It's OKAY to be the People Person Loner.

When I was around seven, I had two imaginary friends. Their names were Icka and Sissy. I have no idea where those names came from...I'd like to think my parents made them up, but there is no way they actually came up with those. They did absolutely everything with me, from playing Barbies to riding in the car to eating meals together. It got to the point where my mom and dad treated them as a part of the family, taking them with us wherever we went. Then one day, my dad asked, "Where are Icka and Sissy eating tonight?" and I looked at him like he had 3 heads. They no longer existed in my world, and from that point on I played as a normal only child would at home. Alone.

I think they disappeared not because they weren't cool enough to hang out with anymore, or they found a new seven year old to pal around with, but because I became secure with absence. I felt comfortable being by myself, and I wish I could say I carried that skill along with me through life!

But unfortunately, as time went on, I started to feel as though I had to constantly be surrounded by others to "look cool". Even into my freshman year of college, I had the biggest case of FOMO literally ever and never took a second to even realize if I was actually enjoying myself. After while, it began to take a real toll on me.

I compared myself to others, wondered why this girl was better friends with this girl, and broke my back to ensure I was doing something with someone every moment I could. 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE people. I think people are literally the coolest, we are all so different an unique and get to write our very own life story, full of feelings and accomplishments and so much more?! I want to live my life knowing that I get to interact with all different kinds of people every single day and make an impact on their story! Seriously, when things are happening and I am a safe, secure, charged-up version of myself, being around others gives me the most possible JOY!!!!

But there is such a difference between a healthy exposure to people and a dangerous exposure to people for me. I admire my sweet friends who live in our sorority house daily, I love every single gal that lives in that beautiful residence, but I would 100% go nuts. Once I feel almost forced to go and do, that is the time to stop and reflect for me.

So, finally getting to my point here, it is OKAY to be that girl that DOESN'T say yes to every single invite to dinner or to go out or to movie night, and you really shouldn't feel guilty. We are all made so fearfully and wonderfully, with different outlooks and different levels and different ways to be in tune with ourselves!! It is OKAY to be the girl who wants to stay in bed to watch Netflix tonight or be the girl who walks around Walmart alone at 11:00 (me tonight...it is a sketchy place 2 be...reader discretion advised).

Overall, it is important to be the healthiest you that you can be! Your friends will love you even more for being such an encouraging, optimistic light in their lives after you are able to reflect and take some "me" time!

 In order to love others, you must love yourself, even if "yourself" is a people person loner. :) 

Small town FAMILY

Growing up, my class never exceeded anymore than 35 people. Grade levels never had more than two classes per grade, and sometimes you even got the same teacher two years in a row! My school had an elementary hallway, a middle school hallway, and a high school hallway, all in one building. I graduated in a class of 22 seniors, anxious to leave the people we had known all our lives.

On New Years Eve, tragedy struck the little town of Burgin. One of the third grade teachers was involved in a sudden, devastating car accident, taking her life. This teacher truly touched the lives of her students, fellow teachers, and her children. Dealing with losing such a positive, optimistic member of our community has put strain on so many different aspects in Burgin. As you can imagine, losing someone here is losing a part of our family.

As difficult as this loss is and will continue to be, events such as these truly open my eyes to how grateful I am to have grown up where I did. The support given from each and every person, regardless of their relationship with one another, is one I can't put into words. Not only has this teacher's family and friends band together for comfort, but the entire Burgin school and city have gone above and beyond to ensure that those in mourning can feel peace.

Yes, I do think that growing up in Burgin has disadvantaged me to a certain extent. I have felt as though I lacked opportunity and even social skills coming from such a small area. Yet, in these most recent days, I cannot seem to feel anything but overwhelmingly blessed by my roots. I know that in both times as hard as these and even the best of times, this family I was given will be by my side. They will be by each other's side. Being in a small town family isn't so bad, it's a blessing.

My heart goes out to those who knew and loved Ms. Sara Berry. While I never had the privilege of getting to work with her, I feel confidently in saying that she fulfilled her purpose while she graced this Earth.


"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
-Matthew 5:4

New Year's FAITH, not resolution

In order to log onto a library computer in elementary school, your username included your last name and your graduation date. My friends and I always thought it was so funny to type in "15Lindsey", or whatever the case, because there was NO WAY we were actually going to get to the year 2015. The year we graduated from high school.

It is now so incredible to believe we are in the year 2017. I have not only made it past graduation, but three entire semesters of my college career. And each year, the time seems to move quicker and life seems to become more real. Each year, I set "goals" that I intend to accomplish in the next 365 days. Yet, each and every year, the time seems to get away from me and those hundreds of days turn into a single hundred, and then even less. That checklist I had given myself in the beginning of the year is left unchecked.

So, I am challenging myself to a whole new outlook in 2017. I'm challenging myself to not make a list of these things to finish, but to have faith in those things I have no control over. I am challenging myself to believe that there is a plan for me, and that there are people out there that are placed in my life to help me succeed. I'm striving to not create tasks to complete, but to be open and to listen to the gracious tasks that have already been created. This year, I am going to follow faith, and not resolutions.

I challenge you, friends, to take this same approach to this new year. We could make endless lists to the things we would like to change, or resolve, yet the most important and beneficial change we could make is to merely have faith in what we cannot solve. I am so excited to see what these new thoughts will bring in 2017, and I am even more excited to be able to support you all in your new faith!

I hope you all have a blessed new year, full of love, happiness, and positivity! :)