Life with my favorite mug, compliments of my girl Ashley. #cariboucoffee #MinnesotaGirl

We have a favorite saying at the church office that goes "real life, real mugs." Basically, we believe real life demands a real mug. There's something soothing about holding a warm mug, gently sipping life away. Along with the real mugs comes the real life.
Unfortunately, our lives aren't the pinteresty, instagrammed or tweet-worthy moments all the time.

My life has changed quite drastically over the last couple months. I've gone through some major life shifts and I am constantly feeling like I'm battling a world that wants to let out the ground beneath me. Because of this shifting, I've been spending a lot of time doing some serious introspection, journaling, praying, and just generally thinking about my changing situations and expectations (and the ones that don't change).

I headed to our weekly game night and a friend who noticed my tone that night asked me about how I was doing. In general, I stated "I've just been thinking a lot." She said back to me, "You're over thinking it."

I thought to myself "She doesn't understand - she's just not being sympathetic. I'm not over-thinking this, I'm just praying a lot."

But the more I thought about it that week, the more I realized that I was over-thinking it. I was over-thinking it to the point of worrying and stressing, and that wasn't healthy. I had become so self-centered by simply spinning my own issues over and over and over in my head that I had shut out the needs and blessings of others around me.

Last night I had an event I was to go to.

Instead, half an hour post-event-start, I am sipping tea with my roommate in our real mugs and talking about our real life struggles.

It reminded me that I needed to get outside of my own head and my own problems. Because others have theirs. And if you can look outside of your own current problems and spend more time looking at how to bless others, you'll gain perspective on your own issues without being told "There are starving children in Africa who have life worse than you."

So meet up with a friend, grab a couple real mugs, fill them up with your favorite warm beverages of choice, and share life, asking how you can bless one another.

If you ask me, that sounds like a better way to do real life.