Welcoming 2014

I have decided that 2014 is going to be the year for me.
The year that everyone wants to have--accomplishing resolutions, experiencing pure bliss and days full of happiness and love. It's going to be that year for me because I'm going to make it be the year for me.

I've decided upon several goals to accomplish by December 2014, and I will accomplish them.

I want to create more. Whether that be through writing, drawing, or painting. For so long I locked away my creativity and focused on school--not that focusing on school is a bad thing (it got me lots of good grades) but it's never healthy to say goodbye to a part of you that you didn't want to lose. It's hard and it creates resentment and sadness. I'm not going to live in sadness this year. This morning I woke up and painted--such a great feeling to welcome back creativity into your life. I could have been harsh on myself and pointed out problem areas--but I chose not to. I'm not doing this for a grade like I did in high school, I'm doing it for myself.

I want to read more. I read a lot. I read Sylvia Plath, Kerouac, Edgar Allen Poe, Jane Austen, etc. But this year I want to read more of what will spark growth; as in books on spirituality, creativity, history, science. By December I want to know more about myself, about the human intelligence, about life, about God. This year, I want to read less of somebody else's story and learn more about my own.

Which brings me to my third goal--gaining a closer friendship with God. I say friendship because it sounds more friendly and personal than "relationship." I want to learn more about Him and how to feel His presence in my life continually--not just on mere occasions. I want to lean less on myself, and more on Him.

I want to become a better person. A more compassionate person. A more loving, understanding, kind person. Which is surprisingly hard to do as I get older (even though I'm not even 21.) With each year passing I've been quicker to judge, quicker to speak boldly without thought, quick to anger. I want to let that go. I want to welcome people into my life, not dismiss them as less than me. To do this, I'm reading Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, by Karen Armstrong. With each chapter and each month, I'm going to become more compassionate and less selfish.

2014 is going to be a wonderful year for lots of other reasons, too.
I'm getting married in April to the most fantastic human being on the earth and I'm gaining another family--a family that I already love as my own.

(Think of Me Photography)

Cheers to 2014 and to becoming more of myself.

Talor