{"id":884,"date":"2017-07-10T14:22:39","date_gmt":"2017-07-10T14:22:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/?p=884"},"modified":"2017-07-10T14:22:39","modified_gmt":"2017-07-10T14:22:39","slug":"the-blank-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2017\/07\/the-blank-page.html","title":{"rendered":"The Blank Page"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"coffee-cup-desk-pen<\/a><\/p>\n

I recently met up with an old friend of mine while traveling. He has six kids and a lot of parenting experience under his belt.\u00a0 He told me that every time one of his children turns 18, he gives them the following speech:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are now an adult. The days of having other people make decisions for you are over.\u00a0 Starting today, before you is a blank page<\/em>.\u00a0 You are solely responsible for what is written on that page.\u00a0 No one else.\u00a0 Make sure that you fill that page with good things.\u201d<\/p>\n

I love that speech. I wish someone had given me that speech at 18.\u00a0 Instead, I heard it at 48.<\/p>\n

But truthfully, the Blank Page speech doesn\u2019t just apply to 18-year-olds. It applies to each of us, no matter what our age.<\/p>\n

Today, before you is the Blank Page. Yes, you may have had disappointments.\u00a0 Perhaps you had a troubled upbringing.\u00a0 Or maybe you endured a divorce or the loss of someone close to you.\u00a0 None of that matters today.\u00a0 Today, before you is the Blank Page.<\/p>\n

I am not ignoring the fact that our past can affect our present. But our past need not control<\/em> our present.\u00a0 You are not defined by the job you lost or the marriage that failed.\u00a0 They are simply events from the past that now are over and done with.\u00a0 Putting those events on today\u2019s Blank Page makes as much sense as putting your skinned knee from third grade on your Blank Page.<\/p>\n

The Blank Page is an exciting concept. From this day forward, we each can write anything that we want on our Blank Page.\u00a0 As of today, we each can choose to be\u00a0little kinder and more patient with others (and with ourselves).\u00a0 We each can choose to pursue that dream that we may have put aside, but that still nags at our hearts every so often.\u00a0 We can choose to spend our time making our homes and our world a more beautiful place.<\/p>\n

But with the Blank Page comes responsibility. If you had crummy parents, a cheating spouse, or other bad breaks in the past, none of that matters now.\u00a0 Going forward, you are solely responsible for what goes on your Blank Page.\u00a0 That means that you can\u2019t blame your past or others for what you do (or fail to do) from this point forward.<\/p>\n

Today, forget about your history. Those pages of your life have been filled with both joys and sorrows.\u00a0 If you look back on those pages, you will have some regrets, and some of those \u201cif only\u201d thoughts.\u00a0 But your past is over and done with.\u00a0 It cannot be changed.\u00a0 So, leave your history where it should be \u2013 in the past.<\/p>\n

Today before you lies the Blank Page. Mark today on a calendar.\u00a0 Today is the day that you will begin to create on your page a beautiful story, poem or painting.\u00a0 Visualize what you want your Blank Page to look like 10 years from now.\u00a0 Then make it happen.\u00a0 Starting today.<\/p>\n

(Photo Courtesy of Pexels)<\/p>\n

My new book, The Secrets to Success for the Working Mother<\/a>, is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback. \u00a0If you purchase a copy, please consider writing a review. \u00a0I would be delighted to hear your feedback!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently met up with an old friend of mine while traveling. He has six kids and a lot of parenting experience under his belt.\u00a0 He told me that every time one of his children turns 18, he gives them the following speech: \u201cYou are now an adult. The days of having other people make…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":593,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-personal-responsibility"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Blank Page - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2017\/07\/the-blank-page.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Blank Page - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I recently met up with an old friend of mine while traveling. 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