Every Mile Mattered: Accepting what was

“I wandered everywhere, through cities and countries wide. And everywhere that I went the world was on my side.”-Unknown

Even though we do not know it or always feel it. The World is always on our side. No matter where you go, no matter what you do.

Throughout the years as days passed by, the world has remained.

In life as we go about our days, we sometimes tend to only focus upon what we want to see, compared to allowing ourselves to see all that we should see. Everything that is, everything that we are.

The wonder, the magic, the beauty. This world itself holds so much of that. Yet at times, we tend to shift our minds to only seeing that tunnel vision of what we want to see- compared to really seeing everything for all that it is.

In life, we all have different experiences. One’s that mold and shape us into being the person we are now. Whether good or bad each experience has molded precisely how we are. How we act, how we think, how we see the world around us.

Yet how often do you really take that time to express gratitude for all that you have experienced (all that you have been through), simply because it made you who you are today? Or, how often have you actually used what you did experience as an opportunity for growth?

“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.” -George Eliot

Each day is an opportunity for growth. And when you utilize what was to your advantage you give yourself an ability to soar.

Sometimes in life we face rocky battles, unexpected hardships, rough patches, or uncertain events that have swayed or altered our image of who we are.. But, compared to looking back upon these situations or events as regrets (or experiences we may have wished never happened)

We should really be thanking them for happening as they did. Why? Because without them they wouldn’t have made you who you are today.

Now, this specific concept can be taken in a way that may obscure the real message being sent across. Simply because, if the events from the past have altered who you are in a negative way and are still something that is impacting you today, then why would you be thankful for them?

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Because they gave you a reason to grow, to change in a positive way.

You see, every day we have that opportunity to grow. To become MORE than we were or what others said we had to be. Every day we have an opportunity to work on those inner demons and really heal whatever they may be.

And although the experiences have had may not have shaped you in a way you desire, it showed you that and gave you a starting point for where precisely you want to heal, and what you wish to better.

So unless you use them to your advantage, you will ultimately go through life still carrying the baggage that once was.

Allowing yourself to accept it, then take it as a foundation for growth, can really help you fly. It will help you become a better person (only if you want it to.) by truly bringing forth a sense of direction.

That sense of happiness does not need to seize to exist, it does not only need to occur on occasion. It should and can be something that persists regularly.

“Utilize your weaknesses as strengths that pull you together. One’s that make you stronger than you ever thought you could be.”

Sometimes without hearing someone else tell us these things, we allow those negativities to become a part of who WE are. We remain blinded to what we have allowed ourselves to “become”, and allow it to sway our perceptions entirely. Which then interferes with our every day lives.

So, why allow it to?

When you take these moments as opportunities, choosing to see the beauty that spawned from it all, or using them to create a new beauty. You give yourself a chance to blossom.

When you look back upon these events with pride and gratitude, it brings forth a much better quality to your life and removes the blinders that were placed there. Being grateful, compared to resentful, can open doors for you. And can bring light where darkness exists.

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Every experience you have had whether good or bad, has brought forth some quality or trait that you possess that is unique and special to you.

Maybe a childhood trauma or lack of support from family members, allowed you to be a better friend to others or to a new family you have grown now.

Maybe that bullying you experienced, allowed you to see that some people are cruel, but in the end showed you that it wasn’t a clear reflection upon yourself and that other people are broken or hurting to. Which may have then allowed you to become a much stronger person overall.

Maybe those negative experiences you went through taught you what you DO NOT want in life, (or in the lives of others) and encouraged you to start a business, or create a community that does just that- prevents it.

Maybe going through poverty helped show you that compared to leading that type of a lifestyle, you wanted to find more (to branch out and become more). And encouraged you to take a different route in life, such as go to college, obtain a degree and start a new job that you LOVE. (All while giving back to others who may have been through what you have.)

No matter what dark you faced, some light had to come forth from it. Something you may not see unless you truly allow yourself to see it. So look.

“Open your eyes to the beauty around you. Open your mind to the wonders of life. Open your heart to those who love you, and always be true to yourself.” -Maya Angelou

Every mile you walked, every path you’ve traveled, every road you’ve been on, and every experience you have had (And will have) mattered. It still does, because it brought you here.

Of course we may have regrets about things that happened, or things we have done. But holding onto them now well beyond when they occurred, are only going to bog you down. Choose to let them go.

When your past calls, don’t answer. It has nothing new to say.-Unknown

When you shift your perspective to seeing that every mile mattered in life, and start shifting your focus upon the positive things those experiences brought you, you open your mind and heart to seeing life in an entirely new manner.

You give yourself a chance to really move forward and grow.

Choosing to see life through a new lens- one filled with gratitude and hope, for all that was and all that is. Will really give you that ability to love everything and everyone this world has to offer you.

It gives you a chance to really accept all that was all that you are, and gives you an opportunity to grow from it in the process as well.

So what’s it going to be?