New Year, New Focus

Goodbye 2014, you were an interesting year. This year my Christmas letter talked about all about the changes 2014 brought to me and my husband.  I wrote about the addition of Penny Pup in the spring, the addition of classes, shows, and job responsibilities for me, a new job for Pyro Man and, of course, the renewal of our old challenge: long distance.

This was also the year that showed me real loss and taught me what it meant to miss. Right up to the very end, too. A few other personal journeys and revelations fit in there, too. I feel a little different in a lot of ways since last January. Yes, there were a lot of changes this year that pushed me and stretched me, further than I really liked or wanted, but now that the year is all wrapped up in a nice little bow, I can say it was for my betterment. That's life, right? Challenging us to help us grow. 

I'm sure everyone looks back at their year and sees what I see: a lot of lessons learned, a lot of good memories, and a lot of direction for the new year. I've got a good one for this year, an arrow I know is meant for me to follow. There's only one thing I can hear my heart say: Be. Brave. 

Be brave. This mantra has been on my mind for some time--I even wrote about it in this post two months back. Straight to the point, which I like. Powerful and yet, simple. This is something that can be done in little ways, not just monumental actions. More importantly, I think it can do me a world of good.

I can't say 2014 was a terrible year; it was definitely different. I can't say I'm glad to see it go; it left me with a sore heart and an thoughtful mind. I can't say I'm super pumped for this new year; it started with off on an odd foot.

What I can say is this; I feel content about this new year knowing I'm not setting out to change the world, but merely trying to take a small step outside of comfort zone every chance I get. I'm looking forward to growing in big and small ways every day. This year is not about moving mountains, changing lives, or taking on more than I can handle. It's about being strong, taking chances, trusting myself so that when looking back I know I did all that's moving me forward.

What's your New Year's Resolution?