What I Learned From Blue Eyeshadow

School is starting for all the kids, and for some reason it got me thinking about when I was in 7th grade. Allow me to explain. 

I went through this phase where I was obsessed with outrageous make-up. Well, I didn't think it was outrageous then, but trust me looking back on pictures, which I wish I had to post for you, it was ridiculous.

I'm talking bright blue eyeshadow, crazy colored mascara, more glitter than any 13 year should be allowed to own, and crazy nail polish to fill an entire kaboodle container. P.S. Do you remember kaboodles? I loved those things!

I've had many years to laugh about that make-up phase, joke about it with my friends and family, and move to neutrals- thank goodness! But, one day I asked my mom, "Why did you let me wear all this crazy make-up?! I looked so silly." Her response was the best- the response that every mom should have to a phase like mine. She said, "It made you so happy, and it wasn't worth a fight over something so silly."

Wisdom.

Remembering her response got me thinking.  

So here are 5 things I learned from my crazy seventh grade make up phase, that hopefully I can constantly remind myself of, and that I'll be able to remember when my daughter is old enough to make lots of her own decisions.... or when she picks out a cat shirt from target, with her birthday money, that I hate. Yup, that happened. :)

Pick Your Battles 

 No doubt, there are moments/times in life where you are presented with a situation that you must decide whether to invest your energy, or walk away. Some things that are thrown in front of you, are super important to focus on and spend time working through.

Just like labor pains. 

They are painful, but you get the precious gift of life at the end.

When you pick the right battle, and fight for the things worth fighting for, there is life on the other side. A renewed sense of who you are, hope, deeper love, and a stronger, more well rounded perspective, even though you went through something painful to get there. That's worth fighting for.

But, there are also other frustrations, moments, people, situations, that are simply silly to even spend energy on, time responding to, fighting with, or getting worked up about. The energy simply isn't worth it. It's not life giving....Like my mom's perspective on my blue eyeshadow. It's a tiny thing, insignificant to the grand scheme of life, and ultimately didn't matter. It wasn't harmful to anyone. 

What's the blue eyeshadow in your life that you can just let go of, let be, and walk away from? 

I wish I could tell you, specifically what the blue eyeshadow vs. life giving labor pains, are, but really it's tailored to your own life. For me, close relationships matter-those are always worth the energy of working through things. But getting worked up over my daughters cat shirt, since I loathe cats, probably isn't the best place to invest my emotions. Kind of like Jenny's sock post in her marriage advice.

 

Do What Makes You Happy  

 

Ask yourself this question: "Am I hurting anyone." 

If your answer is "no" to whatever you're questioning, than do it.

Do what makes you happy.

7th grade for me was an awkward year. Like most 7th graders, right? :)

You're trying to figure out how to fit in, and figure out who you are, while going through puberty.

(Or if you're me, watching everyone else go through puberty, while I was still a scrawny, little thing. Just call me "Late Bloomer.")

I'll tell ya, that crazy make-up, and excessive glitter, made me happy. It was something that I looked forward to doing every morning. 

It allowed me to express myself, in a very non-threatening way. 

It made me happy.

I have different things now, that make me happy, but the underlying theme is the same. 

Doing what makes you happy is important. Life giving.

What makes you happy? What refreshes you? What allows you to express who you are? What gets you through the hard and awkward phases that life often brings? 

Whatever it is DO IT, and don't apologize for it.

If it makes you happy, then wear that blue eyeshadow proud! 

  

True Friends 

Looking back, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had lost a few friends in 7th grade, through my crazy phase. 7th grade is so brutal! But you know what? My friends stuck by me during that silly time, and even joined in with my craze make-up craze. 

See a friend who will stick by you no matter what you look like, what you are going through, or how many bumps there are in the road, is worth keeping around.

Isn't it always amazing to see who of your friends, shines, when you are in the midst of something hard, weird, or painful?  

Not that you "test" your friends on purpose, but naturally, that's what happens when you walk through a new, unknown season. Some drop off, some change, and some walk right in your door. 

Through my blue eyeshadow adventure, I was lucky to have friends who still wanted to be around me, and would even put on the silly stuff with me. 

We all need friends who will jump in and put on blue eyeshadow too, feel your pain, walk through life's seasons, and remain steadfast in their love for you. 

True friends really don't care about your blue eyeshadow. They care about you.

This Too Shall Pass 

My 7th grade make-up phase lasted one year. It was literally, only that year. I started to calm the heck down in 8th grade. 

We have all walked through a handful of different kinds of seasons in our life. Some are refreshing, some are full of self discovery, some suck the life out of you, and some are simply routine.

No matter what kind of phase you are walking through, life moves fast, and those seasons pass.

So what matters? What are the things that regardless of what you are feeling, going through, or discovering, that are steadfast? Those are things you hold onto when the seasons change. 

Change is good. It's hard, it can be painful, it can be refreshing, and it can be timely. 

Invite "this too shall pass." Anticipate "this too shall pass." Embrace "this too shall pass." 

 

I'm glad my 7th grade make-up phase was only a year, and then ended. It was time for me to move on.

There have been other seasons of change and growth that have been really hard for me. But, they've passed as well, just like my blue eyeshadow. I've mourned change and I've welcomed change. Both are so important.

There is just a time where you move on from where you're at, or things move for you. When they do, it's ok, maybe it's even necessary.

Laugh At Yourself

Don't take yourself too seriously, folks. There are just times, and moments, where you have to laugh. Laughter gives you perspective. I'm so glad I can look back at the 7th grade me, and laugh. Yes, it was awkward, goofy, and a bit ridiculous, but it has become quite the memory for me and those who knew me then. I chuckle at how seriously I took my crazy make up, and I laugh at how funny I looked. 

Where you can laugh, laugh. When you do something ridiculous, laugh. Heck, do something silly, just so you can laugh.

Life is too fun to be so serious all the time.

Happy Saturday, friends!

*hugs*