I hope that everyone had a fun and safe New Year! Here comes 2012! It seems like 2011 went by way too quickly. I am not ready for the holidays to be over. I enjoyed them so much. Now begins a clean slate and new goals for a new year. I have never been one to go crazy about resolutions mostly because the perfectionist in me hates to fail at them. You can't fail if you don't make them has always been my excuse. However, I do think it is important to reflect, to think about the lessons you have learned over the last year, the mistakes you have made, and how you are going to do things differently this year. As I was thinking about this, I came across an article in a newsletter from another not for profit organization in the valley. I liked this so much I thought it was worth sharing.
Here are 45 Life Lessons:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Friends and family will. Stay in Touch.
5. Pay off credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's okay to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's okay to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry, God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's , we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
44. Yield
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
There are a lot of profound lessons in this list. Some of my favorites are numbers: 3, 11, 17, 18, 27, 34, and 38. There are also some that are a bit humbling and hard for me to hear probably because they are ones I need to work on. They are: 20, 26, 28, and 29. I should probably set goals for my new year from this list, but like I said I would probably just disappoint myself. So this is my resolution for this new year. I resolve to be a better self than I was in 2011 in all aspects of my life: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. I strive to learn from my mistakes and move past them to a better ME. I also resolve to forgive myself if I don't do it as perfectly as I would like. I resolve to be happy and choose happiness. We can't always choose what might come our way, but we can choose how we react to those things. Right after my divorce, actually before it was even final, I was in such a sad, dark, depressing, dreary place. I felt as if the sunshine in my life was gone. Then I went to Summerfest with some friends of mine and I found this saying that is to this day still hanging on my wall in my front room. It gives me light and hope for better days, even now. It says: "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails." We can choose how we handle life's curve balls and happiness is a choice we get to make. Here is to a even better year than the last! Love to you all! What are some of your favorite life lessons?
Love this list and your thoughts! Definitely gives me alot to think about. I love what you said. You are always inspiring Shannon. You are amazing and I admire your strength. Thanks for your example and for your friendship. 2,12,13,16,17,20,33,35,37,38 are my favorites.
ReplyDelete20,28,29,32,41 are some I need to work on.
I too feel like the perfectionist in me hates to fail at my goals. So I am not going to set myself up for failure. I have been reflecting on what goals mean the very most to me and will focus on those. I am resolving to be my best one step at a time. I try to do too many things at once and then get discouraged when I fail. So maybe if I just try to do a couple of things really well then I will feel good about what I did accomplish instead of only doing a bunch of things half way and beating myself up over it.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts! Thanks for all you do! Love ya!
Brooke
I still love that saying from Summerfest...good times right there. Thanks for the list, it has given me some great pondering! You are a great inspiration my dear friend!
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