I can’t believe how fast this year flew by; it literally seems like 2018 just started! Here we are on the brink of a new year, but I just want to take a minute to reflect on 2018 and the things I learned this year.
Patience
I feel like this year my patience has been tried on so many levels. The Lord knows I struggle in this area which is why He has allowed me to be in situations that would grow my patience. I’ve always heard the saying, “be careful what you pray for”, and experienced it this year because God will answer those prayers in His own way. The Lord ended the year with my biggest lesson in patience yet and that involved my recent car accident. My car was totaled and we are currently down to one car between me and my husband. Initially I was in such a rush to find a new car because I don’t like being inconvenienced, but a good friend reminded me that in my search for a new car patience is so important because I want to make sure I find the best vehicle for us – it’s not about hurrying up to get a car, but about waiting for the best car. That’s a word! God wants us to practice patience and not be in such a rush for pursuit. He knows just what we need and when we need it. Patience is everything!
Cherish and appreciate who and what you have
So many people didn’t make it to the end of the year and there are so many who are without things that are basic to us – like a car. I’ve learned that we, our situations, our things, can be here today and gone tomorrow. Nothing is promised and it’s so important that we learn to cherish and appreciate our blessings while we have them. The saying, you don’t know what you got until it’s gone, rings so true regardless of how cliche it may sound. In 2019 I want to do a better job of cherishing and appreciating those around me, where I am in life and the blessings of God. It’d be a shame to look back on something, a moment, or someone and just wish you had more time or wish you enjoyed just a little more.
Gratitude and contentment
When you are not grateful for and content with your own life, what you have in life and where you are in life it can cause resentment, jealousy, low self-esteem and a host of other things. If we allow it, social media can have us feeling ungrateful, comparing ourselves to others and feeling like we need to have and do more. I’ve experienced this many times and had to be reminded to be grateful and to have a spirit of contentment. God has me where I am for a reason and I need to be okay with that. I’m in competition with no one but the person I was yesterday. The more we give thanks and practice contentment, the more room we have for God’s blessings!
Find a reason to laugh or smile
Most people know me for always laughing, some say I laugh at anything (just about)! This year I’ve learned to even find laughter in setbacks and difficult times and it’s helped me so much. The accident (I will keep talking about this because I shouldn’t have made it out of that) I experienced was rough, but in talking about it later that day a friend of mine commended me on finding humor even during a difficult time. Despite the pain, the trauma of it being my first accident and having lost my almost-paid-off car, I was still able to find a joke or two. I’ve learned that there are so many things in life that are way beyond my control. I’ve also learned that my attitude and mindset has so much power over my situations. I can either choose to be angry and complain or I can choose to look at the blessings and find humor. Lately I’ve been choosing the latter and have found that those difficult times that just seem so monumental are only temporary, but having the wrong attitude and mindset will make them last longer. So here’s to finding a reason to laugh or smile in all the tough times 2019 may bring! 🙂
Never stop striving to be better
We are not done learning, growing, messing up, starting over. As long as we have breath we should always strive to do better and to be better. There have been times just this year alone where I found myself sinking into complacency. It’s so easy to get there and to even stay there because it gets comfortable and the excuses become our bed. This year I learned that if I want to be a better wife, family member, friend, employer, leader, goal-getter, whatever, then I have to constantly work at it. It’s not enough to just say or talk about things; my actions, my lifestyle, how I treat people must align. I gotta walk it like I talk it!
What has 2018 taught you? I’d love to hear! Comment below.
Live well,
What do you think?