What I have learned in my 33rd year

I'm slowly approaching the age of 34......8 days to be exact......and while I had some time for reflection yesterday I realized that I learned a lot about relationships this year. Ever since I started really looking at my life as a journey each year has taught me a lot about one particular thing - one year it was a year of self-discovery, one year focused a lot on my marriage, another year focused on being healthy, etc. And this year has been all about the ins and outs of relationships as a whole.

Here are some recaps of the life lessons I have learned this year:

• Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt. There is a saying that I love and it's "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle" and it's so true.
• Don't give up too much of yourself for someone else's happiness. This is a little tricky and I often find myself taking on too much for others and some times I spread myself a little too thin and as result I get stressed and overwhelmed.
• Learn to say no.
• When someone challenges your character, while it might feel necessary to respond, goodness, kindness, and true friendship will shine through all the time. Hold your head up high and carry yourself with dignity and grace.
• Adversity builds character.
• Friendships should be the least stressful relationship in your life - nothing is better than sitting around with your true friends and laughing, talking, venting, crying, and figuring out that everyones lives are crazy and that you're normal!
• There is a huge difference when someone is creating their life story vs. living their life story. Don't create your life story, live your life story every day - living the life you were meant to live means that you are living every day with honesty.
• Change can be good, letting go is hard, and the truth does hurt.
• Being a good friend means following this.....the more you see, the less you should speak; the less you speak, the more you hear.
• When someone threatens your character, their character is threatened.

As you can see.....I have learned some tough lessons in regards to relationships and I know that in my life journey I will learn so much more. However, in this new year, my goal is to pay less attention to the people/things that don't mean as much to me and more attention to the people/things that mean the most to me. The white noise that sometimes inflicts our lives shouldn't affect our life - if you don't pay any attention to it, eventually it will blend in to the background.

I am looking forward to the wisdom, the challenges, the moments that will define me, and oh so much happiness in my life this year. I never really thought about where I was going to be at the age of 34 and I think that I was meant to be right where I am at this moment.