Have you ever looked back at something you used to spend WAY too much time worrying about and thought, “Why the heck did I waste so much energy on that?” 😂 I have, and for me, one of the biggest ones is what other people thought of me.

I used to spend so much time worrying about what other people thought of me. I would literally obsess in my head over what I thought they thought of me. Did they like me? Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong? What did I do wrong that made them not like me? And then I would go over it and over it and over it in my head. I’m actually shaking my head, literally, as I type this! 😂 The things our brains do!

Now, I’m not saying I don’t still worry about what people think because I absolutely do. Other people’s opinions still matter to me. I’m human! But I don’t let it take up so much space in my head anymore. I think about how much valuable time I wasted worrying about what someone else might be thinking when I could have been doing something much more important… like cooking! 😂

I think society also puts SO much pressure on us about how we’re supposed to look. What we’re supposed to wear, what we’re supposed to weigh, how we’re supposed to look at a certain age… there’s always somebody telling us what we should be doing. I don’t really care what people think about how I dress. Never really have! 😂 My weight is another story because that’s been a battle since my health issues started and with all the medications. But I think it’s really important to say that I’m not trying to lose weight for anyone else. I’m doing it for ME. I’m trying to get healthy. Period.

And then there’s my home. 😂 I know my home is a cluttered mess. Well… WAS a cluttered mess! It’s getting better! I’m working my way through it one room at a time and one box at a time. I’m not worrying about whether somebody walks in and thinks my house isn’t perfect anymore. I’m working on it, and that’s what matters.

The funny thing is, everything in my home has a purpose. It has a meaning. It all means something to me. Some things are connected to memories, some things have been with me for years, and some things just have a story behind them. I’m slowly learning that I can let go of some of those things without letting go of the memories attached to them. That’s been a process for me, but I’m getting there.

I think getting older has definitely changed what I consider important, but I also think life events have played a HUGE part in that. Since Nicole, I’ve realized just how precious life is and how fast it can be over. Losing her left so many unanswered questions, and survivors guilt played a big role in that for me. Life can be so cruel, but it can also be so beautiful.

Nicole changed my life for the better the day she was born, and she also changed my life for the worse the day she died. Both of those things can be true at the same time. 💜

And maybe that’s why I don’t want to waste so much of my life worrying about things that I can’t control anymore. I don’t want drama in my life. Drama don’t live here! 😂 I am officially too old, too tired and way too busy for that crap! I have no room or time in my life for drama.

What I want is to spend my time doing the things that actually matter to me. Cooking. Creating recipes. Working on my home. Spending time with people who care about me. Laughing. Making memories. Letting people into my life again. Enjoying the little things.

And probably worrying a whole lot less.

That’s the big one for me.

I want to stop worrying about things that are completely out of my control. The uncertainty in the world right now. People who don’t care about me. Things I can’t change no matter how many times I think about them. Because let’s be honest, worrying about something 47 times doesn’t magically give me control over it. 😂

I’m learning that I can care without carrying everything.

I can care what people think without letting their opinions control me. I can care about my health without trying to meet somebody else’s idea of what I should look like. I can care about my home without needing it to be perfect. I can love my memories while still letting go of some of the things attached to them.

And I can care about the people I love without taking responsibility for everything that happens to them.

Some things just don’t deserve that much space in my head anymore.

And honestly, God will handle all that. He has me. 💜

Maybe that’s what growing and changing really looks like sometimes. Not suddenly becoming someone who doesn’t care about anything, but learning what deserves our energy and what doesn’t.

Because our time is precious.

And I don’t want to spend mine worrying about what someone might think of me when I could be in my kitchen making something delicious. 😂

Drama don’t live here.

And I’m perfectly okay with that. 💜☕

💜 Now I want to hear from you…

What’s something you used to hold yourself to a really high standard about that you’ve finally given yourself permission to let go of?

I’d love to hear what you’ve stopped putting so much pressure on yourself about. Maybe we’re not the only ones who need to hear that it’s okay. 💜

Until next time, grab your coffee, take a breath, and remember that life is too short to spend all of your time worrying about what everyone else thinks. Do what makes you happy, take care of yourself, love the people who love you, and don’t be afraid to let go of the things that no longer deserve so much space in your life.

Love Always,
☕💜 Shelly