Hello 2014! I am pleased to make your acquaintance and I’m looking forward to a great year. 2013 has come and gone and to be quite honest, I’m not sad to see it go. While it wasn’t a terrible year by any stretch of the imagination, it also wasn’t a great year.
It was a bit meh. For much of the year, I felt like I was sitting on the sidelines, watching life whiz by me. I had a laundry list of things I wanted to accomplish, dreams I wanted to work towards, but I lacked the motivation or even a sense of urgency to do anything.
So I sat.
And watched.
The world kept going. Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. And still I sat.
Well, I’m done sitting!
I am Tanya—Hear Me Roar (or MEOW!)
All I have to show for 2013 is a slightly wider butt, so I’m ready to get up and move forward. Rejoin life and work towards achieving some of my goals.
I also know that I said I was going to do that last year. Several times, in fact. And I admit I kept sitting.
So why will this year be different?
I am motivated and mentally in a better place. More importantly, I don’t want to look back next year and see a lost year. Nope. I want to look back with pride at what a great year it was and all the things that I accomplished.
So in this space, I will be keeping you posted on my goals and my progress. My first goal is to take better care of myself through eating better and moving my body (the word exercise makes me breakout in hives, so that word is persona non grata at Eat Laugh Purr!) I’ll be sharing more on what that looks like next Wednesday.
2014 is the Year of Courage
Lots of people choose a word to focus on throughout the year. I considered many powerful words, such as: gratitude, love, kindness, trust, faith and joy. These are all words that I want to embody every day but my focus word is COURAGE.
I don’t consider myself cowardly; I have done many brave things in my life. But I have also let fear sink it’s razor sharp claws in me. Seeing life through a fearful lens is a sad way to live. It creeps into every aspect of your life and you begin to doubt yourself and your abilities. You lose faith. You stop trying.
I’m not ashamed that I let fear into my life. I am human. But I’m saying good riddance to fear. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to become reckless, but fear is not going to rule my life any longer. PERIOD.
One way I plan to build my courage muscle is by doing new things. It’s easy to get into a rut and start living on autopilot. We become so attached to our routine that we begin to fear change. So I’m going to do new things and expand my horizons. I want to embrace that tickle of fear one feels before they try something new. I may not be able to jet off to an exotic locale right now, but I live in LA and have barely explored this great city.
A New Year; A New Me
There is a part of me that would like to delete this post. To tuck these ideas back inside of me where only my heart hurts if I do nothing. But COURAGE is my word. And it takes COURAGE to share your dreams. And even more courage to LIVE them.
My days of sitting on the sideline are over.
Love this Tanya! I think we could all strive to be more courageous in life – it’s definitely something I’ve been working on, slowly but surely. It’s a bit cliche, but the first step truly is the hardest. Momentum is an incredible force 🙂 Best of luck to you in living every day with courage!
Thanks, Kali! It may be a cliche but it’s true. That first step can be so hard to take. It’s easy to come up with a million reasons why we can’t do it. But once start, it becomes easier and easier. Thanks for your support! I appreciate it!
I read this. Went for lunch and had to come back. Tanya your post describes my feelings to a T.
Like you, I have done some brave things in my life, but it feels like the older I get the more time I spend worrying about what if, and the less courage I have.
And just like you, 2013 was not a bad year for me, but it isn’t a year that I can look back on and say wow…that was so cool. I do have years in my past that I do look back on with fond memories and I want that again too.
I really like your plan of trying new things and to stop living on auto-pilot. I do that all too often as well.
When you mentioned exploring LA it reminded me of when I was there in 2003. I went to Universal Studios one day, and Rodeo Drive and Six Flags the next day. It was so much fun!!
I wish you all the best in having a courageous and exciting 2014 !!
I’m glad my post resonated with your Sicorra, although I wish 2013 had been more of a banner year for you! 🙂 I agree, the older I get the more cautious I become. And while there is nothing wrong with being cautious, you still need to keep moving forward and I definitely wasn’t. Like you, I look back at some years with a huge smile and that’s what I want to happen this year. To look back on January 1, 2015 and feel proud of the things that I’ve accomplished and ready to dive in to the new year. There is so much to do in LA and I have done so little. No excuses! 🙂
LOVE this post, Tanya!! Courage is a huge one for me, as well, as it’s easy to just stay in your comfort zone (when I know full well that once I’m out of it, the discomfort most likely goes away and new levels are reached)! Best wishes for you accomplishing your goals, Tanya, I know you can do it! You said it yourself – mentally, you’re in a better place. I think that mental clarity will take you places, for sure! Keep us updated, my friend. xo
Thanks, Anna!! I’ve been living or more accurately – stagnating in my comfort zone for too long. It’s true once you put yourself out there, it’s more fun than you than think it will be. I’m trying to get myself charged up and get a plan in place. I gotta a lot of work ahead of me but that’s part of the fun too. 🙂 Thanks for your support, Anna. I really appreciate your support and friendship!
I believe in 2014! .. and I can tell that you do to, Tanya. You need to push yourself out of your comfort zone and grab this year by the horns. It’s like a blake canvas to do with whatever you like. Now paint something beautiful!
Thanks, Jefferson! I really want to go beyond my comfort zone and embrace what this great world has to offer me. It is a blank canvas waiting for me and I do plan to paint something beautiful. Here’s to a great 2014 – for both of us!
Ditto here for me too, Tanya, complete with wider butt!! Like you, I’m feeling the same way. It’s time to step up and get things done this year in my life too. Thanks for this motivating post, and here’s to a wonderful 2014. 🙂
You accomplished so much last year, Laurie. You’ve been a huge inspiration for me and I expect big things for both of us this year. 2014 will be a great year, my friend!