Blog Every Day in May - Things I've Learned

For day 23 of the Blog Every Day in May Link Up, I'm supposed to talk abut things I've learned that school hasn't taught me.  Here are some of mine:

(1)  Communication:  the school I went to for kindergarten to graduating high school was pretty strict Southern baptist so they were pretty closed minded and judgmental.  Sorry Southern Baptists out there, but this school really really was those things.  They didn't want to hear your opinions or thoughts on things.  They wanted to tell you that your parents were going to hell if they got divorced and that was that.  No seriously, they told us that.  I cheated on a Bible test in that teacher's class as retaliation.  :)  So outside of school and especially in my current relationship, I have had to learn how important communication is.  There is not ever one side to something; we all have our own thoughts, feelings, and opinions and we have to be respectful of that.  Listening is just as important as speaking.  And most important is being honest about what you're thinking and feeling.  If I don't communicate to Mike about things that are bothering me or things that I want or need, I shouldn't be allowed to be frustrated or sad that I don't have these things.  

(2)  Science:  I mean.....seriously....we were taught creationist science so yeah....had to learn actual science outside of school...

(3)  How to Dress Yourself:  our school had a dress code and uniforms on and off (aren't you jealous of my schooling?!) so learning to properly dress myself was learned wayyyy later.  Good god, looking at old pictures of myself, I was dressing so unflatteringly.  Is that a word?  This might sound dumb, but learning to dress yourself in a flattering way is super important for women and can help so much with your confidence.

(4)  Saying No is Okay:  I used to be a big people pleaser and it made me end up with a lot of friends who were not good to me and took advantage of me.  You can say no to people and you can stand up for yourself.  You will lose friends, but they are not worth keeping!

(5)  To Be Yourself:  I hid a lot of myself in school because I was afraid of being judged, losing friends, and just afraid of being honest.  Putting on a facade of being a happy person when you are really struggling with internal issues is only going to make you unhappier.  Just be honest with yourself, be true to who you are, and don't be afraid of reaching out to people for help.