resolution-ish

in the spirit of the resolution season, it felt right to share something i've been thinking about well before the end of 2011. occasionally on this blog, i share personal happenings.....trips, relationships, personal feelings, ideas, likes, dislikes, etc. i consider myself an optimistic person. however, i try really hard to balance optimism in a way that doesn't come off as insincere gloating. i'm a happy person. i enjoy my life. deeply. but it isn't perfect. at all. whatever perfect means.

so much of our lives these days are about other people, other things, other places - things that are not our own. we are looking at others lives, clothes, blogs, relationships, facebook pictures.....paying close attention to all the perfect details. we see the things others are better at - every characteristic and quality more complete than our own.

i think social media is a fabulous way to stay connected, learn new things, be creative, and a million other positive qualities. however, in some ways, it's turned in to a "my life's more perfect than yours" showboat. so much sincerity and reality has been lost. we're all on to it, but it can be hard to disregard.

i'm not pointing this out to place judgement on anyone. obviously, people have been puffing their chests since the beginning of time. it's in our nature. i'm touching on this to bring focus to things that are real in our own lives. a million wonderful elements of ourselves are lying right in front of us. things that are ours....our families, our relationships, our hobbies, our jobs, our personalities, etc. i say we start loving these tiny little wonderful things that are our very own. our own! we have stuff! great stuff! we have things that make us, well, us! we have things that make our lives our own. isn't that something to celebrate?!

in 2012, i will celebrate and focus on the things that are mine. i need and look to others for inspiration, guidance, advice, etc. however, this seeking shall only be in a way to further appreciate what is mine. cheers to the new year and falling more in love with that which is my very own. i commit to this from the most humble and thankful of places.

happy 2012!