Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.

The start of an era, the dawning of an age,

and a new chance to get it right.

But more importantly, today is the start of a thousand new chances to get it wrong.

To mess up,

To fail,

To fall so hard that you have no choice but to go up.

I start this year curled up on the bed where my dreams were born,

In a room that holds my best memories and favorite secrets,

Laying on a pillow that has caught a million tears,

Surrounded by the walls of the house that built me.

There’s nowhere else I would rather be.

I think back on the past year and it’s so easy to start listing the many things I wish I had done, the things I failed to accomplish, and the places that I wish I had gone,

It’s so natural to start planning the future, setting new goals, and telling myself that this is finally the year that I will do all of the things I always said I would do.

For a moment; however, I am going to stop thinking about the past, stop planning for the future and just BE.

Be happy with where I am at,

Be thankful for all that I have gone through,

And be especially excited for all that’s to come.

Too often we spend our lives wishing for better days, hoping for something new to come along, and before we know it our best days are behind us and we would give anything to go back even just for a moment.

I know that today will be one of the days I will wish I could get back.

On the New Year’s morning that I wake up to the sweet innocent laughter of my children,

As my husband and I dance barefoot in the kitchen and joke about how we can’t remember the last time we stayed up until midnight.

I will think back to the simple life I used to live,

Treading ever-so-softly between being a child and an adult,

Tangled up in my dreams.
I hope I remember to enjoy all of the memories I will create from now until then.

I hope I remember to give myself a break sometimes and learn to enjoy the moments that I am humbled, and hurt, and scared, and vulnerable.

I hope I cherish the good times and learn from the bad,

I hope I spend more time living my wishes, rather than wishing my life away.

I hope I take the time to make sure my friends and family know how much I love them

And I hope I never forget to remember how much they love me.

This year, I just want to live.

I want to take chances and try new things

I want to make good memories

And even better mistakes

I want to be so busy living my life that I don’t even have time to worry about making plans.

This year, I want to make every day a memory that my future self would give anything to get back.

Happy new year,

Happy new day,

Happy new life.

I’ve got 3 words for you, 2013…

BRING IT ON!