Day 358 ~ "Pride"

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"P" is for...  Pride.  ... You know... I thought about it long and hard... and I am going to call it as it is.  Not going to try to pick some fancy-nancy word or whatever... so I chose... pride.

Oh... we all have a little in us.  Don't try to deny it either.  ;)  wink, wink.  {and} I'll be honest with you.. I know I've been full of it at one time or another in my life.  

Pride is not pretty either.. it can definitely cloud your judgement.

I don't know about you ... but with me, it's like I'm all hesitant about what seems to be "giving-in" to what obviously is a disagreement of some sort or admitting I was wrong [which ain't going to happen... lol ... see that's pride talking!].. yet... what reels me in {slowly but surely} is that this pride is not healthy - it's no good!

Then there's the pride one feels for an accomplishment or for one's family... {and} when it comes to my family... well then pride is the number one feeling to have.  I am very proud... I have tremendous pride for my family.

I know that I can be proud of my family and all... but when it comes to having or displaying the bad pride... well ... I have learned that I have to take a step back, look at the situation from the outside in and try to handle it from a different perspective...

I learned that there's no room for pride  in this lifetime... I have a limited time on this earth and can not afford to waste time by associating with pride and allowing it to cloud my mind or my heart.

I am so proud to have the family I have today.

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "Q" & "R" 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

7 days to go... {speechless...}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©

Day 357 ~ "Never" miss an "Opportunity"

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"N" is for...  Never.  Yes, never.  

Today I kept hearing the word "never".  A word I have learned to deal with most of this year.  But today, it was haunting.  I kept hearing it over and over In different contexts... standing out each time more and more.  By the end of my day, and before I headed out to church tonight, I heard it yet another time and found it to be very odd.

At tonight's church service, we sang and praised Jesus like no tomorrow.  Then the gal in charge of the music proceeded to talk about "Never".  I was beside myself.  I started crying.  I felt so touched.  I could not believe what was happening.  

We sang... "Never will I leave you... Never will I forsake you..."

By the time I arrived home ... I realized His message to me today...

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

~Deuteronomy 31:6

By the time my day ended and found myself writing my post tonight, I completely understood.  He was reaching out to me.  Reassuring me.  He has never left me, and never will.

"O" is for...  Opportunity.  

As my year end approaches I have learned one of the more valuable lessons of my journey.  Never miss an opportunity to better yourself.

I have learned that each day that I rise... each day that is given to me... each moment is an opportunity to better myself and to do something good in this world.

We all live and die, and one day will be forgotten.  I want to leave something behind that won't be forgotten.  I want to leave something behind that will out live me.  Something to be proud of... something that my children and their children's children will be proud of.

So here's to not missing a beat... not missing a moment... not missing a day... not missing an opportunity to creating a lasting legacy.   

Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.
~Tony Robbins

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "P" 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

8 days to go... {single digits!!...}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©

Day 356 ~ "Marriage"

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"M" is for...  Marriage.     

Not that I did not know about marriage before blogging... I did.


What I do want to do is share a few things I have learned along the way.  Seems once you have survived an unhealthy relationship... you know how to avoid the same and strive to living a healthy one.

First off and most importantly is to "choose your battles" ... basically don't sweat the small stuff.  Included with this line of thought is "give and take".  

If you must fight... please fight fair.  Cursing and name calling are definitely NOT PERMITTED.  Words may be forgiven, yet never forgotten.  You can never take them back... once said, that's it.  So... set boundaries to fighting fair when you first are committed to one another and stick to them. 

Never go to sleep mad.  I know this is a tough one.. been there done that!  The goal here would be ... if you must, walk away... go for a walk... take a tour of your yard... cool off.  Take a look at the argument from your husband or wife's point of view. 

Please... there's definitely NO room for pride in marriage either... none whatsoever.  You must be able to apologize when deemed necessary [go on suck it up~ life's too short... especially if you know you're wrong] and no gloating on the receiving end either.  {it takes courage to apologize... don't you think?  last thing you want to hear is gloating.}

Don't forget... always kiss your love one good-bye when you're off to work.  {and} always ... always... tell them you love them each time you see them {and say good-bye}.

Take it from someone that has been married more than once {and has seen and been in my share of bad relationships} ... it's the little things in life that matter.  

We aren't here forever... let's love with all the desire to be loved.  


Let's be  married  the way we desire to be  married .

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
~ Mignon McLaughlin

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  ~1 Peter 4:8 

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "N" & "O". 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

9 days to go... {single digits!!...}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©

Day 355 ~ "Kiss" {and} "Love"

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"K" is for...  Kiss  {Keep it Simple Stupid}     

HA! Me keep it simple?  This is rich!

If you were to ask my husband or father in law they would laugh as well. 

Reason being while in the process of answering a question they insist for me to get to the point.  I guess they don't need detail. lol!  {and} I guess I do.

Each and every time I tell them... "well I'm so sorry... this is how my brain works... in detail. "

However... through blogging I have learned to give detail when needed, and get to the point when detail is not required.

I try to stay on point, and I warn you if I get off subject that there's a reason behind it and to bare with me.

So this is me keeping it simple for my letter "K".

"L" is for...  Love      

The love that I have learned about me through blogging is not an ordinary one... 


I am not talking about that of a love of a partner, or the love of a child, a brother, family or a friend..


The love that I speak of is the love of oneself.  


I can't say that I am totally in love with myself... but I sure am trying to. 


I feel that the secret to this would be to be happy with oneself first... no regrets... no resentment...  


{although I have read some quotes that say that if you love yourself first, everything else comes easy..}  


Today I felt a little resentment towards myself resurface... which honestly I thought I had handled...


BUT NOOOO-OOOO...


Just goes to show that it is not that easy to forgive oneself for past mistakes.  I think it was remembering a moment in time that did it.  {having to do with my sons}


I have to be able to remember that moment in future moments and be able to brush it off without getting {even the tiniest bit} upset.  This is where acceptance comes into play.  


I {must not forget to} accept the past for what it is.  Forgive myself... so that I may truly love who I am!  {seems like it's so easy... that last step... complete forgiveness... for true love}  


Sounds like a work in progress... maybe I should look at it like alcoholism? ... one day at a time. Big smile.

To love yourself right now, just as you are, is to give yourself heaven. Don't wait until you die. If you wait, you die now. If you love, you live now.

~Alan Cohen

If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy.

~Kristin Chenoweth

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.

~Lucille Ball

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "M". 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

10 days to go... {I really can't believe this...}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©

Day 354 ~ "Jesus" {Take The Wheel}

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"J" is for...  Jesus {take the wheel}.     

I have been saving this post for a while now and feel that there isn't a more appropriate time for me to post it.

Once more ... I can not reiterate enough what blogging has done for me.  I think it is more about the new found strength I have gained... within myself that is... about myself... and about life.  

Somehow within this new rebirth of mine, I have also gained more love and respect for my Lord, Jesus.

Not too long ago I heard this song...

Jesus Take The Wheel 

Songwriters: James, Brett; Lindsey, Hillary; Sampson, Gordie;

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati

On a snow white Christmas Eve

Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy

With the baby in the backseat

Fifty miles to go and she was running low

On faith and gasoline

It'd been a long hard year

She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention

She was going way too fast

Before she knew it she was spinning

On a thin black sheet of glass

She saw both their lives flash before her eyes

She didn't even have time to cry

She was so scared

She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus, take the wheel

Take it from my hands

?Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

To save me from this road I'm on

Jesus, take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder

And the car came to a stop

She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat

Sleeping like a rock

And for the first time in a long time

She bowed her head to pray

She said I'm sorry for the way

I've been living my life

I know I've got to change

So from now on tonight

Jesus, take the wheel

Take it from my hands

Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

To save me from this road I'm on

Oh Jesus, take the wheel

Oh, I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

From this road I'm on

Jesus, take the wheel

Oh, take it, take it from me

Oh, why, ooh

Needless to say... "Jesus" took the wheel in my life long ago... just to me a while to realize it. 

On another note... today I reached 29,000+ views on my blog.  WOW!  What an awesome thing it would be if I made 30,000+ within 11 days or less.

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "K" & "L". 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

11 days to go... {tears are forming in my eyes...}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©

Day 353 ~ "Incredible" {and} "Interesting"

What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

What have I learned about myself this past year {blogging}..?  hmmmm... First off... I would like to make sure you know up front... I never had blogged before until I started this blog 349 days ago.  Secondly... I never intended on learning anything.  HAHA! LOL!  No but seriously... It wasn't my intention...   Check out what my intention(s) were/are here.

So here goes... What I Learned About Me... from A to Z

"I" is for...  Incredible {and} Interesting.     

This last year has been one  incredible {and} interesting experience for me.  

At the risk of sounding redundant.. I once again have to say that through blogging I have learned so much... about myself... and about life.  

This really has been an incredible year of rediscovery... healing... spiritual... raw honesty {I like that "raw honesty"}...  a sense of rebirth.

Even with all the highs and lows of every day life, this experience ... as I sit here and think back on the last 352 days... honestly... this experience has truly been an interesting journey.  

A journey of which I would happily do it over and over again!

All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened.

~Maya Angelou

Tomorrow...  What I Learned About Me... from A to Z ... the letter(s) "J". 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

12 days to go... {trying to catch my breath... can't breathe}

read about this count down in my "About my Blog" page

... for a, l & c.  you are my sunshine(s).

Images are courtesy of either google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barilá Karam and of this blog- Taking Back My Life ~ Making it My Own.  US Copyright law apply  ©