Rose-Colored Glasses

Hey friends!

I hope everyone has had a great first full week of 2016!

Mine has been crazy. And honestly not in a good way. It's been a bad week. But I was talking to a student today and heard some wisdom coming out of my mouth that I need to listen to.

It's okay to have bad days friends. It's okay to have bad weeks. But we have to remember that it's only that...just a bad moment in time that will pass. We have to focus on the good things, the positive parts of our lives. It might be cheesy, but I challenged her to think of 10 positive things in her life over the weekend. And after this week, I feel like I need to do the same.

So here goes...

1. I have finally found a job that I enjoy working, that makes me feel alive, and not pull my hair out or kill anyone. Most days. Plus, in my opinion, I'm pretty damn good at it.

2. I have the most wonderful coworkers that anyone could ask for. They have welcomed me in to their little family, support me, help me, and make me laugh all the time. I truly love these people.

3. I have amazing parents, who care about me and and support me. They have raised me into the wonderful person that I am and continue to take care of me more than they should. I know that they are always and will always be there for me.

4. I have a handful of the best friends a girl could ask for. Yeah, we have our ups and downs, and we all have our own things going on, and I don't get to see them very often. But. At the end of the day, they've got my back and I've got theirs. Plus we laugh. A lot.

5. I have all of my needs taken care of, I'm not like so many of the kids that I work with that have to worry about shelter or food. I can take care of myself and even splurge a little. Or a lot depending on the day!

6. Through my job, I've had the chance to impact so many lives. I love my kids (students) and the people they are becoming. They frustrate the hell out of me, but it is so rewarding to know that I am making a difference, whether it is just planting a seed or seeing the fruits of all my hard work.

7. I am smart. I am kind. I am important. Haha I just had to be cheesy for a minute. But in all seriousness, I am happy with who I am. It took a long way to get here, and I know that I have imperfections and areas in which I need to grow. I'm smart, I'm funny, I have a good heart. I know who I am, what I believe in, and where I stand on most major issues. I am confident and a good person. And I'm proud of who I've become.

8. I have a great house, in a great location. Smack dab in the middle of a farm, huge yard, quiet. It's big and spacious and has a great tub. It needs some work but is definitely a good temporary situation.

9.  I have a great education and am working on finishing up my Master's degree. And mostly debt free due to scholarships and loans that can be forgiven due to my school being labelled as high need. So many people in the world are unable to dream of even finishing high school, much less going this far. I am lucky to have had that opportunity.

10. I have so much to look forward to in my career and my personal life. I'm in a new place, which is terrifying and lonely now, but will soon be home. I have the chance to meet new people, do great things. I feel in my bones that this is where I'm meant to be. I know that God has a ton of great things in store for me.

That's a much harder exercise than you'd think. But I think it's crucial to look at the world through rose-colored glasses at some point. So often we dwell on the negatives, which can be depressing and lead to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, or more. It's important to make the conscious decision to think about the positives and focus on what is going well in life. We get so quick to complain (I'm the most guilty of us all!) but we forget to think about what we have going on that's good.

Do me a favor? Try it yourself. Think of 10 positives. Write them down. Focus on them. Remind yourself what is good in your life.

-Sarah