When life handed me my current batch of lemons, I felt lost. Completely disoriented. What direction was my life heading in? What do I do now that I’m completely moving my life to a different city (and not on the best of terms)? And literally speaking, I’ve never been too good at making lemonade but now life was squeezing me through and I had to find a way before bitterness would set in.

Shock would be the best way to describe everything that has happened since the end of May. I had a friend tell me recently that there are Top 5 Stressful Situations and that I had gathered 3 out of 5 in one fell swoop. Yippee!

1. Death of a Loved One
2. Divorce (Relationship Ending)
3. Major Illness
4. Job Loss
5. Moving

So how have I decided to begin to move on?

• Journaling
• Reading Self-Help and Spirituality Books
• Sitting in Silence
• Taking Long Baths
• Practicing Gratitude & Forgiveness
• Going to the Gym
• Eating Healthier
• Lots of Prayer
• Random Outburst of Tears
• Happiness to Sadness to Anger to Gratitude to Happiness Again
• Going out with Friends on the Weekend/Making New Friends (Some Friendlier than Others)
• Spending Time with Family
• Hugging my Cats
• Singing Every Sam Smith Song I know (as well as Kelly Clarkson and Demi Lovato break-up songs)
• Listening to Of Monsters and Men on repeat (currently happening)
• Taking Time to Do Whatever I Want and Enjoying Alone Time (not as easy as it sounds when you’ve devoted nearly eight years of your life to relationships)

If I had to pick a favorite one out of that list that has helped me the most it would be sitting in silence. I never realized how the mind really needs to be quieted in order to find the answers you’re constantly searching.

I was so used to running around in the morning and getting ready for work, jamming out on the drive to work, working over 50-60 hours a week, coming home and making dinner, spending time with my then ‘S.O.’ and then going to bed. My mind was computing but it wasn’t really thinking.

Now that I practice meditating on my thoughts, I have begun to understand how my past and all the choices I have made have led me to where I am. I can reflect on every single emotion I feel that I dislike and really get down to the root — it’s truly life-changing.

One example I will use is that I would get so upset at what people thought of me — people that I didn’t even know! I would obsess about it at times! So I dug deeper as I sat in silence to find out why.

This is what I learned:

The anger stemmed from me being insecure and not really knowing who I was. I mean, how dare that person say something about me and not know me? I couldn’t let it go! And it was all because I hated that that person could possibly know more about and see me more clearly than I actually saw myself.

The insecurities stemmed from so many childhood to adolescent factors, which I may share another day (but for now I’ll condense).

So now that I knew the why, I needed to accept responsibility for my thoughts rather than blaming others for their cruel words and move into healing the thought. What helped me heal was knowing and affirming the following:

• Forgiving myself for allowing the thoughts to take over me
• Knowing that God loves me just the way I am and that only God can judge me
• Understanding that those who judge are feeling pain as well
• And knowing that what other people think of me has nothing to do with me, it’s their business

With all that being said, I think it’s time for a close. I hope this was insightful and you were able to take something away from this — that’s my wish!

P.S. If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.