Finding my way

and making positive CHOICES

These past few years have been some of the most trying of my life. Where I have found my lowest lows and highest highs. Where I have cried more and tried more and picked myself up after going through unimaginable sadness while also pushing myself to achieve some of my greatest goals.

I've come across some people that will forever have changed me, some of which I hope to keep in my life and others of which I hope we never cross paths again.

But I'm learning so much as I go, and I know that I cannot move forward with this life if I keep looking backwards or I will just keep getting stuck.

There is a reason we go through things, those blessings in disguise... the good and the bad, whether wrapped in happiness or some of our darkest days, there is meaning hidden in every change we go through, and wisdom to be found in some of our most broken moments. Although its hard to accept that when you are in pain.

As I've read and related to many books, quotes and sayings, when I look back, its the  fires that made me who I am today. I know because of those things I am a more interesting, joyful, brave and honorable human being!

As a dear friend once told me we are refined by fire and with all the recent blazes I've encountered I know this is true! I am no longer the person I was last year, last month or even last week, and for that I am grateful. Its taken me almost 50 years to realize what life truly is about, and I'm still learning...

What I do know about life is this

• We need to do for others, doing for others and giving of ourselves is our greatest gift, the gift of time that is so valuable.
• You don't need to prove things to others to consider them valuable to you
• We are addicted to our thoughts, we cannot change anything if we don't change our thinking
• Happiness is not the absense of problems, its the ability to deal with them
• You don't have to disrespect and insult others simply to hold your own ground. If you do, that shows how shaky your own position is.
• The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open.
• Being kind is more important than being right 
• The mind is a remarkable thing. Just because you can't see the wound doesn't mean it isn't hurting. It scars all the time, but it heals.
• Everything you go through, grows you.
• Life becomes easier when you learn to accept the apology you never got
• A perfect relationship isn't actually perfect, its just one where both people never give up.
• Life is like a camera, focus on what is important, capture the good times and develop from the negatives.