When you walk into our home, one thing you’ll notice, I love inspirational quotes. They are everywhere. On our fridge, framed on the counter, hanging in our guest bathroom, in our office. I. Need. These. Words. To. Keep. Going. Even back in college when I first started reading the Bible for the first time, it felt so overwhelming and “where do I start?” but I discovered the book of Proverbs and loved it for the very reason that it’s mostly a lot of great quotes. These days, I love using my Instagram (username: scarlettlillian) to post inspirational quotes I run across to share. I know we are all fighting our own battle, whatever it may be, and a few great words of encouragement can be the thing that makes us or breaks us.
This morning as I ate breakfast, I kept thinking of the random things my collections of quotes have taught me over the years, as well as my own life lessons that have gone along with them.
{10 Life Lessons I’ve Learned Along The Way}
1. Not everyone will get you, or understand the real you. Don’t let it stop you from being the real you.
2. If I never win Yard of The Month, I will not be disappointed. There are far more important things to be competitive about, no matter what my retired neighbor gardner with extra time on his hands may say.
3. Life is too short not to eat dessert. I would rather be a few extra pounds than neglect the things I really love.
4. The perfect job doesn’t exist, you must create it for yourself. That doesn’t mean it won’t be easy and consume your every thought and hour along the way.
5. You don’t realize the value of a photo until that’s all you have left of someone you loss. Don’t trust a harddrive of digital photos that might fail. Back it up. Three times. And print out the photos so the generations that follow will have something to hold in their hands after your harddrive crashes or your disc scratches.
6. I would rather look back on life saying “Wow, I actually did that and failed miserably” than ask “What if?”
7. Facebook comments/messages/emails/likes are not the best way to communicate with those you truly love. Send them a real text message or email, or even better yet, a phone call or handwritten letter.
8. Surround yourself with people who love you and bring you higher, not those who constantly tear you down. Just walk away and refuse to play into their power trip games.
9. Dream big. You never know what impossible thing you just might actually accomplish. We all need carrots in front of our noses to push us harder.
10. The first step is the hardest. But take another. And one more. And another step. Keep going. You’ll cross the victory line before you know it. (I had this on repeat in my head as I set out to finish a marathon I never thought in a million years I would finish.)
BONUS:
11. Coco Chanel said a woman should be classy and fabulous. I say, a woman should be classy and fabulous and not apologize for it. It’s your God given right to shine.