Have you ever read through your previous posts on your blog (or journal) and revel in how much things have changed from then till now?  I can’t believe that I started this blog in 2006.  Now almost three years later, I am still here, still experiencing and still writing about it.

Some posts made me laugh.  While others made me reflect.  Still others made me wonder…”why the heck did I say that outloud?”

In almost three years I have faithfully followed these blogs:

Adventures in Stepford

Self-Proclaimed Supermom

Girls Gone Child

Mom-101

The Grim Reality

Her Bad Mother

These ladies inspired me to continue to write.  I remember that Rhonda’s blog (Self-Proclaimed Supermom) was the first blog I had ever encountered.  I went through her posts one by one and soon found myself caught up in her story.

These blogs made me laugh, cry, sympathize, and think.  I just wanted to give a quick shout out to them.  The ladies who inspired me to blog.  It’s a precious thing this notion of writing your thoughts out and having other people read them.  It was intimidating at first as I journeyed to find my writing voice.  Now though… there is more of a thirst to say what is on my mind and to read what others have to say.

The world is a big place indeed but I found that in the end we all have something to say.  In that way, it makes us kindred spirits.

To Women Everywhere:

Love yourself. It’s such a simple message but so powerful. How many times have we found ourselves to be under pressure in all areas of our lives. We must look perfect and act perfect at every turn. We judge and criticize and turn on one another for so many petty things yet fail to realize the big picture of life.

The big picture is this:

Life is too short to waste a single moment on “just being”. We only get one shot to be who we want to be in this life. What do you want to leave behind as your legacy? Do you want your friends and family to remember you as a negative ball of energy that contributed nothing to her own life and only existed to survive? Or do you want to be remembered for the truly amazing person that you are? Get excited, grab life by the balls and run with the moment!

It is too easy to succumb to negativity and let it embrace us. Be who you want to be. Love yourself. If you don’t love yourself, then who will? If you don’t love yourself, then how can you expect to love others?

Everyday, count your blessings. Everyday you should name five things that you are thankful for in your life and five things that you like about yourself (all positive and no sarcasm). Value who you are as a person even if it means reaching outside of comfortable boundaries.

I can’t even begin to stress enough how important it is to recognize your value as a person and to never ever give away your personal power.

Be true to who YOU are and don’t let others sway you away from your own value system and your own beliefs.

Love yourself.