What I Learned in 2016

This year has been a wild ride...like a roller coaster without a seatbelt. I've learned some things from my year that I think are important to share.

Make Memories: My husband and I took what he called a medical vacation in February to Sunny California. Between the medical tests and appointments we visited the Golden Gate Bridge, tone of the Redwood forests, the beach at Monterey, the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, Lobos State Park and several other places. We created memories that I cherish so take time to take time to make memories, even if you just take a day trip, play a game, go on a walk, play together, take time to create memories with the people you love.

Find Your People: There are people out there that just get you. They are hard to find as personalities vary so broadly. Join a club, plan an outing and invite friends, attend community events, go out and look for people who share common interests. Good friends are precious,  find some and keep in touch with them when they move away. Let them know you value them because those are the people you'll call when life gets tough...because they understand you.

Be A Gracious Receiver: When someone offers help accept. When we receive Wether it's a service, a compliment, an invitation, a word of advice or a criticism we will be so much better off if we can learn to receive it graciously we'll be better off for it. I wish I could more accurately explain how this concept has changed me but I am at a loss.

Take Care Of Yourself: Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is stop and take a few deep breaths, a hot bath or a quiet hour curled up in a blanket with or without a book does wonders for me.  Pay attention to the food you're putting into your body. You wouldn't dump junk into your car's tank so be aware what your putting in your body. Take a walk it's good for the mind and body. My goal this week is to make it around the block with the dog everyday; we've made it all the way around once so far this week.

Seek Inspiration Daily: Time is precious and if you want to spend it on what's most important for you today ask God to tell you. Have a daily planning meeting each morning and ask Him to guide you throughout the day. When you have a thought to do something don't dismiss it, do it. Allow Him to direct your steps.

Sing and Dance: Find what makes you happy, make a list and do something that makes you happy every day. I've learned that TV doesn't and have replaced my hour of TV down time doing things that make me happy. I still get a break and I'm in a better mood when I'm done.

Have Realistic Expectations: You don't know what you don't know. Don't expect yourself to be able to do things without learning to do them first, also don't expect your children to always get it right. I'm working on spending more time teaching and less time demanding quality performances from them.

Wow! What a year. I can honestly say I am looking forward to this year. I have NO CLUE what it will bring but I'm ready.

Making Friends With The Man In The Glass

I've noticed lately that we focus a great deal on how we treat others. Whether it's our religious beliefs or karma or whatever it seems like many of us get the fact that we should try to treat others with kindness. So why is it that we are taught to treat others kindly but we rarely talk about how we talk and think about ourselves?

I have never really liked mirrors. I feel like I've made peace with many of my quirks but for so e reason I avoid mirrors unless I need them for something specific. A friend challenged me to post a video for a class I'm taking and they show the little picture in the bottom corner of you and I realized I'm a little insecure of my physical appearance. It's not something that really bothers me so I just don't spend much time fixing myself up in the morning...and I tend to avoid mirrors.

Audra Clegg shared the following poem during a Sunday school lesson and it really struck me:

The Man In The Glass by Anonymous

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
and the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say

For it isn't your father or mother or wife
who judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts the most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass

Some people may think you a straight-shooting chum
and call you a wonderful guy
But the guy in the glass says you're only a bum
if you can't look him straight in the eye

He's the fellow to please never mind all the rest
for he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend

You may fool the whole world down the pathway
of life and get pats on the back as pass
But your final reward will be heartaches and
tears if you've cheated the man in the glass.

If we want to make the man (or woman) in the glass our friend it is important to change the way we judge our self. A college roommate (so sad I can't remember which one) gave me the following guideline to follow: When you think or say something about yourself think, would I say that about someone else...to their face? If it is something hurtful we probably wouldn't say it and we should give our self the same courtesy as we want to be friends with the man in the glass.

Please, please, please just try it. You are worth this experiment. Your value is determined not by how others see you but by how you see yourself. Please come back here and share how it went. I'd love to know how this affects you as it really changed the way I think about myself. I'm going to work on feeling more comfortable with the mirror by smiling at myself I am excited to see how it goes.