This past year was tough for everybody! I think everyone can agree on that much. As we are 6 days into the New Year, I thought about all the lessons I have learned in 2016. I took a couple of L's, but caught a few W's along the way and I am grateful to God for that. My spiritual life was something that gave me so much hell in 2016, I went through my first legitimate valley experience and it was, interesting. Terrible (or so I thought at the time), but an interesting experience. I learned about the strength I truly possess. #2016TaughtMe was a hashtag I saw from a friend's blog (www.daniahmiller.wordpress.com) and considering that I liked it, I decided to hop on the train! So, I figured, why not share 6 things that I learned from 2016:
1. Be mindful - Number one is much more significant than we think it is. So many times, we as individuals get caught up with thinking ahead; whether it be about our future careers or our future in general. But it is SO important to just be here in the NOW. I've found that I missed out on so many things because while I was here, I wasn't present -- and before you ask, YES there's a difference. Here in the physical, yet absent in mind, emotion, etc. I am a person who likes to plan ahead and in 2016 I planned the biggest shindig for my 21st birthday which was to happen in May. As fate would have it, 3 days prior to my birthday, I got into a really bad car accident wiping out all funds I planned to use for my birthday. I think it was then that I found out what it meant to just "live in the moment". I learned a sense of appreciation that day. An appreciation for life and the little things that come with it. I learned to embrace stillness -- to enjoy the quiet times. During these moments of quiet, I was able to get in tune with my inner self and realize that the reason I might feel anxious or even sometimes depressed is because I am too focused on trying to create a future for myself or dwelling on past things that are of little or no importance. We do it to ourselves, unintentionally at times, purposely the other times. God promises us, that just like He takes care of the animals He created, He will take care of us, (see Matt 6:25-34). We as humans like to have everything tangible at our discretion, which is what causes us to forget the promise that God has given to us. The feeling of 'not knowing' and our need to constantly plan for our futures is the product of us being disconnected from the present. The same sense of preparedness that we feel does us good is the same thing that cripples us. The minute we learn to embrace today will be the moment we can be free from the stresses of tomorrow.
2. Be careful who you give your energy - Easier said than done right? I know. Different people come in our lives for different reasons at different times. Some come to stay and some don't. We have to use discernment in order to understand who serves a true purpose in our lives and is worth keeping. Do not rob yourself. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being picky/selective about who gets that energy. Some will try to make you feel guilty about ensuring your own safety first, if they do, let them go. Be prepared to protect your peace at all costs, come hell or high water. Learn to hear your own voice. Do not let people flood you with their opinions so much that you cannot formulate any on your own. Most people won't understand because they don't want to or simply because they haven't walked in your shoes to know. Stand your ground. Remain firm, always. Trust the vibes. Chances are, they never lie.
3. What's for you is for YOU - Now this one is pretty self explanatory I'd like to think. This is a concept I've really learned to embrace but it was really drilled into my head Dec of last year. It sounds ridiculous, but so many times we compare ourselves to others or what they may have going on which is the worse thing you can do. I had been going through an issue and had been praying about it for what feels like forever, just waiting on an answer from God that felt like it was never coming. I'd see other people go through their valley experiences and later on come out triumphant and jovial that they made it through. For me however, this was not the case (atleast not for a while). It was truly a humbling experience because I tend to be a little impatient with God (can I get an amen, somebody?) and tend to wonder frequently, when is it MY time to win for a change? It took time for me to learn that God isn't a god who looks at the deeds of man. Nothing that we do can be enough to make him bless us solely based upon our actions -- but the grace that is imparted on each and every one of us is where the blessings stem from. I used to say "Lord, I am doing such and such for you. Why is it that you choose to bless Sis. So and so, and overlook me every time?". It wasn't until I came to terms with knowing that what God has put a seal on for me, nobody has access to but me, that it became clear to me: WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS SPECIFICALLY SET ASIDE FOR YOU, and NO ONE can take that away. It gives me comfort when I think of it now. If you lost it, chances are it may not have been for you or you may not be ready for it...........YET.
4. God is MY bestfriend - Also self explanatory. God is my all in all. My bestie. The homie. My daddy. My friend. My comforter. My provider. My strong tower. My hope. My defense. My shield. My rock. My hiding place. My safe haven. My peace. My doctor. My deliverer. My healer. My way-maker. The reason why I am alive today. He is my first love. My everything. He was, He is, He always will be. He has never forsaken me, or left me out to dry. 2016 was a ROUGH year. But He kept me, cradled me in the palm of His hand. Watched over my going out my coming in; and even when I doubted Him and placed Him on the backburner of my life, He's never left my side. And for that, I'm forever GRATEFUL.
5. There's beauty in being vulnerable - What did you just say? Being vulnerable? Yep. Indeed. There is so much beauty in being vulnerable. Do you remember what it felt like? To trust so openly.... To love soooooo deeply, beyond measure. Back when you were virtually unscathed. It was such a beauty feeling, wasn't it? To be free of hurt but full of high hope and expectation. Seems like these days, vulnerability has become an idea of the past. But it's important to be vulnerable. It affects various aspects of our lives. In our relationship with God (for my believers out there), God wants us to be broken to come before Him. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." - Psalms 51:17. The Bible also tells us in Psalms 34:18 that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit. Although God already knows how we are feeling, He wants us to be brutally honest with Him. In our day-to-day relationships as well, vulnerability is super important. To grow and to trust one another, you have to be willing to be open -- thus exposing yourself to another person which is more than this generation (especially) wants to do. It's apart of the process and when you rob yourself of that, in essence you take from yourself while taking from the other person involved. Everyone is afraid to get hurt and so no one is vulnerable but instead offer a shallow representation of themselves and if you don't like it, oop, oh well. On to the next. It shouldn't be that way. Remember what it is like to feel. If we don't feel we become cold, vague, almost expressionless. This generation needs to reclaim what it means to have feelings and OWN them, after all, they were given to us for a reason.
6. BE YOURSELF, ALWAYS - Never let anyone try to change you. Do not change unless you feel convicted to because you would be doing yourself a disservice in the long run. You are your own individual person. While people can try, there is a specified place in this world that only you can fill. Your own footprints are your own. Nobody has what you have and nobody can bring what you can to the table. Leave your mark (positively) the best way you know how. Leave the rest up to God.
2016 has been ROUGH but we made it y'all! We are 6 days into the new year. We all have 359 days to tell a different story. What will yours be?
1. Be mindful - Number one is much more significant than we think it is. So many times, we as individuals get caught up with thinking ahead; whether it be about our future careers or our future in general. But it is SO important to just be here in the NOW. I've found that I missed out on so many things because while I was here, I wasn't present -- and before you ask, YES there's a difference. Here in the physical, yet absent in mind, emotion, etc. I am a person who likes to plan ahead and in 2016 I planned the biggest shindig for my 21st birthday which was to happen in May. As fate would have it, 3 days prior to my birthday, I got into a really bad car accident wiping out all funds I planned to use for my birthday. I think it was then that I found out what it meant to just "live in the moment". I learned a sense of appreciation that day. An appreciation for life and the little things that come with it. I learned to embrace stillness -- to enjoy the quiet times. During these moments of quiet, I was able to get in tune with my inner self and realize that the reason I might feel anxious or even sometimes depressed is because I am too focused on trying to create a future for myself or dwelling on past things that are of little or no importance. We do it to ourselves, unintentionally at times, purposely the other times. God promises us, that just like He takes care of the animals He created, He will take care of us, (see Matt 6:25-34). We as humans like to have everything tangible at our discretion, which is what causes us to forget the promise that God has given to us. The feeling of 'not knowing' and our need to constantly plan for our futures is the product of us being disconnected from the present. The same sense of preparedness that we feel does us good is the same thing that cripples us. The minute we learn to embrace today will be the moment we can be free from the stresses of tomorrow.
2. Be careful who you give your energy - Easier said than done right? I know. Different people come in our lives for different reasons at different times. Some come to stay and some don't. We have to use discernment in order to understand who serves a true purpose in our lives and is worth keeping. Do not rob yourself. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being picky/selective about who gets that energy. Some will try to make you feel guilty about ensuring your own safety first, if they do, let them go. Be prepared to protect your peace at all costs, come hell or high water. Learn to hear your own voice. Do not let people flood you with their opinions so much that you cannot formulate any on your own. Most people won't understand because they don't want to or simply because they haven't walked in your shoes to know. Stand your ground. Remain firm, always. Trust the vibes. Chances are, they never lie.
3. What's for you is for YOU - Now this one is pretty self explanatory I'd like to think. This is a concept I've really learned to embrace but it was really drilled into my head Dec of last year. It sounds ridiculous, but so many times we compare ourselves to others or what they may have going on which is the worse thing you can do. I had been going through an issue and had been praying about it for what feels like forever, just waiting on an answer from God that felt like it was never coming. I'd see other people go through their valley experiences and later on come out triumphant and jovial that they made it through. For me however, this was not the case (atleast not for a while). It was truly a humbling experience because I tend to be a little impatient with God (can I get an amen, somebody?) and tend to wonder frequently, when is it MY time to win for a change? It took time for me to learn that God isn't a god who looks at the deeds of man. Nothing that we do can be enough to make him bless us solely based upon our actions -- but the grace that is imparted on each and every one of us is where the blessings stem from. I used to say "Lord, I am doing such and such for you. Why is it that you choose to bless Sis. So and so, and overlook me every time?". It wasn't until I came to terms with knowing that what God has put a seal on for me, nobody has access to but me, that it became clear to me: WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS SPECIFICALLY SET ASIDE FOR YOU, and NO ONE can take that away. It gives me comfort when I think of it now. If you lost it, chances are it may not have been for you or you may not be ready for it...........YET.
4. God is MY bestfriend - Also self explanatory. God is my all in all. My bestie. The homie. My daddy. My friend. My comforter. My provider. My strong tower. My hope. My defense. My shield. My rock. My hiding place. My safe haven. My peace. My doctor. My deliverer. My healer. My way-maker. The reason why I am alive today. He is my first love. My everything. He was, He is, He always will be. He has never forsaken me, or left me out to dry. 2016 was a ROUGH year. But He kept me, cradled me in the palm of His hand. Watched over my going out my coming in; and even when I doubted Him and placed Him on the backburner of my life, He's never left my side. And for that, I'm forever GRATEFUL.
5. There's beauty in being vulnerable - What did you just say? Being vulnerable? Yep. Indeed. There is so much beauty in being vulnerable. Do you remember what it felt like? To trust so openly.... To love soooooo deeply, beyond measure. Back when you were virtually unscathed. It was such a beauty feeling, wasn't it? To be free of hurt but full of high hope and expectation. Seems like these days, vulnerability has become an idea of the past. But it's important to be vulnerable. It affects various aspects of our lives. In our relationship with God (for my believers out there), God wants us to be broken to come before Him. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." - Psalms 51:17. The Bible also tells us in Psalms 34:18 that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit. Although God already knows how we are feeling, He wants us to be brutally honest with Him. In our day-to-day relationships as well, vulnerability is super important. To grow and to trust one another, you have to be willing to be open -- thus exposing yourself to another person which is more than this generation (especially) wants to do. It's apart of the process and when you rob yourself of that, in essence you take from yourself while taking from the other person involved. Everyone is afraid to get hurt and so no one is vulnerable but instead offer a shallow representation of themselves and if you don't like it, oop, oh well. On to the next. It shouldn't be that way. Remember what it is like to feel. If we don't feel we become cold, vague, almost expressionless. This generation needs to reclaim what it means to have feelings and OWN them, after all, they were given to us for a reason.
6. BE YOURSELF, ALWAYS - Never let anyone try to change you. Do not change unless you feel convicted to because you would be doing yourself a disservice in the long run. You are your own individual person. While people can try, there is a specified place in this world that only you can fill. Your own footprints are your own. Nobody has what you have and nobody can bring what you can to the table. Leave your mark (positively) the best way you know how. Leave the rest up to God.
2016 has been ROUGH but we made it y'all! We are 6 days into the new year. We all have 359 days to tell a different story. What will yours be?