Stories of this Canadian girl's adventures exploring Europe & beyond...join me!

Saturday, December 31, 2016

bring on the new year...it's okay, I can handle it

Hello 2017!

I know I'm early...this being Europe and not Australia, but I just can't wait. And judging by the constant social media feeds, news bulletins and my friends' incessant whining, I think everyone else is also ready for a new year.


I'm not really a new year's resolutions type of girl, so no worries, this post is not going to be a list of all the ways in which I want to lose weight or quit smoking (if I smoked). Mostly it's because I'm not very disciplined (I type as my unfinished book stares at me from the shelf above me) and after 3 weeks, 3 hours, 3 minutes, I usually bail on my resolutions thinking that they'll still be around for me to try next week, next month, or next year.

But, what I do want to tell you (on the one hand for accountability, and on the other, hopefully for inspiration) is what I hope to be in 2017, and to quote Oprah, I want to be the best me. Don't click away now! Stay with me....please...just a few more words.

What I mean is, that I don't want to waste time and energy anymore. Life just feels too fleeting. I want to be the best person that I can be, meaning that;

1) I want to make the lives of the people around me as good as I possibly can, in whatever little ways I can do that.

2) I want to live to my full potential...creatively, professionally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Just not wasting time.

(And don't get me wrong, there is a reason that I need to write this down. I'm inherently lazy. I can easily netflix all day and do nothing but eat and talk to my puppy. This message is really first and foremost for me.)

3) I want to be a benefit to my community, my partner, said puppy, to myself, my loved ones, etc, etc.

And yes, you're reading this correctly, there is an annoying amount of I-language here. But, that's actually the way it should be, because the power to do these things lie solely with me (and if you're going to jump on the bandwagon, then the power is with you!). The power to affect change for the better, to be a positive and beneficial creature, lies within each of us.

I do have the power to change things around me for the better...in my workplace, my community, my home. We all do....and yet so many people go through life acting like things only affect them, like it's a one-way street.

When I look back on 2016, this is the most influential quality which I see. The attitude of blame was (and is) affecting change like nothing I have experienced so far. The movement of pointing fingers as THE reason for umemployment, inflation, crime, housing prices, poor-quality education levels, and the list goes on and on, created Brexit and Trump and who knows what else to come. But, it has to stop.

We need to look at ourselves and take stock of how the decisions that we've made have effected the paths we are on, the jobs we have or can't have, how connected to the community we feel or don't.

And then, we need to make positive changes for ourselves and for those around us. Not everyone's voice is heard, but everyone has a voice. It's selfish really. If I spend a lot of time and energy making myself into a healthy, well-adjusted, happy person, then those around me will benefit much more than if I'm an angry, mean-spirited, resentful person who feels like crap all the time because of my bag-o'-chips-a-day diet.

If I try to get to know my neighbours, invite people over once in a while, bring someone a cake or just smile (in a normal, non creepy way) the community will benefit. Getting to know each other usually creates security.

How can we make use of our time and energy in the best ways? Can you imagine what the world would look like if everyone seriously was just trying to be a positive impact on those around them, and themselves?

I once heard a celebrity answer the question to why his Hollywood marriage was so successful (not sure if he's still married) and he said that his daily motto was, 'Be kind.' Those two little words stuck with me. Let's just all be kind to each other, okay?

That's going to be my 2017 goal...kindness, positive choices, and a better me.

I'm excited and inspired for the new year, and I hope you are too. Wishing you and yours a peaceful and positive 2017!
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