2014

Happy New Year!!! I'm not one for resolutions. For me history has proven resolutions turn out to be sheer disappointments and do nothing more than exemplify my lack of commitment and/or dedication. I still bite my nails and somehow my ass is squishier than it was three years ago (I swear I've resolution-ed to squat the past 1,095 days). Finally I've come to terms with the fact that resolutions like these aren't for me.

In all reality I woke up on January 1, 2014 to find it was Wednesday the day after Tuesday and all my preexisting problems were still there. I think people put too much weight on the new year, ultimately leading them to disappointment. The new year brings this false sense of a new beginning when in fact you're picking up right where you left off.

The clock strikes mid-night and everyone puckers up whilst holding their pretty bubbly champagne flutes in the air and making false promises for the new year ahead. Then they wake up on the first with a splitting headache and inability to deliver on their newly made plans, so they push it to the "next day". My point is, each day is a product of the one before it. You reap what you sow. If you want a better life, you want to be more adventurous, to be a better friend, to work out or loose weight, whatever it may be...you don't need to wait for a new year to get started. TODAY is the first day of the rest of your life! Create the life you want and ultimately know you deserve and work for it. If you have to wait for a "new year" to get motivated then the truth is you're lacking motivation and these new resolutions are just going to end up in the same pile as all the other battered promises.

With this hiccup in my life I'm unfortunately at an unappreciated stand still. I am unable to lead the beautiful life I once had and further more unable to tweak and better it. However, I have plenty of time on my hands to think of all the things I hope to do and ways I wish to live. Here are the top three. The three main things that I believe contribute to a good life. A healthy life. THE life I long for and will soon attain...A life without comparison or competition.

TRAVEL
I have a list of too many places and a backpackers backpack waiting to be stuffed. Whether it's massages in a romantic bungalow over the crystal clear waters in Bora Bora, riding elephants, jumping off waterfalls, fishing, lady-boy shows and attending full-moon parties in Thailand, building an orphanage in Cambodia, safariing in Africa, covering my body and getting henna tattoos in India, surfing New Zealand, wining and dining in a large floppy hat on the coast of Spain, walking The Great Wall of China, freezing at the top of mt. Everest, having a love affair in Bali, hiking Machu Picchu, skinny dipping in Guam, or getting eaten alive by mosquitos in the amazon, I want to do it all! I think that emerging yourself in other cultures and being around different people, food and languages gives you a better understanding of the world. It makes your heart a bit softer and more compassionate and also makes you appreciate where you live and what you're so blessed to have. Positively my travel is about to become MUCH more constant!

LOVE
Love everyone! Everyone is fighting some sort of battle. Some battles may pale in comparison to others, but each is relevant and necessary for that individual. Ultimately everyone deserves love. Everybody has their own unique story, and we're all just people looking for our place in this world. Smile a lot. Open your heart. Love is neat, it comes full circle and intern your heart gets filled up too. On the flip side, "Give up when love isn't enough, let go when you're hurting too much and move on when things aren't like before. It's certain there is someone who will love you more.". This used to be one of my favorite quotes. I think it's spot on. Sometimes we find ourselves in relationships that don't work. More times than not it's harder than anyone could imagine to remove ourselves from those tumultuous cycles. Do it for you, break the bad habits. Stop accepting the poor treatment. End the arguments. Don't settle. Respect yourself enough to know what you deserve. DO IT! If it really is that painful be sure to recognize the emotions and let them go. Hey, maybe you could even end up back together further down the road. I have had the pleasure of learning first hand that it takes a few heartbreaks and hardships to make you understand how worth it someone is. Sometimes distancing yourselves is necessary and appropriate until you meet again as new people. I'm happy to say that after a few year breakup Zach and I are confidently back together. Some people may not agree, but I believe the time we spent apart and more importantly the time we spend with other people is what brought us to this point. He's the first to say it, "I looked and I couldn't find anyone who compares to you." I agree wholeheartedly. Ten years, a little growing up, a few missteps and failed relationships later here we are. Now that we know what else is out there we know where our hearts truly belong. Openly free yourself and your heart. Show love to everyone and you might be surprised.

Stay Curious
In my "about me" post here I referred to myself a, "curious critter" and that is true! I think it's important to stay curious. As I've said before, I believe you only grow old when you stop playing. I never want to loose that sense curiosity. In fact, I can't wait to tap into it more. Who cares what everyone else is doing?! Live your own life. Do the things that drive your curiosity and feed your soul. Keep learning new things and soak up all the life around you. New experiences lead to new opportunities. Live like you'll die tomorrow. We have all been so remarkably and wonderfully made. There is no reason not to stretch our limits. Be spontaneous. The sense of adventure will truly make you happier. If you want to be an expert at life, start living it. Do things that scare you. There is nothing more exhilarating than trying something for the first time. Go get lost. When you get comfortable is when you fail to embrace the spice in life. Staying curious keeps that fire inside you burning. Keep moving forward, we all have responsibilities, but you must always make time for play. If there is no time I think it's time for some reevaluation. I simply can't wait to embrace life again.

 

Go openly, wholeheartedly, curiously live YOUR life :)

-k