Be Your Best YOU!

       A big part of teenage life and young adulthood is the struggle to fit in and make friends. We all want to be surrounded by Love, and sometimes the want to be liked by everyone around us can trip us up. The power of Faith and a positive outlook is the sole reason I started Prayers&Positivity. Not only is it the title of my blog, but these two words have made it into all of my URL's, social media bio's, and sometimes even my signature.

        My grandma is one of the most important people in my life, and everywhere we go, she always knows SOMEONE! When I was younger, she and I were talking about people disliking others, and I said "well everyone Loves you!" (I mean, my grandma is the bomb-dot-com :* ) and she said something I will never forget: "oh honey, believe me, not everyone likes me. But that's okay; I don't like every single person in this world, so why would I expect every single person in this world to like me?" It clicked. 

        I'm someone who can develop a conversation with just about anyone, and I don't fight with people. However, that does not mean, under any circumstances that everyone likes me, nor do I expect them to. But that also doesn't mean that rejection doesn't hurt. If we upsetedly say "I don't know why they don't like me! I haven't done anything!", we often get told something along the lines of "that's life" or "you didn't do anything. Suck it up and move on". We're human. We have feelings. When someone admittedly doesn't like us, it hurts. I've had to learn not to personalize it, and take a step back and realize that if people are gossiping about me, there's something going on for them that has nothing to do with me. Even though you might feel as though it is a personal attack, it's not.

       Another thing I've learned is that if people talk to you about others, there is a big chance that they are going to talk to others about you. I used to think that saying wasn't always accurate, but over time, I've definitely learned it to be true. For example, I had mutual friends that both used me to talk bad about each other, and I had shown respect to both of them and I thought I was getting it back, but I later found out that they both did the same thing to me. Looking at the situation now, I can't help but laugh. One quote I really like is, "Your value does not decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth." I know who I am, and who I am not. No one on this earth can make me feel less than that. Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated. People who bring any sort of negativity to your life do not matter. Do not feel bad about removing toxic people from your life.

        One of my favorite Bible verses is Matthew 5:44, "...Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." A relationship with God is the BEST relationship you could ever have. It is the ONLY relationship that is forever, because God is forever. When I feel alone, sad, hurt, weak, or broken, God is my strength. When I feel Love, happiness, and everything feels perfect in my life, God is behind it all. I never complain to Him. No matter how I'm feeling, I always Thank God for blessing me with the people and the things in my life that He has. I will always be grateful.

        Always remember to stay true to YOU. Stand up for what YOU believe in. Show the people you Love that you Love them, stay around positive people who show respect and Love, and do nothing less than show them respect and Love back. You only get ONE life, don't let others live it for you.

Prayers&Positivity

Becka

"Why Do You Write in a Journal?"

      I've been asked more times than one why I journal. I suppose it's because I've talked about it more times than one. There are a few reasons, and maybe this blog post will inspire you to start a journal if you don't already have one. I started writing in a little spiral journal when I was in 5th grade. I don't have it anymore because I wrote such nonsense, such as what show I was currently watching at the time and the entries consisted of maybe a good 5 or 6 sentences. However, I remember my first journal entry being about performing in the middle school talent show with one of my close friends. Cue the embarrassment...LOL. I started out just writing the positives of the day. That way, if I had had a bad day, I was forced to think about even the slightest bit of good that occurred.

         A big reason I write in my journal is because of how therapeutic it is. What I do is type all of my entries on my computer, because I can quickly pour all of my feelings out, and later on, I transfer it into my paper journal with pen. (Pencil fades and smudges over time....but I digress). I analyze everything! I don't just write "Today was a good day. I'm happy". I talk about WHY today was such a good day/ WHAT about it made me happy. I try to fill in as much detail as I can. 

       Another reason I keep a journal is to capture the beautiful memories. I would say that I have a pretty sharp memory, but sometimes when a long time passes, you don't remember details off the top of your head. If I received a text or call that made my day, or made me smile, I'll write about it. I can't tell you how many times I've re-read journal entries and think "Oh my gosh! I remember that now!" And it will still put a huge smile on my face. I was actually doing that earlier tonight, and I just have such gratitude for three amazing people that really made me feel like I was part of their family for the time being. I had never felt a sense of family connectivity before meeting them, and I will forever hold a place for them in my heart. A year has gone by, and I haven't forgotten them, or how they made me feel, but re-reading certain details made my heart melt. 

       I think writing in a journal is important for many reasons. I'm working on a few projects that I've had to go back and use journal entries for. It's also cool to sometimes read a journal entry from exactly a year prior, and see how much your life has, or maybe hasn't changed. Writing goals in a journal is also an idea, and something I sometimes do. If I go back and see that I haven't accomplished a goal, it's incentive for me to get a move on. Obviously it's disappointing to write "I'm going to accomplish this! I'm so excited!" And then a month later: "so my new plan is..." But, if I have accomplished a goal, it's a proud moment, and it pushes me to keep going. 

     If you have ever wondered why myself or other people maybe write so frequently in a journal, I hope this helps answer your questions. And if you don't currently write in a journal, I strongly encourage you to try it out! :)

Prayers&Positivity

Becka