Are you listening?

I was reading some of my old blogs from my MySpace and came across one I wrote back in August of last year. I wanted to share it with my blogger friends who may not have read it on MySpace.

** This post was from August, so I know Oprah didn't do this show yesterday.**
Did anyone watch Oprah yesterday? I was listening to her while I was cleaning the apt. She had some celebrity women who were talking about the lessons their life taught them. So I started thinking about the lessons my short life and those in it (past and present) have taught me. I pose the question to you - Are you listening to the lessons your life is teaching you? The following are some of the lessons I have learned:
1) One of the greatest qualities a human can possess is EMOTIONAL INTEGRITY - saying what you mean and meaning what you say.
2) Follow your dreams, but keep yourself grounded.
3) True friends are the ones who are completely honest with you even when you don't want to hear it. (Amy)
4) Never regret anything. Everything in your life has shaped who you are today - wear those "pings in your golfball" proudly (Jennifer).
5) Sometimes on your way to your dreams, life happens and it is so much better. (this is a quote from a friends Myspace page, but it is so true)
6) If you had never been born, no one would have ever known. Make your mark on this world so that those around you will never forget you.
7) Sometimes to really find yourself you have to be plucked out of your comfort zone.
8) Misery loves company. Respectfully send a regret for this invite.
9) The best way to bring you to reality is spending time with your kids. You are automatically stripped of the titles and lables society has given you. You are just a mommy - perhaps the greatest title of all.
10) Its when you don't know where you are going that your life's journey really begins.
11) You will have a richer life once you let yourself be who you truly are (no matter how OCD/neurotic you are).
12) Sometimes the best way to learn a lesson is to go through it yourself.
13) Don't just learn from YOUR mistakes, learn from others as well.
14) Love yourself and you will attract those who will love you.
15) You CAN have it all. But the "it" may not be what you expected.

A couple of these lessons are taught to many people (including those celebrities on Oprah). I feel like my time here in Texas has changed me. But then I ask myself, Am I changing? I'm still the same loud mouth, easy going, want it my way, open minded person I was in SC. I'm just using this time to do some soul searching and discover what makes me , me. So is it a change or am I just becoming more true to myself? One of the celebrities posed a question yesterday that struck a cord with me - "Do I really want to be the person I am programmed to be or do I want to rewire my software?" Being raised in the Bible belt, I was raised that I should think a certain way but never really given a reason behind it. I was just supposed to do it because my parents, pastor, etc did. Those of you who know me, know that I have a hard time doing something just because. I've always felt a secret shame because I often go against what others tell me to do and think because people think that I am simply being stubborn. That's not the case. I just try not to live my life the way others want me to to simply to fit into "their" mold of what THEY think I should be or be doing! I mean no disrespect to anyone or the way they live their life. I try my hardest to judge NO ONE, as this is not our right as humans. I accept all for who they are, and where they come from. All I ask is that the same respect be given to me! What are some of the lessons your life is teaching you or has taught you lately?