Let Yourself Shine

After a month of celebrating Graduation I feel mostly two things: gratitude and relief.

Gratitude, because I am blessed with an amazing supoort system. I have a family who is awesome and never stops cheering me on. I have three best friends who keep me laughing, hold me when I'm crying, and love me when I need it most. I have a boyfriend who is a true gentleman with the kindest, biggest heart I know. He keeps my feet on the ground and helps me remain calm.

Now, I also feel relief. I spent the past four years trying to prove to a group of people that I am a good person. I let adults bully me and bring me down for mistakes I made. As a result, gossip, rumors, and judgements behind my back were constant. For four years, I let this negativity hinder my growth in this small town. I held back because I felt like I was being watched under a microscope. After high school, I am jaded. It's exhausting trying to "prove" yourself. Now I realize that I never needed to prove to anyone that I'm a good person, I know I am and the ones close to me do too. Some people are insular and will never change their opinions of people, and that's something valuable I've learned--send those people love. I will always believe that people are genuinely good at heart, as Anne Frank once said.

I feel relief because I am done trying to change things that are out of my control. I am letting it go once and for all. The past four years I spent worrying, but the next four years I plan to embrace every new opportunity that comes to me. New people, new places, new adventures...I cannot wait.

Don't ever exhaust yourself trying to prove your worth. YOU are a good person brought here for a reason. Be kind, understanding, and forgiving to even those who do not help you grow. Do not ever dim your light out of fear of judgements from others. Let yourself shine, I know I'm going to.

What Lies Within Us

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Too often we dwell on the past. Mistakes we have made, people we have hurt, lies we have told. Sometimes we become consumed with guilt from past actions that it prevents us from healing and moving forward. We are not our biggest mistakes, just as we are not our greatest successes either; we are simply human. In some moments we are not the person our parents and grandparents want us to be, but that is the past. Let it go.

Letting go of guilt, negativity, and regret makes us strong and resilient in times of adversity. Forgiving yourself is the first step to moving on and healing. Be kind  and treat yourself with acceptance, understanding, and love; do not judge. There is someone out there who is feeling just as you are in this exact moment.

Be forgiving of what lies behind you; the past is gone. Be vulnerable and welcome what lies in front of you; you have a fresh start with each moment. Be grateful for what lies within you, for you are a unique, extraordinary individual and there is no one else quite like you in this world. Namaste.

Lessons from Finland

http://thomstecherandassociates.blogspot.com/2013/12/lessons-from-finland.html?m=1

Give Your Whole Heart

"As we let our light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

Give your whole heart in everything you do. Whether it's sports, homework, clubs, or your job; do it wholeheartedly. Let your inner light-warm, bright, and beautiful-shine through in everything you do. When you act from your heart and when you let your inner light guide you, you give other people the courage to do the same. There is genuine beauty in a person who can give their authentic self to others with grace and confidence. God created you a unique individual, meant to differ from the rest. Your true self is beautiful and needed in this world.

An eye for an eye

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." -Mahatma Gandhi

I've always believed in being good to people regardless of if they have been good to you or not. If another person treats you with unkindness, disrespect, speaks poorly of you, or harms you in any way: that isn't about you. That is an innate conflict they are dealing with. Have empathy while recognizing this, and send love and understanding in their direction. You're probably thinking, that's SO hard...and I agree. It is hard to do sometimes depending upon the severity of the emotional or physical pain they inflicted upon you and it is hard not to be angry and have animosity towards people who treat us wrong, but if we seek vengeance  there will always be this cycle of hatred and negativity. Address the internal pain they are going through and find the strength to forgive and let go. Free yourself of the pain  and put positive energy into the world. We won't get anywhere by treating an unkind act with another unkind act, we must break the cycle and only respond with love and benevolence.

Know Yourself

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." -Aristotle

Intelligence is just speaking from your head, but wisdom is speaking from both your head and your heart together. Knowing your values, your goals, and your needs is a big step in finding out who we truly are as individuals. Once we discover this we learn to never speak with just our heads out of intelligence, but always our hearts as well. Then, our inner light will shine through and touch all those we come in contact with. Your wisdom can inspire others, share what you can whenever possible.

The Other Side of the Report Card

http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2013/08/a_better_education_evaluation.html