Things I Learned This Summer
This summer was incredibly special. I took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe, I really dug in deep to my emotions and what I was feeling, I spent time with a lot of the people I love and I also learned what I'm NOT going to sit around and wait for. There were also a lot of fun moments in between. And now we're already
Here are a few lessons I learned, June through August:
Starting your day off with a short list of things you're grateful for really does shift your focus for the rest of the day.
Awhile back, I was religious about writing in my Five-Minute journal in the morning and evenings. It prompts you to write what you're grateful for, what you hope will happen that day and a statement of affirmation. At the end of the day, you write about the three great things that happen and what you could have done differently to make it even better. I ran out of pages and kept pushing off ordering another one and I noticed a big shift in my attitude. I'm not saying it was all about that, but when you focus on the good things more than the things that didn't happen in a day, it really is a game-changer. I bought another journal and have been filling it out...And we'll get to the other stuff soon. Hopefully. You DO have the power to change your mind.
You have the power to change most of the circumstances you're unhappy with. So, it's up to you to do something about it.
We always blame our circumstances for feeling crummy, but most of those things are within our power to change - switching jobs, switching doctors, finding a new circle of friends, moving, etc. It's not always easy, but if we don't like something, we can at least make baby steps to do something different. No one else is going to make that call for you. So it's up to us to make the change. I'm still working on that.
Traveling really does change you - reminds you of who you are and what you want out of life. Gets you back to the basics.
This was the first time I'd ever gone out of the country, and I had the time of my life. I walked Abbey Road, I rode a double decker bus, I saw Matilda at one of the theaters, I shopped, I tried new restaurants, visited Notting Hill, saw Annie James' house from "The Parent Trap," rode a boat on the Thames River. And then I went to Venice, Italy and strolled the uneven streets, traveled by boat to other islands, ate a lot of pasta, pizza and gelato, shopped until I dropped, drank many cappuccinos and people watched in the square and finished the trip in The Hague and Amsterdam - wandering the city, visiting with family friends, going to the beach and walking the pier, going through street markets and so much more. It's one of the happiest times I've ever had and I will cherish it forever, as well as the memories I made with my friend, Mandy. It pulled me out of my routine and inspired me in so many ways and taught me a lot about myself.
Your 20's are a big tidal wave season of people coming in and out of your life. The sooner you accept, the sooner you can enjoy life for what it is. Sometimes we fight so hard for the people that God is trying to remove from our lives.
I truly do believe there's a reason for everything, when people walk away or when friendships drift apart. Sometimes you find your way back to each other a few months later and other times, it's not until years later when you're settled into different lives. You have to let nature run its course and let God do what only He can do. Stop trying to force things. The best friendships will always remain, no matter what.
Loss of friendships can be more painful than breakups.
'Nuff said. See above.
There's very little that is better than life than drinking a cappuccino in Italy.
Those were some of my favorite moments of traveling - people watching at an outdoor cafe in the middle of Venice. It became our nightly ritual after dinner. I enjoyed every second of it. Europeans really know how to live and just make the most of every moment.
Time is all we really have and even that runs out. SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.
We say we don't have enough time, but we do. It's just a matter of being intentional about it. Setting our goals up and planning ahead for what we want to accomplish makes the time much more productive.
Goodbyes are hard, but I'd rather have one than not at all.
As we get older, goodbyes are more frequent, because people leave for new jobs, new dreams and so on. It's hard to say goodbye to someone who has played a big part of your life in what can be some of the most challenging times of our lives. But, the worst to me, is when someone doesn't say goodbye. That hurts worse than watching someone fade away into the sunset.
It's important to take time for reflection - at the end of each day, week, and month.
I've started taking time to write down more - things I've accomplished, memories with friends, conversations. Being able to look back on the progress I've made or the things I've overcome is a great feeling.
It's important to add a 'yet' to the end of certain sentences.
I haven't been to _____ yet. I haven't written a novel...Yet. I heard this from a colleague giving a presentation at an event I was taking photos of and I thought 'hm, that's good.' It's a shifter for your mind as something to work towards and that there's still time to do it instead of just saying you haven't done something.
This summer was one of the best I've ever had. And one of the hardest for so many reasons. But I am so excited about the fall season. It's bringing in a fresh outlook and there are so many things to look forward to. Here's to the remaining (and best) three-ish months of the year!
That's all for now,
Shelby