The 10 Most Important Life Rules

I'm the Best Aunt Ever.  Not only do they know how to eat peanut
butter out of the jar, and lick cupcake batter from the spatula,
they now know how to take Selfies! Hooray!

I love celebrating my birthday, and this year was no exception.  Something magical (read: scary) happens and I turn into a wide-eyed, playful little kid.  

I seriously-no-joke-scout’s-honor threw myself a Pretty Pink Princess Party last weekend, which may have included wearing princess crowns while eating cookies and watching chick flicks.

Celebrating in one city wasn’t enough, so I then made my way down to San Diego to spend some time with my impossibly adorable nieces.  I LOVE my nieces, but my adoration kicked into overdrive after this conversation:

Alyssa, age 3: Kalei, how old are you gonna be?
Me: Guess.
Alyssa: (confused look) Like, 24?
Ella, age 5: or 29?

God bless these beautiful children. 

The truth is, I just turned 37. I share this because I feel pretty darn good about it, and oddly, 37 has always been a lucky number for me (it’s a long and stupid story).  

I just have this feeling that this year will be a Big Year for me in many ways.  So I’ve been thinking about how I want to live this year differently, and with intention.  

So I created a To Do list (I like lists).   

Here My 10 Most Important Life Rules:

1. Be present.  God is giving you little lessons all the time.  Look for them.
2. Be real.  But don’t confuse honesty with being an a-hole.
3. Be kind.  Especially to yourself.  
4. Be loving.  Especially the ones who are hard to love. 
5. Don’t judge.  Especially the ones you think you know—you don’t. 
6. Serve. This is the best way to get out of your head and use your heart.
7. Take risks and make mistakes.  Learn from them. 
8. Make good choices.  In your health, career, and love. 
9. It’s all gonna be ok.  Trust.
10. Seek God.  With all your heart, mind and soul.

There are so many sayings that in my wise old age, I can now honestly say, I get it.  Something I've always said but now fully believe: Everything happens for a reason.  It's not just a pat response to things I don’t understand.  God has a wonderful plan for me, and there may be times (many, many times) when I don't understand why something is happening, but I trust wholeheartedly that it's part of My Plan.  

These last few years have been quite a roller coaster- so many ups and downs.  Sometimes I was brave, and sometimes I wasn't. Sometimes I faced adversity with a smile, sometimes with tears.  But as I sit here, unsure of what the future holds, I have such a peace that it’ll be ok.  And that it's ok right now, too. 

Life is a crazy ride. And I’m all in. 

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13

Thinking Good Thoughts

Hey, do you think I took enough notes? 

I felt pretty disgusting last week.

I usually work out every day, and I’ve been trying to eat as healthily as possible.  Normally this means a healthy breakfast (green smoothie!), healthy lunch (big salad!), and a somewhat healthy dinner (roasted veggies and fish and ok maybe a cookie!)

But being out of town always throws me off.  Due to an all-day meeting, I was forced to skip working out.  And being ridiculously busy, I didn’t pre-plan my meals.  Combine this with my Olympic-winning excuse-making powers, and I made some pretty funky choices.

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Cookie Lara Bar

Lunch: Nutter Butter Snack Pack

Snack on My Way Home When I Really Should Have Just Eaten Dinner for Goodness Sakes: Half a Jar of Creamy Jif Peanut Butter  

(You may have noticed that I have a Peanut Butter Problem.  I mean, I don’t even pretend to grab carrot sticks anymore.  I eat this stuff straight up out of the jar).

Allow me to explain.  I was in LA for an all-day meeting.  After an unsatisfying lunch, I thought it would be a great idea to grab a snack before I hit the road for what was going to be a long drive home.  It should have only taken me an hour, however on that particular day, it was raining.  And in Southern California, rain = Armageddon Panic Time.  Not only was it raining, I was driving on the 405, aka Hell’s Freeway, which plays host to some of the worst traffic in the country.  I knew it would take me a while, so clearly I deserved a snack in the form of a jar of peanut butter (see above regarding gold-medal-award-winning excuse-making).

The next day I woke up, totally disgusted.  My jeans felt a little tighter.  And my face seemed a little fatter.

I looked at myself in the mirror and all kinds of horrific thoughts excitedly popped into my head. 

Well you’re looking pretty fat today. 

I can’t believe you did that, you idiot!   

You’re completely disgusting.

My thoughts can spin out of control so quickly.  And if I let them, they could go on forever.   

That’s when I need to do a Double-Check.  (Side note: isn’t Aaron Rodgers the cutest?  I mean no one will surpass Peyton in Athlete that Makes the Best Commercials Ever, but Aaron’s got potential.  Yes, Aaron, Peyton and I are on a first name basis.  Yes, I’m going through football withdrawal).

Our thoughts are so powerful.  And good or bad, true or not, I believe them. 

I was reminded in an inspirational sermon by Rick Warren yesterday that it’s important to manage my mind because

My Thoughts Control My Life.

BOOM. This is seriously one of the most convicting statements I’ve ever heard.

It’s a constant struggle, because we're constantly bombarded.  Especially when my jeans are too tight, I don’t have time for a workout, or I just mess up.  

But instead of letting these dangerous thoughts continue, I need to feed my mind with truth, free my mind from destructive thoughts, and focus my mind on the right things.

Be careful how you think.  Your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23

I know I won't change overnight.  But remembering that I can choose to focus on the good thoughts- that’s a game-changer.