Only the Good Stuff!

I've talked a lot about my struggles because I feel that's what people connect with and relate to most. I think it's encouraging to know when someone struggles with the same things you do. I find it a lot more difficult to be transparent about good things happening. I suppose I fear sounding like I'm bragging, but I never want to sound all gloom and doom either.

While 2017 has had it's lows, I hope you know there have been some pretty awesome things happening as well. Going through a personal valley - even if you walked yourself right down into that valley - requires reflection. From reflection can come an enormous amount of growth and freedom. Here is where I find myself today.

One of my past co-workers favorite words was fun. She was awesome about getting what needed to be done out of the way so there was still room in her life for fun. Me, I scheduled every minute of every single day and still felt behind most days.

Friends, this is the straightest path to burnout there can possibly be. And this is definitely where I found myself. I knew I had to get out, but I felt in order to get to a place where I could allow for fun, I had to get all caught up first. This is so not the case! Have some fun. Fun refreshes you! Figure out what has to get done, what little extra can you do to work towards catching up (is that even a real thing?) and then the rest of the time is yours.

This year I've gotten to do some great things, I hesitated listing any for fear I'd leave something important out, but I'm going to list a few anyway.

• I've read some great books (and started a few others that aren't finished yet)
• "Love Lives Here" by Maria Goff
• "Nothing to Prove" by Jennie Allen
• "The Broken Way" by Ann VosKamp 
• "Grace is Greater" by Kyle Idleman
• "Uninvited" by Lysa TerKeurst

• I've returned to Belize and only days away from seeing my friends there again!
• I've logged 300 miles of walking and jogging. This is something that somewhere along the way I decided took too much time. I was wrong. Something that saves your sanity and lets you catch up with friends is never too much time.
• I go out, actually get dressed, not in workout clothes, and go have a good time. Maybe catching a movie, eating dinner, grabbing coffee, listening to a band or just hanging out. I didn't do that much anymore.
• I have ideas for writing again, some way better than others, but oh, how I've missed that.
• I'm starting a new boot camp soon, I've missed that too! (And if you have registered, I promise I know you have and will get to you this weekend. Yes, I know I said I would do it sooner :) )
• I've enjoyed simple things like ice cream and not felt any guilt.
• I've traveled to Washington D.C. and even explored a little... very little, but I did good for me.
• I've been reminded of where my strength comes from and got to watch God work, in me and for me. It really doesn't get much better than that.

Good stuff is happening.

I'm feeling more like the real me every day.

And, I'm reminded that God is good.