IT'S THE SMALL THINGS
On Monday, I turn 32. And as a good friend jokingly teased me, I am officially off the calendar. Every trip around the sun is something to be grateful for. Another 365 days of renewed opportunities, and days to fill with memories. As I leave 31 behind, I put together a list of 31 learnings (in no particular order) that stood out to me, and was re-affirmed this past year, hoping to remind you in one way or another that life, though not always according to plan, is beautiful when we choose for it to be.
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You are where you are supposed to be.
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I will paraphrase something I read somewhere along the lines of “God has a purpose for your life no one else can fulfill.” Accept this notion, surrender, and all will fall into place.
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Change is inevitable. It is the only constant in this world. Go with the flow, and reach higher heights when you do instead of resisting it.
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You cannot change people. Stop trying to fix their problems.
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A snake will shed its skin, but will always be a snake.
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Know who your true friends are, and distinguish them from avid acquaintances and social media friends.
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There is extreme value in keeping a small circle.
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More is not always merrier.
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All will be well and beautiful in God’s good time.
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With privileges (and great power) comes responsibility – and I heard this from my late grand-aunt and repeatedly from my mother long before I knew JFK and Spiderman had said the same.
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God will never put a good man down.
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What goes around comes around. Always. Do not be bitter, be better.
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No one wants to lose. It is painful not to win. But everyone has their time to shine.
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Less said, less done. Nothing said, nothing done.
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A smile speaks a thousand words, and silence sometimes resonates the loudest – it can be deafening, actually.
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At our lowest points, we oftentimes meet the greatest. Remember who they are.
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The kindest (and sometimes most reserved) of people are oftentimes those who have gone through the most in life because they know that compassion and care matter. Cherish them.
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Live in the moment, and seize the day.
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The present is truly a gift, and so is our freedom, and ability to live a life free of fear.
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There is a difference between happiness and contentment.
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Someone you least expect will come into your life, and change you in the best ways. You will grow for the better.
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True strength is not measured. It is seen, it is felt.
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Integrity is doing the right thing even when the wrong is somewhat, sometimes socially acceptable. It is knowing, and following your moral compass.
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Loyalty is standing up for someone when their backs are turned.
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The greatest friends are not always those who you have known the longest. Rather, they are the ones who come around at unforgettable moments.
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Value creativity and originality. Seek purpose in all that you do – success and fulfillment will follow.
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Puppies are love and happiness personified. And while they can be a handful, you are their world, and the only way they know how to love is unconditionally.
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Only you can give others the license to make you feel inadequate. Show them that you are greater than their thoughts and assumptions.
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You have nothing to prove to anyone, but yourself.
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It is only in loving, and putting yourself first that you are able to love others wholeheartedly.
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God loves you.