A Letter To Ourselves

This is a repost from the other blog that I share with my sister (Half a Pear).  I thought I would post it here also.

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On this, the eve of our 35^th birthday, while I sit here sipping a peppermint & white chocolate tea, I wanted to remind our future selves of some of the lessons we’ve learned in the past 34 years.

• Things will always work themselves out, whether you can visualize it at the moment or not.  Just take a step back, breathe, do nothing and wait.  Wait and watch for direction.  It’ll come.

• You’ll never be given more than you can handle and you can always handle more than you think you can.

• The greatest pleasures in life are simple.  Quiet.  Spontaneous.  Brief.  They are there in the everyday; in a cup of tea or a walk in the sun, in a good book or a soft kiss.  Notice them, they are what make your life special.

• The more you focus on the negative, the more the negative will focus on you.  Be wary of getting sucked into gossip or venting.  If the world is handing you rusty nails every day, ask yourself who the common denominator is and then change your attitude.  You’ll be amazed how much better it can get when nothing actually changes.

• Ask for help when you need it.  Don’t try to save the world just so you can say you did it all by yourself.  No one is impressed by that, people actually want to help you.

• Remember that everything changes. Don’t get complacent and don’t take anything for granted.  Tragedy or joy can strike at a moment’s notice.

• Get some exercise.  Take your vitamins.  Eat real food.  Enjoy the occasional treat.

• Be skeptical of things that sound too good to be true, chances are, someone is preying on you.  Nothing is free and nobody gives anything away for nothing.

• Save money.  You will need it down the road.

• Get your hair cut, do your nails, wax your whatevers.  It feels good to look good and you work hard and enjoy a little pampering.  A bit of the money you save above can sometimes buy you a little relaxation if you find yourself overly put upon!

• Sometimes you don’t need to cook a full meal, you won’t die.  If you’re maxed or stressed or tired or pressed for time, eat an apple and a hard-boiled egg and move along.

• If you’re tired, go to bed.  But remember that bed is for rest and sleep and recharging.  It is not a place to hide from life or coddle your sorrows.  Get up.  Get dressed.  Get outside.

• Life happens outside.  Flocks of birds overhead, spring flowers, fresh air, softly falling snow.  Fallen leaves and cut grass and growing trees.  We were meant to live outside so get out there and experience the joy of being a living, breathing part of what God created.

• Speak kindly to yourself because if you don’t, others won’t.  The way you treat yourself is how others will learn to treat you.  Stand up for yourself and your values and beliefs.  Never sacrifice your own happiness or comfort for someone else’s.  In a good relationship, romantic or friend, your needs are just as important as theirs.

I’m sure there are many other lessons we’ve learned over the years, these are the ones that I think are some of the most valuable for living a healthy, balanced life.  Feel free to share any of your life lessons in the comments.

Here’s to another 35 years of learning, growing, failing and trying again!  I love you, Sister!

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