We are about half way through the year! Can you believe it? In just a few days we will be hitting June 1^st. Time really does fly when you are having fun. This article is a reflection of the last six months; it is something I like to do. I love to reflect on my life and what I have learned, and this time I am allowing everyone a long for the journey. 2016 has been a year of learning and rebuilding for me. It is my 26^th year of life! I am taking it day by day and enjoying every moment the best I can. Can I really narrow down what I have learned so far to under 20 things? I am not sure, but I am going to give a shot.

1. If you are not happy with yourself, you will never be happy with anyone else: Whew! Let’s get deep on the first one. Self confidence is key; when you truly love yourself you are capable of truly loving others. We get treated in life the way we teach others to treat us. If you constantly treat yourself like crap, how can you expect others to be able to love on you? I am loved, and once I loved myself I could see how loved I truly am.
2. Taking time out for yourself is not a crime: I had a hard time with this one. It sounds crazy but I love helping others, but here is the deal… You can’t help others at the expense of yourself. That will just turn into a big, old, ugly disaster.
3. Laugh: Sounds easy right? Well when I got caught up in the business of life, I found it more and more difficult to see the humor. Probably because I focused on the stress. Life is funny! Enjoy it! Laugh at yourself and be silly and do not be embarrassed by it. Sing at the top of your lungs, bust out in random dance moves in the middle of the store, kick your shoes off and run around outside and just enjoy yourself any chance you get!
4. Gluten free is a real thing: Let me tell you, I hated it at first because people… I LOVE PIZZA! I really thought it was just a dumb fad that people were making up. But gluten allergies are real and painful if you just ignore it like I did. Sometimes I cheat, but I am now about 90% gluten free.
5. Other people’s problems should not dictate your life: This is one of the most difficult things that I had to learn. Mercy and Empathy are my number one strengths, but they are also my number one weaknesses. Life is hard and friends are going to go through hard times and face hard things, but that does not mean that you have to carry that weight of everyone’s issues on your shoulders. Is there such a thing as being too empathetic? I learned very quickly that there is and once I realized this and balance it out, my life/health began to thrive instead of plummet.
6. You do not NEED Facebook: People may try to convince you otherwise. The first few months were difficult, but I realized I was way too addicted. I have not had it for about eight months and I doubt I will be going back. At least not for a while.
7. Friends come and go: Boy oh boy, it is pretty self explanatory but that is the reality of life. People change and so do relationships. It is okay! But everyone has a purpose in your life. Do not sit around and regret those failed friendships because whether you admit it or not, they taught you something.
8. People deserve a second chance: You read online all the time to cut anyone out who messes up more than twice in your life or to cut out anyone who does not make you happy all the time, but that is ridiculous to me. We are all humans, we all make mistakes, and we all deserve to be loved regardless. When we understand our friends are going to mess up, but that does not make them bad people, life will become a lot easier! We can’t put God expectations on people because they are not God and they will fall short every single time.
9. Healing takes time: Rush, Rush! This is me… always in rush mode, but I realized with my healing from emotional hurt, I cannot rush it. I have to take time to pick apart all the pain and all the little nick knacks so that it does not happen again. Does it get better over time? Yes! But it takes more than just a month or so to heal from real emotional pain. Bad days are going to happen and it will hit you randomly sometimes, but slow down and take your time, you’re lucky you have the chance to heal.
10. Yogurt will not kill anyone: I hate the texture, but I gave it a try last week. Something I have not done in about five years, ha!
11. Shut your mouth: Yeah, I just said that. I have learned to shut my mouth. When you go through tough stuff or people saying things about you that are not true; you automatically want to defend, or explain, or even retaliate. Life lesson: get over the urge to prove, don’t say a word, and just be. Stay true to yourself and your character and let people speak, assume, and think whatever they want. Keeping your mouth shut is hard but it allows God to do His work in His timing. Your life speaks louder than your lips. Labels do NOT define you. I had to tell myself to shut up quite often, but I told myself in a nice way. I have to say, over time that I have no regrets. In the beginning I would ask God why? It’s not fair. It is not true, why can’t I tell them? But He knew exactly what I needed and that was the challenge of staying true to Him. I am so much more proud of myself for not running my mouth than I would be if I did. You’ll never regret being kind.
12. Get over yourself, pride ain't cute: All of you probably thought I was going to be funny on all of these, but life lessons are yucky sometimes. Do not play victim, rise up and be the bigger person if you have to. Pride is spiritual cancer. I heard a C.S. Lewis quote once and it slapped me right in my face. I needed to get over myself. “For pride is spiritual cancer: It eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” Then there was an Andrew Murray quote that says, “Pride must die in you or nothing of Heaven can live in you.” That is a reality check, huh?
13. N*sync was not the original singer/writer of “Just Got Paid”: When I found this out, I screamed, in my hair appointment, at my hair stylist.
14. Your best may not be good enough for everyone and that is okay: But with that said… Once you know better, do better.
15. Positive thoughts can change your life: I searched and searched and searched for the change. I knew God was one, but when I changed my thinking, my life transformed right along with it. Being positive is so vital. When I turned my thoughts about my trials to God, is this your blessing in disguise? Wow! I have been listening to the song "Blessings" by Laura Story and she says "What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy? What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?" You may not be able to change your situation but you can always change your attitude about the situation.
16. Do not doubt God: He is that one thing I do not want to doubt. When I doubt His goodness and His love; I am saying that every promise from His word is not enough. When I tried to run from Him, He was the one thing that stayed firm and kept loving me, even in my darkest moments. Keep the faith; run TO Him.
17. I love to explore new places, still: I think I had forgotten. But my friends have quickly reminded me with their spontaneous adventure that I LOVE it.
18. Having a big heart is a strength: I did not believe it before because having a big heart seemed as though it was only a punishment especially emotionally. I saw having a big heart as a flaw because of pain in my past. But I learned that everyone loves differently so even though I love hard, if someone does not love as hard as me that does not mean they are not giving the best they can. I thought that I needed to harden and not love everyone so freely, but that is false. It is a gift to have a soft heart in such a cruel world and I do not need to allow the world or anyone's actions to make me hard. I have many flaws, but that is not one!
19. I have a lot more to learn: If I have learned anything, it is that. I do not know anything. Life has many things left to teach me and I want to always remain teachable.

In one month I turn 26. By 26, I thought life would look a lot different but then when I made the decision to be happy with what I’ve got, life became happy again! I am so beyond blessed with an amazing family, great friends, a wonderful church, a job, a roof over my head, a car to drive, food to eat, and so many other things. My 20s have been all about learning but not only that, I have decided to make them all about fun! So as 2016 celebrates its half birthday, I celebrate life and progress! Your life and my life, they are a gift, do not ever forget it!

Xoxo,

E