Anniversaries are good reminders...

Note: I wrote this post yesterday. I was unsure if I wanted to post it, so I slept on it. This morning I decided that the message was poignant and important to share. SC xo

This day is the reason I '11:11' It's just a personal symbol for me.

Today marks the anniversary of one of the worst days of my life. 

I’m not going to talk about it though, because it is the past and I am OK. Like all experiences in life, it was something that has shaped me and helped me grow; something that I have learned from, something I have accepted, and something I have made peace with.

This day is a poignant reminder of the incredible journey I’ve had over the last 365-days. It is a reminder of my strength and endurance, and my ability to look back with acceptance and a broader understanding. This day is one that changed me, but will not haunt me.

What a difference a year can make. 

None of us go through life unscathed, that’s not how it works. Like any adventure, we are met with situations and circumstances that we can’t control, or that we didn’t plan for; and in the end it is our attitudes that determine the outcome every single time.

Accepting the bad things in life means that you accept the opportunity to learn and grow; It means that you are willing to admit that you were defeated, but that the fight isn’t over, and you’ll get back up it again. Accepting the bad things in life means that you can let them go, and they can’t hurt you anymore.

It’s OK to go through the motions when life throws you down; anger, sadness, bitterness, and the inability to forgive are important for self preservation, but they are also meant to be temporary.

Life will fail you; people will fail you; you’ll fail yourself, but in the end it’s how you recover that really matters.