50 Things I Know to Be True - Part 4
After almost 50 trips around the sun, these are a few things I’ve found to be true. I’d love to hear which ones resonate with you, too! And if you’re feeling inspired, think about writing your own list of things you know to be true!
(Previous posts with 1-30 are back here on the main page of the blog.)
31.. Unsolicited advice is better kept to myself. It’s amazing how often I find myself wanting to give it (in the name of being helpful, of course!!) and yet most people don’t really want advice. Most of us just want someone to listen and will ask if we do want someone’s advice.
32. Joy is always available. It is my choice. Even on the roughest days, I can do something that sparks a little joy – snuggle with my pups, recall a happy memory, make a hot mug of chai, or have a quick sidewalk chat with my adorable 6-year old Lego-obsessed neighbor.
33. I can trust my journey. I may not understand why certain things have happened and I may not be grateful for all that’s unfolded, but I do trust in the divine order of my life and I trust that I will always be okay and have the support I need.
34. I can trust the wisdom of my higher self. When I listen to this wisdom, and my inner guidance, I make decisions that are for my highest good.
35. Waking up each day is a blessing. Each morning when I open my eyes I silently say a prayer of gratitude. I think it’s an enormous gift and a privilege to be alive and to have another day on this planet. Even on the days that feel most challenging I’m still thankful to be here.
36. I can’t change others. This seems so obvious, but how often I’ve found myself wishing someone would act or behave differently! It’s a losing battle. One of my mantras is “Stay in your own lane, Mindy.” I’m so much happier when I live in alignment with my values and let my life (not my lips!) be the example I set. As my friend Kellie so eloquently says, “Live according to your internal calling and allow others the space and the GRACE to live the call of their own beautiful heart.
37. My happiness is my responsibility. It’s not dependent on others. It rests on the choices I make, the thoughts I choose to believe, and how I live my life. I do not look to others or to external sources to “make” me happy.
38. I can honor the lives of the loved ones I’ve lost by living my life as fully and joyfully as possible. Each morning when I sit at my kitchen bar and sip my coffee, I look out at a beautiful piece of artwork (a heart with wings!) that hangs on the gable of our garage roof. My beloved friend, Myra, gave it to me six years ago just months before she died. It’s a daily reminder to me that I’m here, I’m alive, and I get to (not “have to”) do all the things on my to-do list today. I honor this precious life by living it as fully and joyfully as possible.
39. Explanations are not necessary. It’s okay to politely decline an invitation with nothing more than a “Thank you for the invite, but I’m not able to make it.” Whatever my reason is, I’ve let go of the need to explain. It’s simply not necessary.
40. Being on time shows respect. I used to be that person who was chronically running late. Something shifted in me years ago when I realized that this was causing me stress and is also disrespectful to the person I’m meeting. I do my best now to give myself plenty of time to get somewhere and be on time. If I’m going to be more than a few minutes late, I text or call so that the person I’m meeting isn’t sitting there wondering where I am.