Goodbye old year and hello NEW! 2013 was full of huge life changes and was so amazingly awesome that I truly cannot express the magnitude. I was perfectly perched on the scales between heavy personal strife and wonderful joy. I experienced so much change, so many challenges and definitely accomplished my hefty goal to go on more adventures!
Over the course of the year I made a conscious effort to work harder at looking on the bright side of things and giving the silver lining the appreciation that it deserves. I was already a pretty positive person overall, but sometimes would get bogged down in depression and I wouldn’t always see the good. Lately depression for me wouldn’t mean that I was sad, or that I had a negative attitude, it typically meant I just would feel a little bummed for no discernible reason. It also meant that I couldn’t really be happy either, I would just be flat. I just WAS. Bleh. Meh. Eh. Whatevs. Bah. Basically numb or a gentle listless or unsettled feeling. It’s a little difficult to describe, but it sucks. It happens. I can’t really control it, I can just try to control how I react to it. This year, I was successful in my endeavor and though I was aware that “it” was there, simmering away beneath the surface, I didn’t allow myself to succumb. The cyclical depression that I always feel in the last quarter of the year is still totally there, I can feel IT lurking in the shadows…but I am working to manage it and manage myself.
Pro tip for werkin’ it in 2014: look at things, do things, feel things, experience things and think positive or profound thoughts. When you experience something great, run a mental list in your head of whatever grateful thoughts you can think of.
Example: See this picture? I took it, with my iPhone the other day at the coast with my daughter.
Here are some thoughts that were running through my head as I stood overlooking this scene:
This is a majestic sight to see. So beautiful. I’m alive. I am so lucky to live in Oregon. I’m so glad to share this with my daughter. I’m so excited to have such excellent coast weather lately. I’m so blessed to be in a life position that I can just pick up and go to the coast for the day, on the fly. I’m so glad for technology and how it allows me to capture memories that I’ll look back on fondly.
In writing, it’s freakin’ corny. But if you are in the habit of doing this, and you really give yourself to that moment, it will feel profound and wonderful.
My plan for this upcoming year is to continue LIVING life and reveling in everything I possibly can.
Mmmm to the T 
I love this. I’m just seeing it now though…goes to show I don’t get into my blog often enough anymore to see the updates…I’ve sort of really let my depression get the best of me. I hate that. This speaks volumes to me. I need to get out and DO!