what my 39 looks like & my favorite things giveaway
As of this past Sunday, I am officially 39 and have began my final year of my thirties.
You know, I’m not positive what I expected from my thirties, but I’m pretty sure I had expected to have figured it all out. Ya know…so that I could slide into my “old” age with so much knowledge and understanding and just enjoy the rest of life. Right? Now, I think, each decade, perhaps each year, is about learning a different part of yourself. My teens were about growth, change, fun, and mistakes…lots of mistakes. My twenties were about discovering my love and what we wanted and didn’t want in life. My thirties have seemed to be where the real hard work came in. The deep down, soul discovering, work. I’ve realized that I’m not exactly like I thought I was. The me I thought existed was a lot less complicated. Always sweet and kind, slow to anger, knew what kind of momma she would be, knew what she would and wouldn’t do in a given situation, knew she could do anything she “set her mind” to, knew she could just simply choose joy, knew what kind of wife she would always be, knew happiness was everything, and thought she had fought through the hardest. The thirties me found that while I do strive to be kind and am a pretty pleasant person, I’m not quite as slow to anger as I thought…just slow to release anger and quick to shove all that negative stuff down (ah…but late thirties me is getting so much better at this). The momma I thought I’d be didn’t have to contend with postpartum depression. I truly mourned the momma I thought I’d be for a long long time. But now, most of the time, I celebrate the mom I actually am. I don’t always know what I would or wouldn’t do in a situation. I know that life is complicated and things just aren’t always so black and white. I do believe I can do anything I’m meant to do, but I’m not always meant for the things I “set my mind” to. Sometimes I can set my mind to something and then realize it’s not what I am made for. I believe in choosing love. There were days when anxiety and depression had it’s grip on me so intensely that choosing joy was not an option. I tried. Truly. It pissed me off so much that I couldn’t just freakin choose it already. Then one day I realized while I couldn’t always choose joy, I could choose love. I could choose to do something small to love myself or to love someone else. One small thing after another. Choosing love along the way. Being a wife, and romantic love in general, certainly is harder than I thought. It’s hard work, just like all the other worthy beautiful things. I also know that I will get out of it what I put into it. And it is one of the most worthy things I could pour my heart into. Instead of happiness, I strive for joy…joy which is a state of being and is always there no matter what emotion comes and goes…happy and full of joy…sad with joy in my heart…full of gratitude and light and love. While I would hope the struggles I’ve had would mean that the worst is behind me, I know that’s not necessarily true and the “hardest” could be just around the next corner…or it may not be…I may have already experienced it. I can choose to let the not knowing…the fear…hold me back…or I can let it remind me to live each day with as much love as I can muster and cover myself and all those around me with all the grace.
just a few of my favorite things give away
You all have made me feel so loved on my birthday that I want to pass on that love to you and share a FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS including…
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a weekly Simplified Planner of your choice (or Emily Ley gift card of equal value)
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one minimalism art journal in a color of your choice
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one pack Paper Mate felt tip pens
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the Book of Joy
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one cute little succulent from Trader Joe’s
One of you, who do the following, will be chosen at random on June 24th:
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First, be sure to…like/share/comment on giveaway post on Priscilla Baierlein Photography facebook page HERE
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Like Priscilla Baierlein Photography facebook business page HERE
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Like/follow Priscilla Baierlein Photography instagram page HERE
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Subscribe to Priscilla Baierlein Photography email list HERE
I can’t wait to share just a few of my favorite things with one of you! 🙂
So so much love,
Cilla
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