This year I accidentally made a resolution. In a conversation with a roommate I realized I had become too careful, too calculated with all of my decisions. Nothing new ever happened because I had become comfortable with the way things were. Not happy. Just comfortable. Wishing for things to be different but never doing anything differently classified me as insane (according to Albert Einstein's definition* of insanity.) Upon this discovery I vocally vowed to consciously step outside of my comfort zone more often... just to see what would happen.
She found a wall-hanging (the type of thing she and I would both have normally hated) that she bought for me which says:
Today is the day. Live your life with abandon. Be courageous and wild at heart. Be your own hero. Follow your dreams no matter how big they are. Fall in Love. Take time to appreciate the moments, for they will soon be memories. Be good to yourself. Be generous and truthful. Dance, sing and play no matter your age. Believe in your own power, strength and fortitude. Embrace new Possibilities. Make friends everywhere you go. Inspire someone. Be Brave. Take chances and be Spontaneous. Discover your gifts and use them wisely. Surround yourself with love, laughter and truth. Don't take it all too seriously. Forgive quickly and don't hold grudges. Seek Peace and Calm. Learn something new every day. Create Happiness. Laugh often. Enjoy the little things. Be gracious and kind. Smile at Strangers. We're on this journey together. This is YOUR LIFE... Make it Beautiful.
Typically any one of those phrases would have been enough to make me gag a little... but it definitely captures the essence of my goal for 2012. Stepping out and letting go.
Just a few things I've done thus far:
- Spent a weekend in Vegas
- Got a tattoo (henna)
- Crashed a bonfire
- Got a phone number from a waiter
- Played the lottery (okay, someone actually bought me a ticket...)
- Learned first-hand that blonds don't have more fun
- Ran a 5k (which I've done before but this one was particularly awesome)
- Watched midnight showings on work nights
- Taken up the ukulele
- Had a caramel fight late at night
And many other things I don't need to mention but have meant a great deal to me. Hopefully many more to come! Maybe I'll toilet paper a house (don't tell my mom... I was never allowed to) or sing on a street corner. Maybe I'll have my heart broken. Who knows? But then, that's the fun of it, right?
*Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
3 comments:
I love it! Can't wait to hear more adventures :) miss you!
I totally remember that you (and April) were never allowed to toilet paper anybody's house. Not that that's the only thing I took from your post.
Just so you know, you are still not "allowed" to TP anyone else's house. It's a good sign when you can write about where you are. I am sending you one of those "gaggy" plaques but at least it's short.
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