In your heartache, don’t be reactionary. Sit with your pain as hard as it may be. You’ll be tempted to get angry with the person who’s caused it. But I say sit with it. Allow yourself to feel the ache and mourn the loss. Your anger will dissipate into sadness and sadness will slip into despair. But again, I say sit with your feelings. These moments will reveal what’s within you and give you the courage to make necessary changes. The pain comes from holding on to what needs to be released. This’ll take time, sometimes years. But this process will strengthen and mature you over time.
Use this time to comfort yourself – listen to your favourite songs, go to your local cafe, read a good book, call a friend, watch a movie, eat at your favourite restaurant, or simply look up at the stars. Overtime, you’ll remember how much good and beauty there is in the world. And that’ll lighten your heart and lift your spirits. Love yourself immensely and tread gently in the days to come. And my hope is that you’ll be stronger, brighter, and more beautiful after your dark storm passes.
Sometimes, it’s easy to misunderstand what people are saying and we can easily get offended by their words – especially from those who are closest to us. But before we judge, condemn, or scold them; it’s wise to ask them for clarification on what they meant rather than assuming the worst. This act alone will clear up any misunderstandings, open doors to effective communication, and save us a lot of heartache. So before we get offended by someone’s words, let’s ask them what they meant in a non-threatening way.
©2015 Susie Lee
Don’t ever give up. Believe in yourself. Celebrate every small victory. Look back with satisfaction and look forward with hope. Everyday is new opportunity to grow, discover, and learn despite past hurts, regrets, or mistakes. Don’t compare yourself with others as life unfolds for each person in their own time. Drop the ego and practice humility on a daily basis. Don’t be content with what you know, always be a learner. Be kind, especially to those who can’t repay you back. Practice self-control by desiring fewer things. Learn to de-clutter your living space, office space, and especially your mental space. If you’re feeling lost, get back to the basics. It’s okay to start over with life, love, and your dreams.
©2015 Susie Lee
Whether you’re single or taken, love affects us all – we need it, give it, and use it. Every one of us has this immeasurable longing to be loved and deep desire to give love to our friends, family, and the world at large. Although love itself cannot be seen it can be visible through our actions towards one another and it can be felt in our hearts beyond words can ever articulate.
Valentine’s Day is for all of us, not just for some. This day is a wonderful reminder of our greatest gift to one another – our capability to give love and to receive love. As we embrace this truth and embody this love in every part of our lives, may we see the transformation within ourselves and in the lives around us. Happy Love Day!
©2015 Susie Lee
I don’t know about you but I have the tendency to think I have all the time in the world; to complete tasks, fulfill my dreams, and spend time with loved ones. But when we think this way we begin to procrastinate, let opportunities slip through our fingers, and we can become lethargic and lazy. Before we know it, life has passed us by without having much to show for it. Our unfulfilled dreams slowly turn into regrets and we believe it’s too late to make up for lost time.
The bad news is that time does fly but the good news is that we’re in control of how we spend or invest it. First, we need to take an honest inventory on where our time is going. Second, we need to prioritize and ruthlessly cut out things, apps, or people out of our lives. Third, just start – write the first page of that book, turn that blueprint invention into a reality, apply for that dream job. Here are some tips on how we can make the most use of our time, and make the most of our lives:
©2015 Susie Lee
Today, I’ve finally accepted the fact that life isn’t going to be perfect – relationships won’t look happily ever after, best intentions won’t always turn out for the best, life won’t be all figured out, and mistakes will repeat itself. There’s no quick fix or an easy band-aid solution to life’s problems. Sometimes they go away but most times they come back disguised in different forms. Life is both beautiful and painful.
We need to understand that there’ll be some great days and some not so great days. And that’s okay. Instead of trying to get rid of, numb, or ignore our pain, it would be wise to embrace the lessons it wants to bring to us. I know it’ll be painful, even to the point of death. But maybe, just maybe, new life will emerge from the ashes of death – the kind of life that can’t be killed by human hands or life’s circumstance. Be brave through life’s battle; it’s okay to stumble along the way just do your best, be true to who you are, and never give up – there’s beauty waiting for you right around the corner.
©2015 Susie Lee
It’s almost impossible to be happy for someone when we’re envying him or her. Envy isn’t necessarily about wanting what the other person has but more about our fears and insecurities within, ‘I’m going to get left behind? I’m not good enough? Why not me?’ It’s not about getting something in as much as emphasizing who we aren’t. That’s why it takes an incredible amount of maturity to be genuinely happy for someone while we’re wrestling with our own demons. If we’re not careful, these bitter feelings will poison our thoughts and slowly rot our hearts. Of course, we’d never openly admit we’re envious but if we don’t learn to rise above it, it’ll eat us up from the inside out.
Instead of bashing ourselves for feeling envious, we should use it as an indicator to see what’s going on in our hearts – do we have a lust for fame, desire for recognition, or a sense of entitlement? We can use our pain and heartache as an opportunity to discover, grow, and improve ourselves. Being envious won’t change the situation but it will change us, for the worse. Life’s too short to compare and complain so we might as well have a great attitude and celebrate with those around us.
©2015 Susie Lee
living your best 