It's hard to believe that I am already 25! Sheesh where did the time go? I feel like it was only yesterday that I was going to high school football games and making a decision on which college to attend...and now I'm a masters student and half-way to 30. What?!
The idea for this blog came to me the other day while wandering around the grocery store and looking around at the people who were aimlessly wandering the aisles.
I love watching people and thinking about their lives and the experiences that I have encountered in my own life. So I decided to come up with a list of the top twenty-five things that I have learned throughout this journey of life.
1. Help people whenever you can: I find immense joy in helping people. It makes me feel good to know that I was able to give back, even if that means the only thing I was able to do for them was to put away a shopping cart. You never know what people are going through, so extending a smile and a helping hand can make all the difference.
2. People will come and go, and that is OK: I have met and lost many friends throughout my life. In the beginning it was hard for me to understand why on earth a friend would leave my life, why all of a sudden the bond that we shared wasn't as sacred anymore, but then I realized it's all in God's planning. Maybe someone only needs you to be in their life during a certain time, maybe it's during a joyous time, or a time where they need a support system. It's OK that people enter and exit your life. Those rare friendships that last a lifetime will always be there, you don't have to talk every day, you just pick up where you left off.
3. There is no finish line or time-limit: This one took me FOREVER to figure out. I always thought that things had to be completed within a certain time-span; whether that was college or my masters degree, having a family, etc. I wanted everything done on a time table. As I've gotten older and hopefully wiser I've realized that things will happen in their own timing. I'll finish my masters when I am done with it, that might be next year, may be two years from now.
4. I am a CLUTZ: there is no way around this, I lose things, trip over my own two feet, and can't hold onto anything to save my life. There's a reason my parents didn't name me Grace.
5. Do what YOU want: this concept also took me a long time to grasp. I have to do what is best for me, whether or not that upsets others.
6. Judging, is well...stupid: there are so many people out there who will judge you. They will judge you for the clothes you wear, the words you say, or the people you are around. Pay zero attention to them. Also the flip-side is true as well, do not judge others. I can't say that I am perfect and I never judge people because that would be a lie. I try my hardest not to. It shouldn't matter what color, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or the make of their vehicle is; don't judge, period.
7. Respect is earned, not given: this is one of those typical clichéd sayings that I was taught as a child. I agree with it to an extent. Just because someone doesn't show you respect does not by any means give you the right to be rude in return. Slap a smile on that face and give them respect anyway.
8. You can't make everyone happy: I try so hard to do this, SO HARD. Although at the end of the day, it just isn't possible. Sometimes you need to take a step back and ask yourself "am I doing enough to make myself happy?"
9. Trying to forgive is hard: letting go of whatever hurt you in the past and forgiving that person is physically and emotionally painful, but forgiveness is freeing...
10. My family is my everything: like I mentioned earlier, people will come and go from your life. People will hurt you and leave you, but what I have found is that my family is always there. Always there as my cheerleaders or to help pick me up when I have stumbled. Without them I would be nothing. Literally.
11. Cherish your loved ones: there is no more painful feeling than the loss of a family member or friend, I've experienced too many deaths or brushes with death throughout the last year, more than I would ever care to experience in a lifetime. Tell people how you feel about them. Tell them you love them while you still can, because sometimes by the time you get around to it they're gone.
12. Social media is dumb: I say this, and later this blog link will be posted to my FB page. I just think that social media is a breeding ground for drama and too much information. I stay on there to keep in touch with my friends and family who live far away, but wouldn't it be easier to just pick up the phone?
13. Put. The. Phone. DOWN: this is something that drives me bonkers, about myself and others. These days we can't go anywhere without our beloved smart phones. We are so obsessed about "staying connected" that we miss out on what's going on in front of us. When you are with people, put the phone down and truly be with them, that instagram update can wait until later.
14. Learn to laugh: I like to laugh. I think laughter is a great cure for things. I've even learned to laugh about the serious things. My family and I joke about my mom's cancer and my brain injury, we joke about my clumsiness and my grandma's forgetfulness, we even joke and have competitions about who has the better scars. Life is taken so seriously. I do believe that there is a time to be serious and to treat situations such as cancer with the fear that it deserves, but after that has passed you have to learn to laugh about it. If you don't that fear, anger, and sadness will drive you deep into a dark hole and who wants to be in a place like that? Not me.
15. Don't be afraid to ask for help: No I'm not talking about asking for help with your math homework or help moving boxes, I'm talking about needing someone to talk to. I've dealt with a lot of crap in life and it wasn't until I got older that I realized that those issues I never worked out as a child still haunted me as an adult. There is NOTHING wrong about seeking help from someone, or seeing a therapist. For whatever silly reason needing help is looked down upon in our society, I think that is ridiculous. Sometimes you need someone with an outside perspective to help you see/deal with things better. I was in a dark dark place after my accident coupled with my mom's cancer diagnosis, had I not admitted that I needed help, I may not have been around today to even write this blog.
16. Exercise: Go out and move! Find whatever it is that makes you happy and do that. Go run, ride a bike, powerlift, do CrossFit, join a yoga class, do something that gets that body moving! You'd be surprised at what an amazing stress reliever it is. It doesn't matter what you do, just that you have a passion for it. There is not one right exercise regimen that is ideal for everyone, so do yours and don't bash others.
17. Never forget where you came from: Never ever forget where you came from and what it took to get you to where you are today. I've seen gyms or club meetings that preach "forget your story." Why?! Why would you every want to forget your story? Your story coupled with your experiences and the people involved in that story are what molded you into the person who you are today! Remember your story and let it make you proud.
18. Being angry is a waste of time: I've tried it. I've tried to be angry with people or with myself and you know where it got me? Nowhere. It's detrimental to your well-being and seriously, who likes walking around angry all the time? I do have a temper, it just comes with my personality, but I try to let things go, even though I am not the best at it sometimes.
19. Remember to thank the people who helped get you to where you are: I think sometimes we forget the massive number of people who have helped us out in life. We forget about how far our parents had to drive us for soccer games, or the hours spent helping out with homework. We forget those are the things that helped us get to where we are today. I have my grandparents and my mother, along with my professors to thank for as far as I've gotten. Lord knows without their help I wouldn't have made it this far.
20. Let people talk: people may talk about you or criticize you for certain things or choices you've made, it's your life. So tell them to shut up and just walk away.
21. Ask lots of questions: I am curious, curious about everything around me, therefore I ask a lot of questions which I know can be annoying at times. Without questions how would we ever get any answers or learn to do things differently?
22. Stand up for yourself and others: you may not make friends doing this, but you will gain respect, that I can guarantee. Stand up for who you are and what you believe it. Don't be afraid to stand up for someone else too. It may be scary, but totally worth it.
23. Gain a sense for adventure: I love to travel to new places, whether they are national or international. I love learning about and experiencing new cultures. I've traveled to many different countries and learned about and met so many interesting people. Those experiences have helped shape me.
24. Don't change yourself for anyone else: be confident in who you are, the right person will come along and love that quality about you.
25. Love people: I think the title explains itself. Without love in this world where would we be?
