This holiday season I wish the best for you all.
“May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility.” –
~Mary Anne Radmacher
Photo by Preslie Hirsch on Unsplash
I saw this on social media the other day. I believe it is one hundred percent accurate. Many of us what for things to happen to be happy. We wait for the right time, the right place, or the right people. But what we need to learn is happiness depends on us. We are in control of our lives and our happiness. Let’s make it happen.
If you want to be happy, have zero expectations of others, take 100% responsibility for your life, and be grateful for what you have.
-unknown
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I believe we can all relate to this quote. We don’t need to be perfect. We shouldn’t even strive for perfection. But let’s realize that we are human. We make mistakes. Let’s learn from them and strive to be an excellent human being.
“Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”
—Tony Robbins
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“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward
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Sometimes we forget our veterans’ bravery and sacrifice so that we may live free. Today, I hope you thank someone who put their life on the line for your freedom. I hope everyone feels a sense of honor and pride today for those who sacrificed so much for us.
“On this Veteran’s Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free.”
—Dan Lipinski
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Let’s stop worrying about what other people think of us and be ourselves. Let’s be 1% better every day only compared to ourselves of yesterday. Only compare yourself to who you used to be.
“The minute you start caring about what other people think, is the minute you stop being yourself”
— Meryl Streep
We live in a world filled with negative energy. We must make a conscious effort to stay positive in any way. Whatever bad luck is following you around stop it with a positive thought and a glimpse of that silver lining.
“Positive anything is better than negative nothing”
~ unknown
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I believe this quote says it all. We can’t regret the things we did in the past because it doesn’t change it. We can’t worry about what will happen in the future because we don’t know yet. So instead of doing either let’s be present in the moment and be grateful for what we have and what we are doing.
No amount of regret changes the past.
No amount of anxiety changes the future.
But any amount of gratitude changes the present.
~Unknown
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
We’ve talked a lot about accepting change and being ready to let go of things in the past. It is hard, but not impossible. Embrace change. Let go of the past. Begin again as often as you have to. It is time. Let your new story, your new adventure, your new life begin!
She looked at her old life, one last time, inhaled deeply, and whispered to herself, “It is time. I am ready for my new story to begin.”
~ unknown
Photo by Ashley Batz on Unsplash
As you read in Secret to Life, Sweet Gram would have been 100 years old on September 13. Since her passing in 2021, I have been on the path of trying to find my “new” identity. I spent my life being an independent woman educator who made her own money, bought her own cars, owned her house, and paid her bills on time. I wanted to be an independent woman.
I studied hard and graduated college with an elementary and special education degree. Then I received my Masters Degree in 2007 and became a Coordinator of Special Education. I was in the education field for 16 years. In 2015, I quit to go to Thailand (to teach English) and then became Gram’s caregiver until 2021 when she passed. I even did some remote work from 2020 until 2022. All of my jobs were rewarding and satisfying especially, caregiving for Gram. I enjoyed them and all the people I worked with.
Since Gram passed, I have been searching for something, my “new identity”. Although I don’t need to make money I felt like I needed a career or a job. Everyone always asks “what do you do?” I am stuck with no answer. I have tried to find something that I love to do. Something to stick. But it appears the only thing I am good at is running meetings and being organized. Since leaving the field of education, I have become a realtor, a travel agent, a NuSkin consultant, and a Blogger. Nothing seems to come easy or natural, and nothing seems to make me any money. I feel like the only thing I am good at is being a retired educator and a professional gypsy. And of course I do love writing.
I don’t know how to be a travel agent or a salesperson. I haven’t had real training in these fields therefore, it is frustrating and makes me feel inept. I feel like I owe it to my old self to have a job. But I am trying to let go of the past and open my eyes and my heart to my new self.
I love my new self and the life that My Heart and I lead. We are Never Home, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to do and see so many things that I always dreamed of seeing. If I had a job I would miss out on these opportunities. So, I finally have decided that I don’t need a “job” that makes money. I need a “job” where I feel I have a purpose. I feel that purpose in my Blog. I enjoy writing my posts and hopefully passing on inspiring messages and posts to people who may need some encouragement. I also enjoy volunteering at Valerie’s House in Fort Myers.
As you have read, life is about making changes. And this is another season of change in my life. I think we need to always be willing to change and be present in our lives. I have been reading a lot about being in the moment like three-year-olds are. They are not worried about the past. They bring no baggage with them. They aren’t worried about the future, and they have no fear. They are just wiggling around, smiling, exploring, and discovering the world around them. Maybe we shouldn’t act like three-year-olds as far as maturity but maybe we take a life lesson and be free in our lives like they are. Let’s live in the moment and enjoy each moment.
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash