New Year, New Beginnings

I'm sure we've all thought about the New Year one time or another this past week. While 2009 was great, it's time to put one foot forward and dive into 2010. With that being said, I'm sure we have all thought about New Years Resolution, as these are common the first of the year. Each year we try and do something for ourselves that will make our lives better. Like setting up a goal and using this new year to achieve what we did not last year. Many people set their goals as eating healthy, exercising, nonprocrastinating, or perhaps quitting an addiction like drinking or smoking. Each year my mother makes a New Years resolution to keep herself organized and watch her finances. This year in particular, she plans to "revamp" the house and get every room gone through, sorted, and excess stored in boxes. My father doesn't generally make New Years Resolutions, he claims he's "perfect". But even this year, he came up with one. To stay healthy and to be home more. Being as busy as he is with several organizations and practically two jobs, it's hard for him to be home alot of the time and he's missed out on alot of growing up from all three of us kids. On her Christmas list, my little sister Maggie put that she wanted more family time and so that's what she's gonna get my father says. He's doing a great job already. He comes home at about 7 each night and is always willing to help with homework, play some Wii, read books together, or just offer advice and encouraging words. I hope he continues this as it benefits all of us and it's a real joy to see the smiles on everyone's faces. My little sisters have even begun to partake in the resolution aspect of the New Year. Maggie, my little sister who is ten years old, plans to stay active. I'm not going to lie to you, she's gained a little weight the past year simply because she hasn't really been involved in much. It is not that she is overweight by any means, but she's not as healthy as she could be. The past couple months she started many things in her life like club volleyball, running club, and choir. All of these things, on top of academics, makes her a mini me it's safe to say and she loves it just as much as I do and so her resolution is to stay the way things are, keep herself busy, and stay healthy. My littlest sister Olivia, while only 9 years old, plans on finding something to do. She used to be a competitive cheerleader with Iowa Elite but this past year gave it up because she just didn't enjoy it anymore. Now, it seems she's always around the house and never has a single thing going on. So, with the New Year she wants to start a gymnastics class at a local gym and maybe even join a club of some sort at school. My friends have New Years Resolutions too. Cassie wants to not eat out as much and not eat so late, Mackenzie wants to spend more time with her friends and family instead of just her boyfriend Mitch, and Bri wants to join a gym and start working out. Everyone around me and in my life, has something new going for them this year they hope to achieve. In previous years, it's been easier for me to figure out something I don't like about my life and make a resolution to cahnge it. But thinking about it this year, I cannot honestly say there is anything in my life I don't like. I have an amazing family. Each and every one of them make each day worth living. Waking up in the morning to the smell of Mom's coffee and her always cheerful Good Morning makes me motivated to get up. My dad always encourages me to achieve the impossible, because he knows I can do it. My sisters look up to me as a role model and love spending time with me. My friends are awesome. I know I can go to them for anything and that they can do the same for me. All of them, make my life so much better. While I have a busy schedule, I would never give up a single activity I'm involved in. I absolutely love high schoool cheerleading and adore competitive cheerleading. I love being involved in my youth group at church, speaking at some events, and renewing my faith with God, and I love my school. I have great teachers, good classes, and yummy school lunch (okay, maybe I lied a little). I guess when I think about it, everything in my life is great because it revolves around me. And that's when it hit me, my life shouldn't be about living for me it should be about living for others. I wonder if my friends or family see in me what I see in them, I wonder if they count on me like I do on them, and I wonder if they love me just as much as I love them. Living life is not a one way street for me, there's several directions I can take with different paths but no matter what I choose the people in my life will be down whatever path I take. I am truly blessed and lately I think I've been depriving the people in my life the appreciation they deserve. I want them to know just how I feel about them and that they are truly the reason I wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night. So I guess this year my New Years resolution doesn't involve material things. I don't want to eat healthier (well I could but I think I have decent eating habits), I don't want to stop spending money (although I really should, some things I buy are ridiculous), and I don't really need to join a club or another organization. What I do need to do, is giving more of myself to others. I want to do some more community service. After all my community has given to me, it's time to give back to them more then I do. It's time to start showing the people I love just how much they mean to me and that I would go to the ends of the Earth for them. I want everyone to know I appreciate them and everything they do for me, but most of all I want to feel the same feelings. I want to know that people appreciate me, that people look to me for certain things, and that people love me. I can do this only by changing the ways I speak, act, and do to these people so that they can understand where I'm coming from. This 2010 year is going to be a great one I know it, my life will improve, things will change. I'll start new friendships, renew some old ones, and make every moment count. You know, life truly is a gift from God, something that I think we all take for granted. So I guess I'm gonna do my part in making God know that I appreciate the life given to me. And I hope to make that a resolution for the world. Material objects has become what run the society, what if all of them were gone? I think everyone needs to not take for granted what has been given to them, own up to their selfishness, and start giving to others. The world would be a happier place, but for me I just want a happier life. So bring it on 2010, hit me with your best shot. Give me some more. Give me LIFE.