So I woke up this morning (well, yesterday morning) feeling really down, and although I don't want to talk about what was bothering me (i have another post for that) i feel I must share something that has been in my head for a very long time, and really helped me get through this day and others.

A few weeks back some things happened with a relative of mine and he ended up in the hospital. He called me up and me and my sister, who was in town at the moment, went to check up on him. While we were there, we had a little talk with him and my sister said something that has been stuck with me ever since. She said "stop worrying about what you don't have, and start being thankful for what you do have."

Think about that for a second. I've been thinking about it long and hard. It's such a simple statement, yet carries sooo much value.

We're forever walking around complaining about how we can't pay this and how we don't have that and blablabla and we seem to lose sight of those things that we are blessed with.

So today, I'm making an attempt to change. Today instead of complaining about what I don't possess, I'm gonna speak praise for what I DO have.

I DO have a roof over my head
I DO have a job
I DO have a family that cares for me
I DO have parents who work very hard to make sure I never go without
I DO have a car
I DO have an education
I DO have clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
I DO have food in my house
I DO have some good people in my life
I DO have only 4 more months until I get my college degree
I DO have faith in the Lord
And I DO have a bright future ahead of me

I am extremely blessed! Despite my past and the devils many attempts to pull me down, I'm making it. I may not have everything I want, but I DO have everything I need, and so much more! For every don't in my life, there's about 3 DO's and for that I am so thankful.

I DO love the Lord. I DO love myself and my family. and I DO plan on being more thankful and less pitiful from now on!!!

Embellishment

I notice I embellish stories. I don't do it often and theyre usually small, unimportant stories, but I still do it. It bothers me because not only is embellishment a verbal form of lying, and I can't stand lying, but also beacuse I have a friend who I'm constantly claiming I can't trust because she embellishes everything. That fact alone makes me a hypocrit. And the only thing I hate more than lying, is being hypocritical. So this behavior must stop. Now that I've noticed it, it can be addressed. And trust me, it will...

I am Not a Bad Girl

So I'm having a convo with a "friend" of mine and I tell him that I havent smoked since March. His response was that I'm officially no longer a bad girl.... o_0

That was odd to me because I never thought of myself as a bad girl. But now that I think of it, I kind of was/am. I only thought of myself as good because I'm a pure virgin. But thats really it. I've smoked, drank well before I turned 21, got tattoos and piercings behind my parents back, and done quit a few other things that definitely wouldnt be considered "good."

I just thought it was funny that the ONLY reason I considered myself a good girl was because I've never had sex and because I'm in school (and am doing good, but not even great). Lol. I mean technically, I'm just as bad, if not worse than some of friends, the only difference is that I'm slick with mine and dont go telling the world everytime I do something.

Hmm. Just a little food for thought. I gotta keep checking and analyzing myself. If not, this road to maturity would be impossible....

I am NOT Better

I have a tendency to think I'm "better" than some people. I've been through a lot in my life, but was also blessed with parents who helped me to accomplish alot. As hard as I try not to, I sometimes look down on people. But it's never on purpose, and whenever I realize I'm doing it, I immediately try to derail that train of thought. I feel like that as human beings we tend to automatically look down upon one another. But what we all, including myself, need to realize is that just because some of us were blessed with certain opportunities that allowed us to live "successful" lives (at least according to societal norms), that doesnt mean that those who arent as blessed aren't just as great. Anywho, I'm only writing this because I'm always trying to better myself and when I notice something about my personality that I don't particularly like, or something that I wouldnt like if it were done by someone else, I always try to analyze it and figure out how I can go about changing it. It's all apart of my journey to become a more mature individual...