"I got this", has literally become my life's mantra.
When I first started dating my husband, we were having a conversation and I said to him, "this is genuinely how I feel, and as much as I love who you are and am so in love with you, if you decided to leave me tomorrow for whatever reason it may be, sure I'd be heartbroken, and yes I would cry for days, but then I'd get over it. I'd move on because "I GOT ME"!
Now mind you he didn't care for this at first but as time went on he understood.
I don't NEED a man to make my life complete, I wanted a partner to "do" life with. I NEED a job but I'm not willing to settle for less than I'm worth. "I" make the conscious decision to invite people into my life and my circle. And it's up to me to make sure that I protect myself first and foremost.
It's up to ME to allow the words, and the actions to hurt or hinder me in any way. If I can't own the changes I need to improve my life and essentially my SELF, when times are tough and shits getting real hard, no one else will have me, so "I got this".
Now I'm not saying that my husband, friends or family wouldn't be there for me, but it's not the same. And it shouldn't be. It's great to have support, but we need to be standing in our own corner of the ring of life.
So funny story about me in regards to staying strong within yourself, and having your own back in times of need. My husband and I decided to go for a hike. When I say hike, I'm the type that a hike means a leisurely stroll along a path, with a back pack full of snacks and cool refreshments in it...aka wine!
I read the reviews about this so called hike, and not once did it say it wasn't meant for the faint of heart, not once did it say that during most of the hike you will feel like your lungs are going to blow out your ears because you need to get your ass to the gym, and should have been doing extensive training before this hike!
And not once did it say that you should probably have a donkey to help carry your ass up the bloody steep mountain side. But there I was doing it anyways. My husband was in the lead, mostly because his legs are longer, but mainly because I didn't want to hold him up with all my panting and spitting.
At first I thought, "Ok this won't be that bad", and the view is meant to be amazing at the top. It will all be worth it". But at about the 1/4 of the way mark, I had some serious doubts I was going to be able to do this. With my husbands support and my inner crazy coming out to help push my mind through this hellish hike...all I kept thinking was... " I got this... I can do this... I'm doing this". This mantra I repeated to myself over and over again, and it was when I was just about to the top I thought ..."ok I'm not sure I got this". Looking up at the steep wall of smoothed over rocks, that looked as though I should have cables and a pulley system to pull me the rest of the way, my husband looked down at me, reached for my hand, I took a deep breath and said, "Ok Shannon, straighten your shit out....you got this"! And I did! We made it to the top and it was breathtaking. I had a cookie and a drink of water, which I was wishing was wine, and took a million photos so I would have proof of this accomplishment.
In this life we need to make thing's happen and this is where hustle comes in.
I think there are way too many excuses in every day life and it can become a struggle to make our own shit happen. Don't get me wrong I can also be guilty of this. But at least I'm aware and admit it! What's your excuse?! I feel like reality often slaps us in the face, but for some reason we let the stupid in. We are quick to place blame or skirt subjects that couldn't be more in our face if it were puberty.
As I age I think about things with a bit of a twist- I guess I'd say. I think about what I have and what I don't have and why. I have learned to put myself first in a selfish, not so selfish sort of way. This works for me, but I'm sure some of my nearest and dearest think otherwise... I don't care. I truly do not! I know who I am inside and out.
I think back to some of my younger years, which if I'm honest, don't even seem that far in the past, and wonder what the hell I was thinking. Why did I decide to stay at that shit job, or with that asshole who wouldn't even OFFER to pay for the date that HE asked me out on. And now I can say that I'm in such a strong and positive place in my life, that those things were what helped make me who and what I stand for today.
All those life experiences and all the ones to follow are the stepping stones of my version of a perfect life. My perfect life! So going forward with my own personal life, I continue to focus on what makes me happy and what helps me to find the place of sincere happy that fills my internal battery. And when all is said and done, no matter what happens or presents itself in my life, I know "I GOT THIS", whatever "THIS" may be!