Learning to Live

I decided to make 2013 a year for bettering myself as a person and as I reflect on the past year, I know I am far from the person I want to be, but I definitely learned some valuable lessons about life. So here they are. 1. Appreciate EVERYTHING. I focused a lot on being thankful this year and with that I learned how important it is to appreciate everything: moments, days, feelings, things, and people. Especially people. And make sure you tell the people you appreciate that you appreciate them. That's something we don't do enough and it's important to do it while we can. Plus, everyone likes to feel appreciated. 2. Be honest with everyone- including yourself. Even though it can be difficult, it's better to be honest than to become trapped in a web of lies. And it's also a good idea to avoid lying to yourself. If you can be honest with yourself you figure things out a lot quicker and it will be easier in the long run. 3. You can't make everyone happy. Th...

Earlier this year I challenged myself to write down 1,000 things I am thankful for: http://erinthompson11.blogspot.com/2013/01/1000-things.html It has truly been a challenge and I'm sure there are a couple repeats on my list, but nevertheless I have found 1,000 things to be thankful for. It may seem like an easy task, but there are times when you feel silly writing down little things. But that's the point. We have so much to be thankful for. My list is filled with people, moments, feelings and things. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to compile a list of 1,000 things, but we tend to think that we have to come up with really big and important ideas. Although there are big and important things, there are little things that are equally important and it's crucial that we realize how many things we have to be thankful for. It doesn't matter if you are religious or not, the act of being thankful should never be a chore and it is something we should pr...

Here's another sappy post about how much I love my life. We recently finished up with the Concordia Christmas concert. Although it was a tad stressful to have it the weekend before finals, I am so thankful I was able to be a part of this wonderful experience. These concerts are truly magical and joining choir at Concordia is one of the best decisions I have ever made. One of the reasons choir is so wonderful is because it gives you the opportunity to share your gifts and use your most personal instrument: your voice. Sharing something so personal with an audience is an awesome experience. The thought of sharing a message through singing is something that I find truly fascinating. I also just really love singing. It makes me really happy. And I like that my singing makes other people happy. One of the other reasons choir is wonderful is because of the fabulous people that I am surrounded by. I love how choir has the ability to take a diverse group of people and make them a fam...

Here's a piece I wrote for the High Plains Reader  this month: The holidays are supposed to be a time filled with joy and family. We are surrounded by loved ones and delicious food; how could one not be happy? Unfortunately, every year people around the world are forced to face their first holiday without a loved one. And for many, the holidays serve as a reminder of the ones that are no longer with us. Recently, a group of students at Concordia College held a student panel on the topic of grief and how to move on with life after loss. One student described this grief as a scar that will never fully heal. Although several families will endure their first holiday season without a loved one, this may not be something that gets easier with time. Every family endures a loss followed by a holiday season at some point in their life. Unfortunately, we live in a society that constantly expects us to put on a happy face, even when things are difficult. Should this always be the case? I...