I’m writing this during the first couple of days of June. How did we get to June? It’s like I blinked and Bam! May was full of highs and lows and a lot of in-between. As I was thinking about what to share in the blog post for next week, I kept coming back to some things I think most people can relate to in some way. For me, these are all life lessons that happened or became clearer in May 2023. Check out the list and then let me know your thoughts!
1. When your child (or someone you love as one) is ill, everything else seems to fade into the background.
2. When you get together with a cousin (or someone else) who was your best friend in childhood, and who you haven’t seen in 18 years, time becomes strange. The past merges with the present and shares plans for the future. There is laughter, tears, and more laughter, and forgotten memories are found again.
3. When your child graduates from high school, he may be walking across the stage in cap and gown, but you still see him dressed for the first day of nursery school.
4. When someone who’s been a friend since you were both 12 calls and shares difficult news, it doesn’t matter that you haven’t seen one another for too long – true love and friendship stay strong.
5. When you have a person in your life with selective memory and other similar qualities, you will reach a point when you decide that you don’t have to just go along with their inaccurate version of things, and that’s a good thing.
6. When your name (or pen name) first appears in a book As an author, it’s okay to be excited.
7. When you have to say “No” to something or someone because you just don’t have the time, energy, patience, money, or whatever else to say “Yes”, it’s perfectly fine to do that.
8. When you feel the need to stand up for yourself, do it – even if you can’t physically stand up at all. If you need help finding the strength to do it, reach out to someone. Don’t have anyone to reach out to? Email me and I’ll try to help you find someone. You matter.
9. When you get the urge to play your favorite music too loud, do something silly, laugh at something inappropriate, watch a ridiculous television show, queue up a meaningless but entertaining movie… Whatever it is, go for it.
10. When something that used to work for you and your life no longer does, it’s okay to change things up. Routines that don’t fit your life or priorities anymore become weights that drag you down.
11. When the phone rings, you don’t always have to answer it.
12. When you realize that you can make everybody happy all the time, be glad. It will reduce your stress level, lessen the pressure you put on yourself, and make you happier. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue to be the good and thoughtful person you already are. It just means exactly what I wrote –nobody can make everybody happy all the time – so trying to achieve is going to leave you frustrated and feeling bad.
I understand that you probably know all those things. For a couple of them, I gave specific details unique to my life – but can easily you see how they apply to your own if you just swap the details with those that fit you. Knowing those things in your heart and reading them to help refresh your mind about them, well, those are different things entirely. Thoughts or feedback you’d like to share? Reach out to me at frominhere@gmail.com.
You might just win a prize in the next newsletter. Be sure to check out my social media for games, contests, and motivation. Please also check out my author website at denisedemarco.com for more entertaining content.