Pause the noise

There's something about Sundays. It's the beginning of a new week, it's a Sunday bumday, it's a Sunday funday, it's really anything you make of it. 

I don't know why Sunday's always get me thinking, but they do. They just give me all sorts of feels, and it never fails.  I always miss home the most on Sundays.  I think it's because there's just something about curling up on my own couch with my family and watching movies and taking an afternoon nap, going to lunch with the grandparents, and just being around everyone while they finally take a small break from the crazy everyday work schedules. 

I missed it when I was away at school, while I was on the road last summer, and it still holds true today. Maybe it's because Sunday's are usually the only day I actually will have time to just sit and not have anything to do, so there's ample time to sit and ponder. I usually like to go drive around, find some country roads and just turn up my music and drive. It's been a freezing cold, dreary day so I can't say that I've done that, but church today and just life in general has got me thinking about being content and happy in life. 

The message was about being unsatisfied in life, and how we're always striving for things that we think we need to make us happy. The more I got to thinking about it, the more I realize how true it is. In a world so dominated by social media and the internet and cell phones, it's become habitual to take a photo and share it with family and friends. It takes five seconds to take a snapchat and set it as your story so you can keep your friends posted on what you're doing throughout the day. 

It's more common than not to share where we're at, what we're doing, post pictures, add albums, share exciting news, and ask for prayers. It's so convenient because it doesn't take much to share something and have it out there for many eyes to see. It's good for advice, questions, advertising events, just about anything. 

What's that really doing to us though? We see what everyone else is doing, who's with who, who's getting engaged, who's having babies, who's dating who, who's going where, we see multiple aspects to everyone's lives. It gets tricky because even though we don't realize it, we might start to compare our lives to those we see online. 

We start to wonder why we can't travel like this person, or have a relationship like that couple, wonder why our life seems so "boring," even though there's nothing wrong with it at all. It's easy to fall into that trap. So how do we keep from doing that?

Lately, I've been feeling really thankful. My heart's just been super full of joy, and I wake up feeling like I can do something to make a difference somehow. It's a process though, some days are harder and I get down and frustrated and sad and I have to remember a few things. I'm alive, I'm healthy, I have a job, a place to stay, a loving family, long-distance friendships that always make me laugh, and friends here that are great, always make me laugh and forget that I'm missing everyone else.

I think our thoughts, our willpower over our thoughts, just maintaining a grateful heart has a lot to do with being content. Even though we see others with things we might want, there might be goals in life we haven't reached yet, people we want in our lives that maybe just aren't supposed to be, whatever the case may be.. We get frustrated, we question why something isn't happening, or when the time will finally come for other things to take place in our lives.  

We have to pause and look around. Remember what we do have, appreciate the times and blessings we've had in the past, and pray about the future. Everything we have, we have for a reason. The people in our lives, their paths have crossed ours for a reason. Maybe it's only for a short while, while others will be in your life for years to come. Sometimes we might disagree with the length of time we get with some. Wouldn't it be convenient if we could see a timer somehow of how much time we have left with someone?

How would we live our lives differently if we knew that? Would we be a little more thankful, appreciative, helpful, and loving, or would we say oh there's this much time left, I can wait a little while to show you that I appreciate you being in my life? 

Shouldn't we live our everyday lives as if we only had today? In all honesty, we have no idea how long we do have. All we have is right now. So do we want to spend our lives being envious of what we see around us, or do we spend it looking around and acknowledging what we do have.. Treating a friend to lunch, sending a handwritten letter to someone thanking them for being in your life, being present where you are instead of being absorbed with what you don't have and what others do.

That's the key thing that I've come to realize the past few months. Sure it freaks me out that I'm going to be 24 this year, and life's been nothing but a crazy adventure the past year. There's been ups and downs, highs and lows, but with it i've found something that I can count on every moment of every day.

I've found peace, a deep happiness and appreciation for life and the people in it. Most days my heart just feels like it could explode from all of the happiness and love I want to share with others.. Like, would it be weird if I just went around hugging people and telling them that I love them and appreciate them and I'm thankful for them being a part of my life? All I want to do is make people laugh, make them realize that they're one of a kind, and that they do indeed matter, that they deserve true happiness. It's the truth. And if you're reading this, just know that you've impacted my life in some way and I'm forever grateful for you. 

So next time you get to scrolling through your newsfeed and wonder when you'll get your next promotion, when you'll make some more money, when you'll find a relationship like the couple that just got engaged, etc.. just pause. Think about it a different way. Be happy for those in your life and what they have. Be thankful that you can be there for them, support them, encourage them and cheer them on. Look around at your life, and just know that a God who created this whole wide world also created you. 

He knew every single characteristic of you long before you were born. He knew what your life was going to look like, what decisions you'd make, how you'd live your life. He knew what you'd struggle with, and what you'd be amazing at. You're who you are for a reason. Some things might not always make sense, but there's a reason behind it. It makes us who we are and into the person we're meant to be. 

Let's not get lost in the noise of our everyday lives and forget why we're here. Let's love more, compare our lives less. Let's be happy, thankful, loving, and make the world a little brighter than it is. It's pretty dark and crazy scary out there at times, and the world could use a whole lot more of people who just bring a certain kind of joy to those around them. 

Try thinking of 3 things each night that you were thankful for throughout that day. Then, slowly over time, maybe you'll begin to realize throughout the day how truly blessed you are. It's something I started doing, and it's altered my perspectives on so many things. This life is precious, as are those around us. It goes much too fast, so let's not waste it wishing it were different, let's embrace it, love it, be grateful for it. 

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