My New Year

Some people make resolutions for the New Year. New habits to form, healthy mindsets, new traditions with family or friends, healthy goals, etc. I’ve been considering my options as the new year gets closer.

And then I turned on my TV…

…and something struck me as I was watching one of my favorite Christmas movies, Home Alone. A lightbulb went off the second  I looked up and saw the beloved little forgotten boy grab his BB gun after getting ready to protect his home. He courageously proclaimed how he had no time to be scared but that he was going to be brave!

“That’s it!” I thought. “There’s no time to let myself be scared about the unknown! I need to be BRAVE!”

I am proud of myself for the courage I’ve had going through hard times and uncertain moments this year. Now, I see clearly that what I feel on the inside is gratefulness to myself for trying to be more BRAVE this year!

I felt pretty brave while taking my first ever solo vacation across the country. I felt pretty brave while setting a pretty lofty financial goal this past year and meeting it! I feel brave every time I write a new article for the world to read (thanks iBelieve.com)! And I always feel pretty brave going to work every day while working with toddlers that could poke my eye out in one swift swipe (Ok, they are angels for the most part, but it could happen… trust me).

Being brave, for me, is a mindset and a physical action. And I have confidence in my Lord to continue to give me the courage to move into this New Year. Here are just a few areas that I want to be brave in for 2015:

I’m going to be brave and…

• Write more. Period. On my blog, as freelance, and on the book proposal that is in my head and needs to be birthed into life on paper!

• Take more chances on love. I’m going to be open to meeting men through multiple (safe) approaches. Blind date put together by a friend? Sure. Using a dating site to see what happens there? Ok. Pray for my brothers in Christ out there to be more brave? YES! Cross my fingers, toes, and eyes that more men will actually be men and come up to me, talk, ask me questions, be a gentleman, and maybe even ask me out? You bet! 😉

• Go on more traveling adventures! With friends? Yes! On my own? Yup! Fun!!

• Give more. My time, talents, finances, a listening ear. All of the above.

So…these are just a few. I’m sure I’ll have some more areas to be brave in as 2015 rolls along. Some will be fun and some may not be fun at all. I trust that God will see me through the good and the bad and I know I’ll come out even braver for it!

 (I took the above picture on my first ever solo airplane ride! Just perfection!)