Actions

“Actions speak louder than words, but not nearly as often.” ~Mark Twain In understanding this, we can be compassionate, but that doesn’t mean we need to willingly accept mistreatment. How do we know when to give someone the benefit of the doubt and when to withhold it? “When people show you who they are, believe them.” Actions speak louder than words. And repeated actions are what shape our character and reputation. It’s recognizing these facts so that we can make a wiser choice based on how things are—not how we want them to be. We may recognize we’re being mistreated and choose to set and enforce a boundary. We all deserve second chances, and sometimes a third or fourth. But other times we need to open our eyes so that we know when enough is enough. It’s never our fault when someone else hurts us, but it’s within our power to stop allowing it.

I am more than

I am more than my insecurities. For so long I thought that I had to be more confident, beautiful, strong, or skinny to love myself. I had always struggled with anxiety and being overweight. I thought that these were the cards that I was dealt and that there was nothing I could do about it. I would push myself so hard to try and be the woman I thought I would love. However, the more I learned to focus on the inside, the more I realized that true beauty doesn't come from the outside. Yes I still struggle daily with my insecurities but I'm learning to love the woman I've become. I may be too critical, too hard on myself but at the end of the day I'm shaping into the woman I've wanted to be. You are more than your insecurities!! Don't let them define you!! Throughout my journey I've learned that I am more than my insecurities.

Kindness

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” ~Scott Adams

We interact with so many people daily, never really putting much thought into how much we can impact their life or rather how much light we can add to their life.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has a reason why their light may be a little dimmer, a little brighter.

It is not always possible or easy to understand why people act the way they do. When in doubt, be kind. It doesn’t cost anything to be kind.

Can you express concern for someone today? Can you send a quick email or text to someone you’ve been thinking of?

When you find someone whos light may be a little dimmer, consider taking a deep breath and trying to understand where he or she is coming from. Do they have a story? Can you let it go?

You can and may be the only light in someone’s life, even with one small act of kindness.

There’s always hope.

You don’t have to be Mother Theresa to be the light in someone’s life. You can simply take a minute out of your day to encourage someone, to smile at them, to listen to them.

Be the light you wish to see in the world.

Disrespect

Disrespect. We all encounter it at some point in our life but no one can predict when and how it will affect us. We cant anticipate disrespect so therefore we can not prevent. We can only learn from it. The reason for the fear or shock associated with disrespect is due to its root of "hurtful" encounters – those that involve mocking others’ ideas/commentary, conveying messages through sarcasm/ridicule , demeaning others’ work or personalities, attacking or isolating others whose views, work practices or communication styles differ from theirs. The affect of these behaviors is always heart-wrenching. Being disrespected causes physical sickness to my stomach. The impact of this behavior is costly at many levels. "What is even more perplexing and concerning than the the 'epidemic of mean' itself is the ongoing attempt by many to justify their 'mean behavior'. I call it "looking for the loophole to kindness"."

Unconditional Love.

I always thought I would never be able to comprehend or express what love meant. I grew up without hearing those simple words.

I thought I would know how to love, that it would come naturally.

I realized that unconditional love does not come easy; it is something learned and practiced.

Every single obstacle of life allows you to discover new ways of loving.

To love unconditionally is to love with absolutely no boundaries.

There are many times in my life when I feel that loving someone seems nearly impossible. There are times I say harsh things to people I love just because things aren’t going my way.

In these situations, I find myself putting provisions on love. We attach it to how others are acting, and whether they reciprocate the feelings we give to them. We attach it to the circumstances and emotions that go on in a single moment.

I find myself holding back, fearful of being hurt, afraid to sacrifice a piece of myself.

Love because you’re grateful for the things someone has done for you. Love because someone needs you, needs a friend to lean on during their struggles. Love even when it is difficult, even when your mind tells you that you shouldn’t.

Love by looking beyond people’s faults, struggles, and whatever pain and hardships that life may bring.

This unconditional love is something that can so easily be given if we recognize it, and that can change someone else’s life completely.

When we love and treat each other with the utmost care and attention, the little things that bother us seem far less overwhelming.

What would the world be like if we stopped looking to get something in return, and just loved unconditionally, for the happiness and inner peace it brings us all?

Patience.

I was taught growing up that it was a virtue.

However, in my experience, patience had meant I would miss out on something I desired. I would fast track myself through career choices and opportunities and even relationships for fear that I would miss out again.

I may have seemed to the outside world to be go-getting and achieving great things, but because I was so busy rushing to the next big thing, I was actually missing out on my own life.

Patience is hard and it takes practice. Patience is about having the inner strength to face your fears, repeatedly let go of internal expectations, and have trust that it will all work out in the end.

So perhaps patience is a virtue after all.

Moderation

Can you really have too much of anything? When we think of moderation it is most commonly associated with food but can it be connected with other good things in our life. Can you have too much love? Too much kindness? Too much faith?

Sometimes it is difficult to live life moderately because we are constantly presented with pleasures and opportunities that we are quick to indulge in.

Pleasure is what brings happiness into our lives but does absence make the heart grow fonder? What happens when the “high” effect is gone?

We sometimes forget the value of moderation in our lives. Moderation is the key to life.

“Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains.” – Democritus

Because I learned to value moderation::
I am happy.
I am proud.