Life: Embrace Your Journey and Allow Others Their Own

We each see the world through different eyes.  Our thoughts, experiences and circumstances shape how a situation, person or object looks or feels to us.  At times it is hard to grasp someones feelings, why they act a certain way or make specific choices. 

We often look in and want to provide advice, guidance or solutions. These attempts are usually made out of love, caring and a desire to fix what is viewed as not right; however, we must remember their journey is not ours to shape.

We must find our own answers, path and strength.  I am guilty of providing unsolicited advice and guidance instead of acceptance and support.  I am sure everyone at some point has done the same.  I want to make a more conscious effort to consider what the situation and person needs from me.  

Sometimes we just need people to accept us for who we are and provide loving support without judgement.  It certainly sounds like an easy enough thing to do; however, many of us have lost sight of it.  Too many times people want to convince others to believe their views while turning a deaf ear to the reasoning and needs of the person.  What makes our way of thinking so justified that we have the right to say it is the only true way?  How can we have all the right answers to someone else's situation?

We each have a journey we are traveling.  We aren't going to do it without some mistakes, miscalculations and changes of course. However, that is all part of our path and it is ours to pave. 

My journey is littered with laughter, tears, heartache and joy.  Each of these is part of the beauty to which my life is made.  It has some lows, some highs and everything in between.  As a dear friend once said; you sometimes need the bad times to really appreciate the good ones.  

I can promise my friends, family, children and myself that my life up till now and in the future isn't perfect.  I won't always look at things in the best possible way, my attitude will suck at times, I will have strong emotions of love, hate, sadness and maybe even react to things in a way you don't feel is appropriate.   I know you won't always understand, and I am OK with that.  I just want to be 100% perfectly imperfect me!

Sometimes Being an Adult Just Sucks!

Not too long ago I wrote about my awesome new perspective on the crap that life throws at me. Unfortunately, it appears there might be a limit to what I can take without self combustion.  I sort of felt it building as medical bills started to arrive, the car needed a new tire and the blood thinner side effects got a little more annoying.  However, I brushed each off as just another bump that is out of my control.  My thoughts were I can't change it, it could be worse, etc...

Today was the straw that broke the camels back, as the saying goes.  The mail brought two pieces that just sent me over the edge.  I screamed, cried and even broke a dish.  I tend to blame myself when these unforeseen, unwelcome expenses arrive.  As someone that is my own worst enemy, I somehow turn the situation around to be related to a failure of my attempt to properly do this being an adult thing.  I beat myself up thinking that I must not be strong enough or financially responsible. 

Of course I understand none of this is the healthy way to deal with these unforeseen circumstances, but I feel complete disclosure of my faults is a way to move beyond some of these behaviors.  I had a temper tantrum of sorts.  

What have I learned from this experience?  That even though it seems silly, counterproductive and childish sometimes we need to just let it out.  However, remember that the situation will eventually look different as time passes and it could always be so much worse.  The truth is, that at the end of the day we are amazingly blessed with what we have been given.  It is easy to sometimes lose sight of that and it is OK for that to happen.  No reason to beat yourself up for these moments but instead get it out and move beyond them.  

Tonight I cried like a baby, had a serious pity party and then talked it all out.  The fact is that life will throw you the unexpected and most of it is out of your full control.  If it feels like something you want to cry about, do it.  If you need to scream, find a way to let it out.  However, give the tantrum its place and move forward.  

I don't understand or have this whole thing figured out.  However, I am glad to have friends and family that listen, comfort and support me through these moments.  

So maybe the trick is not exactly in your perspective or how well you handle those things to which you have little control.  Instead it is about expressing the needed emotions and finding those around you that will support you during and after.