Little Thoughts, Vol. 1

Hey friends.

So I've been wanting to write for a while, but have been struggling with what to write on. If I had the chance, I would sit across from each one of you with a cup of coffee or lunch at Chick-fil-A and just want to hear about your life.

So let's just pretend like that's what we're doing here and catch up on some little thoughts that have been running through my head lately.

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Something that is hard is trying to keep it real via social media, especially Instagram/Facebook. By now we all know the dangers of comparison that come from pretty filters and clever captions. I'm not going to sit here and recite the "nobody's perfect" spiel, but I will remind everyone that I am not perfect.

Not assuming that you think I am, but I think we can fall into the assumption that someone's life always looks as pretty as their aesthetic.

So here's the deal... I know that a lot of people look at my life from my social media and see how adventurous and colorful it seems to be. Which it is... I'm not here to tell you that I'm living a lie. My life is indeed beautiful and lovely. But that doesn't mean I don't live with the less-than, in-between, real life moments too. 

My diet includes Lunchables and ramen and microwavable dinners. I never wear make-up and typically have at least a 12-hour day. There's a parking ticket sitting on my desk; and the other day I sat in my car and cried because I don't know what I'm doing with my life. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not about the idolization that happens via social media. There's a pressure that is created to look and act a certain way for the image. To never let our guard down or let people know that we feel and struggle... yeah, I'm not about that. I want to always try and keep it real and authentic both online and in real life. I can't promise to post all of my problems and frustrations on social media; that's just not who I am. But I can promise to sit down with you face-to-face and try and be as vulnerable and authentic as possible. I will try not to gloss over the hard stuff or make my life seem something that it's not.

There's just so much beauty in vulnerability, because I think it gives us the chance to embrace the love of God more fully. Vulnerability opens us up and exposes us, saying this is all of me... followed by the question of will I still be loved? Am I worth it? Am I enough?

I'm so thankful that we don't have to be perfect to reflect a perfect Jesus. In our mess is actually where we encounter more of Him... here there is a need, met by One who sees us fully, knows us better than anyone else, and loves us completely. 

FULL NOT BUSY.

I've written before on time management and how I hate the term "busy;" but I heard something over winter break that really impacted my perspective. Instead of saying that my schedule is "busy," I'd rather say that my schedule is full. That my life is full.

The reality is that we're all busy, and that's not a bad thing. But I don't want my life to be marked by busy-ness. I don't want people to look at me, and the first thing they notice is that I'm busy. It's possible to live a busy life that is marked by fullness. 

What does this mean?

I think this semester the Lord asked me to give Him more of myself than ever. To give Him access to my time, my schoolwork, finances, relationships, lifegroup, the future... everything. He was asking to fill up my life and give me more than I could handle, and in return He would provide all the strength I need. I would be spread thin and stretched day-to-day, week-to-week; but He would be faithful to fill me up again and again.

So yes, my schedule is jam packed and exhausting and exciting all at once, but it's also full to the brim with life and fulfillment. I'm out here just trying to live my best life... It's too short to settle for anything less. 

HEALTHY HABITS.

Lately I've been all about developing self-discipline and forming habits that lead to productivity. I'm the type of person that thrives on structure. My planner is my life and organization is my love language. 

So for me that means self-discipline in completing daily tasks; like waking up early, actually getting homework done in an allotted amount of time before the last second, pushing myself to exercise even if it's squeezed into a short break, and reading more parts of the Bible I've never read before. We are called to dream big and accomplish big things, but it starts with what we do with the small. Being faithful to the small goals is what will lead to the accomplishment of dreams. 

But more than checking off a to-do list, I'm also trying to cultivate self-discipline of the mind. I struggle a lot with getting in my head, overthinking, and letting myself believe lies. BUT, the Lord has equipped us with a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Practically, this means waking up and immediately speaking life and truth before negativity has a chance to come in. It means reading and writing encouragement and not dwelling on thoughts that would lead to a heavy heart. It's not comparing, not letting self-pity dominate over joy and contentment. 

... 

So that's all I got for now, folks. The next 2-3 months are about to get crazy for me, so I apologize if the blog seems silent for a while. Please let me know if there's anything you'd love to see here... I'm always looking for ideas and inspiration! Also please let me know if you want to sit down and talk in real-life too... Like I said, my life is full, not busy; and people are a priority.

Much love friends, and thanks for reading!!! Feel free to leave your thoughts on my thoughts in the comment section below!!!