shut up | you have a new chance

Every new year, there's new resolutions. After, of course, the rants of all the great things that happened to people last year or how all the old year deserves is a "good ridance" because of all the unfortunate happenings. Then come the new goals. Gain more followers. Take a picture of myself every day. Work out 3x a week (this was me last year...I failed). Blog xyz amount of times a week (Also failed). Eat this. Stop that. Learn how to do everything in the world I could possibly dream of while healing all my wounds, running 5k a day, and baking vegan, gluten & aluminum free pancakes for my hot hubby. #blessed

shut up. 

Sorry if that was rude but seriously. Just stop for a second. Just stop and brush off all of the pressures of our culture to have certain goals.  Look a certain way. Do certain things. Allow yourself to stop. Allow yourself to step away from all the voices trying to convince you of things... sell you certain ideas... and brainwash you into thinking you are never enough. Now... are you ready for this??

it's not about you.

Ok. That sounded rude too. But think about it. It's actually a huge relief. In a society with so much constant pressure all focussing on our outward images and what talents or skills we have to offer.... we don't have to give it any of our concern. Because in the end... it is not about us. 

Now I'm not discouraging growth or reaching goals or learning new things. I'm just discouraging this as the center of our attention...as our main goal...as the measuring stick of our worth. 

We live in a world where little children are living in homeless shelters (aka. rape houses), shivering themselves to sleep wondering if their baby siblings are warm enough and if their mommy's will bring home something for them to eat in the morning. Our world has 20.9 million victims of sex trafficking. And anorexia is the third most chronic illness among adolescents. So my question to you is 

what are you doing with your freedom? 

what do you do when given the ultimate blessing of a new year, a new chance?

This life is really not about us. We are blessed with the opportunity to be on this earth now...when there is so much brokenness and so many needs. This life is about serving and blessing others. Our world needs love. It needs positivity. It needs peace, understanding, and kindness.

I urge you to consider this as you decide what it is you want to set your mind to when given a new chance. What do you really want to invest in this new year? What is your ultimate goal?

xo ronnie