Every year on my birthday I reflect upon my life so far and everything that has happened in the previous year as a way to learn from my experiences as well as share some insights with others.
I have journals in my closet with entries from previous years on birthdays past that I read in the morning when I get up on my birthday before reflecting on what is currently going on in my life.
My friends gave me a birthday part last night complete with Minion cupcakes from Despicable Me because I’m slightly addicted to them LOL. Check out these adorable cupcakes!
Some lessons that I have learned this year include:
• Not everyone will love and accept me as I am and that’s ok, I don’t need to change to fit their mold.
• Mental health challenges suck but you can learn to live with them and still have a full life.
• People enter and exit our lives as they are meant to in order to teach us lessons. Not everyone is meant to walk the journey alongside us.
• Loving others without conditions or expecting anything in return is the purest form of love but it can be the hardest to give.
• Suicide leaves a hole where a loved one once stood and leaves so many unanswered questions but the pain that someone that ultimately commits suicide endures beforehand is astronomical and that’s what hurts those left behind the most.
• Telling the truth, no matter the circumstances or situation, is ultimately the best course of action… even if it hurts.
• Most people will not understand your journey or the choices that you face or the decisions you choose but you need to live life on your own terms anyway.
• Everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t understand the reason at the time.
• People that are kind to you and act like friends don’t always have your best interest at heart so trust should be given with some caution involved.
• Magic can be found all around us in the little things in life and in the kindness of strangers, we just need to look to find it.
• Opportunity presents itself to us when we are ready for it. So staying open to possibilities is hugely important if you want to be able to progress forward in your life.
I’m grateful for the lessons that I have had the opportunity to learn and the birthdays that I’ve been able to celebrate with loved ones over the years.
Each year is a new beginning, each day is even a new beginning. And, no matter what happens, we can always create new memories.
Thanks for reading,
Ivy
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