile was contagious, but thinking about it the fact of just putting a smile on your face can change your mood is pretty amazing. It was also eye opening to read about our mind being out sanctuary and that no one else's opinions should affect what we believe in. It was a very nice imagery to letting one know that to be happy they just need to worry about oneself and about getting involved with drama that doesn't affect you. That is definitely something that I will work on in order to live a more peaceful life. It is not that it is a big problem, it is just the an necessary use of time when I can just sit back and be happy. Also, helping others is really something that had always brought me happiness. Just by knowing that I made the slightest impact in someone else's life makes me feel good about myself. It can be difficult to know when to let go though. From past experience, such as going off away to college it was very hard to let go of the life that I had  back home. I felt like I needed to be there because my loved ones were all there and I needed them. But there soon came a point when I realized that I was growing as a person and it wasn't really that I needed to be there but that the comfort that they made me feel was what I thought made me happy. Now, I have embraced the change and have learned so much about myself being away from that comfort that I thought I needed so much. 


Over spring break I got to go home and spend time with my family. It was a much needed time away from school. Although, I found myself working for six days of my break, but it was actually a nice stress reliever from all the studying for midterms that had to be done. Eating my mom's home-cooked meals is definitely something that I cherished during my time at home, sitting around the dinner table with the family is something I miss everyday.


Here's a short clip that explains the simplicity of happiness. Enjoy!:)

Esperanza B:)