Learnings

Dear Friends,

Today I turned 27. It was a lovely day with fun surprises from some great friends. I’m so thankful for the people surrounding me right now. They bring challenge and encouragement at the right moments. It’s been fun the last month as I thought about turning “another year older” to think back through the last year at the lessons I’ve learned, the thoughts that are still working in my heart and the processes I am learning to commit to day after day.

Here are 27 things I learned/am learning as I turn 27.

1. Being single is a gift – It’s liberating to view where I’m at relationally as a gift. There is so much to learn and discover about myself and I’m given the opportunity to truly take time creating health within my own life and thinking. It’s wonderful!
2. The grass is greener where you water it – challenges are everywhere. Comparison is a monster that robs us of what we have. So, strive for goals and bigger and better…but don’t lose perspective of where you are. Make the most of what is before you so you’re ready for what’s beyond you.
3. Dreams are one decision away from reality – a dream requires action to move into reality. It won’t happen all at once but it can’t happen if you don’t start making movements. Be brave. Step out and make a move.
4. Loving people is a must to personal growth – loving people should become the ultimate goal of our personal growth. When others experience love through us, we are growing and experiencing life beyond ourselves. Something beautiful happens when we start to care more for others than ourselves.
5. Loving yourself is the hardest person to love – yup. This continues to prove itself to be a haunting task for me. Why is it easier to love others yet shun grace for myself?
6. Rest does not equal laziness. But busyness does equal pride – Busyness used to be such a sticker of pride for me. It was the constant “atta girl” that I thought I needed to be important. I would work way too much, rest way too little and think I was doing something great. The motive behind the busyness is key – when it becomes selfish or absorbed – it’s pride.
7. No is the most powerful tool on my belt – YES, yes it is!
8. People will hurt you. You must trust again. – It is a lonely world if you stop trusting because others hurt you. It’s inevitable that hurt and worry and frustration will occur. Be gracious where you can and learn to let go when you need to.  “The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.” -Bob Marley
9. Control what you can (you). Let go of what you can’t (others).
10. Emotions are true not truth. – How I feel is valid; those feelings are reality. However, my feelings are not authority. Keep them in check.
11. See a need. Meet a need. – Putting this into practice will change you. It will also benefit someone else’s life. Win win.
12. Exciting things ahead require disciplines movements now. 
13. Stop counting minutes and start counting moments. – Spend your time creating moments with people while using your gifts. “Eventually, our minutes and days equal our life” @JennieAllen
14. Being single does not mean I’m alone. – I have the best community of my adult life right now. And it has nothing to do with my relational status and everything to do with creating moments to be trusting and vulnerable with a group. It’s a rich time in my life!
15. Hearing and listening are not the same. – I can hear what you say and never listen. I need to slow my roll, quiet my mind and engage with what you have say.
16. Anything said/done void of love is merely noise. – Silence the clanging and let love be loud.
17. I can’t control your choices but I can control my reactions
18. Delete the tweet – when in doubt, delete it out. If what I have to say is not kind, helpful or truthful it needs not to be published.
19. Control less. Trust more. – Trust yourself to know when to trust others.
20. Let your past be behind you – even when it stands in front of you. – This literally happened to me this year. The embodiment of my ugly, selfish past stood in front of me for the first time in years. I had to learn how to face it without giving it too much time, attention or power.
21. Give yourself grace – I have a series of goals that seem impossible reach. Learning to be nice to  and about myself has proven difficult. I want be able to think about a goal and then see it achieve – but life does not work that way.
22. Commit to the process. – Learning to trust Jesus in difficult times and learning to give him credit in good times is so hard. He won’t leave me or forget about me. I have to lean into Him and commit to the process of growing, getting healthy, reaching goals. Process trumps speedy results!
23. Counting the cost – To grow or experience something new you have give up something comfortable.
24. Be brave. – You have to learn to be your own biggest fan and harshest critic. Then pull in others whose voice you trust and listen them. Let others help you get somewhere you can’t take yourself.
25. Choosing your people vs. letting them choose you. – The people in closest physical proximity may not be the best people to let in closest proximity to your heart, even though they’re probably the easiest / most convenient.
26. Rest – I do best with an open body of water and quiet around me. Learn what fuels you, drains you and reminds you why you do your job! Take time off.
27. Only I am responsible to use my gifts – Don’t wait for the job or the person to cultivate and use those – do it now.

So there ya have it! What question/challenge are you faced with this week?

Vacation Notes
April 2, 2017

Dream Big
March 3, 2017

The Wonder of Magic
December 3, 2016

Hold On Tight
November 19, 2016

I Thought I Knew
October 9, 2016

Permission
September 15, 2016