This is advice for me. Not to my younger self or my older self. This is to me. Right here, right now. To whoever reads this, maybe it will encourage you too....
Leigh:
It's not about what you've been through. It's not about what is to come. It's about what you're going to do with right now. Right now. It's not about wishes, dreams or fairytales. It's not about brown-haired, blue-eyed boys, boats, weddings, apartments, houses,vacations and careers. This is not about where you'll live or what company you'll work with next. This is about you! It's about trusting that you ARE capable, you ARE enough and you ARE worthy. Right now. It's about trusting, really trusting that His plan is far more elaborate. It's trusting that whatever it will be, it will be good. He doesn't need fixing, nor does His plan. Leigh, you do! Stay true to yourself! You've been down the other road, so you know what it's like when you don't. You know. Say no when no should be said. Say yes to opportunities that will allow you to BE a blessing. Stop telling yourself that you'll do this, that and the other... when... that when is right now. There's no other time but the present. Stop asking God what opportunities are down the road, or WHY they're down the road. Start asking Him what you can do NOW to prepare yourself for whatever He has in store then. Don't settle. Take Caitlin's advice. Love the person you're with, even if it isn't forever. Love, no matter the outcome. For now, Leigh, it's JUST YOU to love. Learn yourself. Love yourself. But eventually... No, actually, right now. Right this minute!! Start opening yourself up for whoever will walk into your life next. Fall in love as many times as it's real. There's no other way to live than to love. Love is often painful. Even the best love will have moments of pain. But love is life giving most of all. Continue to keep laughing. Find humor in the difficulties, the mundane. On the bright side, many people find the random stories surrounding your singleness quite entertaining. Don't date the police detective, the MIS computer guy, the old friend. Oh, wait, you knew that already didn't you! Smart girl, very smart girl. But here's something new for you to remember: Don't look back. Life has a way of coming full circle. If it's meant to happen, guess what? It will. You've got to start believing that again. It's true. I promise. Keep learning patience. Keep learning to be more kind. Keep learning what's most important and leave the small things behind. Again, leave the small things behind. Keep learning to trust Him. Keep being persistent. Let the scars heal, let them heal. Is there a megaphone around? Let them heal. The keyword is let! Let them heal. You're heart's been bruised by life and circumstance. It's normal. It happens. YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BRUISED, BUT NOT BROKEN. Learn that, now. YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BRUISED NOT BROKEN. Repeat. You cannot change anyone. Let's not talk about what you wished back then, you know what you know now. You cannot change anyone. You have to allow them to learn. Learn this, learn this now. Don't ever stop learning this. Don't attempt to change anyone. And then Caitlin said, "When you try to take God’s job, you muck up the whole thing. When you try to be an example to someone, you’re just revealing how much you don’t trust God." And you know it's true. It's so, so true. Trust. When you see the red flags, run in the opposite direction. But show grace and show love. Put your best self forward. Get out the canvases, paint bottles, paint brushes and paint pens. Find DIY projects on Pinterest and actually do them. Get bundled up and walk somewhere, anywhere. Walk at the mall. Two birds, one stone. Re-organize. Re-prioritize. Clean your closet because it's getting ridiculous and you know it. You'll never wear half of the dresses you wore freshman year of college again and you know it. You know it! Seek counsel. No, not a counselor. And no, not your parents. Seek out those friends who understand. Seek out people who are not so close to the situation. Seek friends who are here, in this place of transition, too. Seek objectivity. Ask if you're being unreasonable, selfish or ridiculous. But don't settle. It's not worth it to make other's happy and lose yourself in the process. I won't be living in Italy, working at my dream job, or writing novels. I won't be rich. But I just want someone to tell me that I'm not crazy for being so choosy about where I go next. Or, even, I'd like them to tell me if I am. Because wherever I go, I want to build a full life there. For now, I'll just focus on right here, right now. And that means I've got to get my mind in the right place. Speak frankly. Be confident in the workplace, in the things you do. Do not dwell. Face it, whatever it is, face it head on. Confess. God has you here, now, at this moment. You're where you are because that's just where you are right now. And this is where I lay down the law. For months it's been about either what you wanted or what you've been missing. I'll give you credit because you've worked hard to find jobs opportunities. You have and you should be proud. Really proud. But what about everything else? You've got to start looking at the big picture again. Start doing the things that will make you feel like yourself again! Start now!
Leigh:
It's not about what you've been through. It's not about what is to come. It's about what you're going to do with right now. Right now. It's not about wishes, dreams or fairytales. It's not about brown-haired, blue-eyed boys, boats, weddings, apartments, houses,vacations and careers. This is not about where you'll live or what company you'll work with next. This is about you! It's about trusting that you ARE capable, you ARE enough and you ARE worthy. Right now. It's about trusting, really trusting that His plan is far more elaborate. It's trusting that whatever it will be, it will be good. He doesn't need fixing, nor does His plan. Leigh, you do! Stay true to yourself! You've been down the other road, so you know what it's like when you don't. You know. Say no when no should be said. Say yes to opportunities that will allow you to BE a blessing. Stop telling yourself that you'll do this, that and the other... when... that when is right now. There's no other time but the present. Stop asking God what opportunities are down the road, or WHY they're down the road. Start asking Him what you can do NOW to prepare yourself for whatever He has in store then. Don't settle. Take Caitlin's advice. Love the person you're with, even if it isn't forever. Love, no matter the outcome. For now, Leigh, it's JUST YOU to love. Learn yourself. Love yourself. But eventually... No, actually, right now. Right this minute!! Start opening yourself up for whoever will walk into your life next. Fall in love as many times as it's real. There's no other way to live than to love. Love is often painful. Even the best love will have moments of pain. But love is life giving most of all. Continue to keep laughing. Find humor in the difficulties, the mundane. On the bright side, many people find the random stories surrounding your singleness quite entertaining. Don't date the police detective, the MIS computer guy, the old friend. Oh, wait, you knew that already didn't you! Smart girl, very smart girl. But here's something new for you to remember: Don't look back. Life has a way of coming full circle. If it's meant to happen, guess what? It will. You've got to start believing that again. It's true. I promise. Keep learning patience. Keep learning to be more kind. Keep learning what's most important and leave the small things behind. Again, leave the small things behind. Keep learning to trust Him. Keep being persistent. Let the scars heal, let them heal. Is there a megaphone around? Let them heal. The keyword is let! Let them heal. You're heart's been bruised by life and circumstance. It's normal. It happens. YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BRUISED, BUT NOT BROKEN. Learn that, now. YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BRUISED NOT BROKEN. Repeat. You cannot change anyone. Let's not talk about what you wished back then, you know what you know now. You cannot change anyone. You have to allow them to learn. Learn this, learn this now. Don't ever stop learning this. Don't attempt to change anyone. And then Caitlin said, "When you try to take God’s job, you muck up the whole thing. When you try to be an example to someone, you’re just revealing how much you don’t trust God." And you know it's true. It's so, so true. Trust. When you see the red flags, run in the opposite direction. But show grace and show love. Put your best self forward. Get out the canvases, paint bottles, paint brushes and paint pens. Find DIY projects on Pinterest and actually do them. Get bundled up and walk somewhere, anywhere. Walk at the mall. Two birds, one stone. Re-organize. Re-prioritize. Clean your closet because it's getting ridiculous and you know it. You'll never wear half of the dresses you wore freshman year of college again and you know it. You know it! Seek counsel. No, not a counselor. And no, not your parents. Seek out those friends who understand. Seek out people who are not so close to the situation. Seek friends who are here, in this place of transition, too. Seek objectivity. Ask if you're being unreasonable, selfish or ridiculous. But don't settle. It's not worth it to make other's happy and lose yourself in the process. I won't be living in Italy, working at my dream job, or writing novels. I won't be rich. But I just want someone to tell me that I'm not crazy for being so choosy about where I go next. Or, even, I'd like them to tell me if I am. Because wherever I go, I want to build a full life there. For now, I'll just focus on right here, right now. And that means I've got to get my mind in the right place. Speak frankly. Be confident in the workplace, in the things you do. Do not dwell. Face it, whatever it is, face it head on. Confess. God has you here, now, at this moment. You're where you are because that's just where you are right now. And this is where I lay down the law. For months it's been about either what you wanted or what you've been missing. I'll give you credit because you've worked hard to find jobs opportunities. You have and you should be proud. Really proud. But what about everything else? You've got to start looking at the big picture again. Start doing the things that will make you feel like yourself again! Start now!
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