Lately, I've seen a lot of people on social media listing off a bunch of things that their friends and peers are doing and stating that those people are busy living their dreams while, "I'm just over here doing this and this and this." They say it as if their life has no meaning or excitement and any time I see status' or tweets to that affect, it makes me sad. We need to live in the here and now, stop wishing time away and enjoy where we are in life and what opportunities it has to offer us!
Lately, I’ve seen a lot of people on social media listing off a bunch of things that their friends and peers are doing and stating that those people are busy living their dreams while, “I’m just over here doing this and this and this.” They say it as if their life has no meaning or excitement and any time I see status’ or tweets to that affect, it makes me sad. We need to live in the here and now, stop wishing time away and enjoy where we are in life and what opportunities it has to offer us!
In the two years between the time I graduated from cosmetology school and the time I met Joe, I dreamed of finding my Mr. Right, getting married, and moving out of my parent’s house. It was all I could focus on and with every friend of mine that got married and every guy that I attempted to date, I got more and more discouraged. It wasn’t until a few months before I started dating Joe that I woke up and realized I’d been missing out on the opportunity to enjoy my life to the fullest! During those two years, I had done so many fun things but I didn’t appreciate them like I should have because I couldn’t get over the fact that my life at the time wasn’t what I dreamed it to be. I had two great jobs that allowed me to save money, purchase my own car, and do a lot of fun things. My work schedule and lack of school gave me time to do a lot of different things with friends, be in the best shape of my life and have time for myself. My social life was great, my health was great, and life was really great, but I didn’t see it because I was too busy wishing for future things to happen faster.
When I started dating Joe, I’d just started my first semester of college and I had dreams of being in a couple of musicals and working as an EFY counselor that next summer. I think that was the one time when I didn’t mind at all that my life circumstances got in the way of things I was dreaming about. I was so busy falling in love, doing homework and taking voice lessons that I didn’t have time for my fun social life anymore or a lot of the things that I had planned for myself. My schedule was so full that I was “burning the candle at both ends” as my dad likes to say and I ended up getting mono. (Sidenote: Having mono while planning a wedding, working full time and taking 12 credit hours in school is not something that I’d recommend. It makes you grumpy.) There were a lot of things that weren’t exactly what I’d been dreaming for myself, but I was as happy as a clam and wouldn’t have had it any other way… except maybe the mono…
There have been a few times in my marriage when I’ve looked back on my single life and thought, ‘Man, I didn’t have to worry about my budget as much, I had more free time for fun, I wasn’t working so much, I weighed…” But then I slap myself and remember how during that time, all I wanted to do was live the married life. And married life is so good, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!! My best friend and I get to take road trips together, I have someone to hang out with every night without having to go out of my way to make plans, my homework doesn’t get neglected as much, I’m able to do more with my money, and so many other things.
Yes, there are things that I’d love for us to be doing right now that we can’t. I’d love to be taking more vacations and I’d love to be able to work less so that I could get through school faster. But everything that I have going on in my life is something that I once dreamed about doing and thought might never happen, like purchasing and renovating a house, being married to an amazing man, having a purple accent wall (simple pleasures), owning a puppy, and so much more, I really can’t complain!
We all know the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” but the truth is, your grass can be just as green as your neighbor’s, all it needs is some water and attention. (Unless it’s the grass in our backyard… that poor yard needs A LOT of TLC…) Any time I see someone who is doing something that I can only dream of doing right now, I stop peeping into their yard and take a look at my own, and then I get to work turning my life into a real life dream.
All quotes from the talk, Finding Joy in the Journey. I highly suggest that everyone read it, even if you feel content with your life right now. There is so much truth to it, and so much that we can learn and apply in our own lives daily!
Tell me about some of the joys in your journey! What dreams are you living right now!?!