I may only be foolish and in my thirties, but there’s a certain wisdom that comes with the life I’ve lived. The path that led me to where I am today was long, treacherous, and twisty. There’s been struggle and sanctity; there’s been pleasure and pain.
I’ve remained hidden in the shadows, cloaked in the darkened evil I always believed myself to truly be. Because of this, I’ve avoided truly living, and even attempted to take my life on more than one occasion. I’d just decided that life was not worth living, or that the world would simply be better off without me wandering within it.
But recently, I’ve changed my perspective; I’ve started to see things differently than before. Out of the pouring rain emerged a delightful and heartwarming rainbow, and it’s reinvigorated my will to soar.
Now, I’m ready to walk into the light and find my way; I’m ready to embrace every moment of 2019.
I’m ready to embrace all the little things. I want to enjoy my feet in the sand as I walk hand in hand with my best friend along the beach. I’ll make the choice to consciously stop and smell the roses planted at my front door. I long to savor every sensation as I hold my daughters close and hug them tightly. I’ll pause to relish the taste of that perfectly cooked steak. I’m finally ready to enjoy the journey without simply wishing to reach the destination. I choose to revel in every breath I take in the coming year, because each inhalation is a gift.
I’m ready to embrace reality as it is. I want to radically accept my life in the moment and mindfully experience the world as it exists. I’ll work towards using my senses, not simply the storm inside, to inform me. I hope to access my wise mind to better make decisions instead of relying on impulsivity. I’ll strive to take people at face value without questioning their motives or fearing the worst. I’m finally ready to release my desire to control the world and shut off my worrying, “what if” mind. I yearn to understand how the puzzle pieces fit together in this vast universe, because we are all connected.
I’m ready to embrace my many flaws. I want to challenge myself to love the woman I am while questioning how I can improve myself. I’ll finally gaze upon my reflection in the mirror and take it all in without objection or avoidance. I dream of openly sharing the secrets that coat me in overwhelming shame, but instead of finding rejection, I hope to discover unconditional love. I’ll accept the consequences for my actions, but no longer live in a world of constant regret. I’m finally ready to walk the middle path and live more effectively. I choose to embrace the new hope this year has given me and use it to build a life worth living.
I may have taken the road less traveled and delayed my arrive at this delightful destination, but it has all been worth the effort. I am looking forward to this new year more than ever before, because the upcoming year will be different, and I will finally be something more. I’ll be more effective, more willing, more accepting. I will be honest and true, without shame or remorse. I’ll dance through each day, simply overjoyed to be alive. I will live presently, love infinitely, and laugh frequently as I bask in each moment as it passes into the next.
I’m ready to savor each second of every day and even love myself for my flaws. I’m ready to embrace every moment of 2019, and, for the first time in my life, be the best that I can be in this new, wondrous year. Cheers and many happy returns in this next rotation around the sun, as I hope you’ll revel in the gift of every second this new year offers you, too.