I'm Not Where I Thought I'd Be and Other Life Lessons

I thought people at thirty had their lives figured out.

For the longest time I envisioned when I got to thirty, some sort of voodoo magic would happen and my life would be everything I’d ever dreamed. At thirty, Id love waking up on time AND vegetables. I’d do yoga everyday followed by a light jog as the sun sets. I would be the perfect mom definitely not one with those little jerks who scream and throw themselves on the ground in the supermarket. I’d be happily married whilst having time for myself, my relationship, my job and aspiring career, my kids, my friends, my family, and of course, plenty of community service. The adultiest of all the adults.

LOL

Oh and at thirty, I certainly wouldn’t be using my early 2000’s AIM lingo or regularly include twelve exclamation points, emojis, and slang terms in every text conversation and email. Certainly not!!! LMAO. 

My point is, I thought life would look different. And not that life is bad. I just had a vision I’d wake up and suddenly know everything there is to know. Yet, here I am regularly hiding out from specific moon phases and planets spinning backwards.Intention is important, but I think expectation can be harmful. Because when the expectation doesn’t arrive how you thought it would, you start feeling like a total failure. Like you’re the only one who doesn’t know the secret recipe to a sauce everyone is cooking.

How could life not worked out how you wanted it to? Didn’t you do enough? All that junk catching you off guard wasn’t fair! You would’ve had it together if only… 

But there’s no if onlys. Life happens however it shows up for you. Shit hits the fan and you can’t possible prepare for some of the wild curve balls the Universe flings in your direction. As much as I believe goals and a vision are important, I also want to remind you how deeply vital you must master the art of flow. 

Flow is the ability to move with ease and grace with whatever shows up in your world. Even when that job opportunity you were dying for or the person you were all hot and bothered by doesn’t end up going the way you wished. Flow is the ability to find peace in discomfort and plans going awry. The ability to shift with the seasons as they arise. Flow doesn’t mean not ever having a bad response or bad day but more so about understanding life has a basket full of lemons.  No one gets to bypass the lemon party. So, it’s up to you to turn your lemons into a lemon drop martini. 

Wherever you are at in your life is important. Even if your current life sucks or isn’t what you dreamed it would be. Your situation right now in this very moment was built specifically for you to learn about yourself or about the world. It’s necessary for you to learn from your mistakes and engage in your personal growth. 

We rarely grow in a pretty fashion. There’s often a lot of rain and mud required for even the most solid seeds to bloom.So, if this is you, and you thought for sure you’d be somewhere else or be someONE else by now, I encourage you to love on where you’re at. Set your sights on what you want but love what the trials and set backs have helped you become. Appreciate all the lessons from the unexpected twists, turns, and interruptions. 

Always set goals for yourself but let them show up for you in the way they were meant to. Maybe God has something even better in store and he just has to show you your power first. 

Catch more from Nichole by following her instagram page @nicholeeaton.xo

Or get your copy of her book Rock Your Soul: The Down-to-Earth Guide to Mastering Your Mind