What I Learned Last Month - January

Another monthly feature that I'd like to start implementing is a post entitled, What I Learned Last Month. Some of my ramblings may be wistful and reflective and others...well, not so much.  I apologize in advance for the latter. 

So with that, here are five things I learned last month:

1.  Facebook memories are great in theory, except for those times when the memory of sitting poolside in Arizona pops up on your news feed, while sitting in the midst of a frigid, midwest winter.  I'd call that torture in it's finest form. 
Well played, Facebook.

2.  My 95 year old grandma is a total rockstar.  Two years ago she fell and shattered her shoulder and in January, she fell and broke her hip.  I know this won't always be the case given her age, but up to this point, she's comes back from the brink every.single.time.  She has the blood of a warrior coursing through her veins and I adore her.

3.  I received the book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo for Christmas, and it's really changed my perspective on the things I tend to keep and hold on to.  Two of the biggest pieces of wisdom I walked away with were:

- Books.  I have TONS of books that I've kept over the years; certain that I'm going to go back and re-read them or look over everything I highlighted or notes I might have placed in the margins. Yet there are only a handful of times I can recall this actually happening.  Going forward, I'm really going to focus on giving these books away so that someone else has the opportunity to enjoy them.  Or, simply purchase them on my Kindle so that they take up less space.

- Secondly, clothes.  Oh-my-lanta, do I have a lot of clothes! Well, I decided to do a massive overhaul and everything that was in question, I eliminated by selling or giving to charity. Gone are the clothes with my own, personal tags on them that read, I'll wear this someday when I lose weight, or I can't get rid of this, it's brand new!  Purging is cathartic in ways I never imagined.  Check out the link below to purchase the book for yourself!

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

4.  It's okay to change your mind.  

Last May, I decided to give up meat, for my love and concern over the welfare and treatment of animals.  About a month into my decision, I also decided that I was just as concerned over the welfare of our aquatic life, so I became a full-fledged member of vegetarianism.  I proudly, yet humbly, wore that badge until just last month, when I carefully, albeit with some hesitation, added seafood back into my diet.  Does that mean I no longer care?  At first, I thought...well, maybe?  But no, that's not it.  I learned that I am allowed to make adjustments, if necessary, and not every way of life is right for everyone. And yep, that's more than okay.

5.  I plan my weekdays around coffee, my weekends around naps, and every day around my four-legged companion, Jovie. Enough said.

So tell me, what did you learn in January?

On Second Thought

You know those tickers that run at the bottom of Google or Bing or whatever other search engines are out there?  Well, last week, one of the tickers caught my eye.  It read, Texas Bank Teller Stole $1.25M from bank over 10 years.  

And with that, my heart sank to my feet.

I am no stranger to irresponsible decision making, as told here, here, and here. I suppose that's why I am so passionate about steering people towards a more honorable path than the one I decided to take.  After all, if I can prevent another from following in my footsteps, then I'll be doing God's work...extending on the mercy that I, too, have received.

My friends, there is a serious epidemic in our society today and it's swallowing us whole. Maybe you don't see it because you're not out there looking for it, but I promise you, it exists, and for those vulnerable souls, it's just waiting; lurking in the shadows.

The issue is this.  We are a society fixated on more, better, newer, and the greatest.  We are competing with one another, whether we realize it or not.  No longer is the 46" TV good enough; now it must be at least 75".  Iphone 5's are outdated - it's time for an upgrade.  And for those who still own a flip phone? You're walking among the dinosaurs, people! Then we move on to vehicles and gaming systems and furniture and washers and dryers...it never ends.  The end of the tunnel is miles and miles ahead.

Those vulnerable souls I referenced earlier are the vulnerable ones like me, who become obsessed with the feeling, the rush, that comes with spending money. We are so sensitive to it that we begin to crave it.  And then we search for ways to fulfill that craving, whether it be shopping or gambling or yes, even stealing. Because regrettably, we just don't know when to stop.  We are powerless against the pull.  As a result, the "how" becomes irrelevant - how will I afford this, or how can I take what's not mine and still live with myself? 

I have a file folder full of news stories of people who, like the woman from Texas, just didn't know when to stop. Who eventually had to face the dire consequences of what they thought would bring them happiness.  

My story is in that folder as well.  

Vulnerable souls are all around us.  Be attuned.  Look to your left and to your right, in front and behind.  Open yourself up to hear someone say, I need help. 

And then do...help.  

Let's rally around those sensitive, feeling people and assure them that there is always another way.

*Friends, if you are one of these sensitives, reach out to me.  I know the struggle because I continue to live it.  Together we can choose to walk the moral path.  Believe me when I say...it leads to freedom. 

Begin

Five things to remember as you begin each day:

1.  You are a child of God.

This one statement, if you allow it, has the power to set you on the right course. Why?  Because it means you are here for a reason, you have been forgiven, and you are loved.  That's worth remembering, wouldn't you say?

2.  Not everything is going to go your way.

We stumble out of bed in the morning with dreams of finding dancing unicorns and pot-of-gold rainbows around every corner and then when we don't, we throw our hands up in the air in utter frustration.  We're impatient when our day goes down the opposite path we expected it to, and as a result of our impatience, our attitude becomes less-than ideal.  Here's the truth: while we can't fully predict how our day is going to turn out, when we do come up against those inevitable roadblocks, taking a nice, relaxing breath can go a long way. And coffee.  Coffee never hurts.

3.  Not everyone you meet will be pleasant.

Maybe it's the cashier at the grocery store who is aloof and unkind, or the person who slams the door instead of holding it open, or the coworker who barely speaks a word of hello or goodbye. Whomever it might be, you will, without a doubt, come up against these people throughout the course of your day.  Our reactions to their actions, however, can mean the difference between good and great. Choose higher ground whenever possible.  You won't regret it.

4.  Say no if you have to.

I am a people-pleaser by nature, so this is difficult for me to do.  But it's something I'm working on for the new year; specifically, saying no and not feeling guilty for doing so.  I have to humbly accept that I am not always the right person for every task, and that, you know what, it is more than ok for me to skip out on an event if I need to, regardless if the reason is simply because I want to hang out with my dog.  Never forget that we first need to fuel ourselves before we can serve others, and saying no is the first step.

5.  Don't forget to laugh.

Not one of my days go by without the sound of laughter, whether it's because of someone else making me laugh, or quite frequently, because I've made myself laugh.  I find the least-funny things, funny.  Basically, in a nutshell, it doesn't take much to amuse me, and I have 598 images pinned on my "Funny" Pinterest board to prove it. Enter exhibit A and B:

Begin your day with these five things in mind, and see if they make a difference. I'm betting they will.