Life Changes...

I was driving to the gym one day last week when I heard a song on the radio entitled, "Life Changes," by Thomas Rhett. I'd heard it before, but never paid attention to the words. That day was the first time I fully listened and embraced what he was saying. 

It is certainly true that we can hear God laughing when we make plans. Because it seems that no matter what we do, when we make any type of plans, something happens to change it up. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Unfortunately, we often look at changes in our plans as setbacks or defeats. We think the world has ended simply because our plans have changed. 

Now, I am certainly not one who has embraced change very well throughout my life. I wish I could say that I've been a go-with-the-flow type of person since I was little, but nope. I've been a very set-in-stone type of person. I like having plans and knowing what's coming next. 

Once again...insert God's laughter here. 

I think, because of this, I needed a major shake-up in my life to show me that it is 100% okay to have huge life changes. That I will survive. That I will come out of it a better, stronger, albeit, different person. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I've had life changes before. I've lost close friends to me, whom I thought we would be friends forever. I've lost friendships and family members due to divorce. I've lost friends and family to death. And I've lost friends and family simply because they've moved on with their lives. 

It is certainly never easy. And I spent a lot of time wondering if I could have changed any of it. But I moved on. I grew from it. Or at least I hoped I did. 

But last year...well, last year brought forth a change in my life that I would have never envisioned. And I wish I could say that I have fully moved on and healed from what happened, but I haven't. Not yet. I am, unfortunately, still dealing with a lot of the repercussions and fall-out from it.

I have definitely changed. I have grown. I have witnessed friends come and go. I've been a friend who came and went. I wish I had handled some things differently. But I can't go back and do anything about any of that now. 

All I can do is embrace exactly where I am now. Embrace the changes that have been made in my life. Embrace that God has a bigger plan in store for me. One that I can't even begin to imagine. 

Life can look different in one month. Six months. A year. Shoot...life can look different tomorrow. 

What we can't do is stand still and hope that nothing ever changes. What we can't do is be scared of the changes. Allow the changes. Allow the growth. 

As for me, I have become a more go-with-the-flow type person. I still like my plans and schedules, but I've learned to be okay with not knowing. It's definitely still a work in progress, but I no longer stress if things don't go exactly as planned. 

Life ebbs and flows. There will be good times. And there will be bad times. But it's how you adjust and react to both of those that will define who you are and how you make it through. 

Take it from me...lean on the people who offer their help in the bad times. Accept it. Don't be too stubborn to think you can handle it alone. And in the good times, be there for other people. Reach out. Make sure your friends and family are doing okay. 

I don't know much about where life is taking me. But I do know that life changes, and can change on a dime. This time last year, I had no idea where I would end up. How it would all play out. But I am finally at the end of a very long, bumpy chapter. One that I hope to close very shortly. 

And I'm ready for the next one! 

I hope you all have a beautiful week. I can't believe we are in the last week of July (already!!). I feel as if this summer is absolutely flying by! It's true...blink, and it's gone! So enjoy it while you can. Don't hold grudges. Say I'm sorry. Kiss and make up. Give hugs. Give compliments. Offer a kind word or a shoulder to lean on. Say I love you. Truly mean it. 

I love you all. And thank you for your continued support! I can't wait to share my next chapter with all of you! 

With love and wellness,
Whitney