Life Lessons

I've been spending a lot of time recently reflecting on life and the things I have learnt.  Life is not a fairy tale and things will not always go the way you plan them. 

I was sure that by this point in my life I would be a
home owner and married with my own family.  In reality I'm living in someone else's flat.  I'm married and going through a divorce after discovering my husband of less than 2 years was having an affair and I am childless after a year and a half of trying to conceive with said ex-husband.  Learning to live without someone that I have spent the past ten years growing with has been a real struggle, someone I thought I could trust and depend on, someone I loved with everything I had has literally thrown it back in my face and taken me for a fool.  It's not at all how I had things planned out, but it is not all bad.

I have the most loving and supportive family who have been my rocks through everything.  Through thick and thin I know they will always be there for me no matter what.

I have made some of the best friendships with the greatest of girls and I couldn't be happier that they are all a part of my life.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they all remain a big part of the rest of my life too.

I discovered my love for the British countryside and know that it is where my heart belongs.  I may not be living in the countryside right now, but I will, that I am sure of. 

I have also been lucky to travel to some pretty incredible places and experienced some great things, creating  memories that I will treasure for a lifetime and am currently planning more travels to enjoy soon.   

I genuinely believe that everything happens for a reason.  So in terms of everything bad I have been through, as strange as it may seem, I am grateful for it to a degree because it has shaped me to the person that I am today and I am very proud of that strong independent woman.  And if I were to go back and do it all again, would I change things? Of course I would, but in the grand scheme of things, not all that much.  The changes I would make are only small.  I would definitely travel more, that is probably the biggest thing I would change. 

Ultimately life is all about give and take but it's important to be selfish, I mean it's your life and why shouldn't you do the things that you want to do, the things that make you happy?!  We are all guilty of wanting to please others but in reality what is the point of this if we are not pleasing ourselves.

I have turned down a fair few opportunities of some fantastic holidays and experiences in the past because I was 'saving' And what do I have to show for it now?  Nothing.  One thing I have learnt is that you will always find the money if you need to.  I'm not talking about going out and spending thousands of pounds on a round the world cruise, but I've turned down these opportunities and missed out on making memories with loved ones, in exchange for new clothes and toot that I really didn't need, all because I was supposed to be saving but didn't.

That said, this learning curve has caused me to throw caution to the wind now.  I'm determined to make the most of life because do you know what, as cliché as it sounds, we only live once and I want to make sure I have a heap of memories to show for it.

~ Gem x