And you know what? That’s okay. It’s no fault to have simply not lived long enough. I wish we talked about this more. I wish we acknowledged that there is no 5-step manual that can ever match or make up for actual living.

Ten years ago, I received some good relationship advice that I still apply to my friendships and marriage today. I call it “The 5.” Five topics to discuss with someone you are in a relationship with that will help you both remain honest and keep things healthy between you.

That feeling of regret sinks deep in your gut and almost makes you sick to your stomach. It creates anxiety, doubt, fear, and even panic. It's like a tidal wave you can see coming but can't do anything about.

All of those above characteristics can be used to describe me. Some of them are good, some of them not so much. As I grew up, I had several friends and family friends tell me who they thought I was.

Have you ever been given something of incredible value that you could have invested in but failed to do so? Did the fear of failure paralyze you into complacency? Just being lazy? Why ruin a good thing? At one time or another and in one way or another, we all do this with money and possessions. But did you know that we also are guilty of doing the same thing with the skills and talents we have been given? 

It can be frustrating, but there are times when, for whatever reason, we can’t just run headfirst directly at our goal. When my husband returned to school, he already had many of the skills he needed to succeed, but he had to invest years into education and networking to break into his industry. School wasn’t the destination, but was a propeller, moving the craft in the right direction. 

It was stunningly beautiful. A milky pale green color studded with gold drops and a single black line, this temporary resting place was like a living gem. For 8-15 days (depending on temperature), the caterpillar would wait, completely still inside, and in that waiting, it would be utterly transformed.   

Question of the day: what if we never stopped growing? Physically, I mean. What if, for our entire lives, we were on a continual growth track that pointed in one direction: up. Well for one thing I’d imagine that there’d probably need to be elevators everywhere. Stores, restaurants, and schools would need to accommodate the shorter populace and the tallest. Maybe we’d utilize outdoor spaces more. I don’t have a clue how transportation or cars would work!

I once had someone compare the past to a car’s rearview mirror. They said, “You can’t drive forward while looking in the rearview mirror the entire time. The rearview mirror is important. You need to check what’s behind you, but you can only drive safely forward by looking through the windshield.”

Imagine if every time you got on your bike, you had to relearn how to ride it. Or every time you got in your car, you had to relearn how to get to work. Or on the flipside, what if you remembered every single experience you had or thing you learned in school? Either you retain nothing, or everything. Thank goodness we have a happy medium due to neuroplasticity.

I love change. LOVE it. When I was a kid, I would rearrange my room, just to feel like something different and new was happening. My siblings and I would swap rooms every six months. I loved the start of the school year because everything was different. In college, it was amplified. I moved twice a year, rearranged my room whenever I wanted, then signed up for ever-changing activities around campus.