The only constant is change
The only certainty in this world is the uncertainty of change. We can either embrace it and learn to roll with it, or spend our days struggling with what might have been, what should be, and what we think ought to happen. The choice, at least in how we approach it, is ours.
Daylight saving time has arrived, bringing darker afternoons and the realization that we're once again preparing for another long winter. But if we pay close attention, there are still signs of beauty, growth, and goodness all around us. Sometimes we just have to look a little harder to find them.
Life is a funny balance of decisions and choices. Or is it? Are we really making our own choices, or simply following some predetermined destiny while fooling ourselves into thinking we're in control? I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's a little of both. What I do know is that our outlook on each day matters, and that is really what inspired me to begin writing this blog four years ago.
Somehow, along the way, it got misconstrued into a challenge to wear a different dress for 360 days of the year. While that certainly turned out to be a fun and relatively easy challenge, it was never the real purpose. I began writing as a way of reminding myself to be grateful for the blessings tucked into my everyday life. A little daily exercise in appreciation, if you will.
Each morning, I intentionally focus on my real life: the people I love, the things that bring me joy, the little moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Somehow, this simple practice carries me through the day, reminding me just how fortunate I am and how good the universe has been to me. It helps keep things in perspective, especially when life gets busy or doesn't quite go according to plan.
I've also made a conscious decision about what I choose to share. I don't write about negative nonsense (well, other than my ongoing objection to dogs in stores!), and I don't write about work. That's simply what I do to earn a paycheck, not what makes me who I am. There's so much more to life than that, and those are the things I want to remember and celebrate.
Somewhere along the way, I've gained readers, many of whom have told me that my little daily writings brighten their mornings and have even become part of their routines. What an unexpected and lovely side effect! I never imagined that something I started for myself would become something others looked forward to. Knowing that a few words or a glimpse into my everyday life might bring someone a smile makes me happier than I can explain.
I've also had people who didn't know me particularly well tell me that they now have a better understanding of what makes me tick. And perhaps they do. Sure, I love my sparkles, glitter, glam, colorful baubles, and all the fun, quirky things that make me smile. But underneath all that, it's really the simple things in life that bring me the greatest joy.
I've struggled at times to find the right balance between sharing my life and respecting the privacy of the people I love, many of whom aren't particularly interested in having their lives documented for the world to read. And that's okay. I may not always write about them, but I hope my love for them, and the important place they hold in my life, has always managed to shine through.
So, as the seasons change, the clocks turn back, the afternoons grow darker, and colder weather settles in, there will undoubtedly be plenty of other things that change, too. My routines, my surroundings, my wardrobe, and perhaps even my perspective on a few things. But one thing I don't intend to change is my gratitude for the life I've been fortunate enough to live, for the people who make it so special, and for all the blessings the universe has yet to send my way.
Four years of writing every single day has taught me that there's always something worth noticing, appreciating, or celebrating, even on the most ordinary of days. And while I may occasionally take a day off from putting it all into words, apparently I'm not quite as comfortable with that as I thought I would be. After four years of daily writing, those few days away felt a little strange to me, too!
Maybe that's the real beauty of this little blog. It started as a reminder to myself to appreciate my life, and somewhere along the way, it became a reminder that gratitude is worth sharing. Life will keep changing, as it should, but I'll keep looking for the good, finding joy in the ordinary, and celebrating all the little things that make this life mine. And, of course, there will always be room for a little sparkle!
👏🏻❤️
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