FLASHBACK

September 26, 2021

FLASHBACK

My blog hiatus has come to an end.

As I pondered the idea of a topic for this post, I remembered one of my goals for this blog was to become a better writer. The portion below is taken from a January 2015 post (I know - over 6 1/2 years ago).

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I STRUGGLE TOO

In one of my first 3rd-grade writing lessons of the year, I told my 25 eager students that writing is HARD for me! I told them I have to WORK at it. It definitely doesn't come as easy to me as math (which is my favorite subject). I told them that I started a blog as a challenge to remind myself to be grateful for my life that was hand-picked for me and TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER!

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Here I am........................still wanting to become a better writer and still grateful for my very blessed life.

My last post on this blog was on December 31, 2019. When I finished that final post, I did not realize the importance of the blog to my personal life and how much I would miss my weekly reflections. I found peace and truth, which forced me to think differently and wonder how I could improve my life.

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In my two year absence, I have been given multiple opportunities to learn......................

1. Life can still be full of struggles, no matter what your age

If you wait for your days and weeks to be without struggles, you will be waiting until the day you no longer exist
Struggling through adversity gives you opportunities to grow as a human and inspire others
Supporting others struggles and enabling others struggles are two different constructs
Do not let one struggle dictate your future or the trajectory of your being

2. Your mind WILL tell you 'can' and you 'cannot'

Do not forget to listen to your inner voice and conversely, do not forget to ignore your inner voice at times
It is easy to convince yourself you cannot accomplish a task or goal you have set for yourself
It is NOT as easy to continue to remind yourself that you are capable and can accomplish tasks others are unwilling to attack
You can do CHALLENGING things and you can PUSH yourself harder than you think

3. Nature can offer a calm, anxiety-free environment.

Pictures cannot replicate the true beauty of nature up close
God's presence appears in every sunrise, changing of the leaves, snowfall, rock structure, river flowing, thunderstorm, and sunset but only you can see the wonder in all of HIS works.

Grand Canyon

Jamestown Reservoir

4. Bucket List keeps growing

Create a bucket list and make an effort to start marking items off of your list.
Because life is unpredictable, we can NEVER wait for the perfect time, wait to have enough money, wait for the kids to get just a little bit older, wait for life to slow down, or wait for retirement, as that day may NEVER arrive.

Angel's Landing - Zion National Park (one of my bucket list items)

5. SELF-CARE is critical

Often times we see self-care as selfish and indulgent; however, it is necessary and imperative to adjust and adapt to life's curveballs.
Self-care can come in many forms: exercise, facials, drinking a glass of bourbon (in moderation of course), massage, reading, therapy, meditating, blogging, or even binge-watching Dexter for the 2nd time.
Never apologize for making yourself a priority at times. When you are in a good headspace, you can be the best version of yourself.

6. Family