Life As I Know It (as of right now at least...)

So, things may or not have turned out exactly how I pictured them these past 4 years. If you would have asked me a year ago, I may have told you of completely different plans that I had made. Which is okay, because we all know that every once in a while a curveball comes along. It's good for us to stay quick on our feet. What would life be like if it were boring and monotonous all the time!? I'd say...not a life at all.

I have had so much good happen to me this semester, and have met some really really good people. Every once in a blue moon I have a bad day. I am human after all. I say "I hate this place and I am ready to go home." I want to kick myself on those days, and try to pull myself back into the positive zone. Track and school are challenging me everyday, but why not take it with stride and run with it??

Thinking about all this now as I am sitting here reflecting on the day, I'm thinking of everything that I have learned since being here. My brother is writing his list of colleges to turn into his college counselor and they make the parents write a list as well. My mom called me two days ago in a little panic. "Where does Rob want to go? Where will he be happiest?" I tell her simply, that Ole Miss kind of fell into my lap, and although random it was the greatest gift.

It is my wish that my little brother, as gifted and smart as he is, will find his place like I have at a school that pushes him out of his comfort zone. It would be easy to stay in Indiana yes, and live 2 hours away from my parents. But this is the TIME, the time for becoming who you are and learning from the mistakes. I thought I would put down into list format (yes, I am the queen of the lists) some of the things that I have learned these past 4 years.

Because after all, this is a blog of my ramblings. So ramblings you shall have. Enjoy :-)

1. Life isn't fair...but it's still good!

Things are sometimes out of our hands, yes, but what is the point of dwelling on them?

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

This applies mostly to track, when there were times that I thought I would never make it through the week. I questioned my abilities and if I really did belong on the team. Track has been a literal stepping stone path for me, with battling an injury sophomore year and making serious lifestyle changes my freshman year. It's all about the small steps; they'll eventually get you where your going.

3. It's okay to get angry with God. He can take it.

Hey, he's a big kid okay? I'm guilty of this, blaming him when things don't go my way. As if it's his fault and he's wishing bad things to happen to me. He's there in the good and the bad...and he has yet to leave my side.

4. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

Self explanatory...my butt is thanking you semi sweet chocolate chips and double stuff oreos.

5. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

It's worthless to hold onto things that shouldn't matter with how your living everyday life. I don't like some life decisions that I have made in the past, yet holding them against myself and others does no one any good. LET. IT. GO. KELLY.

6. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

I say this point with complete honesty. Until we did a bonding exercise in track based of the MTV show "If You Really Knew Me" I was quick to judge people. You don't know how hard some people have worked to get to where they are now. It's incredible, and some of the stories shook me up so much they I will never forget them.

7. Get rid of anything in your life that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

Declutter that life of yours, and you will find somethings that don't belong. Getting rid of the nasty negative things will reflect back on you, and make you feel THAT much better. Promise!

8. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't ever take no for an answer.

I am a self proclaimed push over sometimes. I do what others want me to do simply because it's not worth the effort to correct it. Take the time to make the extra effort for the things that you want. Sometimes I am so quick to tell others what I think, but not what I feel. It's so important to realize what's important, then to go after it like nothing will get in your way.

9. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

We are imperfect beings, and we make mistakes for a reason: to learn from them. There is one person that will conditionally love you for the rest of your life. You are imperfect because he made you that way. We have our faults...embrace them because he gave them to you!

10. The best is yet to come!

In every aspect of your life...it only gets better with time. Embrace what you have now and know that it will only get BETTER. How awesome is that!?

Alright, your really sick of my writing right about now. Just a little of what's been on my mind. This is most likely the longest post I have ever written. But it's all great stuff!

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo