motherly wisdom

Inspirational e-mail from mom this morning...

"CHANGE: All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves;  we must die to one life before we can enter another.” - Anatole France. As you enter a new year and embrace a “new you,”  this only happens with CHANGE.  In fact, this month was almost called “Embracing Change.”  We do need to constantly change and grow as we live and learn new things.  Most (all) of us are not perfect - this is ok AND gives us the opportunity to see what areas in our life we can change or improve. There are many reasons we often do not change, or we find change difficult.  Sometimes we feel we do not have the time to organize ourselves to do what we need to do.  Sometimes we may not believe or know how to make some changes without the financial resources.  Sometimes we just do not want to change. However, this quote is one to think about long and hard.  I think sometimes we do not change and keep our current patterns of behavior because we have to LET GO of a part of ourselves.  Letting go, even if we are separating ourselves from a bad habit can be difficult because we are letting go of something that was a part of our very being. We can only make these changes a moment at a time. “Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.” - Dean Acheson. Mindfully make changes moment by moment.  Allow yourself to let go and be at peace with changing into and EMBRACING the NEW YOU.  

RELAY FOR LIFE

Well, I can go ahead and (half-way) check off one of my new years resolutions/goals...register and run/walk for a cause! I have registered myself and created a team for Relay For Life! Which is a relay walk/run that benefits The American Cancer Society. My team is named "The Fit Fighters"...a little play on words from the "The Foo Fighters" but instead of being rockstars, we are going to be fit relayers, fighting cancer! The relay is on April 27th, at 6pm...so ill have plenty of time to stretch those quads out and break in my running shoes and on a more important note, hopefully plenty of time to reach my goal of raising $500. I'm hoping I can get friends and family to log on to the website and join my team and donate. If not donate, at least join my team and come out that Saturday night because it is such a beautiful, touching event that instills such hope and a feeling of commodore among everyone. 
Click here to check out my personal fundraising web page!
that web page will provide information on Relay for Life, how to donate, how to join my team, what we are "relaying" for and where exactly your donation is going and everything else you might be curious about! This is a great opportunity to make a difference...there is truly nothing more rewarding and fulfilling than community service, than volunteering and helping others. and if you can enjoy yourself by getting some exercise, eating some yummy food and being with your friends and family at the same time? its a win-win situation! I hope to see you there! 

simplify your life!

"Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing" -Oscar Wilde

 

Communicate, don't try to be a mind reader and don't expect people to read your mind

Live below your means. Save money.

Get enough sleep.

Don't waste time on jealousy.

Organize your living space, get rid of stuff you don't use.

Ask if you aren't sure.

Don't try to please everyone

Pay your bills on time

Be honest

Say "I love you" to your loved ones

Pack light

If you hate doing it, stop doing it

Write things down

Apologize when you should

Try not to worry too much about what other people think

Don't text and drive and don't drink and drive

Exercise daily

Let go of things you can't change

Know that "this too shall pass" (good and bad)

Follow your heart

Don't eat when your bored

Drink water when your thirsty

Mind your own business

Learn how to cook, and cook.

Clean up after yourself

BE YOURSELF.

 

makes me happy

tell 'em, marilyn

"sweetie, if you're going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty."

-marilyn monroe

harsh reality

Im pretty sure that there is a song titled "Age is just a number" and even if there isn't...I'm sure you've probably heard that before. Let me tell you what - age really is just a number. I am almost 24 years old but sometimes I think Im still about 18 years old. I realized today something that I think I have been aware of for a long time, but have never completely acknowledged it...I am so so so terrified of "becoming an adult" and "living in the real world". I assume its from a combination of the sad truth that my parents, mainly my father, has spoiled me and babied me forever and, the other sad truth, that immediately after graduating high school I really didn't do much other than drink which lead to me getting into legal trouble, destroying relationships and ruining my credit. Now...5 years later, the fog is lifted, the mess is almost cleaned up, and reality is setting in. I would compare my view of life to a stream filled of fish (bare with me for the explanation) - it seems as if all the other fish (people) just go with the flow, progressing up the stream (life) with relatively no setbacks or struggles and then theres me, the only fish in the school that is going against the current and getting stopped by every rock or tree stump in the stream. Make sense? Analogies always work for me. I'm not sure what differentiates me from all the other "fish" but things have never come easy for me and luck has never been on my side. I know that I am wiser, stronger, more cautious, more grateful person because of all the adversity I have encountered in my life, but somedays (apparently today) I just wish that my life was more so what you would call "normal". or that I was at a place in my life that is more acceptable for someone my age. Comparing yourself to others is a fruitless pursuit, I know that, and feeling sorry for yourself will get you no where, I know that as well...BUT I am and I do, right now. Because of my "different path"I have taken in life, it has separated me from a vast majority of people my age - I constantly feel as if I am on a different playing field. Not necessarily in an inferior or superior way, but just in a way that makes it hard for me to trust and relate to a lot of my peers. But my "different path" has, indirectly, lead me God and to Brock. and for that, I wouldn't change a thing. I know that I still have a long road of reconstruction ahead of me and I am filled with fear from all the responsibilities that adulthood involves - but with faith in God and love from Brock...I think I will be willing and able to tackle whatever else comes my way in this stream of life. 

2012 – (Best Year Yet) Resolutions and Goals

-Make the honor roll with college classes; all semesters

-Become more involved in church, volunteer my time & resources


-Less text time, more face time

-Get up early!

-Run a charity race or 2 or 3. Become a more avid runner

-Don’t take anyone or anything for granted

-Build up my savings account and become less of an impulsive buyer.

-Take a dance/art/photography class

-Wear sunscreen!

-Build a stronger relationship with God, spend time with Him daily.

-Be more present and less involved with technology

-Procrastinate less, organize more.

-Learn how to cook.

-Spend less time in the past. Let it go.Move forward. Don’t hold grudges.

-Be enthusiastic, optimistic and compassionate!

-Move into a lovely home with the man of my dreams J

-Eat nutritiously and exercise regularly. Take care of my body.


-Become a better partner and sister and daughter

-Have more patience.

NEW YEAR…NEW YOU!