I have hesitated writing this post as it is one of my most personal and difficult to write. I have always written and lived by my words. Staying positive, staying in the NOW, looking at all the blessings around us, finding that happy place. Life happens, we all know this, and life happens to everyone. A few weeks back because of life happenings, I simply broke. Emotionally, physically. I just couldn’t deal anymore, I just simply had enough. I left work and somehow made it home. My daughter that has been battling her own demons, mainly a horrible addiction, took one look at me and knew I was not okay. I would of never have imagined that it would be her that would somehow keep me from “loosing” myself. Not only did she find the strength to be there, but I found strength from her. Truly a blessing to have had experienced such a dark place with such a loving outcome. It made me have to stop and re evaluate my choices, my thinking, and I heard my own words to slow down, take a breath, just be in the NOW.
All those blessings were screaming at me, and I allowed myself to listen. I had a good friend, that was not aware of truly what had happened, tell me, as I sat in their home, that I found comfort there, peace. Those words stayed with me as I realized how true that was. Without knowing, it’s been a place where I can shut the world out, be myself with no pretending, not think and just be. What a blessing to have that. To have friends that are just there, no questions asked.
It is not easy to ever stay in the present moment, it’s sometimes impossible when making decisions and figuring out how they will affect your tomorrow, and to fall apart is not a sign of weakness but of being human. It’s okay. My message, learn, see the signs, ask for help, allow yourself to go to that happy place, and if you get the chance, say thank you to those that helped pick you up even if they weren’t aware, as they too need our strength, love and support. Peace.

I think in some way or another we all have that one thing that makes us smile, take a pause, catch our breath. It could be a place, a memory, a picture, a song, it could even be a someone, that no matter what is going on we can “go to our happy place” and feel like all is right with the world, or at least for that moment.
I have been really trying to take so much of all these lessons in, and not allowing for it all to take over, and I find that without thinking, without really knowing I always find myself thinking of my one thing(I will keep what that is to myself) and in a split second, all is right. The “crisis” at hand is not fixed or gone, but I am easily reminded that there is more, that it’s really okay.
There are so many things that I am sure we all take for granted, and maybe we don’t even realize the affects these things may have on us, so maybe next time you feel like life is simply taking over, ask yourself what or who is my happy place? my safe place? And then you will know what that one thing is for you. Peace

Positive, I would say I am. I always try and look at the bright side of things, the glass is half full-not half empty. I would say I try and always do the right thing, even if I don’t really feel it’s what I want. I am honest, and I think I take on more than my fair share. I don’t doubt, most of us feel the same way about ourselves. We make the best of what is given to us, we tackle things from a good place, and always, we try and learn.
What I find myself struggling with, is staying in a place of peacefulness. Trying to not let it all “get” to me, because once we go to that place, it all seems to come crashing down, in buckets.
I know that I have many things to be grateful for, thankful for, but when life keeps on with the challenges, how does one stay at “peace” with the overwhelming feeling of giving up, of saying enough is enough, saying to myself, I don’t want to learn anymore lessons.
It seems the more we say that, the more that is given to us, so I, like most, breathe. Stop. Collect my thoughts and I tell myself, it could always be worse. Today, on my way home, I got a flat tire, nothing, huge, other than the fact that my car is sitting in a parking lot as the simplest task of changing a tire is not one of my “things” to do-will deal with that issue tomorrow. But as I sat at home, because luckily I did get a ride home, I was reminded of basically my week.
Life could always be worse, count your blessings. My daughter is home, safe and alive. My kids are healthy. I did not wreck the car, it’s a flat tire. I reminded myself of how I had to attend calling hours for someone’s daughter. I quickly took a deep breath and found my peace. Sometimes it’s not as easy to find that place, but we are always capable to take a breath, step back and remind ourselves, it really could be a lot worse, and if open to it, Peace just simply comes. Staying in that place may not be always simple, but its definitely achievable, we just have to simply breathe.
Peace…..