After a mini hiatus, hibernation, etc., it's back to the grind. Christmas time is always a fantastic time of the year (minus the cold weather); there's plenty of family and friends to get in touch with, a season full of music all about love and remembering the good of people and events, and it's great for reflection of the past year that we've experienced. I had a great Christmas holidays from school, so much so that I almost didn't want to come back. (I did, obviously, because we can't be in vacation mode all the time, as nice as it would be) I hope everyone else had a blessed holiday season as well.
And now somehow it turned into 2012, a whole new year! A new year to redefine yourself, change your view, or to dig deep and continue on with the path you are on. There are very subtle choices that we make at the start of each new year, resolutions that we make with the best intentions. (Whether we actually do them or not is another subject in itself lol) Even if we don't make resolutions, there are those choices that we make, unknowningly or not. Like, how will I begin to make this year great? Or, what is a goal I want to set for this year to complete? Might sound like resolutions, but I don't like making them, because I almost always give up by mid-January. But I do like goals.
These small choices that we make at the beginning of this year made me think of the lives we choose to live. The way life plays out is based on choices that we make, small or big. While there may be a curveball thrown in every once in a while, life is what you make it. How you deal with those curveballs gives you the life you're going to live. Is it the one that you want to live? Is your life one that you are proud of living? You might not have to work to cure cancer, or be a CEO of a company, or something that defines you as "successful" by society's standards to be proud of your life. Or do you? What makes you proud of the life you're living? Is it based on money, success in your career, material "toys" that show off how well off you're doing? Or is it more than that? Is it the family and friends and people that are in your life that makes you proud? Do you continue to find joy in the small things in life, or is it always about the bigger picture? Is there any way to balance?
Everyone is different in the way they conduct themselves. So wouldn't it make the most sense to find out what you want out of life, and then go for it, regardless if it fits with society's view, or if it's what you are being pushed toward by family, friends, etc.? The people close to you should support you regardless of what you do, as long as you are happy with it and the decisions you have made to get there. But if you find yourself unhappy, change the way you do things. I know it's much easier said than done, but no one said life was easy. The people that seem to have it made and have an easy life most likely worked ridiculously hard to get to where they are. They made tough choices somewhere along the road, and are happy with the choices they made.
That's what I love most about the coming of a new year: looking to the future, while reflecting on the past to learn from mistakes we have made. No one likes to make mistakes, but we all make them. But dwelling on them, it seems to me to be a short term solution. Those past actions happened, and there's nothing you can do to go back and change them. But you can learn from them, and make changes for the future. With a new year ahead of us, there is so much that we can do, learn, experience. So many opportunities we didn't have last year to take advantage of. With our busy lives, that's something that is easy to forget. I know that I definitely need to take my own advice and take advantage of opportunities that come my way (and get me out of my lab once in a while).
Enough with the reflection time... now onto some positive talk. (After all, everyone loves to look at the positive things in life) It's a new year, so let's make the most of it! I know it's hard to take advantage of the beautiful places we're in while it is a bit chilly, but as it starts to get warmer, get outside! Go for a walk, listen to nature's soundtrack, try something you've never done before. Go check out that new restaurant you've been meaning to try. Take a spontaneous roadtrip (whether it's to the next town or states away). A new year means new opportunities! GO DO THEM! Don't just let life slip through your fingers; it is, after all, what you make it.
Everything happens for a reason, and let's make sure we find the positive in every event that takes place. For every dark spot, there is a light side to it as well. Might be hard to see, but it's up to you to find it.
And that's it for me. Sorry if this is a bit disjointed. I've just been in a reflecting mood a bit. Trying to find myself a little bit again. There are so many choices I've had to make already, and it's only been a week into 2012. A bit unnerving, but nothing I can't handle. Off to enjoy the day and night on this January 7th. Hope you can do the same!!! Kisses.
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