Take a deep examination today!

As I woke up and started my day today, I received a text from one of my aunts informing me that someone we know, someone who is close to our family, passed away this morning from Covid. She was not even 60 years old. As I thought about her, and the support she gave my mom over the years during some of her struggles, the support she gave my book this year, and the review she left me, I was so very saddened. Why do the good people have to die? I actually said that out loud coming home from picking up my groceries. I have heard of people passing all year long from this terrible pandemic, but this was the first person I personally knew to pass from it. Somehow, that puts things more in perspective.

I came to my office to do a few things this morning, and my calendar today was a stark reminder of life, and what matters. It’s the image above. The things I have gotten so wrapped up in life simply don’t matter. Trivial things that are really pretty silly. My appearance, who likes me, who doesn’t, am I the best at everything, why am I such a perfectionist, and on, and on. Can you relate? We get so incredibly wrapped up in the things of life that truly do not matter, and fail to slow down, and appreciate all the amazing things that do matter!

Have you ever found yourself guilty of friend drama? Of office drama? Of worrying about the Jones’ and what they have that you don’t? What about your spouse’s ex, or your ex, or those people who have hurt you? How many days and nights have you spent upset over other people? How many days and nights have you spent wondering why some people have things that you don’t when they don’t deserve to have those things. At least, we think they don’t deserve it. How about wasting almost an entire year worried about my career path and what I would do to pay my bills? Did you do that this year? If only I could go back to March and see that things were going to work out, and that things didn’t just happen to me, they actually happened for me.

As I set reflecting today, I wish I had slowed down this year, and enjoyed the pause rather than fighting it. I wish I had not spent so many sleepless nights freaked out by change. When I actually stop, I can see all the blessings I have in my life. I am so incredibly thankful today for the lessons I learned, good, bad and ugly. I’ve hurt, I’ve been scared, I’ve most likely hurt others, but I have also grown. My husband and I are healthy. We have great jobs for companies we love. The kids are healthy. We have a nice roof over our head and food on the table. Our bills get paid every single month! We have amazing friends beside us. We have amazing family that love us. Those are all that matter! God has sustained us! God has protected us! God has kept us!

My heart is in pain today, but so full of gratitude and thanksgiving. If I left the world today, I feel I have made wrongs right, loved, been passionate, and left some kind of positive influence, and legacy for those I have been blessed to be in their life. However, I am here another day, and each day of 2021 that I wake up, I shall choose to be unstoppable. I choose to work hard! I choose to love hard, and hopefully impact lives in a positive way, and leave other lives better than I found them. Will you join me? Will you be changed? Will you be better? What will you do? Let’s all strive to make this one life we’ve been given an amazing one! We all have a chance today to make important changes! Let’s reflect and make them in the coming year!

With love for you all,

Shauna