Lessons Learned

Taken on an adventure with Matt

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J.M.J.

Happy New Year! This post was inspired by Verily. I was thinking about what advice I would have given myself on January 1st of last year if I had known what was coming. I realized that I actually learned a lot, and decided to share.

1. Don't ever assume. A situation may look a certain way, but if you just assume that it is the way that it looks to you, you may very well not know how it actually is. Ask questions if what you're seeing or what you know makes you uncomfortable!
2. Don't be afraid to be happy. Your life may not have turned out great or as you wanted it to in the past, but that doesn't ever mean that there is no hope for the future. There is lots of hope. And there is a lot of good going on in your life too. Look for it, and your joy will start to grow.
3. It's okay to try new things, like traveling internationally and interacting with people who don't speak your dialect. It will expand your world and change your perspective forever. Nothing can mimic such an experience, and you will take valuable lessons away regardless of the happenings.
4. Trust God. He knows what He's doing, really! Yes, you have to do your part to do what He's asking of you, but don't question Him! He has your very best interests at heart, I promise!
5. When you worry, talk to God and to other people. They will help ease your mind so you can sleep and be more calm.
6. Allow yourself to feel things. If you feel sad, cry. If you are afraid, tell someone. Don't just keep it all in. It will make you miserable if you do.
7. You can never give too much time to God. He is your Creator and every act that you perform throughout your day can be an act of prayer.
8. Get it out on paper. Whether your mind is too full or you just need to process information you just received, releasing it all out on paper can be very freeing-feeling.
9. Sometimes, the right thing is hard. And sometimes, you have to make very hard decisions because you wanted something so bad that deep-down inside you knew it wasn't what God wanted ultimately for you.
10. Praying the Rosary brings peace. Our Lady will pray for you to be at peace with God and all His creation.
11. Sorrow is real, but so is joy. In this life, you cannot have one without the other. There is a time to weep and a time to dance, as scripture says.
12. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. If you know you weren't in the wrong, it's okay to confidently and kindly assert what actually happened. This isn't being pushy, it's refusing to be a doormat.

God bless you!

Stephanie