What I've learned....

So.... it's been a while since my last update.  
A little over 6 months to be exact- but the person who wrote that last blog post and the person that is sitting here writing today are two completely.different.people.

The reason for my blogging hiatus??  Well, life decided to throw me one (or several) hell of a curveball(s)- and quite honestly the thought of putting pen to paper during that time and writing about what my life consisted of would have driven me to tears (or straight to a large bottle of wine).  So I decided to just grab the bottle of wine, some good girlfriends, and have some ME time. 

Many of you know my story- some of you don't- and sometime soon I will find the courage to write about it. For now though, here is what I will say. I have grown up and learned more about myself and about life in a short amount of time than I ever imagined, and I wanted to share my takeaways from a time of overcoming obstacles, defeating the odds, and realizing that the one thing to understand about life is- it goes on.

1) Hold on tight to the good things in life-  There will be times when life will kick you straight in the gut, and it will hurt like hell.  But don't waste time trying to figure out the how and why something happened.  Sitting in the "why me" stage in life is a dark, dark place.  Focus on the good things you have, grasp them tightly and look for the light.  There is one at the end of every tunnel.

2) Appreciate the learning experience- There is nothing more beautiful than a smile that has struggled through the tears.  Don't live life with regrets- even during the times that cause you pain.  Smile because you learned from it and had the strength to rise above it.  At the end of the day it is not what you have been through that defines who you are- it's how you got through it.  These learning experiences set you up for the person you will be tomorrow.

3) If it is something you can't control, let it go- Positive things happen in your life when you choose to distance yourself from the negative things.  Stop holding onto what hurts, and make room for what feels right.  Don't let something out of your control interfere with all the things you can control.  Happiness is a mode of travel, not a destination- and that is something you are in total control of.

4) Their is no past or future- Your time to live is NOW.  Stop dwelling on your past and worrying about your future.  This allows you to suffocate your ability to thrive in the moment- the present- the now.

5) There is a lot more good in the world than bad-  It is during times of trial that you see the good in the world.  The outpouring of love of others is often times what gets you through a hard day.  Whether it be friends, family, acquaintances, or a total stranger, sometimes it is the smallest thing that can take a bad day to a good day.  Live life in the way that you see the good and be the good.  It makes the world a better place. 

6) There is no rule book-  You can research as much as you want, but there is no rule book in this thing called life.  It will be full of twists, turns, bumps, and bruises and there is no way to predict what the next piece to the puzzle will be.  Live for the moment, throw away the rules, and just be you.  You don't need the rules.

7)  With God on my side, I am able-  I am able to get through anything as long as I put my faith, my heart, my entire being into the hands of God.  There is much to this life that you won't understand- the hows, the whys, the reasons things happen.  Find faith in Him and you won't need those answers.  You will live with the assurance that God is all you need, and in Him you will be okay, no matter where the road leads.

I don't write this to tell anyone that this is the key to overcoming obstacles, but this is how I have overcome mine.  And I am still overcoming them- every.single.day!  Some days are good, some are bad, but at the end of the day, I can lay my head on my pillow with a smile on my face.  I have my friends, my family, my amazing daughter.  And I have my strength, my courage, and my will to live a happy life.  And that is all that I need.

Lots of love-
Page