4 Qualities I Admire

Life is a journey, and I think most of us would agree that in some way, great or small (but usually small, at least for me), we are seeking to improve and become better than we are right now in this moment. That isn’t to say we can’t love ourselves for who we are RIGHT NOW — I may not be perfect, but I can reflect about me and come up with a list of things that I love about me. I can also list many more things I would like to change and improve upon. As I’ve mentioned before, my focus word for the year is SUNSHINE.

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Part of bringing sunshine into my life is making positive changes — actively CHOOSING sunshine in my life. I’ve set several goals for myself … some I hope to meet this year. Others will take much longer. As I’ve traveled on my personal journey in life, I have had (and continue to have) the privilege of interacting with some truly amazing people. I feel so blessed to have their influences in my life. Each possesses at least one quality that I admire and seek for in my own life. I thought I’d share a handful of those qualities with you –partly to remind myself of the goals I have set and to hold myself accountable, but also because maybe perhaps you’re seeking these qualities in your life too, and we can help each other.

4 Qualities I Admire

1. Balance — Have you ever known someone that just always seems to have it together? I don’t know quite how to describe it — it’s not just that their home is clean and orderly, or that they never forget a commitment, or that they seem to have time for everyone. They’re just … centered. Do you know what I mean? They just radiate balance and positive energy … and just by being near them you feel some of that rub off on you, that somehow just being with them has helped to straighten out some of the inner chaos you feel. Right now, I totally crave balance (maybe because my life sometimes feel so chaotic, which I suppose is normal with a 2-year-old, lol!) and I am actively working on some little things I can change to help me be more balanced. A few days in the last 2 weeks have, overall, felt more balanced, and let me tell you, I just basked in that beauty. Wow. I hope one day I will feel balanced more hours in the day (or even days in the week) than I feel chaotic.
2. Patience — Yes, patience is definitely a virtue. I have moments (rare, brief moments) of patience and I love the sense of control I feel in those moments. The rest of the time … well, let’s just say I don’t feel very virtuous, lol! I think a healthy dose of patience in my life could go a long way to strengthening my most important relationships. Becoming more patient helps us develop a greater love — for ourselves, our families, our friends … even perhaps those who are annoying or aggravating us.
3. Good listener — Anyone who knows me knows I jabber too much. I get caught up in the conversation and then it’s jabber jabber jabber … I catch myself doing it way too much. I would much rather be a listener than a talker — but not just a listener. A good listener. I want to be involved in the conversation — not jumping ahead or zoning out, but 100% there, listening and understanding. First, though, I think I better work on just keeping my mouth shut.
4. Self-Worth — I have known more than one person in my life who just seemed to know with every fiber of her being that she had value and was beautiful just as she was. I would like to reach a point where EVERY TIME I look in the mirror, my first thoughts (maybe even my only thoughts) are positive. I think increasing my own sense of self-worth will take me a long way on my journey to increase sunshine in my life. It’s one of the reasons I’m participating in the About Me challenges in Sweet Shoppe Designs’ monthly portfolios. I want to take time to reflect on me, scrapbook about me, learn about me.

And there you have it, just 4 of the many qualities I’d love to one day have. But I think for now, I’ll just stick with these. What qualities do you admire? What improvements are you making in your life? Do you love yourself more today than you did yesterday?