live your best life – Page 2

Tapestry Of Life

Can you imagine being at a place where you can say: EVERY aspect of my life was necessary and perfect, where each painful step you took led to you imperfect perfect and it was good?

Maybe some of us are there, wish to get there or are getting there, but we all what to have that eureka moment.

Image result for “Now is the time to enliven, ennoble and enrich your life's tapestry.

When I was younger I was introduced to Mills and Boons novels and I loved them until I did not. I fell out of love with them, because they all had the same story line. The same predictable start, middle and ending.

So too with life.

People tend to hate the mundane, the predictable and either make up things in their heads or chase the thrills and ultimately spills of life. However, when it comes to obstacles, things that challenge our ordinary world, we cry foul and ask why me. We want things to always be smooth sailing, to go exactly like we want it to go. But it never does, does it?

We bemoan those dreadful experiences, but at the same time, get a thrill out of retelling them, over and over and over again. We want to only be around good people and do good, yet somehow we find ourselves with the wrong crowd often doing the wrong things. This, after just promising that the last mistake would be the last mistake while doing the current mistake that will soon be the last mistake. In essence we confuse ourselves.

Image result for Life is a tapestry woven by the decisions we make.

But you know what? It all matters. The terrible mistakes that you have and will continue to make. It all matters. When you look back at everything you have and are yet to experience, there will be plenty bittersweet moments that you will be glad you experienced.

Yes, life I think is like a tapestry.

I mean I have not seen many tapestry at all – if any in real life. But from what I can see we all have varied experiences. There are things that did not come together as we envisioned or planned, but they are a part of our story. Moments we wish we could relive because they were the exemption to the rules. Perfect – or so they seem-moments; remember people, perfect is relative.

Our tapestry though filled with imperfect stitches can be a masterpiece if we remember to let God direct the pattern that the final product will take. No one said that the pieces have to match, they just need be the layers that you become as the tapestry is woven by your actions.

We all need to remember this:

Every single thread of our lives is vital to our tapestry and arranged by the wisdom and power of God.

What is Life?

What is life?

 But the essence of something wonderful that ends too soon. 
A moment
 in a thousand other little moments wrapped in comfort food.
The whisper of a promise, 
half fulfilled.
The knowing of not knowing but knowing there is a mystery to uncover.
The thrill of discovery.
The agony of loss.
To be born and know life is to find the rainbow.
To live it is to know the rainbow has no end or beginning.
 It just is.

To count:
1
2 
3...
Like counting gains of sand.
It's a happiness that shifts this way and then that way
never to be contained.
Never for sale.
It's the joy of knowing that every fiber of your being 
has power shooting from each limb.

To know death but not fear it.
To be small, yet stand tall.

What is life if not a dream?
When bad days become good days and 
you hold both in the palm of your hand.

Lovepainjoygriefsmilelaughrunwalktalkeatsucceedfailnoregretsjustbe
Just
breath...
1
2
3...

What is life?
Too many answers.
Too little time.

What is life?

Make it matter.

      - Simone Grant

Brown, Gray, and Black Butterfly Perching on Human Finger

Lean Into You.

Based on many stories available to us via mass media, it seems easy to flip the script and change the story of who we are. However, to do this we may need to cut ties that we have depended on all our lives and habits that are easy to spot but hard to break.

What is it about hearing the stories of others that seem to motivate us so much? We usually love to hear the success stories of others, especially when those persons had to overcome some serious challenges. We hear are inspired and feel invincible by those stories. But, it is their story, their triumph and their success. While we celebrate with them, as we should, we cannot remain on their cloud nine to live our lives.

We can never be like anyone else no matter how much we wish we could. There are too many among us who feel that we can be like this person or that person, and so we try to copy what they have done to the T and paste it onto ourselves. We may deny doing that but, when we act the way they act or do the things they do or eat what they eat do the same exercise, use the same hair product and so on, we are not trying to find a formula that works for us, but using one meant for the person we are trying to be like.

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Maybe we need to put a little more effort into leaning into who we are. Imagine all our lives we have been influenced by others. Can we say how much of that influence has shaped us into who we are? I realized that I was good at imitating people and becoming who they expect me to be. At first, when I realized that I was doing this, I did feel like a fraud. I had gotten so good at it that it came naturally. However, when I realized this was a thing I did, I decided to make the effort to change. I started to ask myself all kinds of questions. What did I like and not like? What type of friend did I want and wanted to be? What kind of music did I like? There were many more questions, but the point was that I made the effort to discover things about myself that had nothing to do with trying to impress others. As I made the effort to learn more about myself, I had very little room to worry about who I most wanted to be like, instead I was more concerned about being honest with myself so that I could show up as myself each day to those I interacted with.

But, it is hard to lean into yourself when people only want to see the you they can digest or tolerate. They don’t want to see that you have flaws, because the version of you they have in mind aligns with their snapshot of you. They may not want the movie reels that might reveal your being human instead of an image created or forged for the consumption of others.

There has to be a way out. Often times when we feel trapped, this is the first thought we have. We can also have this thought when we are no longer satisfied with living up to the expectations of others. We then wonder, what can we do? I have found that the best way out is not to seek the answers from anyone outside of yourself. The best way out is simply to trust and into the Almighty and lean more into who you are.

Don’t Stop Trying.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal
2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Existential Dread- The inherent believe that life is meaningless.

Life can get really complicated and with that the feeling that no matter in which direction you turn things just never seem to work out. Inevitably, death is the end result. This is the kind of negative thought that we need to leave in 2019. However, in the midst of all the optimism and hopefulness of the new year is someone who thinks this way.

I wish there was a manual to follow concerning what to do and not do in life. There is often no person who can save you from the bad choices you are likely to make. However, life is a gift. One that if we take it a piece at a time can offer us varied and unique experiences. Often times, it is the fear of the unknown that either cripples or confuses us into making the choices we most regret.

Sometimes you need to take a step back and get out of your head. By living in your head too much you can create a reality that does not exist. So, we need to face all the things we fear and rely on God to catch us before we fall or fall too far. We need to remind ourselves about why we have to keep going even if it makes no sense, even when we cannot see the prize and especially when we travel solo.

However, we need to also remember that no one can do everything alone, even though it may be hard at times, we need to reach out to the right people who can help us on our way; and in turn someday, we can return the favor to someone who will be in the same place we were when we felt like stopping.

Found this and thought it was so meaningful to this post
Song by Lauren Daigle – Rescue

No Time To lose.

Well the celebrations are over and life to goes on.

It’s the second day of 2020 and many are busy trying to begin their New Year’s resolutions and so it’s the peak of mass self-discipline.

There is a feeling in the air of something new, of something wonderful being just around the corner…

It could be the imagination, imagining something that our minds have conjured. Or not. Who knows!

However, what is true is that there is no time to lose. If we want to get things done, we can’t wait until a certain time to get in the mood. We have to hit the ground running. So, if we want to start a new business or a new career, we probably should have started last year, but if we did not, we need to start like yesterday. Ah well there is today!

If you were always shooting done the ideas you had, commit to doing every single one, no matter how uncomfortable they make you or how extreme they may seem.

If you think you can’t make a decision, be more committed to doing so today. If you are not good at making long term commitments and would like to start, don’t wait until you are comfortable with the idea – you may never be.

There is never a good way to start anything you want to do, you just have to just do it.

One Stop!

Life is like taking a bus. How, you may ask? Well, when you get on a bus, you have already decided where and when you will get off. Everyone on the bus has already made that determination. In live we have a series of actions and events that take us from one point in life to another. Plus, people always associate life to being on a journey, that will one day come to an end.

Now, at certain points along the journey, there are bus stops. At the bus stop some people may get on and others get off. Those who get off do so because they have reached their destination. While, those who get on are either just at the start of their journey or are continue for whatever reason -maybe they have complete one phase and are about to begin another or they have decided to take another route and try a new place.

As we make our own journey we will see people come and people leave us. Now similar to taking a bus, we need to be prepared to see our own bus sometimes full to bursting with people and sometimes sparse and a bit lonesome and that should be okay. Some persons were not meant to be in our lives forever, their stay with us have an expiration date that is very short. What is important is what we learn from them, while they are with us. It is important to remember that people and not things are placed in our lives to help us grow, and keep it real when we try to be what we are not.

At every bus stop, someone must get off. This simply means that the those who eventually get off our bus on our journey were there for a reason and when they leave, they leave for a reason. What we need to do is not to get stuck on people leaving us, but we need to make the most of the time they are with us and see the lessons they leave behind as a gift for us to use wisely.

It Was A Good Day.

When you find something good and that lifts your spirit or that an encounter that leaves you feeling good, those exceptional things should be appreciated. Don’t focus on the negative because they are so easy to find. Instead those seemingly rare moments that bring happiness, satisfaction and contentment are the ones that should command our attention.

Image result for it could have been worse gif

I went shopping with my mother and aunt yesterday and the first thing that did not go as expected was the rain. It rained hard and it lasted long. I got really wet and walked in some questionable water to bring my mother to the stores. Not only that but a very big man wanted to “take me on” because I bounced him with my umbrella – by accident – when he would not get the way. I was quoted a ridiculous price e for some knock of Clogs – did not purchase – which I wanted to give my mother because She has a sick toe that would be aggravated by the water. Then on top of that I was almost hit by a taxi!

When we finally made it to the mall you’d think the bad day would start getting good; it did not. The first shop we went to had a very, very, very, rude saleswoman, who at once both intimidated and infuriated me. It was clear that she was a bully who thought she could bully us into getting what she wanted us to get, whether or not we wanted it. Well I was determined to ignore her and continue looking around without her help – obviously she doesn’t know me – but my aunt and mother were determined to leave. I eventually decided it was best to leave because we really were not going to buy anything.

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So on to the next store.

Now I did not want to go to this particular store because I’m not making enough to buy what they are selling – or so I told myself, but they had some expensive stuff!

After being in the store like for two seconds, a lady and her mother comes in and without really looking at the items, the daughter declared everything outdated and therefore not her style. She was really vocal about this and i wondered if it was because they were outdated or the price. Anyways, I digress.

Well to my surprise, both the owner and salesperson were not only pleasant to be around but they were very helpful and we left with things that we had not set out to buy at that point – thought they were needed. They not only paid attention to what we wanted but they did not try to force us when we were hesitant.

We left satisfied with what we got but also in a much better mood than when we arrived. The bitter taste from the episode of the other store though not forgotten was replaced by the sublimity of the experience at our second stop.

It just reminded me that we can pick and choice the experiences that impact us. Instead of spending time talking about how terrible the first place was – which we could have til next year – we left knowing that we had a wonderful day. A day that started out as scorching hot was calmed by showers of blessing and a smoothing of frayed nerves that were provoked by a thoughtless attitude.

In the end it was an exceptionally good day.

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