Lessons I learned in my 20’s

My 30th birthday has caused me to reflect on the last decade of my life, the joys, fears, losses, gains, and lessons learned. I am reminded of the country song “Don’t Blink.” My favorite verse from the song is, “Best start putting first things first, ‘cause when your hourglass runs out of sand, you can’t flip it over and start again. Take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth.”

Below are 29 lessons I learned in my 20’s. As you read, I want you to know that above all else I have learned, it’s good to be me.

Lesson #1– Never miss an opportunity to say, “I love you, and I see you.”

Lesson #2– That haircut I thought ruined my image actually helped me see my internal beauty.

Lesson #3– Rushing through work, college, and experiences doesn’t get me where I’m going any quicker.

Lesson #4– Morning sickness really means all day sickness.

Lesson #5– It’s okay to bend and adjust my perspectives.

Lesson #6– College isn’t everything. Education from the right source at the right time – is.

Lesson #7– Those freezing nights when the heater broke taught me to be grateful for the blessing of having a home.

Lesson #8– Ruining dinner most nights when I was a new bride doesn’t mean I’m a bad cook. I just needed a little practice.

Lesson #9– Church attendance really does feed my soul.

Lesson #10– A child overcoming his fear of speaking in public gave me courage.

Lesson #11– It’s ok to let others in to my “crazy.” It helps me not feel so alone.

Lesson #12– It’s not always about the things, but about the moments.

Lesson #13- It’s okay to let life happen. Controlling every detail is just plain exhausting.

Lesson #14– I won’t have the right words to say when I watch friends bury their babies. My heart breaks with theirs. But mourning with those that mourn is the greatest gift I can offer.

Lesson #15– That canker I had from my retainer rubbing on my lip was the worst pain of 2015, especially when the orthodontist told me he would put formaldehyde on it to help it go away.

Lesson #16– Holding my babies in my arms is the closest I have ever been to heaven.

Lesson #17– I thought grief would consume me my entire life. But I found strength, help, and a new business to help other women find wholeness.

Lesson #18– Puking on the side of the road and on locked doors makes me belly laugh.

Lesson #19– Angels are real! They guide, support, and heal.

Lesson #20– Overcoming my fears is always worth it. “Any burden is too great.”

Lessons #21– Saying no to opportunities doesn’t mean I”ll never get one again.

Lesson #22– Who am I trying to impress? Let them go.

Lesson #23– The atonement of Jesus Christ has never been more needed or real for my life.

Lesson #24– Mindset and connection to God changes everything for me.

Lesson #25– Sometimes I have to be sick. It drives me to find answers and to know my own strength.

Lesson #26– Crying is good for me.

Lesson #27– Those three weeks I spent cleaning out my home was the most freeing autumn I have ever experienced.

Lesson #28– God always places people in my path, either to help me or for me to help. Trust His purposes for this.

Lesson #29– I am and always will be enough.

And a bonus lesson (because this is my blog): My family needs me. Even though the days seem long and the battles are consistent, my place is needed, I am not replaceable, and I make a difference.

Many of these lessons came through moments of blackness, where I felt I would be consumed by fear, anxiety, and depression. But as I climbed out of that despair, I found my source for happiness; JOY found a way into my life.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

I’d love to hear the lessons you have learned that have defined who you are today.

With love,

Talesha