Looking Back - What 3 Things 2019 Has Taught Me (A PowerHouseCreatives Contest)

You know how when your class is ending and heading into the new year, you'll either have year-end proms and photo sessions for your yearbook?
Well, this week's contest would be a reflective and memorable one where I post a challenge out to everyone to choose 3 photos that make your 2019. In terms of 'make your 2019', it can be anything from the impact on your personal life, to something memorable or could even be a life lesson. After you've chosen these 3 photos, tell us why these photos made it to your 2019 yearbook and what's so special about it.

Looking back at 2019 it has definitely been a lesson in life. The 3 things that have had the greatest impact on my year have been personal growth, a rebirth of sorts and death.

As I have posted recently in 2019 I have seen more death than I have in previous years and a few of them have directly affected me. Of course when someone passes we naturally take stock of our own lives. My condolences to everyone that has experienced a death, not just in this year but at anytime. While it is a normal life process, the 'cause' of death affects us all in different ways.

Along with lines of 'death' there have been quite a few ending or final endings. A death of a friendship is usually a sad case. You wonder whatever did you do that someone would turn on you. Sometimes if you take that step back to re-evaluate the situation, you realize they weren't really a friend. In my case I thought someone was a friend and helping me out. I left a job that I was miserable at (in which she had twisted my perception) to go work with her only to not get paid, berated almost daily on political views (which I never discussed), her attempts to remove other friends in my life.

Once I was away from her I realized how much of a negative impact she had on me. Where I was upset with her for taking me from a job that I actually got paid to work some where that I went 3 months without pay. I now see it me coming back to reality of my life and working on myself. This leads me to the second item on my list is my personal growth.

Many think at 51 you should have a pretty good grasp on yourself and life. I can tell you that I did not have any grasp or self realization. If you have followed my Mindful Monday posts over the past year. My topic choices have been different traits and values that we all need in our journeys in personal growth.

Taking a look at things from a different viewpoint can show you a path to take. I am learning to take value in the small changes and stopped expecting 'instant' results. I have taken on the personal tasks of exercising more kindness and gratitude.

I have always been one to build others up, it has usually been at my own cost. I changed how I viewed my behavior as being one of need and in a way redemption to an act of being. It took the negativity out of the situation and has relieved loads of unnecessary stress.

While my anxiety is still gut wrenching at times and feels like it's more than I can handle. I have come to accept it as a part of my life. The side effect of medication in this case is more severe than learning to live with something. I have loads of exercises and things to do to manage anxiety, yet it doesn't go away. I'm not sure why, but we'll work on that this year.

My self-esteem has grown as a result of all of this. My view of self-confidence has changed dramatically. I didn't realized that my internal view of self-confidence was more of one of arrogance. I had started seeing that humility played a very important part of this.

I am very excited to see what the next year holds with my ongoing journey.

Lastly, the third item om y list is life in general. Humanity has lost so much in the way of life. There has been an immense loss in respect. When this happens it is a clear signal that there is something truly wrong. Life is the one thing that should have or hold the utmost respect for. After all, where would you be with out life ?

For the better part of the last century humanity has created things that were to 'make life better' in doing so they have also signed a death warrant to future generations. There truly is a purpose for every living being/entity on this planet. From the life a human to the life of an amoeba, there is a purpose. To feel that one thing holds a greater value over another is a little off base. Each form a life needs to be allowed to serve it's purpose.

When we look back on civilization since it's beginning, mankind has always been a hunter or gatherer and in most cases both. Diet and dietary needs have usually been based on what was regionally available. Yet through most of these times there have always been some form of insect that has helped pollinate plant based food sources. Yet many don't value this life form enough, because with out it everything dies. Yes things can be manually pollinated and the wind helps, but not in the volume that is needed to sustain life on the planet. Everything is interconnected. When you can stop and look at this, you can't help but have respect for life.

Like my little flower shows (to me anyway) that life is capable even under the harshest of conditions.

Learning to have respect of self, life and death is the start to learning balance in life. This should lead us on our life journeys.

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Thank you for your continued support!
Love,