Things I've Learned

When I first started this blog, I called it "The Things I'm Learning" because I'm really learning about many things these days. Lately though, I've been thinking about the things I've learned in my 28 years. Today, I thought I'd share some of these things with you.

1. You make your own happiness. You can make a conscious decision to get up everyday and be happy or be miserable. I've gone through some really dark days and in spite of those, I choose to be happy and find the good in life.

2. The more you do, the more that's expected of you. By nature, I'm a giver. I rarely ask for help (I think I must subconsciously think it's a sign of weakness). I do things because I like to. But, when you're the person that's always giving, that means there are many who are always taking. Don't give too much (and yes, this totally contradicts the fact that I've always believed you can't out give. I've changed my tune.)

3. The more you do, the less you're appreciated. It's true. When you're always, do, do, do, the less you'll hear a "please" and "thank you." When you're constantly doing for others, they tend to expect it and when people are accustomed to certain things and expect them, the less likely they are to thank you for the things you do.

4. Running is cheaper than therapy. My running shoes may be the most expensive shoes in my closet, but they've saved me no telling how much money. I run when I'm happy and I run when I'm sad. When I'm confused about something, a run always helps. There's something about that running cadence that clears my mind, realigns my focus, and shows me what's inside.

5. There's no excuse for bad manners or bad taste. I am shocked at some of the things people do and share on social media. Private things are meant to be kept private. Our next generation is growing up with their parents over-sharing and over-telling. Yes, I know I'm a blogger, but I try to keep private things private. My following is such that I feel like I can share our life.

6. Every girl needs a good pair of heels and a nice purse. I've not ever been a bag person and I'm pretty simple when it comes to jewelry, but lately, I've realized that if you're going to splurge on any accessories, you should splurge on a nice bag and a good pair of shoes.

7. There is no such thing as a crash diet. I see so many people who are literally trying to exist on little more than water and vegetables in the hopes of getting "skinny." Conversely, I see so many people who are looking for the easiest way to lose the most weight. I am not a health expert and I haven't ever had to consciously watch my weight, but I can tell you that to stay healthy, lose weight, and maintain your weight, you need to live a healthy life. This means getting rid of sugary drinks, desserts everyday, and fast food and putting in the effort to sweat. We're only given one body and it's important to protect it.

8. Little things and paying attention to details matters. I like little things and I like to pay close attention to little details. I think it shows we care.

9. Quiet time is crucial. All the time. It's a lot easier to talk about carving out quiet time for Bible reading and prayer than it is to do it, but it's so worth it. I don't feel right when I don't spend time with the Lord. If I miss a day or two reading my Bible or intentionally praying, something feels off. I wouldn't neglect spending time with my husband, so why should I neglect spending time with my Savior?

10. Saying "no" is not a bad thing. I don't want to be a "yes" woman. I've said yes to way too many opportunities over the years. Being involved in many things is great, but doing that because you don't want to say no or let people down isn't. It's important to find your place and say yes to only those things you feel confident committing your time and energy to. When you say yes to everything, you're saying no to to many things, and often times, those things are the important things like family.

11. You can't do everything well. Our society tells us that we can do it all, but really, we can't. We can try to do it all, but we're not going to be able to do it all well. It's more important to me to do the things I do well than to do everything. It's taken some time for me to start saying no, delegating, and not sweating the small stuff, and I know I'll always be a work in progress, but it's so freeing to focus on doing those things I'm most committed to well.

12. Invest in yourself. You can't be the best person for you, much less your husband, children, friends, and career if you don't invest in yourself. I firmly believe that we have to take time for ourselves to be the best we can be.

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