When life gives you some amazing friends, gain a new perspective on the importance of spending time with them.
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Welcome to the Be Your Best Self Blog by Marsha Abbott.
"Just You Wait & See"
We did it! My best girlfriends and I finally made it happen! And I just have to tell you, it was so worth the wait. In fact, I am so excited to share with you what I learned along the way because through it all…it ended up changing my life for the better. And I bet it will change yours too…just you wait and see.
So I have known my best girlfriends for so long that I literally don’t remember a time where they weren’t apart of my life. That is how long we have been besties! And when I think back to all of my best loved childhood memories, well let’s just say that these girls are in all of them!
And so recently, after all these years, we finally had the chance to experience something together that we have never done before. And it was an experience I’ll never forget because it really did make my life better. So what did we do? Well, we finally all took a trip to sunny Mexico to celebrate our 40th birthdays together. We finally made it happen! Now some of you are probably thinking, “What is so special about a beach trip to Mexico with your friends?” But hang tight with me on this one and just you wait and see…
Thinking back to our younger years, I can’t believe we didn’t make this adventure happen sooner. But as I reflect on our journey through life together, it does seem to make sense why it was so hard to pull this off…
High school years made it impossible to plan this sort of excursion. College years gave us spring break, but there was just never a good time (or enough money for that matter) to take on an adventure like this. And then marriage and babies came, which made “getting away” that much more difficult. As working mom’s, we always either felt too busy or too guilty to leave our normal life behind for a while. We always had excuses and just never found the time…that is until now.
And maybe it’s because we are all going through a mid-life crisis…I don’t know. But if that is the case, then bring on our middle-aged years. Because if it’s anything like this amazing trip together, I plan to soak in each and every moment before this time quickly passes us by.
So what made this one trip so special? What sets it apart from all of the other memories we have together? How did it end up impacting my life for the better? And how will it impact yours?
The first thing this trip taught me is that it’s okay to take a break with my friends…for more than one day. A break from my kids…a break from my day-to-day life…with no guilt…with no excuses needed. It reminds me of this quote by Yasmine Cheyenne: “Say it with me: I don’t have to explain why I need a break. Not even to myself. I do not have to earn rest.” And we don’t…we don’t have to earn rest. When enough is enough…it’s okay to disappear for a few days with your best girls.
When is the last time you did that? When is the last time you spend more than a day with your besties? Do you always make excuses why it won’t work? If so, maybe it’s time to take that much needed break from reality with your best friends.
The second thing this trip taught me is that laughter really is the best medicine. And I mean really…it is! My girls and I…we spent each and every day literally just laughing…nonstop! We laughed well past the point of it hurting. We laughed until we were out of breath. We laughed with each other…we even laughed at each other. When you are around the best of friends, anything is allowed.
When is the last time you laughed so hard your abs hurt? When is the last time you sat with your besties and just let the giggles flow? If you can’t remember, it’s time to bring your crew together and just laugh already. Because laughing till your stomach hurts…well it just feels so good, and it really is the best kind of medicine.
And lastly, what I learned on this adventure is that if you are one of the lucky ones to have true genuine friends in your life who love you for YOU…who pass no judgement…who hold no jealously…who love you no matter what…well then, hold tight to these friends. And work hard to foster that relationship because those friendships only come around once in a lifetime, and they should never be taken for granted. And I will never again, after this trip, take for granted the amazing women I have in my life. I really am one of the lucky ones, and this was just the reminder I needed.
When is the last time you told your friends how amazing they are? When is the last time they felt your love? If it has been a while, then don’t forget to remind them how special they really are in your life.
So yes, my girls and I, we finally did it! We finally ended up making it happen! And I am so grateful for all that I learned along the way. As for you: Take some time and let these words serve as a reminder. A reminder that if you too have those special friendships in your life, don’t forget to take that much needed break and enjoy some time with them….with no excuses…with no guilt. Because like I said, they really will end up changing your life for the better…just you wait and see.
*For those of you struggling with something in life or have a topic of interest that you want me to talk about in this blog, email me at BeYourBestSelfBlog@gmail.com. Let’s work together to Be Our Best Selves!