Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don’t see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself.
- Marianne Williamson (active link)
Last year I turned 34. As long as I can remember, I believed that 34 was the perfect age… right on the edge of youth yet old enough to wear fantastic heels! In my 20s I imagined all that being 34 would mean: being wooed by and quickly marrying my tall, dark and handsome (don’t forget rich!!) husband, living in “an estate” overlooking something fabulous, and raising our perfectly-behaved children. I’d have it all together, complete with perfect credit, a maid to clean the house, weekends at exotic Mexican resorts, well – you get the picture.
Fast forward to 34. Let's just say that things didn't work out exactly the way I planned... and the closest I’ve come to a Mexican resort was a detour in San Diego that led to a 4-hour “layover” in Tijuana.
And I’ve never been happier.
What I didn’t realize in my 20s was that life is indeed what you make of it, and that for most of us, my idea of “having it all together” doesn’t really exist. And for those who do live that life, the “stuff” is not what truly makes you happy. Life has a way of throwing curve balls that sometimes can’t be predicted. So what do we do? Get on with it anyway. Or even better, we turn would-be bad situations into great ones.
A few years ago, several fabulous women entered my life (you know who you are!), and helped me realize the missing puzzle piece to my own happiness: realizing that I am enough as I am. Over the years, they “counseled” me through many tough situations. As I became stronger, I realized that the person I am today is who I was always meant to be... and so are you.
The fact is, we are all a work in progress – we’ve all made mistakes – but what matters is that we learn life’s lessons in order to do better next time; and perhaps help someone else with our new-found wisdom.
I turn the big 3-5 in a couple months, and am excited to see what that year will bring. So what’s the perfect age? I believe it’s simply the number of years you’ve lived thus far, as long as you’re living them with purpose.
I'd like to hear from you. What do you regard as the perfect age, and why?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Introducing: Living Her Purpose
"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."
- Annonymous
- Annonymous
For those of you reading this blog, who I have not yet met, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Erica and I am SO EXCITED to converse with you via my blog, "Living Her Purpose."
Why the title, you ask?
I believe that everyone is born with a purpose. It is our job to discover what that is and "work it" to the best of our abilities. For me, that knowledge did not come easily. I have faced many challenges in my life, as we all do from time to time. From single-motherhood to professional frustrations (to name a few), there were definitely times when I thought, "Why me?"
A few years ago, my heart called me to volunteer for a program that promotes strong self-esteem, character development, and educational excellence for middle school girls. It was (and still is) the most rewarding thing I've ever done. And that's when it hit me! Why NOT me?! I made it through years of tough situations in order to "earn" the right to live my purpose: to motivate and encourage girls and women who face challenges of their own, so they may live life purposefully.
Which brings me to this blog... Each Sunday, beginning August 29, a new topic will be posted, focusing on personal growth, positivity, relationships of all kinds, and much more, including:
- Advice you'd give if you could speak to the person you were 10-20 years ago
- The importance and difficulty of forgiveness
- Knowing when to let go
Your comments are welcome.
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