You've got this. You can do it. Keep going.

I was the first baby born in my mom's group of friends. When I came along, she was only 24, an age that seems increasingly younger and younger the older I get. 24! So young.

She had a tight-knit group of pals who were a big part of my early years. Her childhood best friend has always played a key role and I called her Aunt Becky for a time [sidenote: Is that a southern thing? Calling a family friend "auntie" or "uncle"?] Anyway, I somehow outgrew calling her "aunt" and settled on calling her my godmother. It has more pomp and circumstance, don't you think? We're nothing if not over the top (in the very best way).

My mom had another childhood friend named John, who for some reason I called "Poppin' John." I don't know for sure how this moniker came to be, but I think it had something to do with the Smurfs, or Papa Smurf, or perhaps the popular dish hoppin' John?

The point of this story is that even though many of my mom's girlhood pals have gone their separate ways, many of them still keep in touch. Through the magic of social media, I'm in touch with some of them as well, even if I don't see them as often as I'd like. Poppin' John, who is now just John, shared the most wonderful story today on Facebook and I re-posted it on the SBS Facebook page.

I wanted to share it with you too, in case you don't frequent the social medias or maybe missed it.

John shared how he was taking a run while on a business trip. As he neared his hotel, a lady in a McDonald's parking lot hollered out to him "You got this! You can do it! Keep going!"

He said he was so encouraged that it caused him to run up a hill he didn't think he could have mustered before.

He challenged his Facebook friends to "be the encouragement that somebody needs today." It hit me squarely between the eyes. This is what I want out of life.

Be the encouragement.

If my blog is nothing else but this, I will feel like I've achieved my goal.

I so want to use this space as a place to encourage others. It's not about the Pin-worthy outfits or meals I photograph in just the right light. It's not about the swoon-worthy DIY projects I do or the way every room in my house looks like an Anthropologie catalog. None of these things are even true by the way...my last outfit was a Wal-Mart t-shirt, my last meal was at S&S Cafeteria, I haven't DIY'ed in ages and my house is great, but nothing that a design blogger would gasp about.

So many days, sometimes several times a day I find myself needing to hear the words that lady yelled at Poppin' John. You got this. You can do it. Keep going. 

And my guess is that you do too.

Why do we need to hear this so much? I think it's because we're so hell-bent on believing the worst. That we don't got this. We can't do it. And why not just give up?

Honestly, I feel like giving up sometimes. There are sad things all around us. And it's easy to get dragged down by it all.

But the truth is always true. We were created with a purpose. And while this life seems really hard sometimes, there's always good stuff around the corner. We can expect good things. Because we've got this. We can do it. So let's keep going.

Wanting Less

I have a love-hate relationship with magazines. As I type these words, there is a pile of them collecting dust in the next room...some from two and three months back that I haven't yet read. You could say I'm saving them for a day when there's unlimited time to sit and flip through them at leisure (as if that time actually exists in our reality!). 

Or maybe the magazines go unread because sometimes they make me feel sort of funny. Like maybe my life doesn't quite measure up because it doesn't look the way the glossy pages say it should. 

But then sometimes I read something in a magazine that makes me feel oh so encouraged, and not at all like there's anything 'less than' about my experience. More is one of those magazines for me. If you've never read it, I highly recommend it. It seems to have more substance than fluff. 

The latest article that I'm really digging was from the July/August 2014 issue of More, penned by Sandy Hingston. Titled "The joy of wanting less," the article details the author's experience of cleaning out different random spaces in her home on a whim and the feelings that came about. 

Basically, she comes to terms with the fact that her current house is where she'll most likely spend the rest of her days and realizes that if this is the case, why not go ahead and make it exactly what she wants it to be. 

I've shared my own struggle in this with a good friend. I told her once about wanting to re-paint the walls in my house, but how I was paralyzed to do anything because of the hassle that it would require. My thought was if I was probably moving sometime in the future, did it really matter anyway? 

This points to a much bigger issue that I've long struggled with...believing the lie that my life was in some sort of holding pattern and that it hadn't officially begun yet. 

Here are some of the other ways this has played out for me: 

1. Saving a fancy dress for some magical event that never seems to come
2. Not wanting to wear good perfume except on really special occasions, as not to waste it
3. Waiting for the perfect time to visit a dear friend across the country (for the past 10 years!)
4. Not inviting people over to my house because I'm not happy with how it looks (thanks to all those magazines with the picture perfect homes)
5. And, so on and so forth 

I think a big reason for this is that there are lots of things about my life that don't look the way I thought they would when I reached this point in time. We tell ourselves that life should look a certain way when we are out of college, or perhaps reach a particular age. And when it doesn't, there's this idea that the life we are experiencing isn't real because it doesn't look the way we thought it would. 

It's such a trap we fall into. We're missing out on the joy that could come from experiencing every moment because we're waiting for the moment that supposedly hasn't happened yet. 

In the More article, the author talks about letting go of the dream of being the next great novelist, or having a house by the beach, etc. And in doing so, she can stop living for the next thing, but really enjoy what's right in front of her. 

"When you're not ceaselessly anticipating what comes next, you take better care of what you've got." 

I'm happy to say that I've painted my house. And I have gotten new carpet, plus a new rug AND throw pillows! These are small things that bring me such joy because they make my home a more pleasant place. 

And maybe I'll live here forever or maybe I'll move in two years. But either way, I'm not waiting for something that may or may not happen. 

I love this quote from the article too: 

"Being driven all the time to want else, to want more, is exhausting." 

I completely agree.

Is there something you can't seem to move forward about? I hope you feel encouraged that when we let go of the "shoulds" it frees us up to enjoy so much more possibility.  

College Memories: Nostalgia for Years Gone By

You know how when you're younger and you hear old people talk about how things have changed, and how they used to be and maybe how they long for things that once were. When we're young, we're so naive...we think "but it won't be like that for me."

Then you find yourself at 32 years old, shopping for tweezers to pluck a few errant chin hairs and are smacked right in the face with the reality of what those old people were talking about.

Tonight I stopped by the brand new Wal-Mart that just opened near the University of Tennessee. Classes haven't started yet, but there were a few random students and their parents shopping for rugs and lamps and such. I didn't really need anything (does this ever stop me from shopping?). But mostly I just wanted to check it out and see what all the hype was about.

It was really just your average Wal-Mart. But the fact that it's so easy to access from campus is sort of strange to me. Maybe it's because when I was in school, piling into a friend's car and making a late night trip to Wal-Mart was something of an adventure. Then, the closest one was at least a 15 minute ride away. Plenty of time for talking in the car, maybe listening to some awesomely bad music from the early 2000s.

Nobody told me how much I was supposed to enjoy those times while they were happening. I'm not sure who this wise person might have been, but at the time it was the farthest thing from my mind. Those four years flew by in a flash. From my first day of college when my parents and best friend left me crying on the front steps of Hess Hall (they were crying too) to the day I graduated with so many dear friends and family cheering me on.

I feel so grateful for those experiences and I certainly don't take them for granted. In a way, my time at college was extended because the fall after I graduated, I accepted a full-time job in the same department where I'd studied. I spent seven more years working for the university and also was able to get my graduate degree.

When I left that position a few years ago, the University had been where I spent almost every day of my life for eleven years.

What's more, I live less than one mile away from the place to this day. I've watched so many things change about the campus and the surrounding areas. Some for the better and some, I'm not so sure. I still don't know if this whole Wal-Mart thing is actually necessary.

Lots of beloved spots have shut down, with new ones (or parking lots) popping up in their places. I don't like to live in the past, but this time of year always makes me reminiscent for college days. When those students head to class in a few weeks, most won't think for one second about how one day they could be the chubby 32-year old buying tweezers while younger, cooler people who haven't even been born yet peruse rugs and lamps with their parents.

Do you ever find yourself looking back at memories of school days? Or maybe you hated school or have bad memories of that time. Be encouraged my friend...no matter what's behind, there's surely something better ahead!

Back to School Teacher Gifts Under $5

Summer officially goes until beyond Labor Day, but many schools around the country (or at least around the south) are back in session. Knox County (where I live) students will head back into the classroom on Monday and that's where they'll stay for the next ten months or so until summer rolls around again.

During each school year, teachers are hard at work shaping those young minds. Since I grew up with a mom who also happened to be a teacher, I got to see firsthand the impact my mom had on her students.

Even now that some of her previous students are all grown up, many still say she was their favorite teacher. We've all had a teacher (or several if we were lucky) who made a difference for the better. And he or she probably didn't receive the thanks they deserved....or the pay. While a bigger paycheck for your child's teacher might not a reality, there are plenty of other ways to show your appreciation for their dedication.

There's no reason to wait until Christmas or even the last day of school to give teachers a small token of thanks. And it doesn't have to break the bank. Here is a whole round-up of back to school teacher gifts under $5 that are sure to please even the strictest of folks.

Go Germ Free - 

Teachers' days are spent with students who pass germs around like wildfire. Hand washing is a must, but why not make it less of a chore?

A bar of soap wrapped in pretty craft paper and tied with twine makes a great back to school teacher gift. Another simple idea is to buy a decorative soap dispenser and pre-load it with great smelling liquid soap. Your teacher (and his/her immune system) will thank you! 

Tasty Treats & Delicious Drinks - 

You've heard the way to the heart is through the stomach, but a shiny red apple just won't cut it for today's teacher. Their schedules are packed to the brim so they usually appreciate a snack they can eat on the run. These individual servings of popcorn are a healthier alternative and come in a variety of unique flavors. Plus popcorn is a whole grain, right? 

Another simple and affordable teacher gift option is to fill a pretty jar with something you know the teacher will like. Whether it's a variety of gourmet herbal teas, classic candy options or even some sort of homemade treat, the contents will be appreciated and the jar can be used again. 

Sweet Stationery - 

Teachers have to write a lot of notes...the ones you want to receive about your child's latest amazing accomplishment as well as the less than brag-worthy behavior. With school budgets already stretched thin, teachers usually end up paying for these types of things out of their own pockets or going without. 

There are so many great stationery options available, for a steal! 

Super School Supplies - 

Another category of items that make great back to school teacher gifts are school supplies. Again, much of these types of things are often paid for out of teacher's own pockets. So every little bit can go a long way to help a teacher out and make him/her feel appreciated!

This only scratches the surface of great back to school teacher gifts you can buy on a budget. It takes a little creativity, but even for $5 or less you can find some fun things. 

Other affordable back to school teacher gift ideas:

• Gift cards to a favorite restaurant or coffee shop
• Treat basket filled with snacks
• Extra rolls of paper towels or boxes of Kleenex
• Lip balm and hand lotion
• Manicure sets
• Gift certificate for a massage (perhaps several parents can pitch in on the cost of this)
• Bouquet of flowers from your garden or local grocery store florist

What other teacher gifts can you think of? If you're a teacher, what types of gifts would you most like to receive?