Two Years A Blogger

This week marked two years since I launched this blog, and it has been such amazing adventure thus far! I had no clue what I was doing (and still don't) and I had no reference for where to start; all I knew was I had a lot to say and lots of value to add to whomever was willing to receive me. Taking the leap to JUST START was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I cannot begin to express my gratitude. There's just so much - it's multifaceted. For starters, the sheer fact that there are people who exist in the world that value what I have to say and care about my experiences....that is so WILD to fathom! Little ole me? Furthermore, I can't believe that people and brands have actually sought to collaborate with me. It's so humbling to realize that other people believe in me and enough to align with me. It's definitely fuel for my faith, and for that I'm so grateful.

So what have I learned, you ask? I could never sum it all up, but I'll make an attempt.

GRACE

The primary principle that I'm continually applying is GRACE...that's toward myself and others. Perfection is unattainable, so why even set those unrealistic expectations? My goal is to be my best, but I can't let that allow me to beat myself up or overthink every little step. Knowing this, I remind myself to extend the same grace to others. Any individual can only do so much, and we all have different methods, abilities, and levels of understanding.

ADAPTIBILITY

Tying into grace is the practice of adaptability. Things don't always go according to plan, and I'll be honest, I get STRESSED when they don't, but I'm working on going with the flow. If I can't always stick to plan A, the world isn't going to end, so I can deal! Life doesn't have to be taken so seriously.

ROMANTICIZE LIFE

Which leads to my next point of romanticizing my life. The practice of trying to capture my experiences on camera and make sure everything looks good, emphasized the notion that I should really focus on making sure that ALL of my experiences FEEL GOOD! The aesthetics are simply an externality of that. I actively reflect on the little things and decide that it's a big thing, an amazing thing that brings me immense gratitude. I choose to take in the present and find joy, peace and contentment within everyday. The act of romanticizing my life has literally been as dreamy as it sounds, and I encourage everyone to practice it!

I MAKE THE RULES

The greatest realization is now owning that I make my own rules! I still obey Jesus, of course, but after Him, I'm in control! I'm not on anyone else's timeline or guidelines. I don't have to do what others are doing, and I don't even have to feel the way others may try to make me feel. I'm allowed to take the pressure off myself. I will always hold the power to pause, stop, re-evaluate, realign or whatever else I may require at any given moment. Knowing this is so freeing.

As you know, when I started, the goal was to pour into others, and I think I've done exactly that, but I didn't anticipate the extent to which so many would pour into me. The love, encouragement, feedback or even suggestions and ideas I receive always brighten my day. I also did not initially prepare for the impact nor the intensity of the self reflection incurred within the process of writing these posts. It's literally so introspective; it's a catharsis I can't explain, but I must admit, sometimes it's hard to face myself. It's difficult to dive deep into my own emotions, determine how to relay my learned lessons, and articulate them in a way that's relatable and interesting, all while figuring out to how channel them into creative platforms. Remaining transparent, guarding my heart, and trying to stay current creatively...it's quite a conundrum at times. Even if everything I do isn't relevant or on trend, the goal is to always remain my authentic self. The messaging will always remain the same. At the end of the day, I'm just an encourager..and that's what I'll continue to be.