What I Wish I Knew Years Ago

Author: Alyice Edrich

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of legacy I want to leave my kids…thinking about all those films I’ve watched over the years and all those books I’ve read about people looking back upon their lives with great affection and fondness, then passing on a few words of wisdom to the future generation.

And it got me to thinking… “If I could pass along a few things I’ve learned over the years to my children what would they be?”

This is what I’ve come up with…

Don’t Be In Such A Hurry To Get From Point A To Point B.
It’s so easy to live our lives on auto-pilot. To go about our daily tasks without truly giving much thought to all the wonderful people and all the wonderful events taking place…until it’s too late.

Take the time to smell the roses, to ponder the meaning of life, to make sure you are living your dream. Each moment is a blessing from God and it is meant to be enjoyed.
Don’t Rush Off To Start Your Family.
I grew up in a dysfunctional family and as a result, all I cared about was graduating from high school, finding Prince Charming, marrying, and raising a family of my own. What I didn’t realize was just how much work and money and time went into raising a healthy, happy family.

While I do not regret my choice—for it was the right choice for me at the time—I do wish I had given myself a little time to really discover who I was as a person before I took on the role of caregiver to such small, impressionable minds. And I wish I would have lived a little before I settled into the role of homemaker…that I would have volunteered at a missionary overseas or traveled to Greece to photograph the ruins or even took that boat trip around the world before I became aware of just how frightening the open sea could be.
Don’t Forget Self-Care.
It’s easy, when raising a family, to forget about yourself; to always put your needs last because your love for your children and your spouse is so huge that you’re consumed with wanting to do for them all the things you wish someone would’ve done for you.

But that’s a mistake because if you don’t take the time to care for yourself, you’ll lose yourself. It may not happen overnight, but one day you’ll wake up and wonder, “Where did I go?”

And as much as you enjoyed the time you gave to those you love, it’s so very hard to let go of that role when you’re no longer needed; especially if you don’t have anything else to fall back on.

So go ahead and give your best to your children and give your best to your husband, BUT also give your best to yourself. Make time to do something for yourself every single day.

Don’t give up your hobbies but find a way to fit them into your busy schedules…even if it means cutting back on the extra-curricular activities you provide for your children or leaving below your means instead of at your means.

And above all else, don’t give up caring for your body because believe me when I say that slacking in this area will catch up for you and by the time you get around to correcting the damage years of neglect has caused, reversing it may not be possible.
Never Stop Dreaming.
Sometimes life can knock the wind right out from under you. And sometimes, life can get so hectic and crazy that there’s barely any time left to breathe, let alone dream. When this happens, it’s easy to start living on autopilot and stop dreaming. Don’t let that happen.

Dreams give life purpose, they give you something to shoot for, they make life worth living and without them, you’ll just wander through life comatose. If you can’t muster up the courage to dream big dreams, then dream little dreams.

If you can’t dream little ones, then fake it until you can! Dream of something small because no matter what life throws at you, it’s your dreams that will push you to keep fighting.
Trust In Yourself.
The world we live in can be cruel at times. It can knock us so far down that we forget who we are. It can cripple us if we let it. Don’t let it.

Do things that make you feel good about yourself. Gather around people who lift you up and encourage you and praise the good that is within in you. And believe in yourself enough to take chances; to follow your heart.

But most importantly, trust your instincts and trust in yourself enough to do what you know feels right regardless of what the naysayers say because nobody is going to believe in you as much as you believe in yourself. Nobody.
Don’t Live With Regrets.
When life knocks you down, or people continually hurt you, or you just can’t catch that one big break, it’s easy to become bitter and angry and sad. It’s hard to let go of those things you cannot control, to let go of the regrets. But you’ve got to find a way to let go.

There’s a reason the past is called the “past”. Learn from it, grow from it, gain strength from it, but then let it go. Let the past stay “in the past”.

Regrets won’t do you any good. You can’t go back in time and change things, you can’t erase hurtful words, you can’t fix wrongs that you’ve done or that were done to you, and you can’t change how people think about you, look at you, or treat you. No matter how hard you try or how much you wish for it, you simply cannot change what has already happened.

You can, however, accept what was, look for the silver lining, and then move forward. So allow yourself the time to grieve, to mourn, to feel the sadness, but don’t stay there too long.

With each passing day force yourself to move forward, force yourself to look for just one thing to be happy and/or content about.
Stop Comparing.
In a world full of comparisons, it’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game. And when that happens it’s easy to lose sight of who you are, what you have right in front of you, and who or what you can become.

When you start comparing yourself to others you will always feel inferior and will always resent those you are comparing yourselves to. It not only drains your energy and bring negativity into your life, but it can ruin the relationships you hold most precious and cause you to lose sight of what you have right in front of you. So stop trying to outdo the Joneses of the world, stop wishing for what others have, and start enjoying where you are right now.

What I Wish I Knew Years Ago

Author: Alyice Edrich

Don’t Be In Such A Hurry To Get From Point A To Point B.

Don’t Rush Off To Start Your Family.

Don’t Forget Self-Care.

Never Stop Dreaming.

Trust In Yourself.

Don’t Live With Regrets.

Stop Comparing.

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