Changes in Life

I started training at my new job on Tuesday! Now, I don’t remember if I told you I was getting a new job. I got a job as a secretary at my church here in Lake City. I am being trained and am loving my trainer! She is also the person I am taking over for. I am a little nervous going off on my own when my trainer is done because there are so many little and big things to do.

Wednesday and Thursday were fairly normal days so to say. Friday however, my trainer and I spent all day organizing, cleaning and finding treasures in a closet in the office. It was so much fun and we found so many very cool history books dating back to 1888 when the church was first established. Such a neat find!

So this week I have been learning to balance a new job, owning a business, staying in touch with friends, family and having a social life outside of work and allowing myself downtime as well. I am quite sure this will become more difficult as I gain more hours and more responsibilities with this new job but I look forward to the challenge. I appreciate all of the love and support. Thank you all my loves!

I have had friends come here and they always have something to say about how Minnesota is weird. I will always agree 🙂 Wisconsin will always be my home and I am very glad I can at least see it. Sorry Minnesotans but I am Cheese Head and always will be 🙂

I made the decision to make my 2019 New Year’s resolution to be a better person and friend to all. When I was in middles school I made a quote for myself. I knew I was not being so happy all the time and being kind of grumpy pants (hormones made it so much worse in high school. I apologize to all). I have gone away from my thought. I made a quote in middles school that I still go by today. I will admit that I have lingered away from my quote for a while. This year I am going back to the quote.

“Smile everyday no matter what comes your way.”

Some may say, “shouldn’t you live by a quote Jesus said or something from the Bible?” Here is my reply, “It is religious. I say Smile to show the love my God has shown me. By keeping a smile and being cheery and happy and knowing the blessings he has given me no matter what happens in my life. I keep Jesus in my mind, I keep him in my life and I keep him on my face and in my heart.

I started fulfilling this resolution when I received a text from a friend late at night. I, of course, was asleep so I did not see it till morning however I made every effort to reach them and talk to them as soon as I could. The text would not cause alarm from most people but this one friend has a history. I make the effort to always answer the text and to reach out when I think of it. This specific friend has been on my mind a lot lately and I couldn’t understand why. I then realized they were not doing so well. I remember my mom talking about sometimes when she has people on her mind she will send them a message of some sort and they are very grateful because they have been going through some sad or hard times. I am truly grateful God has given me the blessing of this “sense” if you will 🙂

This friend has had a hard time growing up and living. They have tried different things and made friends with multiple people but they always seem to be toxic and it is very hard and has hurt my friend greatly over the years. When we talked earlier this week they mentioned how they have come to the acknowledgment of these people being so toxic and that they need to find better friends. The struggle they are facing that I am having trouble trying to figure out how to help with is that being around such toxic people have made them toxic and thought they want to be surrounded by good people they worry they will turn the good people into toxic. How do you tell someone that if people are truly good they will want to help the toxic person out of their toxicity? This friend has also fallen from God. I have tried for years in different ways to guide them back towards their savior but I am running out of ideas or know if what I say is doing anything or making any headway.

I know a few people who struggle with anxiety and depression. I have learned that each case is very different. For some, the anxiety is almost a constant pain because they over think and rethink everything. As I do research about anxiety one definition clarified anxiety as internal turmoil. With others, it is a pain because they are overstressed or they have a hard time digesting information and they become overwhelmed easily. Each of these cases is unique but they have something in common.
With depression some it feels like loneliness. Others it feels like nothing at all. There is no feeling, you are numb, is how it was explained to me.

I have spent the last few hours researching anxiety and depression to know how to help my friends. I have known for years the best thing to do is to make sure the person knows you are there for them. That you are always available to talk and always have an ear available for them. I know to not give advice or say you understand when you really do not. I know to not pressure or force and to be patient. I know it is not an overnight “fix”. I know it is draining to them as well as me. I also know that support for everyone in this journey is imperative.

Love you all and look forward to talking to you all soon 🙂
God Bless!