Hayyyy! It’s been a while but I am finally (I hope), getting back to my normal blogging schedule! Life for me has been so so good lately, but also so busy. Most of (actually, now that I think about it- ALL OF) my “year of 26” has been filled with so many good times! I’ve been so so blessed to have such a great year. I spent time this year really learning about myself and not worrying about others opinions! I dropped some of my biggest “pearls” below- but trust and believe that there was many more between this and last year.
26 was the year I feel back in love with myself…
Okay, so this sounds like really depressing, but it is in fact the exact opposite. You see- I have always loved myself. I was raised that everyone is beautifully, perfectly flawed in their own way and I love myself dearly, flaws and all. My problem is (or was), that I wanted everyone else to love me too. Before last year, I was what you would have called the “Ultimate People Pleaser.” I thrived about making everyone happy and for the most part tended to stay neutral on hot topics, politics included. I liked being the “middle person” due to not having to offend anyone one. See, the problem with this was, in the midst of being “neutral”, I was in a way being neutral in regards to what I believe is right as well. I’m for sure not saying this year I’m gonna protest everything I don’t agree with- or make a big deal about every news article I read that really, really upsets me (which happens quite often). No- what I simply mean is that this year I taught myself that having an opinion that not everyone likes is 100% okay. And I, for once, and 100% okay with that.
I laughed…a lot
People always tell me I’m smiling & although that will never change, I laughed in a different way this year. There is a poem by Maya Angelou called ‘The Mask” in which she refers to laughing as a survival mechanism. I love this poem, and although I don’t really refer to laughter this way- many people do. I in the past have struggled with anxiety. Anything and everything that does not go right the first time around stresses me out. I live for perfection, daily routine and all that makes sense. The huge problem with this, is that life in itself doesn’t even make sense half of the time. This year I finally accepted the fact that there are just some things I cannot change. I laughed at things I cannot change, accepted things I wish were different and thanked God for things that were perfect, just the way they are. I refused to thrive on things that were not positive and saw so much growth from doing something so simple.
I saved more than I normally do
Ugh.. noo one likes saving but everyone needs to. Once you get over the tender (LOL) age of 25- saying you don’t save is just not acceptable anymore. I saved more this year than I normally do and I was so proud of myself. I made a budget and although I didn’t completely stick to it (one word- shoes), I did stick to it for the most part. It’s really fulfilling knowing that if all hell broke loose in your life you wouldn’t be completely confused as to where to even pick up the pieces again. I mean, if you can go to Starbucks at least once a week, you can save at least $100 a month if you cut that suggary drink out of your diet. Like, for real, do you really need that everyday !? Saving more also allowed me to give more than I normally did as well. There’s nothing more rewarding than doing something for other expecting nothing in return. What’s even better is doing something for someone who has no means to even do anything for you. Its in these selfless acts that you really see the love of God here on earth and the true meaning of Grace.
I stuck to my plans..even if I fell of track
It’s no secret I’m a planner, but this last year I really tried to stick to my plans. I wrote monthly goals and checked them regularly to see where I was at. I mean, no I didn’t beat myself on the back if they weren’t accomplished, but I did make a plan to accomplish them the next month. Not all goals were in the same category. Actually, they were all a bit random as a whole: I wanted to read “X” amount of books, travel to “Y”, do “Z”. They didn’t make sense when you looked at all of them separately. Together though, my goals made perfect sense, as they were all things that I wanted to do. I made a plan and a stuck to it and it for sure paid off- last year I accomplished some of my biggest yet!
26 was my best year yet (Emphasis on the YET)!
26 was such, such a good year. I cannot express enough just how good this year of life has been for me. It’s so so amazing how much good God can do in only 12 years of life if you just let him. 26 was so good, I’m almost scared to see what 27 will bring. I get overly emotional about good things happening. Let’s just say year 26 was good in the most positively emotional way ever! I know 27 is going to be even better, even if I am like seriously getting old. I am ready for whatever this year brings me because regardless, I know it’s gonna be a good one!
Until Next Time!
-B
