Things I now know

I feel like 2016 has been a year of growth and learning.

Something that has made a significant difference in the way I approach my every day life. This is not some new found knowledge. It's something I've known for a long time but have never really put to use.

So what's this mysterious peace of info? Ready? Life is not a frantic race to the finish line.

Now let me explain. I can confidently say that I've been living in a rush since I was child. Some of my earliest memories was daydreaming about being grown up and creating my own life. I then went on to start working at an early age. That experience brought on a desire to succeed in the work place. I was in a rush to finish high school. I rushed moving out of home. Rushed in and out of relationships. Rushed into taking and quiting jobs. Never being satisfied with what I had, just always looking for the next thing. And often thinking that the next thing will be better. Sometimes it was and sometimes it wasn't.

A high school friend once pointed out that I lived so much into the future that I'll one day regret not allowing myself to have a normal childhood. Even though I don't regret any of my decisions then (as they led me to now), I do see his point. Living for tomorrow leaves you with an inability to truly experience today. Because as much as we can plan (and Oh boy am I a planner), it is important to humble ourselves to the knowledge that we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. We can hope. We can pray. But ultimately, only Heavenly Father knows what will happen next.

So yes, life is not a frantic race to the finish line. To me this means that I can breathe a little deeper. I can let go of the need to control. I can pray for great experiences and live happily knowing that whatever comes my way, I have the Lord on my side. And He will never give me a life assignment I cannot handle. Whether trial or blessing, it's all the same to me now because if you look really closely, even the worst of trials can become the greatest blessings. It's all about perspective.

These are things I now know!