The past is not the future unless you live there.
To me that is a powerful sentence.

We can't change our past...it's already happened.
We can go over it over and over again...but it still won't change things...it's already happened...it's been done.
When we live in the past...we're kept there...we don't grow...we don't heal...we become stagnant...we stop living.
When we live in the past...we miss out on our today... on our futures...we lose what could be for what was.

The past is not the future unless you live there. Your future is still in the making and it's something you can impact unlike your past (which already happened). Your future hasn't happened yet and it won't if you keep living in your past. Let go of what you cannot change and grab a hold of what you can...your days moving forward.

Our pasts are where we've been but it's not where we going. We cannot change what happened but we can change what we do about it and we can change how we let it impact us now. Leave your past where it belongs....behind you...and look towards what you have now and where you're going...and live it to the best of your abilities.

Are you building a future or reliving a past? only you know the answer to that...but I hope you choose you and I hope you choose your future.

When I walk the path at the pond it's marked out for me...there are walkways like this and there are just foot paths too...but either way...the path is clearly marked.

Unlike the pond...our journey through life is not so easily marked and we will often struggle finding the right path for us to walk. 

You might take a lot of wrong turns before you find the right path for you and your life...but don't stop walking okay? And when you fall...pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and always try again. 

I'd like to believe that every wrong turn or path we take in life is actually directing us to the path we are looking for. For everything we find that we don't want, it helps us to learn what we do want in our lives. Our mistakes can and do serve a purpose. We can learn from our mistakes and we can build the life we want moving forward. 

You might take a lot of wrong turns and that's okay...just don't stop walking.

This is something I wrote a while ago when thinking of the people who said they would be there...the friends I've lost along the way...and I gave thought too to the friends that remain and new friends made.

Truth is, we will lose people along the way and we will find out who our friends really are. We will find out who we can talk to and who we can't and it's not always an easy lesson.

We will lose people, but not everyone we lose will be a loss. Sometimes we need to let go of the relationships that aren't serving us well...that could be toxic and that could even prevent us from healing and moving forward. 

We can keep calling out for those who said they would be there and being disappointed when they're not...or we can look to the ones who are still here...to the people who love us and are willing to help...the ones who will hear our call. 

take good care of you and each other please...we need one another to get through this and together we can

Sometimes...I think in the dark moments of our own self-doubt...we give what others say way too much weight. We let the thoughts of others impact our own and we give up parts of ourselves to make others happy...we don't say the things that are really on our mind...and we begin to lose our sense of self.

Has this happened to you? Have you lost who you were while listening to what others "think" you are? I have too. And I will say it's not always easy to get ourselves back but I do think it's possible.  

You know yourself better than anyone else. You know your struggles and your strengths too. YOU KNOW who you are...the good and the bad and even the ugly too. You know your dreams, goals and ambitions and you know your fears. No one else knows these things about you...only you.

When someone wants you to be anything other than who you are...don't! It's not for your benefit...but for theirs. It suits their life and their purpose...while you lose who you are. DON'T! 

Yes...there will be times when we're supported and surrounded by those in our lives but there will be times too when we are on our own...standing on our own two feet.

Sometimes you have to stand alone...to know your own strength...to gather your courage...to believe in yourself again...sometimes you have to stand alone.

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​Picture taken by my daughter Emily

It's okay to give yourself permission...to slow down...to soothe and attend to your needs...it's okay!

When life has you running ragged or bent over a barrel...it's okay to give yourself permission to slow down...to gather your thoughts, your strengths and your courage too...it's okay!

When your pain has you at your limits... yeah you got it...it's okay to slow down... to attend to your needs...it's okay!

                        Give yourself permission to slow down and do what you need for you. 

There are many paths in life and we will lose our way many times...but we can also find ourselves...do you believe that? 

Give thought to your childhood and the path you took. Maybe it wasn't so much yours but a path someone sent you down. And as you grew up...the path changed...again and again and again. You changed too. 

Maybe you went to college, or maybe you had to start work right away...or maybe your path was neither. What path did you take? Did you ever get lost? 

Did you get married and have children? Maybe your path was one but not the other...or maybe it was neither. What path did you take? Did you ever get lost? 

You've been lost and found so many times as you've changed and grown throughout your life and you will most likely get lost again too...but keep your faith and your will strong...and keep carrying on.

If you're feeling lost...give some thought to where you are and where you want to be...what steps can you take to get you there? (even the little ones too)...who can help and walk with you? what do you need for you...what can and what will you do about it? 

There is no correct path in life...but it's yours to choose...and you will lose your way more than once...you're human...but you can find yourself again.

take good care of you 
Tammy 

When was the last time you gave yourself the time to do nothing but rest? 

When was the last time you focused on you and your healing needs and goals? 

Giving yourself the time to rest and do nothing, is a healthy healing thing. 

We hurt...daily...and we can't avoid that...nor can we change it although we'd like to...so it comes down to this...giving yourself the time to rest and do nothing.

It is a healthy healing thing for us some days and you know you need the rest.

When have you given yourself the time? When will you give yourself the time? What will you do for you? 

​This is a picture I took while at the pond this week with my daughter. While walking the pond...you don't always see the path ahead of you...just like in life...but you keep walking it anyway...one step at a time.

And sometimes the view looks dark...just like it does in this picture. But what you don't see in this picture, is the beautiful clearing that is on the other side and just down the path...just like in life.

Our paths aren't always visible and often we wonder what's down the way and sometimes we enter a dark spot too...but don't stop walking. Have faith and keep going down your path. 

Tammy

It's okay to sit in silence and allow inspiration to find you. You don't always need to know where you're going.

This picture was taken at one of my comfort spots...a spot I run to when I need time away from life to unwind and to collect my thoughts...to gather my strengths...a spot where I have found the courage to try again. 

Life can be overwhelming at times...but...it is okay to sit in silence and allow inspiration to find you...it is okay to take the time you need for you.

There will be days too when you may feel lost...unsure of where you're going and that's okay too. You don't always need to know where you're going but you do need to know that you'll get there eventually...just keep taking your steps.

We can't make life happen the way we want it to and sometimes you won't know where you're going...just remember it's okay to sit for a bit...to clear your mind...it's okay.

​take good care of you okay?