Well, in some ways I don’t manage so well with the storms of life. It’s my tendency to like my comfortable status quo. I’m an introvert in a way so like my world tends to be smaller haha and I just like things that way, that’s why storms … oy, do not handle changes well. What really helps is knowing that God has expectations for my behavior in a way, trying to conform to those expectations makes me question my tendencies and that helps me to develop as I try to find methods to change my behavior/situation which then pushes me to be more accepting and tolerant, to seek more than just annoyance that things aren’t exactly how I’d like as this turtle introvert, to be more understanding. So the storms of life mostly seem to strengthen my faith.

I think we all love fully at every moment for the capacities of our understanding. An example is that throughout my life, even now, I’ve seen a slow evolution of my understanding … but at every point in the way that I could, what made sense for me I tried to act from love — we all have and do. As we heal, our understanding of how to behave lovingly changes … but all actions start from love, a deep desire to alleviate suffering. In countless ways, every single day, if you truly follow the path of motivation to its root you can see how deeply we all love one another, think so highly of one another … we are all loving each other in a way that makes a difference

Be myself. It’s OK to be a shy introvert who isn’t comfortable with having an Instagram and isn’t YOLOing 24/7. I’m a shy, thoughtful person who likes meditating, researches things to know what is factual before giving an opinion as I dislike saying non-factual things – so actually can’t give an opinion on much, and just is not good at all at being the big cheese. I’m rather forgettable, overly deferential and at times timid and I think it is OK, is rather positive maybe. I sorta just think I like being left alone haha

This sounds weird but like the growth for me is from becoming more discerning. Naturally I can be like, oh yes everything is perfect! You are so wonderful!! But then people are upset, others are mad etc and I really spent so much of my life confused what I was doing wrong, adjusting all the time cause I felt they must know better than me. I’d think, you are so perfect I must be faulty if you are saying I’m bad and I have to change. But now with discernment I can see, oh actually this person just criticizes everyone or the things they want me to change to are not positive and it isn’t me, it’s their way. In gaining that discernment I appreciate myself more

Well I use to think I wasn’t anything special, I’d see people with so much more in terms of social ability, intelligence, appearance etc and I’d try to be like them. But now, I realize the person I didn’t like, that old me had a lot of great qualities, chief among them seeing the best in others … so now I think that being me is pretty awesome. I just try to be me and appreciate the good I contribute through being me. I’m a very optimistic person that sees the best in others, the world, and can find pages of positive to say about even people others really dislike. As I get older I realize that’s really rare!! So I try to share with others my enthusiasm for their positive qualities.