One must be a friend to have one...

I have been known to be hardheaded, stubborn, even extreme at times, but once in a full moon I try to evolve for the better...I`ve learned to see my faults, I`ve learned to try to rectify situations & extend my hand out, yet I`m only human & I can only do so much...I cannot read minds nor can I make others reach out with their own hand...let it be known: when I love, I love to the full extent & at one point in my Life, when I hated, I hated to the extreme...that was the old Erin; this Erin still loves with the full extent, but she no longer hates. She has learned that the true definition of Friendship is an in-depth relationship combining trust, support, communication, loyalty, understanding, and empathy...above all, it is unconditional, has no expectations, is non-judgemental...and most importantly: one must be a friend to have one; ...the door to my world is always open, no need to knock... it's your choice to take up on the invitation... It would be such a waste to throw away such a great friendship.

To All Aspiring Models:

Confidence & Perseverance are key:
Some things are easier said then done... there will be times when you fail, and there will be people who try to bring you down.. Focus on the positive support and ignore the negative criticism... there is no stopping you IF you believe in your efforts, IF you have faith in your ability, and IF you truly know that You ARE above it all... You're capable of anything... it's all in your state of mind.

The Right Kind of Exposure:
As for really getting yourself out there, a lot has to do with the quality of what you're offering people. Good photos equal good publicity. But the sad thing is that guys often want to see barely nothing on at all, meaning that less is more in most cases.. but it's funny, because as much as I'm sure these guys love seeing girls half naked, how much more attractive they are with clothes on. Think classy, not trashy... you don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention. You want people to view your photos and gain respect for you because of your accomplishments... not lose respect for you because you have no respect for yourself. But what if these kinds of shoots pay well? Trust me, keeping your image to how you'd like to be seen as a person will gain you even more in the long run. Acquaint yourself with people within the industry that actually have notable experience and not just talk. A LOT of people talk sh!t, and say they can do this and promise to do that, but don't really live up to their words. I mean yes, switching up different styles is a way to build exposure, but keep it limited to how you want to be perceived as a person. There are certain jobs that can either make you or break you... build the right kind of exposure.

All that glitters, may not be gold.

At times we strive not to see the obvious, no matter what others may say when they see the whole picture...sometimes you, as in yourself, must experience things in order to appreciate the lesson & learn from it...I think Life has taught me that everything that glitters may not be gold & because of that I have managed to deal with situations in a more conducive manner...Life has a funny, yet beautiful way of taking & giving, it is up to you to work with what is presented: you solely decide whether your journey leads to a positive or negative outcome...don`t allow negative experiences to overcast your future with stigmatized clouds, you may pass-up on good people/experiences...people may come & go, but in the end those that are true & practice what they preach will outshine through the mental fog...don`t take for granted what you have in front of you, God only knows how much time you have to enjoy...

No Regrets

Through the fear of taking risks in life, I've missed a lot of fun; The only things that I regret are those I haven't done... and I have FINALLY come to the realization that this is MY life & MY time, no more time for regrets...

Seasons

As some of you may know, I like to express my thoughts through my writing... so I wrote this poem, "Seasons."

Basically, a lot was going on in my mind when writing this poem. It was a rough week with it's ups and downs and smiles and tears. A friend had recently passed away, and another friend got married the next day. For one, life on earth has ended, and for the other, a new life was just beginning. It started to really make me think about life. I noticed that negatives and positives go hand in hand... as do life and death. For the first one, although his life on earth has ended, his new life in heaven has just begun... and for the other, he left his old life behind, and started a whole new one. It made me realize that life has a crazy yet beautiful way of taking and giving and It's really up to you to work with what is presented. For every loss, there's a gain. We may have lost a friend, but we've gained an angel.

Seasons

Seasons are always changing
This somehow resembles life
For every season theres a change
For all harmony there's strife

In a world with life, there's also death,
A final heartbeat or ones first breath
With every negative, there comes a good
Sometimes life isn't always understood

You try to see, but you feel blind
Look ahead and not behind
After every darkness, there comes the sun
And this applies to everyone

Don't dwell on the bad, just open your eyes
And sometime soon, the sun will rise
Every winter is followed by spring
When the flowers grow and the birds sing

Eventually the warmth will fade away
But it doesn't mean you won't feel it again someday
Start fresh and move forward, but never forget
Learn from your lessons, but never regret

Just because something seems to be gone
You have to find strength to carry on
If you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there
Because life and love is like the air

In time you will see, that life doesn't end
And the season will eventually be warm again
Life goes through changes just like the seasons
But everything truly happens for a reason.

Keep your head up and you'll make it through
Let faith guide your way in all that you do
Life can get tough when things start to change
But just know in the end, it will all be okay

To feel true happiness you must endure pain
To see the rainbow, you have to face the rain
It's not easy right now, but it will be, my friend
Because if it isn't okay, then it isn't the end.

I'd like to dedicate Seasons to the friends and family of Christopher O'Brien.
May he rest in peace.

I'm back!

Hi everyone! I know I've disappeared for a while and I apologize for taking so long to finally start writing in this thing. I've been crazy busy, and my laptop hasn't been working for a month :( But anyways, I'm back!..and you can expect to see regular journal postings on here from now on... =)

First off, I just wanted to say thank you all so much for all of the kind emails and words of support. I really appreciate it. I'm so sorry if I'm take a while to respond, I've just been really busy these days.. so please don't take it personally. I do however, read and appreciate each and every one of them.

Coming up this month...

- Date TBA: Natural Muscle Magazine Feature (I'll keep you updated on release dates)
- Oct 18-19: Sport Compact Performance in Montreal (Toyo Tires booth)