Happy New Year

I will pass this night in prayer and gratitude for all the blessings I have received this year and for all that are yet to come.

Wishing you peace and joy in the New Year!

Season of Joy

My heart is overwhelmed with all of the love and blessings I have in my life. The time I have been able to spend with my precious family is so wonderful. It truly is a season of joy!

Visceral Response

When you have a visceral response to something you must trust it. Do not pass go, do not collect one hundred dollars! It is your strongest internal barometer that something is not right!

It is easy to try to explain it away, rationalize it or look for more information. That is when you need to stop and listen to what your instincts are telling you. When exactly was the last time your first impression was wrong?

I’ve had a lot of lessons about this in my life and I need to remember to never forget that my intuition will never lead me astray!

Desire

Every time something undesirable happens it helps me to define exactly what I really want in my life.

I am so grateful for everything that brings me closer to my desires!

Honor Trust

We must honor trust as the precious and fragile thing that it is. One moment you are full of confidence and the next you are unsure and skeptical. Whatever the relationship is, it is imperative that you stay honest with yourself and each other.

In the blink of an eye what you once believed was true can change and you find yourself looking for a way back to the trust you once felt.

Hopefulness

I have a great sense of hopefulness in my life. I accept that things will not necessarily be “my” way but they will be exactly as they need to be.

I have learned to love and appreciate the beautiful way that life unfolds. So I keep hopefulness in my heart and know it will turn out better than I ever could have planned it.

Work it Out

It seems that relationships have become very disposable. Somehow it is easier to walk away than to spend the time to repair it.

I have a hard time telling someone when I feel hurt or upset but when I do, I always hope that they will care enough to try to understand instead of getting defensive and angry.

That is usually a good indication if the relationship is one worth keeping. If you truly care about each other, you will find a way to work it out.

Just Stop

It is amazing to me how quickly the drama ends when you just stop participating. That of course is easier said than done because most of us are so emotionally tangled up in it that we can't let go.

No matter how hard we push against something it is not going to give way, it is usually just the opposite.

You don't have to stop caring or feeling something about the situation you just have to stop reacting to it. Focus on something good, anything to get your mind off of what is upsetting you.

A battle can only continue if both sides continue to fight. The war ends the moment that you just stop.

Love Yourself

I believe it is important to love others and treat people the way you wish to be treated. But very often I forget how critical it is to love myself in the same way.

If I truly love myself, I won't allow anyone to hurt or disrespect me. I can't give to others what I won't give to myself.

That lesson may be a bit late in coming but I think I am finally beginning to understand that it all begins with me.

Purpose

In spite of some challenging circumstances I have always had a great sense of purpose in my life. I knew my existence was important and that I had a place in the world.

Some grow up knowing what their purpose is. I only knew that I had one and it was my job to find it or at least pursue it.

For me it may be much more about the journey than the destination. This has been a wonderful path full of love and lessons that a single purpose could never encompass.

Broken Cycles

Every woman in my family has broken away from those things that hindered us.

My mother left home at a very early age and moved far away from her family and support system so that she could have a different life.

I refused to be a stereotypical teenage mother and found a way out of the violence and substance abuse that was so pervasive in my life.

My daughters continue to change and grow with work, education, marriage and now families of their own.

I am thankful that all of us found the strength and courage to break the cycles and find true happiness in our lives.

Kindness of Strangers

It always touches me when someone you don’t really know reaches out to help you. During the years that I struggled to raise my two children I was very fortunate to have people in my life that helped in so many ways.

Some helped us to have a safe and affordable home. Others helped us to have transportation when we needed it. Of all the gifts great and small it was the kindness of strangers who helped us most of all.

My Father

It is very strange to miss someone you never knew. My father was absent throughout my life and I always wondered how different things would be if he had been here.

Mom told me stories of how he would carry me on a pillow saying I was more precious than gold and yet he didn't stay to love or protect me.

I have spent my entire life learning to take care of myself and my family. With all my heart, I am so very grateful to have the life my father could not provide.