Here are some things I've learned while being on this earth for the last 48 years:
1) Sometimes you just HAVE to learn to let things go. No matter how hard it is, no matter how painful, no matter how much you don't want to....sometimes it's crucial and in the end sometimes it's even better in the end. I know sometimes in my life I have held onto things WAYYYYY longer than I should have. So just take that deep breath....put all the bad things and things you need to say goodbye to in that breath....and let it go.
2) People will inevitably hurt you. We are human...it's inevitable that others will hurt us and that we will hurt others. Some people are brought into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Discern which area they belong in...acquire the lesson if need be. Learn from it and move on. Then cherish those that are there forever.
3) Do things yourself!! Don't be that wounded sparrow waiting for someone to save you or rescue you. Don't wait for someone else to fix it. Don't wait for someone else to do it. If it needs done...get in there and do it. And try to do it without complaining or throwing it in someone's face.....nobody likes that.
4) I'm going to share one of my favorite quotes here for this one...."Don't make someone a priority who only makes you their option." Great words to live by....and if you can follow this one, it'll be a lot less painful in the end.
5) Face your fears. Hard one, and scary too...but once you've stared it in the face and conquered it, it's amazing how other fears seems less daunting.
6) Sometimes you just have to put YOU first. I know as a woman this is sometimes a really tough one to do because we are so sacrificing...especially when it comes to kids. We put everyone else first and we end up with not much left in the tank at the end. Sometimes you need to call a time out, lock the door, hide in your car if even for 5 minutes and just take a moment for YOU! If you can...I advice taking time out for yourself every single day. Even if it is only those 5 minutes. You deserve it :)
7) Here's another quote..."If it's important to you you'll make it a priority. If it's not important you'll make an excuse." So true...if you want something bad enough...make it a priority in your life. Want to lose those 10 pounds...it ain't going to happen sitting on the couch....if you really want it to happen YOU need to put forth the effort and make it a priority. Put it on your calendar...your phone...your iPod...if that's what you need to do. If you really want to go out on a date with your spouse...make it a PRIORITY!! If you want to do something fun with your kids...put it on the calendar!! If there is one thing I've really come to find is if I put it on the calendar or on a To Do list...it has more of a chance of getting done. Quit making excuses as to why you can't....make a plan to say you CAN!!
8) Kind of goes with the one above, but MAKE A PLAN. If you want to see your life at a certain point in 10 years, 5 years...next year....MAKE A PLAN ON HOW TO GET THERE!! You can't just get in a car and drive willy nilly from here to the Grand Canyon unless you have a map showing you the correct way to get there. Make a plan, dream list, whatever you want to call it and brainstorm ways on how to get to that goal. You'll have far better success getting there if you have a plan!
9) Not everyone belongs in your heart. Now hear me out on this one. I took a class several years ago that taught me this and let me tell you it was the best class I've ever taken! Just because someone may be close to you (parents, siblings, relatives, spouse, friends) it doesn't give them free access to your heart. YOU get to choose who lives there....it's not an open door...or at least it shouldn't be, to just allow anyone just to walk in and take up residence. It is an earned place...and rightfully so...because it's a special place, that only those who truly care about you, who are willing to look out for you, those who have your back...those who can handle living there in that tender place and treat it as such. So if you need to, clean out that heart space and only allow those who deserve to be in there, in there. The others, you may have to kick out to the front porch...or the yard...or in the city.....or a different continent...or some honestly are just toxic and belong on the moon. Take the time to take inventory and clean house...trust me, you'll be glad you did. ;)
10) Sometimes it just is what it is. Some things, and some people, you can't change. Change what you can, accept what you can't change and just enjoy the journey and learn from it. We aren't here that long anyway. Glean the lessons God puts your way. Ask Him to help you through the hard stuff and praise Him for the good, the bad and the ugly. Anyone can praise God when things are good, but praising Him when things are tough is another story. Do it anyway. God will bless you for it.
OK...off my philosophical soap box now. :)
