What You're Not

​The start of a new year brings so much fresh perspective to mind. A blank page, a blank slate.. we can wipe the board from last year clean and start over new. How many of you are a week into 2017 and already blew your new years resolutions? I don’t do the whole resolutions thing, but I do write down goals each year… I figure “goals” is better for me because it’s more of a work in progress kinda thing and I’m more inclined to work on something and make myself better than to completely try to kick a habit or do something all at once.
 
2016 brought a lot with it- good times, bad times, smiles and tears, sickness and health, new friendships, love and heartbreak, new jobs, new experiences. It taught me patience, it taught me forgiveness, it taught me endurance through the hard times and gratefulness for the simple, happy moments.
 
As we’re a week into 2017, I want you to know something. It’s a new year. For all of us. Last year is behind us. The things that happened to us that broke us down, the moments we lost faith and wanted to give up, the moments we didn’t think we’d get through.. it’s done. It’s over. It’s behind us.  Stop looking in the rearview- no matter how pretty, how ugly it might have been. Let us put it in the past and leave it there. It’s there for a reason. Whatever it was, you’re still alive and breathing, and you made it through.
 
Let me tell you what you’re not.. You’re not inadequate. You’re not a failure. You’re not insufficient, weak, or any less beautiful or handsome than the girl or guy next door.
 
But you are... You are enough. You are strong, capable, you are more than enough. You are loved infinitely. You are perfect. Just the way you are. You were created as you are for a reason and you are in the place where you are for a reason. Every moment you’ve experienced has made you into the wonderful human being that you are at this moment.
 
Whether someone made you feel inadequate in the past- told you you couldn’t do something or be something, or made you feel insecure for any reason.. Don’t let that stick with you. You have to erase those negative feelings that they tried to create within you. It’s a new year. Replace those incidents with optimism. You CAN do it. You WILL do it.
 
I’ve been flipping back and forth between reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan and Think Better Live Better by Joel Osteen and they’re both SO good, hence why I’m reading both of them at the same time because I can’t put them down. But they’ve changed my perspective a lot and it’s been good for my outlooks on the new year because they’re helping me learn more about who God is and how great is love is for each and every one of us. To remove the negative perceptions I have on things, and try to see it as God wants me to see it.
 
As this year begins, couldn’t we all use a little of that fresh perspective? To know that we can do anything we put our minds to.
 
Let’s make 2017 the year. The year we forget about what’s happened, but remember what it taught us. Let’s overcome the negativity and spread love and happiness. Let’s be the light. Let’s make the world a better place because there can never be too much kindness. You’re enough and you always will be.

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