Erika Potap
Bio
I know a thing about a thing or two. Believe in the power of the universe. hope my words can somehow make you smile, even if only on the inside. Questions, thoughts or comments?
Stories (34/0)
A Final Notice from Your Ovaries
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but let’s face it, at least someone around here is bearing something. Sadly, after 35 years, that someone still isn't you—and it is for this very reason we have decided to write this letter. After extensive discussion with the fallopian tubes and your biological clock, and on behalf of your entire reproductive system, we have decided to retire from ovulating.
By Erika Potap5 years ago in Viva
9 Crucial Things I Wish I Had Learned Sooner in Life
I have had many great teachers in my life, but none have taught me more than the greatest teacher of all-life. Through experience and problem based learning, life has given me more knowledge than any university or vocational school in existence. You may live and you may learn. And yes, you may never actually graduate. But at the end of the day, when all is said and done, who cares? Life isn’t all about the destination or the graduation, it’s about the journey—the forks, crossroads, and detours on the way. Life has been tough, and the road quite steep at times. But I’ve done my best to push through and keep moving. I’ve learned so much and yet so little at the same time. Many things I wish I had learned the easy way but instead I was forced to learn the hard way. Here are nine important things I wish I learned sooner in life.
By Erika Potap5 years ago in Motivation
Cherry Poppins & the Grinch Who Stole My Virginity
Virginity: The state or condition of being pure, fresh, or unused. Great definition — not sure how I’d like to describe the pinnacle moment of losing my virginity now that it technically meant I was contaminated, burnt out, blown, depleted, and worn. I was now nothing more but an expended hand-me-down. I lost my virginity, and that makes me damaged goods all of a sudden? I prefer to think of myself as an antique. You know, like a time-honored, skilled veteran. Screw Webster and his dumb dictionary. How typical, doesn’t even know me and already trying to judge me. What gives him the right to appraise me anyhow? Damaged goods, my foot! No one has the right to judge us, nor define us. We define ourselves, and most of the time we are our biggest critics. We know who we are better than anyone else, why do we go out of our way to prove to others that which we already know? I know I’m not damaged goods, but perhaps I felt that way because I lost my virginity pre-maturely and not in the most pleasant of ways. The easiest way of dealing with things is to turn the other way, to bury the memories far away, so as never to deal with them again. The problem is when things are buried alive, they haunt you for eternity. No matter how much time passed, those demons plagued me in some way or another, without me even knowing it, subconsciously. They made their way into every relationship I had, skewed my reality, and took over the reigns of my mind, leaving me powerless in my own skin.
By Erika Potap5 years ago in Filthy
5 Ways to Lose Emotional Weight
Most of us have a way with dealing with things that bother us, it’s called denial...great place to visit, horrible place to live. We bottle up the very things we should be letting out, until eventually like a soda can that’s been shook one too many times, we explode. Not dealing with things that bother us doesn’t make these things go away, on the contrary it makes things worse. It’s like having a credit card bill that you never open, the bill doesn’t disappear, it only grows larger. Try these 11 simplest ways to lose that excess emotional weight and say hello to a happier, lighter, and brighter you!
By Erika Potap5 years ago in Longevity
5 Sure Ways to Make Friends as an Adult
You’ve had the same group of friends since high school and you're the only one in your group who isn’t married with children? Between their kid's soccer practice and ballet recitals, your friends can hardly squeeze in the time to meet for a quick coffee, and on the rare occasions they do, you find yourself thanking your lucky stars for being single because all you’ve been listening to from the moment they sat down is how awful married life is. As much as you miss spending time with your friends, you're almost relieved when they have to go because let’s face it, there’s only a certain amount of negativity you can handle, and they’ve somehow managed to surpass that amount within the first five minutes of sitting down. You glance at your watch and can’t help but wonder to yourself, where would one make new friends when you're an adult and no longer in school? Making friends was a lot easier when you were growing up; it was almost second nature and didn’t require much thought. But making new friends when you're an adult sounds a lot harder than it really has to be. In fact, here are five easy ways you're sure to make new friends as an adult.
By Erika Potap5 years ago in Humans
To Live & Date in LA
To live and die in LA, it's the place to be as Tupac said it best....maybe to live and to die in LA, yes ...but to date in LA is a definite no! Ask anyone who’s ever lived in LA, they’ll tell you, it’s suicide. Being single in LA doesn't even exist, you're either married or part of a clique, like a Hells Angels singles gang that took you in and under its wing when some asshole broke your heart and left you to drown in your own tears. They took you in and nursed your broken heart back to health with drink binging and club hopping. Each squad is solid, a true team, they are always there for one another and you can be certain, there is never a dull moment.
By Erika Potap6 years ago in Humans
Gym Etiquette
Ever feel like you have to dodge certain people while you're at the gym? Am I the only one who actually goes to the gym to workout these days? I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to the gym in beast mode, pre-workout mix in effect, with only one hour to spare before having to get back to the drudgery of my mundane life and just as I'm about to get on the treadmill someone taps me on the shoulder. Chatty Patty, the vegan waif I met in yoga flow a few weeks back...yep, the one who kept trying to talk to me throughout the entire duration of yoga class, completely oblivious to the fact that one — we're in a freaking YOGA CLASS, and two — not the best place to carry on a conversation. But who am I to say?
By Erika Potap6 years ago in Longevity
How To Be the Best Girlfriend
To be the best at anything, one must find a balance. Too much or too little of something can be the deciding factor between being the best and being the worst. First and foremost, it is important to be whole in regards to yourself: do not look unto your boyfriend to fill a void within yourself or somehow “complete” you, as it will only strain your relationship by putting unnecessary pressure on both of you. It's important that you have your own group of friends, hobbies, likes and dislikes. Once you have those things in place, it's important to keep up with them once you are in a relationship as well; don't all of a sudden forget about your life while living your partner's life. Knowing the correct balance is a key factor in any relationship, and by taking out the time to nurture your own likes you will actually make your bond stronger, giving each other time to miss one another. Although it sounds quite obvious, many of us forget that real love is not selfish. So just to remind ourselves: we should always love from the heart and love unselfishly, even if it is not in our favor at that moment. It's what real love is all about. Of course, our egos' may resist, but we must always be in control of our mind and our emotions, we must strive to be rational and of sound mind. As I am sure many of you already know, jealousy is the worst human quality to possess and it can break even the strongest of relationships. To be the best girlfriend your boyfriends could ever ask for, it is super important that you always trust your boyfriend whether it be his words or his actions. Otherwise, do him the favor of walking away, because without trust there is no relationship. And if you can't trust the person closest to you, who can you really trust ? Even if there have been times in the past that have led to you be skeptical or question his actions or words, the fact that you decided to stay means you have to leave everything in the past, and start fresh. You can't use the past as an excuse for you to question every word coming out of his mouth. You will only drive yourself crazy with the countless "what ifs" and make him feel like he constantly has to explain himself, even when he is doing nothing wrong. Try to be understanding as opposed to demanding, and give without expecting something in return. It is important that you be genuine in your actions, whatever you do, because he will sense the level of sincerity in your actions. Be patient and kind: someone your boyfriend can turn to without feeling judged. Be someone you, yourself, would want to be around. Have things in common: hobbies and interests to share and discuss, just as either of you would have with your own friends. Don't complain: if you don't like something, do something about it. Don't just talk about it endlessly: change can only happen when you take action. Be confident in the love you share. Don't make waves in hopes of getting a reaction to prove your boyfriend loves you, like making him jealous. Many times we want something from our boyfriend and instead of just coming out and saying what is that we want, we prefer to drop little hints here and there: hints that, more often than not, go unnoticed or, even worse, are completely misunderstood. Communication is key in any relationship, romantic or otherwise. It is important to be able to be straight up with your significant other and speak up when something bothers you. Dropping hints that they may or may not pick up is immature and only wastes time you could have spent together cuddling or laughing and enjoying each others company. Instead you're upset, and he's busy trying to figure out what made you upset when he could use that time to hash it out and move forward, leaving it in the past. Be confident in yourself and the kind of girlfriend you are, and he will have no choice but to do the same.
By Erika Potap6 years ago in Humans
Bluffy the Vampire Slayer
People don't always say what they mean... either they say what they think we want to hear or they create a facade to make themselves look like they're something they're not. All these fronts and disguises just makes it that much harder to really get to know someone, especially someone who you may want to potentially get into a relationship with. Ladies, how many times have you been with someone you thought was perfect, and then six months down the line you ask yourself what crack you were smoking to make that kind of a decision? And let me tell you, your crack habits are completely irrelevant at this point. It has nothing to do with you at all. The guy's mask just comes off and you see someone completely different, someone you don't even recognize... You see the person behind the mask.
By Erika Potap6 years ago in Humans
13 Simplest Things to Make Oneself Happier
You're only as happy as you make your mind up to be! 1. Exercise. It is the best thing you could do for yourself. The endorphins produced from exercise will definitely make you happier, both physically and emotionally. It doesn't happen overnight but if you keep at it for a while, you will be amazed at how even a simple 30 minutes of working out daily creates a huge difference.
By Erika Potap6 years ago in Longevity
