Take-aways from 2014..
.. and the first quarter of 2015.
Wow.
I feel like work and school have taken over my brain so much that I can barely remember whether something happened last week or last month.
But I figured I'd try and recall my biggest take-aways from this past year and note them down so that way when I'm older and my memory's worse, I can read these and confuse myself even more.
1. Accountability is key.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
How many times do the apostles address the church? The church! Not one person, not a couple of people, but entire churches. We are called to build each other up, we are called to live with each other, grow with each other, and call each other out when we see them living in sin.
How can you call yourself a Christian if you don't even talk to the members of your church?
How can you call yourself a Christian if you don't even pray for the members of your church?
Shots fired. At yourself.
2. Life is lonely.
Seriously. People are surprised when I tell them how anti-social I am at school. I literally go to class, get educated, and leave. I go into some sort of social paralysis because I feel less than everyone else.
I always blamed it on the fact that UofT is a pretentious school where people dress to impress and I never felt like I fit in well enough. And yet I still can't get myself to make friends because I'm afraid they won't like me.
I figured it's because I never really had this phase in middle school or high school. I always seemed to be super social and outgoing and made friends really easily. But at UofT it's just awkward. People just come off as snobby and I never feel like the effort I'm putting into friendships is reciprocated.
So there's my outpouring of emotions - now what did I learn?
You can't get over the loneliness of life. It happens, it will haunt you, you'll have those moments. But here's where the first takeaway gets tied in - accountability. Seeking out people who can build you up, people who you can talk to and can talk to you about the most random of things, or people who you can just sit down and stare at the sky with (I've yet to do this) - these are the people that will make loneliness a little less miserable.
3. Value your alone time.
As much as loneliness hurts, man oh man, is it good to just be in bed with a book and your phone on 'Do Not Disturb' mode, or turn it off if you can. It's like cutting yourself off from the world in the confines of your beautifully bright yellow-painted walls (at least that's how it is in my case).
You need to be alone. You need to disconnect. Everyone says it, but it's true. As social media and electronics take over the world, it just shows that our biggest craving, which we tend to translate as a 'need' is for community and connectivity. We always want to be able to connect with people at all times, especially with our 30+ followers on Instagram and Twitter and our God knows how many 'friends' on Facebook. And this is a craving that is justified because that's the whole reason why the church exists. A longing for community is what God intended for us to have (see 1).
If you're one of those people who 'cannot function' without their electronic device, you need to unplug. And if you're one of those people who don't say they can't function, but live as if this is true (shots fired at myself, again), then you need to unplug.
Something I've learned is to deliberately block out some time every day with the intention of resting. I'm super anal (not the butt stuff, anal-retentive) about my calendar and scheduling, and I figured since rest is something I have trouble keeping myself accountable for I might as well start putting it in the calendar.
4. Rest.
Now this is the second half of the previous point. Seriously.
I can't believe how crazy I am. After just finishing my third year of university, the first thing I did when I got into bed was start scheduling my schedule for next semester. Don't believe me? Don't care? That's okay, here's a sample anyways:
When you have days where you don't have work or school, these are not opportunities to take someone else's shift. Okay, they are. But really they're opportunities to rest, God-given gifts to lie in bed and listen to Charles Stanley. Or watch itsjudyslife. Or something that helps you wind down!
Please. Your body already hates you for working so much. (This is because I have knee problems)
5. Be grateful.
I have so many things to be grateful for. And of course, this is another thing that people say all the time but with good reason!
I have one of the coolest jobs. Wait, rephrase. I work with some of the coolest people. Those customers though.....
I'm grateful to work with people who care about each other. I mean, for the most part, everyone gets along with each other fairly well. To not have any barriers between management and employees, to be able to reach out to them and not feel like they're too high up for you to reach is amazing!
I worked at a place prior to where I am now and it was so cliquey. My manager had favourites, and those favourites had favourites, and it just felt like they made it a point that they had more responsibilities and therefore they were higher up. I don't need to elaborate as I'm sure this is the case in most workplaces - management's up here and everyone else is down here. But where I work it's totally different. And I love it.
I remember one of the first things my friend said when we both got hired (we weren't friends until we met at our interview) is that the way our store worked almost sounded like a church, with mentorship and accountability, impartiality and encouragement.. at least that's how a church is supposed to be. But I'm really grateful for my job and how the amazing opportunity just fell into my hands.
6. You should seek out others' opinions sometimes and use theirs to shape yours.
For example, when you can't decide which pair of glasses to choose. Or if you're up for a culinary adventure, that's when blogTO, inSauga and Yelp! are really helpful. Or when you're struggling with something or someone and need advice from someone (see 1 & 2).
7. And sometimes you really shouldn't.
Especially when all they have is negativity. This doesn't mean they're necessarily bashing what you're talking about, but if it's something you have yet to form an opinion about, hearing the cons before the pros may just mess with you.
Let's take a person for example. I respect them, I like what they do, I'm comfortable with them and telling them when I think they've done something questionable in my eyes. But there may someone else who has a bad taste in their mouth, so every time they see this person it's easier for them to see the bad rather than the good, the things that bother them rather than the things that are worth commending.
Now to have someone speak to you about the things this person does that are 'bad' is pretty traumatizing, and I know that sounds like an extreme word, but let me say why. It can be traumatizing because you may never have seen this person in that kind of light. You may have never noticed these things that they do. And so it makes you question your entire relationship with that person and the integrity you hold them to in your head - is this really the person I know? Well, now what am I to think of them?
8. If no one wants to ask the question that you're eager to know the answer to, do what you gotta do.
In the most respectable manner, of course.
This is where a relationship is crucial. When you're friends with someone, you should (or at least I hope) see the good in them more than you see the bad. And if you're really friends with them, when people tell you bad things about them you're in a bit of dismay because this is a person you care about and want the best for. So, like mentioned in the previous point, you question your friendship.
This is when you should ask questions. But you can't ask someone personal questions without a good rapport.
See, the whole point of this is to say that it's easy to question things we don't know much about. In this case, it's a whole lot easier for people to question other people who they're not necessarily close with. What I had to do at this point was go straight to this person and ask them - so what's up with this? Why did you do this? Did you know that could have been taken this way? And so I got my answers.
It's like good 'ole Google. I really do depend on Google for finding a lot of my answers. But with the same eagerness to learn should we have when it comes to people, actual human beings. Because people are supposed to be that much more interesting! I know it's hard to say that about certain people, but we are complex and made in God's image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
People have this new thing: Relationship goals. Well let's take it to another level and say that actually getting to know people, and trying to get to know them before coming to the conclusion that they're not so great people should be a 'relationship goal'. Man, that's kinda lame but you get the point.
9. Also, save money.
Self-explanatory. Guilty as heck of not doing so. 'Nuff said.
Wow.
I feel like work and school have taken over my brain so much that I can barely remember whether something happened last week or last month.
But I figured I'd try and recall my biggest take-aways from this past year and note them down so that way when I'm older and my memory's worse, I can read these and confuse myself even more.
1. Accountability is key.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
How many times do the apostles address the church? The church! Not one person, not a couple of people, but entire churches. We are called to build each other up, we are called to live with each other, grow with each other, and call each other out when we see them living in sin.
How can you call yourself a Christian if you don't even talk to the members of your church?
How can you call yourself a Christian if you don't even pray for the members of your church?
Shots fired. At yourself.
2. Life is lonely.
Seriously. People are surprised when I tell them how anti-social I am at school. I literally go to class, get educated, and leave. I go into some sort of social paralysis because I feel less than everyone else.
I always blamed it on the fact that UofT is a pretentious school where people dress to impress and I never felt like I fit in well enough. And yet I still can't get myself to make friends because I'm afraid they won't like me.
I figured it's because I never really had this phase in middle school or high school. I always seemed to be super social and outgoing and made friends really easily. But at UofT it's just awkward. People just come off as snobby and I never feel like the effort I'm putting into friendships is reciprocated.
So there's my outpouring of emotions - now what did I learn?
You can't get over the loneliness of life. It happens, it will haunt you, you'll have those moments. But here's where the first takeaway gets tied in - accountability. Seeking out people who can build you up, people who you can talk to and can talk to you about the most random of things, or people who you can just sit down and stare at the sky with (I've yet to do this) - these are the people that will make loneliness a little less miserable.
3. Value your alone time.
As much as loneliness hurts, man oh man, is it good to just be in bed with a book and your phone on 'Do Not Disturb' mode, or turn it off if you can. It's like cutting yourself off from the world in the confines of your beautifully bright yellow-painted walls (at least that's how it is in my case).
You need to be alone. You need to disconnect. Everyone says it, but it's true. As social media and electronics take over the world, it just shows that our biggest craving, which we tend to translate as a 'need' is for community and connectivity. We always want to be able to connect with people at all times, especially with our 30+ followers on Instagram and Twitter and our God knows how many 'friends' on Facebook. And this is a craving that is justified because that's the whole reason why the church exists. A longing for community is what God intended for us to have (see 1).
If you're one of those people who 'cannot function' without their electronic device, you need to unplug. And if you're one of those people who don't say they can't function, but live as if this is true (shots fired at myself, again), then you need to unplug.
Something I've learned is to deliberately block out some time every day with the intention of resting. I'm super anal (not the butt stuff, anal-retentive) about my calendar and scheduling, and I figured since rest is something I have trouble keeping myself accountable for I might as well start putting it in the calendar.
4. Rest.
Now this is the second half of the previous point. Seriously.
I can't believe how crazy I am. After just finishing my third year of university, the first thing I did when I got into bed was start scheduling my schedule for next semester. Don't believe me? Don't care? That's okay, here's a sample anyways:
When you have days where you don't have work or school, these are not opportunities to take someone else's shift. Okay, they are. But really they're opportunities to rest, God-given gifts to lie in bed and listen to Charles Stanley. Or watch itsjudyslife. Or something that helps you wind down!
Please. Your body already hates you for working so much. (This is because I have knee problems)
5. Be grateful.
I have so many things to be grateful for. And of course, this is another thing that people say all the time but with good reason!
I have one of the coolest jobs. Wait, rephrase. I work with some of the coolest people. Those customers though.....
I'm grateful to work with people who care about each other. I mean, for the most part, everyone gets along with each other fairly well. To not have any barriers between management and employees, to be able to reach out to them and not feel like they're too high up for you to reach is amazing!
I worked at a place prior to where I am now and it was so cliquey. My manager had favourites, and those favourites had favourites, and it just felt like they made it a point that they had more responsibilities and therefore they were higher up. I don't need to elaborate as I'm sure this is the case in most workplaces - management's up here and everyone else is down here. But where I work it's totally different. And I love it.
I remember one of the first things my friend said when we both got hired (we weren't friends until we met at our interview) is that the way our store worked almost sounded like a church, with mentorship and accountability, impartiality and encouragement.. at least that's how a church is supposed to be. But I'm really grateful for my job and how the amazing opportunity just fell into my hands.
6. You should seek out others' opinions sometimes and use theirs to shape yours.
For example, when you can't decide which pair of glasses to choose. Or if you're up for a culinary adventure, that's when blogTO, inSauga and Yelp! are really helpful. Or when you're struggling with something or someone and need advice from someone (see 1 & 2).
7. And sometimes you really shouldn't.
Especially when all they have is negativity. This doesn't mean they're necessarily bashing what you're talking about, but if it's something you have yet to form an opinion about, hearing the cons before the pros may just mess with you.
Let's take a person for example. I respect them, I like what they do, I'm comfortable with them and telling them when I think they've done something questionable in my eyes. But there may someone else who has a bad taste in their mouth, so every time they see this person it's easier for them to see the bad rather than the good, the things that bother them rather than the things that are worth commending.
Now to have someone speak to you about the things this person does that are 'bad' is pretty traumatizing, and I know that sounds like an extreme word, but let me say why. It can be traumatizing because you may never have seen this person in that kind of light. You may have never noticed these things that they do. And so it makes you question your entire relationship with that person and the integrity you hold them to in your head - is this really the person I know? Well, now what am I to think of them?
8. If no one wants to ask the question that you're eager to know the answer to, do what you gotta do.
In the most respectable manner, of course.
This is where a relationship is crucial. When you're friends with someone, you should (or at least I hope) see the good in them more than you see the bad. And if you're really friends with them, when people tell you bad things about them you're in a bit of dismay because this is a person you care about and want the best for. So, like mentioned in the previous point, you question your friendship.
This is when you should ask questions. But you can't ask someone personal questions without a good rapport.
See, the whole point of this is to say that it's easy to question things we don't know much about. In this case, it's a whole lot easier for people to question other people who they're not necessarily close with. What I had to do at this point was go straight to this person and ask them - so what's up with this? Why did you do this? Did you know that could have been taken this way? And so I got my answers.
It's like good 'ole Google. I really do depend on Google for finding a lot of my answers. But with the same eagerness to learn should we have when it comes to people, actual human beings. Because people are supposed to be that much more interesting! I know it's hard to say that about certain people, but we are complex and made in God's image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
People have this new thing: Relationship goals. Well let's take it to another level and say that actually getting to know people, and trying to get to know them before coming to the conclusion that they're not so great people should be a 'relationship goal'. Man, that's kinda lame but you get the point.
9. Also, save money.
Self-explanatory. Guilty as heck of not doing so. 'Nuff said.
Comments
Post a Comment