Year In Review

With the beginning of a new year rapidly approaching, one can’t help but look back on the year that is coming to an end. I hope your year was filled with happy memories, fun events, sunny days and skinny jeans. My guess is, though, that you had some of those – maybe even a lot of those – but you had some not so great moments as well. I know I did, and while some of you may be sad to see 2008 go…today I’m feeling relieved. Relieved that tomorrow is a fresh start. A fresh start is often times just what the doctor (or therapist, right?) ordered.

Normally, I’m not much on “personal” writing when it comes to this blog. I hope to be a fun break in your day, a distraction from something serious – but today, I hope to provoke a little thought from you. Maybe one or two, or even half of one…I’m not asking for much.

This year has had its ups and downs for me. Just like anyone else, I’ve celebrated birthdays, holidays, engagements, marriages, friends having babies, and friends getting new jobs or promotions. I’ve been on trips, seen plays, danced in and around my kitchen, gotten a puppy, started blogging again, made new friends, lost a job, got another one, became close again with old friends, attended parties (a reunion, too!) and football games galore…and learned a lot about love and loss.

This year has taught me many things. Some of the lessons have been easy, and some difficult. I’ve learned that boy dogs will lift their leg at least 150 times a day. I’ve learned that bangs hide the wrinkles in your forehead (or the occasional blemish). I’ve learned that I never get tired of Zaxby’s. I’ve learned that small town living isn’t all that bad.

I’ve also learned that no matter how hard you try to hold something together, eventually your hands get tired and you just let go. I’ve learned that people come into your life and people go out, and there is little you can do to stop either one. I’ve learned that I have a lot of great friends, friends that I should’ve had more faith in all along, friends that I can count on forever. I’ve learned that you can’t fix everything. I’ve learned that sometimes you’re wrong about very big decisions. I’ve learned that falling off “the tightrope” happens to the best of us.

The most important thing I have learned is that I’m a lot stronger than I thought. What a blessing that is, really, to know for sure that I’m tough. It sort of makes me feel like a rock star.

As you think back on your year, if there is something that sticks out that you wish you would or would not have done – think about what you can do to change it. Change is scary, and I believe major change is rare, but it does exist. If you don’t like something about your life or yourself, change it. Sounds simple, right? A lot of times it is. If you wish you would have gone to church more – get out of bed on Sunday and go. If you wish you would have talked to your parents more – pick up the phone and call them. There are other times, however, when making a change seems damn near impossible because it’s so hard. But, you can do it. Don’t waste time thinking about how hard it is – if at the end of the day, you can live with you – it’s worth all the effort it took.

Years pass so quickly. Time really and truly flies by before we know it. So, do things that make you happy. Love. Be nice (yes, even when you don’t want to). Laugh and cry with your friends. Enjoy your family. Stand up for yourself. Take a vacation. Make resolutions. Take actions. Improve yourself.

We can do it together, if you’d like.

“I’ve learned a lot this year…I learned that things don’t always turn out the way you planned, or the way you think they should. And I’ve learned that there are things that go wrong that don’t always get fixed or get put back together the way they were before. I’ve learned that some broken things stay broken, and I’ve learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones, as long as you have people who love you.”
-Jennifer Weiner (Good in Bed)