It's Much More Than That - Family

Is it just me or is family super important to you? I am blessed to be a part of an absolutely amazing family, and I am very close with my parents and siblings. I love spending time with my family year round, but during the Christmas season, I feel like spending time with family is extremely important.

As you may have guessed by now, today's word is family. According to the dictionary, 'family' means "a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household."

If there was ever an award for most inaccurate description of a word, this would win, hands down. Family is so much more than a "group of parents and children living together"! Family doesn't even have to include only people that are related to you by blood! 

My family is my everything, and I do not know where I would be without them. My family is there for me at all times to encourage me, to strengthen me, to make me laugh when I need it most. My family accepts me for who I am, and pushes me to be all that I can be. The relationship that I have with my family is something that I wouldn't trade for the world.

So many times, I see or hear about people taking advantage of their families or not spending enough time with them. Starting right now, I encourage you to spend as much time as you can with your family, and try to make as many memories as possible. This time is never wasted, and you will most definitely look back on it and treasure up all of the memories that you created. 

Especially during this holiday season, take time to enjoy your family and the time that you have with them. Do more than just "live together in the same household." Spend quality time with one another, creating memories and filling your days with LIFE together. You will not regret it.

What does family mean to you?

Keep Your Childlike Heart

Is it just me or can we learn a lot from kids? I know that we are supposed to become "wiser" as we get older, and I do believe that to be true, but I also think that we need to keep some of our childlike traits as we age. 

As a teacher, I am constantly touched and amazed by how awesome kids can be. Yes, sometimes I want to pull my hair out in frustration, but there are also many times when I just want to sit back and admire my kiddies for their caring, loving hearts. And these good times far outweigh the bad.

This morning when I walked into my classroom, I found this written on my chalkboard:

(Nativity Grace is one of the characters in the Christmas play that we are putting on this year)

Since I don't teach on Thursdays, I had no idea that one of my students left me this little surprise. But let me tell you, the smile on my face when I walked in today and saw this was huge. Just the fact that one of my students thought to leave me this little note is so touching. It didn't cost anything. It probably didn't even take up much time. Yet it totally made my day! So why don't we do things like this for others more often??  

And as if the note wasn't enough, I went on to teach my next class and was overwhelmed by the kindness that I saw going on between the students. I had asked the students to work together in small groups, and reminded them that I wanted them to be kind and try not to argue. I was so proud of them, because, not only did they work together so nicely, they also surrounded each other with love and respect that I don't see amongst most adults.

I learned a lot today in a short amount of time, and I am constantly amazed by the new things that my students are teaching me. 

So grow up. Get older and wiser. But never lose your childlike heart. Never lose that ability to care for others more than you care for yourself. Never lose that desire to put a smile on another person's face with the smallest act of random kindness. Doing these things does not make you any less of an "adult." 

What have you learned from kids recently?

It's Much More Than That - Compassion

Is it just me or do we sometimes get a little calloused and hard-hearted when it comes to dealing with other people? We see so much on television, in movies, in real life, that we get desensitized and forget that there are real people with real problems all around us. 

Today's word is: compassion. According to the dictionary, 'compassion' means "sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others."

To me, compassion is so much more than "sympathetic pity and concern" for another. To me, compassion is lending a helping hand to someone that you don't know. Compassion is taking into account that a person might be having a really terrible day before you decide to give them an attitude at the check out counter. Compassion is putting yourself on hold to help someone else in need.

If you look around wherever you are on any given day, there are bound to be lots of people in need of compassion. Be it a friend or a stranger, odds are that someone is in need of some love, attention, acceptance, forgiveness, compassion. The need is always there; we just need to be ready and available to see it. 

We need to realize that life is very real, and everyone is going through something difficult at one point or another. Unfortunately, there is not one magical "cure" for all of life's troubles. Every person, every situation is different, and deserves to be treated as such. Compassion can take many forms, and may look different depending on the person and situation it is being used in. 

Having compassion for someone may mean buying them a hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold day. It may mean giving someone a second chance that they don't really deserve, because in reality, we all make mistakes. It may also mean being sensitive to another person's needs and meeting them where they are at.

As you go through your day, I challenge you to open your heart and look for others who are in need of some compassion. It just might make all the difference in their life.

What does compassion mean to you?

Think Before You Speak

Is it just me or do you ever speak without thinking? I've heard people say it hundreds of times - "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Sometimes, though, this is much easier said than done.

But this blog post is not just about holding your tongue when you want to say some not-so-nice things. It is about really thinking before you say anything. And by 'anything,' I don't only mean things that aren't so kind. I also mean those important words of encouragement that might brighten someone's day. I mean the little compliment or words of reassurance you pass along to someone you see at work or in the supermarket.

Before you speak, think about how the words you are about to say would make you feel. Oftentimes, most people think that this "think before you speak" notion is all about refraining from saying hurtful things to others. But why should it be limited to negative things? You should think before you speak anything, especially when it comes to positive words.

You know those moments when you want to give someone a compliment, but you feel awkward or you don't want to start a conversation? Well, before you hesitate, think about how it would make you feel if someone gave you that same compliment. Odds are that it would make you feel great, and would probably put a smile on your face.

Ever hesitate before congratulating someone on something because you maybe feel a little hint of jealousy, or you don't want to boost their ego too much? Before you decide not to say it, think about how you would feel if you received those words of congratulations. You would probably feel really happy and proud.

So before you say (or don't say) anything, think about how those words would make you feel. Do you think before you speak?

PAY ATTENTION!

Is it just me or can you tell when someone is not really paying attention to you? You are trying to talk to someone and they are listening, but they are also texting, or constantly looking at their phone, or moving about doing something else? 

I know that I am certainly guilty of this, but recently, I have been really trying to be more mindful and attentive to people when we are talking. I know that it bothers me when I am trying to tell someone something and they are answering texts while giving me one-word responses, so why do I do it too?? It is obvious when someone is only half-listening, or when they are distracted by something else. And on top of that, it can be really annoying and frustrating sometimes. Yet I still do it. I still check my phone while having a conversation with someone. I still run around my room straightening up while a friend is sitting on my bed trying to talk to me. And I don't want to do that anymore.

People want attention. I want attention, you want attention...we all want to know that people care about what we are saying and respect us enough to listen while we speak. Think about how good it makes you feel when you just know that the other person you're talking with is genuinely involved in the conversation, and is interested in what you are saying. I know that it makes me feel really loved and cared for.

While I am not perfect, I have really been trying more and more to pay attention to people when they are speaking with me. I have been more mindful about not touching my phone, I have been trying to make better eye contact, and I have been trying to give genuine responses that show I am listening. I am sure that, just as people notice when you aren't paying attention to them, they also notice when you are. And that difference is huge.

I am taking a stand and really trying to pay more attention to people in my conversations with them. Let me know if you would like to stand with me.

It's Much More Than That - Giving

Is it just me or is giving someone a gift one of the best things ever? There is just nothing like that feeling you get when you give someone a gift that you know they are going to love.

But what many people fail to realize is that giving is about so much more than gifts. According to the dictionary, to 'give' means to "freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone); hand over to." 

This dictionary definition does not specify exactly what is being transferred when you give something to someone. Sure, it can certainly be applied to gifts and other material items, and to give those things is not a bad thing. But giving is so much more than that. 

Thinking about this word, 'giving', got me to come up with a little list of things that a person could give to someone else. Included in this list are things that I think many people forget about all too often. However, I truly believe that all of the things mentioned below are things that should be given freely and generously.

Time - this is one of the best things that you could offer someone. Giving up your time to spend with someone else speaks way louder than any gift ever could.

Words of Encouragement - it could be as simple as "I just wanted to let you know that I am proud of you." Or even, "You will get through this." Giving little words of encouragement can completely turn someone's day around.

Words of Appreciation - similar to words of encouragement, words of appreciation can let someone know that you really care about them and are thankful for them. Example: "Thank you so much for always being there for me. I really value you as a friend."

The Benefit of the Doubt - this sounds a bit strange, but giving someone the benefit of the doubt means believing them when no one else does. It means offering forgiveness when they don't deserve it. And it is one of the best gifts that you could possibly give.

What does 'giving' mean to you?

Just Because...

Is it just me or do we sometimes get a little selfish? We start to focus a little too much on ourselves and what’s going on in our lives, and we forget that there are other people with important things going on in their lives as well. I get it, we are all busy and we all have our own problems, and we all like to put ourselves first sometimes.

But let’s face it, what a sad, sad world it would be if everyone thought only of themselves all the time and never did anything for anyone else “just because.” Those two words, ‘just because,’ seem so simple, but they really mean so much. Imagine if someone bought you a cup of coffee just because they felt like it or knew it would cheer you up. Think about if someone gave you a compliment without looking for one in return just because they really liked your hair that day. How good would that make you feel?  

You shouldn’t need a reason to do something kind for someone. You shouldn’t do something for someone else just to make yourself look better, or to be able to hold it over their head when you need something in return. You should do kind things for other people just because.

Just because you feel like it. Just because you were thinking of them that day. Just because you miss them. Just because you love them. Just because.

What kind thing has someone done for you recently just because they felt like it? Feel free to let me know in the comments, and make sure to pass on the “just because kindness” to someone else.

Weekend Wedding Fun

Is it just me or do you love weddings? It makes me so happy to see two people profess their love for one another and begin their lives as one. I also don't mind the reception afterwards, which is always filled with good food, loud music, and dancing!

Last night, I went to my boyfriend's cousin's wedding. We had a blast, and I wanted to share it with you all!

The attire for the wedding was more formal than some of the others I have been to recently, and I really enjoyed getting the chance to dress up and act fancier than I actually am. My boyfriend also wore a full suit (something I had never seen before in 3 1/2 years of dating!!) which I definitely didn't mind!

There was a photo booth with silly props and signs at the reception, so obviously we had to take some pictures!

It was a great night, and I am very glad to have been a part of such a special night! What do you love most about weddings?