Avoiding Disappointment

I got to thinking about disappointment. There’s always going to be disappointment in life. I’ve always been one of those people who tries to hide from disappointment. I love the ABC Family show, Greek. In it, the character of Cappie says: “The first rule of avoiding disappointment… lower your expectations.” Is he right? Should we set our expectations lower in order to avoid something we don’t want? Should we carry out this pessimistic attitude in order to not be upset in the long-run? I’d like to believe we should. I usually do. But I also think that hope is what gets us through the day. We can avoid disappointment. But when we’re faced with it… we have to rid our pessimism and pick up the pieces. That’s when we’ve truly won. Take that, pessimism.

People-pleasing

I got to thinking about people-pleasing. How often do you seek others’ approval? Do you think it matters what other people think? Don’t think for a second that this is attainable. You cannot please everyone. That would take all your strength. Just try to please yourself. At the end of the day, you have to do what’s best for you. And that doesn’t make you selfish; you’re doing what’ll make you happy. And that’s the goal.

Cambodia

I got to thinking about Cambodia. I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful, friendly country this summer. I truly think it’s a hidden gem that deserves a greater reputation than merely housing the world’s most beautiful, still-active temple: Angkor Wat. The Khmer people of Cambodia are accommodating, genuine, and truly happy, despite not having the wonderful luxuries we Westerners take for granted on a daily basis. Our tuk-tuk driver was diligent, eager, and so deserving of an extra tip. One thing about Cambodia: everything is in the USD, so it isn’t as cheap as Thailand or Vietnam. If you decide to visit this beautiful country, there are must-sees:

Angkor Archaeological Complex: All the temples are part of this complex. You must buy a pass. There is a one-day pass for $20, three-day pass for $40, or seven-day for $60. We chose the three-day, since we only had two days.

Angkor Wat: What a beautiful sight. Make sure to go before the sun rises, about forty-five minutes prior to sunrise. There’s nothing like it. The sun shines behind Angkor Wat to showcase a beautiful, old, and immaculate temple. Make sure to take lots of pictures. Internet photos don’t do this place justice. There’s too much beauty. You just have to see it for yourself.

Ta Prohm: This is the temple where Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed. You’ll see the tree that’s growing among the temple, rising high into the sky. It’s fascinating.

Bayon: This is the temple with the faces. That’s how I describe it. It’s not quite as impressive as Angkor Wat or Ta Prohm (but seemingly much busier), but it’s a must-see.

The smaller temples: We loved the smaller temples in the Angkor Archaeological Complex. We visited: Ta Som, Ta Nei, Prei, Preah Kahn (not so small, but less famous), and Neak Pean. Here, you can explore without the crowds. But beware of people giving “tours.” They do offer helpful temple information, but demand tips in return.

Angkor National Museum: This is a skip. We weren’t that impressed with it. It’s a high-priced museum without air-conditioning. And in the summer, there’s nothing more wonderful than air-conditioning in Cambodia. There isn’t that much to see; you’d be better off spending more time at the temples and reading about the Khmer people (fascinating people) on Wikipedia.

Cuisine Wat Damnak: MUST EAT HERE! It is AMAZING food! They offer a rotating tasting menu. I tried beef tongue here! It was fabulous.

Standing still is hard

I got to thinking about standing still. There’s nothing that makes you complete. You are empty. You are frozen. You are worthless. And then you take a step… maybe a step in the wrong direction, but a step, no less. And that’s when everything changes. Humans cannot stand still. We cannot live incomplete, useless lives. We have to be doing something. We have to be someone better than we were yesterday. If you find the one thing that makes your heart beat faster than a Concorde, keep it. Go forward with it and never look back. Don’t be sedentary and don’t wish you had something more. You will. All in time. All because you’re not standing still.

The Soul Mate Belief

I got to thinking about soul mates. Do you believe? Should you believe? I’m under the romantic notion that soul mates, do, indeed, exist. Is there a perfect person out there for you? Do they complete you in ways that you cannot complete yourself? And how does it work? How do you find that person? I think it’s about timing, hope, and belief. You simply must believe. There’s a love out there that can make you better, see more, and dream greater. You have to believe in it to find it. Don’t succumb to the biggest fear of all; it’ll happen for each of us. And if you’re with someone who doesn’t make you better, whole, then you’re not with your soul mate. Don’t give up on romance.