Why Not?

I have a a few serious questions. 

Why, in life, are we always so dependent on living for someone else? You know? Why do we constantly have to have someone linked to us to feel happy? Why, oh why, can't we ever feel happy just being by ourselves? Better yet, why can't we live for ourselves?! Don't you think that would be the epitome of perfect?

Why do we have to be so involved in other peoples lives? Why do we always have to know who so-and-so is dating, who he has kissed, who the cute girl everyone loves has her eye on, why she works the (to some people odd/stupid/silly/etc.) way she does, the reasons that cute couple decided to end their relationship, etc?

Now, the most important "why" on my mind...

Why are we constantly comparing ourselves to someone else? Why do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the hype of being fake? Why do we overwhelm ourselves with the want of being paper thin and more tan than your neighbor? So unnaturally tan that people behind your back, talk about how silly you look.. Why aren't we ever good enough? Why don't we ever look in the mirror and say, "Dang! I'm looking HOT today?" instead of dwelling on all of the flaws, the pimples, the hair that won't stay in place, the crooked teeth, the messy make up, the excess skin, and so on and so forth.

Why can't we make an attempt to love ourselves exactly the way we are? Not love ourselves in some areas and hate ourselves in others.. I am talking loving ourselves FULLY!

I was talking to a very wise friend of mine the other day and she told me {texted me} something I won't soon forget. She said,


"I'm trying to look at my acne and my love handles, messy hair and flabby arms as a good thing. It is an opportunity I have to not only work harder of caring for my outer self but for finding out that my inner self is more important. I'm trying to remind myself daily that even though hardly anything goes my way, its because in the end it wouldn't make me 100% happy. God knows what to do with me and I am working on trusting Him with all of my heart. When I'm a little old woman laying on my death bed, I can't wait to look back at my life and finally see why everything worked out. I know you want to see how its going to work out right now, but lets be serious, it'd ruin all the fun!" 


Hearing that, in all honesty, changed my life. (thanks friend, you know who you are)


Another quote I've always loved,


"30 years from now it won't matter what shoes you wore, how your hair looked or what jeans you bought; what will matter is what you learned and how you used it."

In the end it isn't going to matter who loves who and why stupid things happened and why that person always looked down on you or why that cute guy/girl broke your heart on that sad day. The things that are going to really matter to you are how you handled the situation, no matter how sticky. The little moments that shaped you into the person you are, the view you had of yourself and the world around you, and the good people you surrounded yourself with are really going to be what mattered.


....I apologize, I'm bad at these "inspirational," if you will, speeches, I never seem to get my point across as well as I'd like to.


What I'm really trying to say is we've only got one life to live. We only have one shot at this and don't you think you'd be awfully miserable if you looked back on your life and saw that you were that person who was constantly worried about what your peers think of you? Wouldn't you be sad if you realized you were never truly happy because you were always stressed about those extra few pounds? Don't you think you'd be sad if you saw you wasted much of your precious time wishing for a former love to return to you when in the back of your mind you know whatever is meant to be will work out so perfectly? Wouldn't it be sad to see you wasted your life wishing and not living?


***I used the word 'we' a lot in this post, mostly because I like to think that I'm not the only person in the world (or who reads this blog) that does this.

The fact is, I do this all the time. I'm obsessed with my imperfections and the drama in my life and in the world around me. I haven't taken the time to find the real beauty in me and I regret it. But, hey! I'm twenty-years young, I've still got a lot of time ahead of me...so why not start now?

What do you say?! Try it with me?!