RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
I can remember at the end of last year, looking back and thinking about all of the incredible memories I would carry with me into 2014. That year, 2013, was special, and because it was so special, I was anxious about leaving it behind. January 1st technically is just another day, but I always used to experience these weird, unsettling feelings about new years in the past. I'd read articles upon articles that reflected on the year's best moments, then think about how the current year was my best year yet and would hesitantly ring in the new year with a glass of champagne to mask my doubt. However, in my brief bouts of paranoia and anxiousness over the years, I failed to recognize that the best and most exciting part of a new year is the opportunity for growth that lies ahead. It's the opportunity to become a better version of yourself, to learn, to dream, and to write the next 365 pages exactly how you choose to.
The past year has taught me that, if I pay close attention, I will learn a valuable lesson in each experience I face. 2014 has helped shape me into a stronger and more confident person than I ever have been and, looking back now, I realize it's because of how I lived each moment. The moments of pain and struggle, I learned, were just blessings in disguise or temporary obstacles to prepare myself for something greater. It is these moments that will shake you to the core and make you question every little aspect you thought about life, until you finally find the answers and the strength to move forward with a newfound respect and hope for yourself as a worthy individual.
And then, there are those times, those beautifully remarkable times that leave you feeling like the luckiest woman in the world. As you live and breathe these moments right before your eyes, you get these crazy rushes of emotions while trying to make sense of it all because it's almost too good to be true. And, in these moments, no matter how minuscule or how great they may actually be, you learn to become grateful and humble, and those feelings will become embedded in your soul for the rest of time. I am beyond blessed to say that this past year was full of moments like these.
2014, thank you for opening the door to so many unbelievable opportunities that will come to fruition in the upcoming year and for always surrounding me with a remarkable group of friends and family. Thank you for the experiences that showed me to search deep inside my soul in order to discover my self-worth and the confidence that had been buried under so much doubt. It's been an amazing ride, and I have a good feeling 2015 is going to be just as good. To my readers: thank you for showing so much love and support on my blog over the last year. Your comments and emails are so heartwarming, and I cannot wait to hear from you in the year ahead. May your 2015 be filled with happiness, health, and peace.
