Telling Your Story
from within my She: Me, My Heart, My World journal
Telling your story can change your life.
Writing pieces of my story has completely changed me. It’s made my life feel so much richer. It’s made me aware of the good, and it’s made me embrace and accept the bad. It’s made me reflect on the relationships I’ve had and gain a deeper sense of what other people in my life believe and hope for. It’s made me love intensely, passionately.
I pay closer attention to the fabulous details of life because of my journal keeping. I keep writing letters to my grandmas, regardless of how much they write back and regardless of how much time they could spend with me (or chose to spend with me) as I grew. Journaling has taught me goodness.
Journaling lets me live as passionately as I can when the things I do aren’t “normal”. Live in an airplane hangar? I’m celebrating that, not as a quirk or something less than normal, but an adventure. A really, really good adventure.
Every day, the last words my mom told my siblings and me as we headed to school were simple:
“You are going to have a good day.”
She didn’t say we’d have a perfect day. She couldn’t promise that everything would go how we wanted or that our relationships with other people would always be awesome. All she could promise was that our day could be whatever we made of it.
Life is what we all make of it. Embrace imperfection. Say hello to a life of not-being-perfect. Say hello to being YOU. After all, those imperfections and differences are what make us human. They’re what allows us to support one another. That’s what helps us get out of bed in the morning on the days we’d rather not. They’re what make us love and love.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on imperfection. Is there something in life where you feel like you’re not good enough? How do you celebrate being you, no matter how nontraditional or “normal” that may be?
February 29th, 2012 at 6:39 am
Thank you for your post this morning… I will start sending my children off to school with those wise words. Your posts are always perfect (I know, ironically, since you are writing about not being perfect) and I find so much inspiration whenever I check in. Keep up the great work! I also love the way your hangar house is coming along- what an adventure! :)
February 29th, 2012 at 9:36 am
I so agree with Anh! If not perfect then wonderful and for me everything about your blog and your words exudes peace to me. Thanks Katie!
February 29th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
i SERIOUSLY dislike my job. i think i’d go so far as to say i hate it. when i’ve come home crazy upset and/or crying more than once (after nearly an hour of commute to get home) i think that qualifies as worse than lousy.
but it’s what i make of it: i don’t regret taking this job. it’s given me many opportunities to learn. i’ve learned, most importantly, what kind of environment i DON’T do well in. i also learned about operating a small business (mostly how i would NOT do it), and how to better separate my usual emotional self from my business-self (which i think is stupid, because if you’re not yourself, then what’s the point?).
although i dont’ believe anyone should work just for money, in this case i have. but i’m glad that this job has provided the monetary means to let my husband say, “once this is over, we dont’ financially need you to get a “real” job until 2013.” and that means the world to me, especially with a soon-to-be-1-year-old at home. i can’t wait to spend more time with her!
each day, despite the jabs from my boss, despite the setbacks, despite the irritations, i come to work, i get things done, i help someone else achieve their American Dream.
one day, i’ll work towards my OWN American Dream instead of someone else’s.
March 2nd, 2012 at 11:24 am
Amy,
Oh, hang in there! Before I started blogging, I think my job was very much like you are describing with yours. The worst part? I would absorb my boss’s anger and aggression and bring it home with me.
Just keep focused on your personal goal and dream, and you’ll get there. So awesome that your husband backs you so very much.
Katie
March 2nd, 2012 at 11:25 am
Wow Anh and Laurie. You humble me so completely. I’m glad that we can serve and build for one another.