Sometimes we get to these areas in life where we are just trying to figure out how to find the simple happiness we so desire. It's not always easy, but I have found a few ways that have worked throughout the years, and I hope you can find your own versions of these as well.
1. Finding your niche.
I think this is one that has really helped me in the long run. Some of us it's reading our favorite book. Some it's getting tattoos. Some it's working out, no matter what it may be find it and use it. Mine happens to be many different things. I love settling in with a good book, a good cup of coffee, and being out in creation. I love playing around with makeup and making myself feel pretty. I love going to walks and just enjoying some fresh air and me time. Whatever your niche is, find it and use it to your advantage.
2. Take some time to work for yourself.
This one can mean anything to anyone. To me it's making sure that I'm taking the time to work out and spend time with God. To someone else it might be retail therapy, or it might be working on cars, or knitting, etc. I think it's so important to be a little selfish sometimes and carve out time in our day to really get to know ourselves. It's so important to get to know yourself, and getting to know yourself requires you to spend time with yourself so you can.
3. Reminisce on some of your favorite things.
I think this is one that makes me the happiest. It makes me so happy thinking of things that I did as a child, or growing up with all of my siblings. It's so special to think back to some of the best memories of my childhood and remember the feelings that go with them. When I can go on bike rides, those are always so special thinking about learning to ride a bike without training wheels. When I'm watching Disney movies, I remember cuddling up on the couch with my family and enjoying that time together. When I even have Bible studies, I remember having a study almost every night before bed and enjoying that fellowship with my mom. It always made me so happy. Remember those good memories and bring them back every once in a while.
4. Take a break and just sit.
I don't know about you, but I find the times that I am the happiest, are when my day is over and I come home and just sit, I'm someone who loves music, and needs something playing in the background at all times. During this time is when I can do my own sort of meditating, turn on some music and just sit. Think about the good that happened that day, or that week if it's a Friday night, and just finally get a moment to myself. This is what makes me happiest, realizing that your day isn't all bad, there were many different good moments. You just have to be willing to sit down and pick through them.
5. Seek the good, don't just dwell on the bad.
I feel this one goes with the last one a little bit, but I truly believe it's the most important out of all of these. When we dwell on the bad, or someone who wronged us, we are taking that negative energy and capturing it. I think it's so important for us to learn to let go and live in life. I have had my own fair share of people who have wronged me or bad situations, but I also have to remember the bad that I have done to someone else as well. We aren't perfect, and when we realize that and learn to forgive, we will truly find the happiest parts of life.
I know I'm not an inspirational person, but I truly have been failing to acknowledge this myself lately. I've let the bad from work bring me down, and it's not fair to myself or to the people around me to be a negative Nancy all the time. I encourage all of you to find what makes you happy and use that when you are feeling down. Listen to your favorite artist, paint a picture, go for a walk, forgive and let go of that grudge, do whatever is going to make you a happier, better person in the long run.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Thursday, May 4, 2017
2017 - New Year, New Me
It's officially May 2017, and so much has changed. It's so funny to revert back to past blog posts and remember what I wanted from this. I remember wanting to use this as a reaching out point to get feelings across. I remember wanting this to encourage someone in their spiritual adventure. It's just so crazy to know that back then I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to reach people that I didn't think I could before. I've learned a lot since the last time that I posted. I've learned that if you put your mind to something you can make it work. I've learned that it's okay to move away from home and try and build a life. I've learned that we will all make mistakes, but it shows what kind of person you are to pick yourself up and learn from those mistakes.
You can and you will, if you're willing.
In January, I moved from small town Florence, Colorado to the big city of Denver. I'm not going to lie, I was terrified. After my parents dropped me off and left me to unpack, I contemplated if this was the right choice. If I should call my parents before they left the city to come back and get me. Although, looking back at it now, I don't think I would have accomplished half of the things I have had I done that. I think the biggest thing moving taught me was that if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything you want. I didn't ever foresee myself doing exactly what I wanted right away, nor did I imagine buying my own car with my own money and making my own payments.
My parents always taught me that if I wanted something I should go out and work for it. I've been a firm believer in that all my life. I'm just starting to see it come into play now, and it's amazing!! I encourage everyone to take that next step in life, no matter how scary. Had I let my fear hold me back, I wouldn't have accomplished half the things I have this far. The biggest being that I've learned to navigate the big city. Which, trust me, is a huge feat!
Home is where the heart is, not always where you reside.
Growing up, I was always very close to my family. We were the family that was at church together almost every Sunday, and then we'd have a good lunch together and usually end it with a fun family movie. Then fast forward to my teen years where I was homeschooled my whole high school career, you get really close when you're with your family the whole time. I never complained, my siblings are my best friends and my most favorite people in this world. I wouldn't trade any of those moments.
But I had to learn to be alone. Which is a very difficult pill to swallow. When you're the oldest of four kids, you tend to always be helping someone. You look forward to those down times where you can focus on you, but like I said, you wouldn't trade it. And I still wouldn't. I just realized how much of my time was given to someone else when I had to sit in my new home all by myself and realized I didn't have anyone else to take care of but myself. It's crazy how your own silence can be so loud.
"Home is where the heart is," never had more meaning than when I moved to Denver. I realized just where my heart was when I was sitting in bed wishing one of my siblings was around to cuddle with while we watched a Disney movie. I realized just where my heart was when I was having a hard time sleeping in the quietness of my own room without someone snoring. I realized just where my heart was when I came home from exploring and had no one to tell it to. I realized that my heart will always be with my family in small town Florence, Colorado.
We all make mistakes, how will you learn from yours?
I think the biggest heartbreak of my life came this year. I made a poor decision and it cost me a really great guy. I've since gotten back together with him, but I learned what it meant to be completely and totally alone at that point. I think when we make a mistake, we expect something grand to happen to cause an epiphany within us. In most cases, that really doesn't happen.
In my case, it didn't happen until I made it happen. I had to make the choice to stop sulking, get out of bed and learn from my mistakes. I had to be the one to man up and apologize for what I did. I had to make the choice to stop playing the victim and step up to the plate for what I did. The point of this is I had to be the one to pick myself up. Learning from our mistakes means that we take a look at the specific situation and realize what we did wrong and make the effort to never do it again.
I don't have all the answers, but I know that in today's society, we need to be reliant on ourselves. We should know ourselves enough to know what we need in times of need. In the last 4 months, I've learned so much more about myself. I want to share what I'm feeling, what adventures I went on, but also my struggles. Cause we aren't perfect, we'll make mistakes, but I hope to encourage someone else in knowing that we can get past something and come out so much stronger.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31
You can and you will, if you're willing.
In January, I moved from small town Florence, Colorado to the big city of Denver. I'm not going to lie, I was terrified. After my parents dropped me off and left me to unpack, I contemplated if this was the right choice. If I should call my parents before they left the city to come back and get me. Although, looking back at it now, I don't think I would have accomplished half of the things I have had I done that. I think the biggest thing moving taught me was that if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything you want. I didn't ever foresee myself doing exactly what I wanted right away, nor did I imagine buying my own car with my own money and making my own payments.
My parents always taught me that if I wanted something I should go out and work for it. I've been a firm believer in that all my life. I'm just starting to see it come into play now, and it's amazing!! I encourage everyone to take that next step in life, no matter how scary. Had I let my fear hold me back, I wouldn't have accomplished half the things I have this far. The biggest being that I've learned to navigate the big city. Which, trust me, is a huge feat!
Home is where the heart is, not always where you reside.
Growing up, I was always very close to my family. We were the family that was at church together almost every Sunday, and then we'd have a good lunch together and usually end it with a fun family movie. Then fast forward to my teen years where I was homeschooled my whole high school career, you get really close when you're with your family the whole time. I never complained, my siblings are my best friends and my most favorite people in this world. I wouldn't trade any of those moments.
But I had to learn to be alone. Which is a very difficult pill to swallow. When you're the oldest of four kids, you tend to always be helping someone. You look forward to those down times where you can focus on you, but like I said, you wouldn't trade it. And I still wouldn't. I just realized how much of my time was given to someone else when I had to sit in my new home all by myself and realized I didn't have anyone else to take care of but myself. It's crazy how your own silence can be so loud.
"Home is where the heart is," never had more meaning than when I moved to Denver. I realized just where my heart was when I was sitting in bed wishing one of my siblings was around to cuddle with while we watched a Disney movie. I realized just where my heart was when I was having a hard time sleeping in the quietness of my own room without someone snoring. I realized just where my heart was when I came home from exploring and had no one to tell it to. I realized that my heart will always be with my family in small town Florence, Colorado.
We all make mistakes, how will you learn from yours?
I think the biggest heartbreak of my life came this year. I made a poor decision and it cost me a really great guy. I've since gotten back together with him, but I learned what it meant to be completely and totally alone at that point. I think when we make a mistake, we expect something grand to happen to cause an epiphany within us. In most cases, that really doesn't happen.
In my case, it didn't happen until I made it happen. I had to make the choice to stop sulking, get out of bed and learn from my mistakes. I had to be the one to man up and apologize for what I did. I had to make the choice to stop playing the victim and step up to the plate for what I did. The point of this is I had to be the one to pick myself up. Learning from our mistakes means that we take a look at the specific situation and realize what we did wrong and make the effort to never do it again.
I don't have all the answers, but I know that in today's society, we need to be reliant on ourselves. We should know ourselves enough to know what we need in times of need. In the last 4 months, I've learned so much more about myself. I want to share what I'm feeling, what adventures I went on, but also my struggles. Cause we aren't perfect, we'll make mistakes, but I hope to encourage someone else in knowing that we can get past something and come out so much stronger.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31
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