FROM THE HEART STUDIOS Elijah Kim

When we think of Marriage, we think of the happy ending or the start of a new journey in a couples' life, but what some people don't know is that sometimes, it isn't as idealized as we perceive it to be. To what extent will we fight for what or who we love? Will we put down everything on the line in order to get what we desire? Paul explains the odds that were stacked against him as he fought for the love of his life. It wasn't a fight to keep his marriage, but a fight to finally get to marry the love of his life.  You can connect with Paul Kim and his brand through Instagram and Facebook @_p.kim and @operationdichotomy and with at @FromtheHeart.Studios on Instagram. 

Since growing up, we've all had the tendency to listen to our parents, teachers, elders, etc. But who says that what they say is the only truth for us to follow? Life isn't a straight path, but it's a combination of different paths that only we can unfold. We need to be more confident in our own actions even when it may not make sense to others. Trust the process and know that not everyone will be on board with the pursuit of your own dreams. 

Society has created a lot of norms of things that simply were not "meant to be". People will cast doubts upon us for having ideas that seem revolutionary because the idea seems unfathomable to them.  So, how do we change this mindset? It all starts with us... with you. As cliche as it sounds, for your dreams to come true, you must work to make it a reality. No one will feed your dreams on a silver platter and to be quite frank, it will most likely never look pleasing in any way. However, this is what comes with envisioning a change, a revolution, within our communities and ultimately the world. Be the change you'd like to see and then the world will follow.

At one point or another, many of us were given a label that was used to define us by other people. These notions were created based on our various attributes such as our appearances, actions, speeches, thinking, etc. and it has created more harm than good the majority of the time.  So how can we combat this issue of prejudice placed on everyday people like us? By being aware that every person has a story that has shaped and molded that person is today.

Melissa Shrestha shares her experience growing up with a mixed ethnic background. The struggles that she faced were countless and thus made it difficult to truly discover who she was an individual back then. Today, she advocates people expressing their different personalities, backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures through many groups that she organizes.

We oftentimes get overwhelmed when situations don't go our way. We like to have a structured plan because it makes us feel in control of our situation and our results. But unfortunately, life isn't like that. There are many bumps in the road that require us to be innovative to move around them. If we fail to maneuver around these setbacks, we won't be able to progress further. So when you are faced with an inevitable setback, will you be able to think of how you can overcome that situation to benefit you?

Many people struggle to understand how to truly empathize with another person.  It’s in our innate nature to give a solution to someone's issue(s). Sometimes, we can have the best words of advice to help one another. Other times, we encounter situations in which we won't have a clue as to what to say. BUT in those moments, it's okay to just sit in silence and to listen to someone as they go through a rough patch in m his/her life. When someone just wants someone to just listen, that in itself can be the best solution you can offer to someone... to empathize with them.