The Thing About Life

     I've spent my fair share of time searching and thinking about the meaning of life. While I don't claim to know the answer, or even claim to believe that there IS an answer, I do believe that there are common threads that run through each and every life. 
     As time moves inevitably forward, I believe more and more that the essence of life (if it can even be called that) is all subjective. While I don't believe there is a specific meaning to life, I DO believe that life has purposes. And I believe that each and every one of us assigns our own personal purpose to our own lives. 
     Now this isn't a steadfast rule. Throughout life our thinking changes, and as such, so does our view of life. What once was a dream of ours might fade away to give way to a different hope for the future. What matters most is that we HAVE a dream. Have a hope. It's that dream that drives us forward. That hope that gives us a reason to live. It's that future that we envision and strive for that gives our lives meaning. 
      The oldest memory of what I wanted to be when I "grew up" was becoming a veterinarian. Later on in life I had a run in with faith and for a time I wanted to be a Lutheran pastor. While I still have faith of a sense, as life went on I found and settled on the written word. Ever since then I knew that my place in life was to be a writer. When I write, I feel complete. I feel at one with the world around me. 
     Take some time and think of what you want to achieve in life. Take steps in that direction, no matter how small. One day, you'll see that it was all worth it.  

New year, new me? New year, BETTER me!

     I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't make resolutions for new years. I was tired of setting all these huge goals that I would ultimately end up failing. Instead, I started coming up with a few small, attainable goals for myself that I would work toward throughout the year. While I still fail a lot of these goals I set for myself, I find that because of my mindset, I accept the failure of these goals better and learn from them instead of feeling down and sorry for myself. Not only that, but when I DO fail these small goals, I find it so much easier to pick myself up, dust myself off, and keep working at the goal.  
     At the end of the year I look back on all my small victories, as well as the losses, and feel a sense of accomplishment in my life despite the experience of defeat. At of the end of the year I feel like a better, more well rounded person. A better version of myself.
     Here is a list of some of the goals I have set for myself for 2017:
-Drink more water
-Eat less/better
-Walk more
-Sleep less/better
-Write more consistently
-Stop putting off my creativity
-Be more spontaneous

     Here's to a great year. Make it yours.