Reflection

The end of the year is always a time for reflection... to look back and say "This was a good year, and this is why" or "This year kind of stunk, so here's how I'm gonna make next year better."  At the end of 2010 I had racked up a whole lot of "Here's how to make next year better" pointers.  I had a slew of quotations, parables, stories and inspirations under my belt and was fully prepared to use every single one to ensure that 2011 was a much better year.  And it worked.  For me, 2011 was miles above 2010 on the Happiness Scale.

I had numerous people at various times throughout the past year and a half tell me how inspirational I had been to them.  There is no better feeling in the world than knowing I helped someone in some small way.  Whether we all believe it or not (I didn't, until last year), every single one of us has the power to be inspirational to someone else.  We may not all be suited to being therapists, counselors or life coaches, but each of us touch a whole lot of other people's lives.  The magnitude of how we touch other lives is up to us.

2011 brought a whole lot of changes for me.  Including stepping WAY outside of my usual comfort zone, which led to one new relationship, which led to new adventures, a new sense of spontaneity, new activities, new music, new happiness, more new friendships and new growth.  That's a big ripple effect.  I also learned how to take initiative, and turned a potentially detrimental situation into an enjoyable and profitable venture.  The skills needed to make these things work have always been in me, I just had to learn how to make better use of them.

I don't think it's ever too late to improve upon oneself.  In fact, I think we as humans need constant improving.  To become too stagnant with oneself is to lose the essential vivaciousness to embrace life.  There needs to be more to life than simply "living day to day."  As humans, we crave excitement and stimulation.  We crave growth.

So, what do I see when I look back on 2011?  I see continued change in and improvement of myself.  I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be, but I hope I never stop learning how to be better.  I see an ever-growing confidence.  Confidence in my abilities as a mom, a friend, a daughter, a significant other, an employee, a businesswoman.  Not an arrogant confidence, but a learning confidence- "I can do this, but I can also learn to do more."  I see magic feathers.  Just like Dumbo, every now and then, I like to take hold of that feather (or in my case, magic rocks) that can make me fly, that can make me invincible.  I take comfort in holding my magic rocks, but I also take comfort in seeing them on my dresser (and yes, I do have more than 1) instead of in my hand.  Seeing them sitting on the dresser means I'm 'flying' on my own.  I see happiness.  Every morning, I wake up.  Every time I open my eyes, I can see.  Every time I sit at the computer, I can move my fingers to type.  I can hug and kiss my kids, sing songs, listen to music, dance, buy my own groceries, smell brewing coffee, and taste chocolate.  All of these are reasons to be happy.  Why should I complain?

When you look back on 2011, I hope you see plenty of reasons to be happy.  If the reasons aren't obvious right away, take a deeper look.  Find reasons.  There are always reasons to be happy.  And there is still time to write your own happy ending.