Tuesday, 2 February 2016
In This Life, I Choose Growth
I want to open up to you in a way I haven't before.
I started The Small Town Girl with the goal of reviewing and sharing products for girls who want to curate a collection of cosmetics or clothes that maybe cost a little bit more, but work and 'do' as they say. The idea behind the words is to promote a habit of shopping strategically so we don't buy more and more on a whim, find ourselves out of pocket and then inundated with products and clothes that are essentially useless.
Today, I'm letting you in on my entire lifestyle. My thoughts, and my approach to this crazy thing called life. It's immensely important for me to let you know who I am as an overall person, beyond the mascara and bags. I speak from my heart when I say I really and truly aim for you to come here to feel uplifted, encouraged and incredibly inspired on a personal level. The Small Town Girl is evolving, and the blog itself now goes beyond me as I feel you as a reader deserve a platform promoting positivity, self-belief, true happiness and inspiration.
Are you ready?
Hi, I'm Sarah-Louise and I choose growth - and you can too.
1. My Journey, thus far
There are moments in our lives when something clicks. Call it an eureka moment, or a spec of enlightenment - either way, something settles and shifts within.
When I was 20 I desperately wanted to fit the mould I ironically thought was required of me, but wasn't. I immensely struggled with my weight and image, felt incredibly low, lost and lonely in the valleys of university life and worried about what life held for me - if anything. But in the midst of that, a scheming and hearty voice within never stopped dreaming, planning and in some ways, hustling.
Flash forward to now, I am a 24 year old adult with dreams, hopes and aspirations as big, intangible and scary as ever. What's changed? I finally see and accept the big picture. We all have our own journeys to navigate, I believe you don't just wake up and 'voila' life is awesome but I do believe it's a conscious decision we must make each morning as we take our first sleep induced steps.
What's the big picture? It's simply seeing life for what it is - a wild and wonderful journey we only get one shot at. In order to move forward we must choose growth.
2. Take action
We long to be loved harder, to receive kindness from strangers, to excel in what we truly put our hearts into and above all, we yearn for happiness. People say, the world can't change. It won't change. How can I change it? I'm but a speck in an ocean of people - what can I do?
Take action.
If you want to see more kindness in the world, be kinder. If you want to receive love, then learn to give it freely and boldly without expectation. I believe we must learn to willingly give to the world what we hope to one day receive, the key is not to expect as you give but to learn to give freely and selflessly.
3. Passion, creativity and the struggle
If you know me on a personal level, you'll know I don't do things in half measures. I'm a true dreamer, an enthusiastic doer and a wholehearted believer but like every human being, doubt comes a knocking on my door.
At the grand old age of 24, I've realised a profound truth in my journey which has started to deeply shape my attitude and goals - I simply don't care to make lots of money in this life. Rewind ten years and my attitude towards the topic would be polar opposite, but thankfully we learn as we choose to grow.
So - what do I want? I want to pursue the things I am immensely and overwhelmingly passionate about. To choose true happiness and joy each day I wake, to close my eyes on a blink of gratitude, to dream higher and higher as I sleep and then to rise the next day ready to work towards those goals.
Why do I wholeheartedly believe this is possible? Simply because my life, is my life. It is what I make it. When I'm in the gutter feeling low, I don't block the emotion anymore but embrace it and then discard it, moving forwards. Onwards. When I wake I desperately cling to the decision I am confronted with each morning - do I choose to be happy? Yes. I do.
What am I trying to tell you? I'm on a journey. You too are on a journey. After years of squandering opportunities and happiness, I personally encourage you to choose growth. You don't need to live a mundane life, you don't have to replay that negative rut day in, day out and nor do you have to continuously worry, fret, gossip or chastise.
The day's move quickly, weeks flash by and the months endlessly sprawl in like waves kissing the shoreline. I believe when we choose to say NO to a tiring 'blah' routine, to living unintentionally and the 'pft it's life' attitude, that we finally start to live. We are faced with fresh challenges, new friendships, a new season and importantly - I genuinely believe when we choose to grow with intent, the day's slow down.
I'm only dipping my toe in the pool of my journey, and I am immensely excited by all I've learnt so far. How blessed we are when we open our eyes and choose to see.
Won't you join me?
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Ah Sarah - Louise so well written! I love your positivity and I think starting out its best to acknowledge its not always going to be wonderful - but it will be all you! Who you really are! Looking forward to reading more! Xx Siobhan
ReplyDeleteI feel like you are saying what I want to say!!!!!! My last blog was about dreams and aspirations but it feels like you talk on a deeper, personal and intimate level..... I LOVE IT!!!!! Don't let go of your enthusiasm!!!!! You are an amazing lady ready to come out and conquer the world!!!!! I absolutely love your writing as well.... So deep & real...... :)
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