Have you had one of those days, where it flashes by you in an instant? It’s been one of those weeks, where it feels like my days aren’t days. My weeks have just become a lucid figment of my own imagination. So much that we clearly see but not anything seems to stick long enough to process. I know that I haven’t really stepped back and focused on the things in my life, that have gotten me where I am today. So today, I’m doing my step back and share them.
1. Your Friends
One of the things, that I try to keep at the forefront of my mind is those that are fighting with me. I grew up being one of those kids who had a few friends, but only a rare few understood everything. After years, I can say there are only about one person who knows everything possible thing about me..through the worst of it, to the best of it. 12 years adds up quick when you look back on it. So many tears, but much more smiles, laughs, and pride to be able to share life with someone who cares about you. From funerals to graduations, and vacations sprinkled in between.
It doesn’t matter the number of friends you end up with in life. If you have at least one you can open up to, you’re ahead of the game. Don’t be afraid to open yourself up to someone. Being able to have that person you can talk to in any setting or forum helps relieve stress, build relationships, and share in the ups and downs of life. Thankfully, being in the military I’ve gained what feels like not just friends, but brothers and sisters that I would have never had the chance to meet otherwise.
2. Your Family
Coming from a smaller family, I learned quite a bit growing up from a single parent. And I learned a lot more about how life works when you lose a parent before you even understand what it means to grow up. There is a whole new aspect to growing up. When losing my mother from a long term battle with cancer, I lost a lot of myself. And I saw the same thing happen to everyone in my family, immediate and extended. So growing up, rebellion is a normal thing, but it certainly gets amplified when you go through certain situations in life. So I wasn’t the easiest child to deal with.
Though, now growing up. Like many stubborn children I still fight with my family. But what I care about more is doing the right thing and having them proud of me. Unless something out of their control has happened, I can pretty much count on my Dad and my brothers to be there for me, and I hope I can do the same for them when the time comes. Keeping family in mind when you deal with life, helps keeps things in perspective. And it doesn’t hurt to talk to them, if you’re the baby of the family you can learn something from your older siblings, and your parents.
3. YOU!
Now, you may wonder why this wasn’t my first option. I think we often get too caught up in life happening to us, that we don’t realize that we are often our strongest tool. What we get out of life is what we put into it. Everything that happens to us in life, has reactions from us. When you hit a setback in your life, we often run for help from others. But, you hold more strength within yourself than you give yourself credit for. If you know the end result of what you want to achieve, getting yourself in the mindset to live a good life and make it through whatever it is you are getting through is the battle.
Growing up, I had issues with self confidence, and self love. That had to have been the hardest thing I had to work through being a young adult. Surrounding myself with good people, learning more about myself and what I wanted from life, and finding positive influences on my life were key. Keep in mind that when life happens… it’s you who will get through it.
You’ve got this!
-L
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