I have found that when it comes your past, you have two choices to make.

1. Reflect on it and use it as fuel for a better future.
2. Obsess over it, live in it in your brain over and over again, limit your future based on your past mistakes.

Which are you?

The reason I am bringing up the past is because it is Memorial Day, a holiday to recognize the sacrifices others have made in the past, all to allow us to live the lives we do today. For that I am extremely grateful!

Now that you are in a thankful mood, lets set you up for taking action! Keep reading below.

Yesterday, at dinner, our table asked ourselves...

"what are 3 lessons we have learned so far during our lifetime that we want to utilize to help us moving forward?!?"

The trick to this was we weren't allowed to overthink it. We had to trust our gut and come up with answers rather quickly.

Here are mine.

1. I'd rather KNOW FOR SURE, than be left wondering "what if."
2. The key to life is to KEEP IT MOVING.
3. Everything can be turned into an OPPORTUNITY or a learning lesson.

Why are mine these?

1. I hate being trapped by my own brain and wondering about "what if" scenarios. I'd actually rather know for sure, even if that "for sure" is hurtful/bad/sad for me. Example: I had my corporate job and always wondered "what if" I quit and started my own thing? I would rather go down the path of doing that, and "fail," than to always be left wondering what if. Same with my relationship with Erin. Before we dated, I took a trip to her because I was tired of wondering "what if." In the past, we had chemistry, and I was tired of sitting around thinking about it. So instead I took action and did something about it. And even though I knew it might not work out, I would have rather made the trip and knew for sure, than to always be trapped in my mind wondering.
2. MOMENTUM is everything in life. Bored of the party, leave. Tired of living in the city you are in, move. Can't stand to show up to your job/boss anymore, quit. Momentum is built by controlling your MOVEMENTS, rather than allowing the world around you to control them. I don't let friend's/family drama bog me down. I don't let life's little daily problems it throws at me to bog me down. I don't let my own thoughts to bog me down. I keep it moving in the direction I need to go, even sometimes if that movement is at a snail's pace.
3. Life happens FOR US, not to us. You, me, we...we all have problems/issues/struggles. What separates us though, is how we handle them. I look at everything in life as an opportunity. It is the optimist/engineer in me. I naturally love solving problems, and get bored if I don't have something to solve. Usually it is not the large problems we can see that cripple us though. Typically it is small instances in life that add up over time. Example: yesterday I was on a flight home to Austin. 1st flight of the day, Philly to Atlanta, super smooth and on time. 2nd flight of the day, everything was on time... until they boarded us and had to change two tires. So we sat on the tarmac for about 45 minutes, with no air conditioning, fully packed flight...and the kicker of having to wear a mask over our face while sweating. I also had a friend's birthday dinner reservation made that I couldn't change, so I was worried we would now miss it. You know what I was telling myself? IT COULD BE WORSE. A younger version of me would have been bitching and moaning though. How often to you find yourself getting annoyed/angry with the little instances in life? These little occurrences can add up to be major issues over time if you let them.

None of the above is to come off as if I am preaching, or know WTF I am talking about when it comes to life. Rather, it is about me reflecting on my own past, the lessons I have learned, and how I can continue to use those lessons as tools for a better future.

Now I would like for you to do the same thing and ask yourself the question I did above.

What are 3 lessons YOU have learned so far during your lifetime that you want to utilize to help you moving forward?!?

I'd love to know what your 3 lessons are if you are willing to share. :)

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

#thriveon

CJ

p.s. today I am grateful for all the people in this world who have given the ultimate sacrifice to help other people around them.