"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."
- Hal Borland.
This morning I began thinking about everything that happened this year, since it is the last day of 2014 after all! So much happened and it really did go by so quickly. There was good, there was bad, and also some of the bad turned into the good. I don't always set my New Year's resolutions in one lump sum at the beginning of the year, because I am always finding things along the way I like to improve on or change, but I did learn a lot this year and hope to continue to grow as a person, mom, wife, and friend. Part of growth for me is reflection and what better time to do this than December 31st? What did I achieve this year and what can I do better next year?
1) The most important thing that happened this year was the birth of my son. He will be 10 months next week, and is mostly the foundation and inspiration for everything else in my world. He is a big part of the reason I want to do everything else better, which has created a whole new subset of goals. I have learned so much from this experience. Patience is not something I have conquered yet, but my impatient nature has definitely improved some. The love I feel for him just makes me want to live the best life possible and this love is the driver for everything else. It makes everything feel more conceivable.
2) When I was pregnant I set a goal to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. Well, I blew that goal out of the universe! At 6 months I decided to extend this to a year and now we are 10 months in and still going strong! When I set the initial goal I never realized how much I'd enjoy this experience. I can't say I'd have the same bond with my child if I had not been able to enjoy breastfeeding. It was a little rough the first week and my impatient nature almost sabotaged the entire experience, but I didn't give up, and before too long it was effortless. Keeping a strong supply for him was a part of this endeavor and to do this I drank tons of water, ate tons of oatmeal, used Young Living Fennel Oil, and tried just about anything else suggested!
3) My health has been a huge focus for me this year! I have always been a pretty healthy eater, but I was never good at exercising regularly (and honestly I have been slacking on this yet again the past few months). But in 2014, I started running and this might be the biggest feat yet for me! I have never liked running, but I wanted to lose my pregnancy weight as fast as possible and I do like conquering challenges. About 4 weeks after my son was born I began walking and slowly after that I was able to walk and jog a little. It was tough at first, but I did not give up. By 8 weeks I could run a mile without walking. Then it was 2 miles. Then 3. Then 4! Eventually I even made it to 5 miles!!! This was definitely another goal that required patience. It took me several months to work up to those longer distances, but it was worth it. I felt great! Now I get to start all over in 2015 due to my slacking the past few months.
4) Attitude. All of the goals I set would not be possible unless I did not have a better attitude. This past year I decided I needed to be more positive overall in order to make my goals attainable. Anytime a negative thought starts to creep into my head I try to shove it out! This is something I will continue to work on in 2015. I really admire people that have great attitudes and am inspired to do better myself.
5) I started a business! Not only did I start using and loving Young Living essential oils, but I decided to help others who wanted to live a healthier and more holistic lifestyle. I believe in their products so much it was only natural for me to start a side business. In less than 6 months I achieved the rank of Executive and was earning half of my mortgage payment in monthly commissions! In 2015 I am going to put more effort into my passions!
6) I turned into a crunchy! I am eating more non processed foods than ever before, more organic foods as well, using less chemicals in my home, using more natural remedies for everything overall, and I will continue this into next year. The ONLY illness I really experienced this year was a pretty severe cold in late September (my first day of my new job) and I was able to knock this out in under a week with Oregano, Thieves, and Lemon oils. I credit my strong immune system to Young Living essential oils. I want to be a little more crunchy next year.
I hope everyone has a safe NYE celebration! Enjoy and make the most of this next year. Live life to the fullest, love with a boundless heart, appreciate the people in your life that matter, and don't let anything stand in the way of being happy! Goodbye 2014 and thank you for the opportunity to make next year even better!
