A lot changes in a year… or a decade.
As I sit and think about all that has transpired in the last 12 months, I’m a little blown away. 2019 was definitely a year of growth and learning. And if we’re being honest, the last decade has been unexpected in some ways. Without a doubt, this has been the decade where the most life “stuff” happened. A short rundown:
Started and completed graduate school
Moved in with my significant other
Got engaged
Got married
Started doing meaningful work that I loved
Met people who irrevocably shaped me as a person (and who likely have no clue that this is the case)
Became a mom
Bought a house
Recovered from PMADs
Became even mom-er
Started my own company
However, since it’s the end of 2019, I’ll focus on the things I’ve worked on and learned the most - maybe it will help someone else:
Don’t wait. Do the thing.
You will never feel ready. Seriously, never. Just do the thing.
Ask the question, start the conversation, finally go therapy, tell people what you want, start the business - whatever the thing is. You truly will never feel prepared enough, and that’s because what you’re called to do will give you the experience: not the other way around.
I’m not saying I don’t still get anxious about starting. I totally do, but I also know it’s true that I will never feel ready and I’m getting better at starting when I feel unprepared.
You only have so much control over anything. Ever.
It’s true! It doesn’t matter if it’s a promotion you’re going for, how your children grow into adults, that one person who inexplicably hates you, whether or not the grocery store will have the apples you’re craving, etc.
You can try to plan everything and anything and force sh*t to go your way, but if requires you to move mountains or do something grossly out of character then it’s not supposed to yield the thing.
You can gain great things as a result of hard work: not forced work.
Everything is fluid.
I mean this in every way imaginable; friendships, moods, illness, weight, etc. Life is not meant to be fixed. Don’t try to hold on to something so tightly when you have it because it will inevitably change form, shape, strength, etc.
This is a really difficult pill for me to swallow especially when it comes to friendships, but it’s natural for things (and people) to flow in and out of your life. This thought does make me a little sad when I consider people in my life right now who I love and don’t want to lose, but I feel a little more prepared for the future if it does happen.
Also, just throwing this out there for whoever needs to hear it - your body is supposed to move, jiggle, change shape, etc. There are too many freakin’ factors for it to stay one size or shape all the time. Don’t wait for a particular size, shape or number to love yourself. It will always change and that is normal. You’re not a freakin’ robot.
And for the record, just because something changes or leaves your life, that does not mean it had no value while it was in your life. It also doesn’t make your life more valuable when it was in your life.
I still work on all these things each day, but they have become far more common in my life than they were a year ago.
Have a great holiday season, whatever you choose to do. I will be back in January, having unveiled a re-brand, rename, and expansion of SassyGreenLady LLC products. (See? Change.)
Thank you all for your support and for cheering me on these last 2+ years. I’m excited for what’s to come in the next year (or ten!)
In friendship and cheesecake,