Reminders to Myself

I will never blame others for the place I am — or am not. The actions and choices of others, while they may affect my feelings, do not define me. My choices steer my direction. Period.

People will hurt my feelings. They will trample on my kindness and mistake it for weakness. These people are broken. I will try not to be angry with them. This is difficult to do when one has been hurt. Try to be kind to them because they have demons to conquer and may not know any other way to be.

Feelings are not facts.

I will always be kind. I know my actions — large or small — can affect others. I will never knowingly hurt anyone else for any reason.

Sometimes kindness means leaving.

People come into your life, stay and grow with you. Cherish and appreciate them for they are rare.

People will fall out of your life, some with dramatic exits and others with quiet endings. They are fleeting visitors who leave but always impart a lesson. They also help shape the way you handle yourself in the future. I will learn from them — but let them go.

I will let go of anger. It is useless to hold onto it.

It is easy to feel alone when I am scared — even when surrounded by the largest of crowds. I will feel blessed and thankful that I have amazing friends and family, that pick me up when I fall and celebrate my successes when I fly.

Do the same for them.

I will never forget to say “I love you” and “Thank you” — but if I do, I am sorry.

I will remain silly, thoughtful, curious, slightly weird, sometimes serious, and always wonder what I will be when I grow up because I am determined to always be growing.

I will love my children more with every passing moment and cherish the nose and handprints on the window even though I just cleaned the darned window — because one day they will move away and I will have perfectly clean windows.