Soulful Sundays #1

Happy Sunday! And welcome to Soulful Sundays. As I brainstormed ideas of what I could write about on this blog, one of the things I thought of doing was creating 'weekly recap' or 'what I've learned' content; a Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul kind of thing. These posts are where I will be sharing life lessons or precious moments that I have encountered throughout each week; and let me tell you: I am so excited to be starting this new series. So for this first Soulful Sunday, what better way to kick things off than to talk about the verse that is displayed and sort of what I use as the motto or inspiration for this blog.

When I was designing this platform, I struggled trying to find a picture that matched the whole theme and aesthetic of my blog. I switched between a number of photos, never feeling content with a single one, so I thought about putting words or a quote in its place instead. For so long I tried searching for or even making up a saying that could represent the kind of feeling that I wanted my blog to have the essence of. One day, I remembered that I usually typed out quotes that I liked in the notes on my phone (to save them and to be honest use them for any of my future instagram captions). So I decided to take a look at it and that's where I saw the one. I totally forgot about this verse, but I am so glad that past me had saved it for me to find.

Proverbs 16:24 says, "Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul..." What a perfect way to summarize what I want my work and content to resemble. In a world that can be so cruel and discouraging, we all should strive to be the light that lifts people up and brings a smile to their face. It's amazing to think that just as you can add even just a drop of honey to make something sour taste better, just one kind word that you say to someone can completely change their day and even the course of their life. Not just to others, but even the words we say to ourselves determine how we build and hold ourselves as unique individuals of society.

Words have so much power; even more power than we realize for them to have. Especially during the rough patches that we go through in life, we always have to think before we speak. We have to ask ourselves: "Is what I'm about to say going to lift myself/the other person up?" If not, then don't say it. "Is what I'm about to say something that I'm going to regret?" If it is, then don't say it. "Am I reacting negatively to something that won't even matter to me in a week, or even the next day?" If it's something so small that it won't matter to you in a matter of time, then don't speak out of anger on that impulse feeling.

Remembering to pause, take a breath, and ask myself these questions before reacting to the things I experience in life has definitely saved me from wasting my time and energy on negativity. Although I am definitely not perfect and at times still find myself saying things that can be hurtful, following these steps has allowed me to work on being more understanding and kind to those around me and myself; and it is definitely something that I want to keep working on.

In the end, family and relationships are more important than anything in the world. Whether it be a family member, a friend, or just a stranger, remember to always choose kindness. Choose to bring a smile to someone's day rather than sadness. Choose to uplift spirits and be a source of joy and love.

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