Here’s To 2008

It’s a beautiful day on the mountain–the sun is out and the weather is breezy. It’s my last “day off,” but I am really excited to be going back to school Sunday. I know it is my last semester at Piedmont, but it doesn’t feel like it. I think it’ll be a good semester, though, since I’m taking a few hours less than my 20+ norm. I plan to use some of my free time to work on my senior work, and also to visit departments.

The next few months will be exciting, stressful, happy, and sad. I hope that I can truly enjoy every moment since these will be the last before my next transition. I know I’m an “adult,” but I don’t really feel like it and I don’t know when I will. Sometimes the details of everyday life get in my way and can become slightly overwhelming, such as thinking about where I’ll live, how I’ll pay rent, or if I’ll have a “real job” someday. It’s kind of a scary feeling because I know that I should feel prepared and with it, but, many times, I lack confidence when reality comes knocking. I know that it is just something I need to work on, and I plan to work on many of these things in 2008. I will probably be teaching next fall and I need to be confident, not only for myself, but for those that I will have the chance to reach through my job. I will have others looking to me for guidance and leadership, and I need to believe in myself before they can believe in me.

I don’t know when or if I’ll ever feel “adult” and “with it,” but I am a work in progress. There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not molded or changed in some slight way by those around me, and I need to be thankful that my life it so terribly sweet and good. I have a wonderful family, quirky though they may be, and great friends. I have all of the material luxuries that a girl can dream of, and so much more than I’ll ever deserve.

I think my biggest goal in 2008 is to become a more grateful and loving person. And also to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I try to remain humble by playing down my accomplishments, but I now realize that I can be proud of my past without being boastful. I have definitely done my share of work (there, I said it), but I have also had the most amazing supporting cast in the world. I see my accomplishments not as just my own, but also as a product of my parents’ love, my family’s support, my professors’ patience, and Jeremy’s faith in me. I believe that God has His own reasons for all things that occur in my life and that I should learn, grow, and evolve with every triumph and defeat. He has given me so very much, and I know that He expects much from me in this life. I am only human, and I will always be flawed, but I can use my faith to become more for Him.

I look forward to 2008 as a year of laughter, learning, and as an opportunity to grow in my faith. I want to keep my attitude positive despite challenging circumstances, which will be a challenge in and of itself since I am prone to melancholia and depression. But I know that I am strong, that I’ve got some great people working on my side (The Big Guy included), and I should cling to this like a lifeline.

Here’s to 2008.

New Year’s Resolutions

1. Lose another ten pounds.
2. Enjoy my last semester and graduate from Piedmont with my B.S.
3. Get an assistantship and go to grad school.
4. Make new friends and keep in touch with the old ones.
5. Learn something new everyday.
6. Make time to read for pleasure.
7. Learn to live in and enjoy the present.
8. Work on my personal defects in a realistic manner.

More later as they come to me!

Feel free to comment with your own resolutions.