I did a writing exercise this week to lessen some anxiety about the New Year. Instead of focusing on what I want my upcoming year to look like, I wrote to a few friends about what I hope their new year holds for each of them. I wrote that I hope they find peace, fulfillment, adventure, or whatever else I thought their hearts might be craving in 2016. It helped me put things in perspective about what it means to set goals and have hopes and dreams. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves with the onset of a new year. I'm tired of feeling like I should have bigger better goals than last year. Maybe we need a reality check - the New Year isn't all about us or our goals or our resolutions. So instead focusing on my own resolutions, I decided I wanted to express bigger hopes and bigger dreams for the loved ones in my life. It would take me a really long time to write to each of you reading this, but consider this as you set your new year's resolutions - how is your resolution connected with those around you? And better yet, how can we help each other meet those goals and reach for what we aspire most? It's not a competition to see who has the biggest plans. It's not a race to see who will meet their goals first. My New Year's resolution is to remember that we're all connected in some way or another and to embrace it. Happy New Years guys, I hope it's everything we dream of + more.
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I read an article today that reminded me what it means to fall in love with more than one place. your home is everywhere and nowhere, and you'll live your life caught between multiple worlds, your heart scattered amongst the views you miss most and in the hearts of the people you left behind
I'm currently taking a winter course for my MSW, a creative arts class. The past two days have challenged preconceived ideas, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and brought me immense joy and time for reflection. This poem was a result of all of those things because I've never been comfortable with poetry. It's always seemed too abstract, like I've never known what to do with it. In an effort to challenge myself further, I've decided to share it here. I've done a lot of reflecting about the power of vulnerability these past few months so I'm here's my attempt at practicing what I preach - my first poem and it's called "Where I'm From." I am from sarcastic comments, witty rebuttals, and tears produced from laughing far too hard. Some days just feel a little less colorful than others. Usually it's just an average day, but it's a day that you don't necessarily want to re-live, for reasons that can't always be pinpointed. Yesterday was one of those days for me. It wasn't until I received a card from a friend that I realized it's not what happened during the day, but rather what didn't happen. The day didn't seem quite as colorful as other days of my life. It wasn't a dark gloomy day, just a little less vivid, a little less lovely than what I aspire for each of my days. As I ate dinner, all I could think about was how I was ready for the next day and I felt guilty. I've seen countless commercials, instagram posts, pinterest inspirational boards, facebook videos that all say the same thing: be happy, always. We are constantly being reminded for our need to choose happiness, to be on our game, to keep our heads up. I think we forget that it's impossible to lead lives with such expectations. We're setting ourselves up for failure if we think every single day is going to be as colorful as the past days. Every now and then we're going to have a day that doesn't match up, and we're going to feel weird about it because we've been taught the expectation to always be happy. There will be days that are unexplainably lame. There will be days that we want to end for no reason. Until now, I thought I wasn't allowed to have those days. Perhaps you've felt that too; perhaps you've felt guilty for wishing for a new day without any real reason behind wanting your current day to end. I've realized we don't need to feel bad for feeling like that. Not all of our days will be beautifully colored, and that's okay. So in case you're feeling guilty, here is a reminder to you that not every single day is going to be as you hoped, and that's totally 100% fine. It won't qualify for a bad day but you'll be ready for a new day all the same. Here is your reminder that no one expects for every single one of your days to be insta-worthy. To have an off day is not your fault, and you shouldn't feel weird about it. Here is your reminder that it's okay to be tired and ready for a new day, a fresh start. And finally, here is a reminder to you that we are not alone. We're all trying to figure out these slightly less colorful days together. So when you're too tired or too annoyed to try to "be happy, always," keep in mind that tomorrow is your fresh start, and hopefully your loved ones will help you color it in a little brighter - thanks Rach. Cheers to the days that seem less colorful - may they remind us of How Bad We Need Each Other. |
Alexandra Rosetravel enthusiast. lover of yellowstone, coffee, and a good book. passionately curious. hopeful wanderer. Archives
January 2018
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