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One of my favorite parts about New Years is remembering everything that I've learned and accomplished this year. I then go over my goal list, adding and/or removing things that are no longer applicable.

While looking back, you'd be surprised what you might think about. Perhaps a friend of yours went to Machu Picchu and you've decided to add it to your list, or maybe that tattoo you were planning on getting with your now ex boyfriend isn't such a good idea for 2012. But don't forget to think about the things that you really worked through - Newly single? Now's the time to find yourself, to be independent. New baby? That's a really big deal, maybe there are a few goals as a mother or father that you would like to accomplish. Either way, whatever the goals are, it's important to allow your goal list to grow with you.

There are quite a few things that I've learned this year; the most important ones being that all relationships take work, there is a balance between living life for you and living with your significant other, people can and do change, and that you should try (almost) everything at least once. :)


Happy New Year!
A.E.C.

Our world is a mystery; we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. And I've heard people say this over and over again like it's a bad thing; like it's a reason to laze around or simply skate through life, pretending that it's not important.

I couldn't disagree more. We may not know what's coming next, but how boring would life be if we did? There wouldn't be surprises of any kind, unexpected last-minute changes, or any point of wrapping presents for people. And, yes, there is tragedy and heartbreak, but knowing would only worsen the pain - especially when there isn't anything we could do about it - and cause constant worry that can get in the way of the good moments. All we can do is make a few plans and live life to the fullest.

And if you're someone who's unsure of what you want - go find it. Figure out what you enjoy most in life - maybe make a list of all of the things you like doing on a day-to-day basis. Then, go find classes on the topic, or jobs you could apply for that would relate to you, because you are the only one who can truly make yourself happy - no one else can give you that complete satisfaction.

So, what are you waiting for? What you want is not likely to fall into your lap. Go get it! Have adventures, be brave, pay it forward, and stop caring about what other people think of you - just do. Defy the odds, have fun, and be who you've always wanted to be. :) It's the only way to live your life - for you.

A.E.C.

Yesterday I found myself putting together yet another list - this time of all of the goals I'd like to accomplish before 2012. I've made it a big goal to accomplish more than I did last year. What I didn't take note of is how much rushing yourself can make your accomplished goals somewhat void.

For example, cramming 19+ goals into 18 days is a little ridiculous if you ask me. Accomplishing goals shouldn't just be about proving to yourself (or others) that you can do something, it should be mainly about the experience; something to truly enjoy and to take in.

We've been competing with ourselves for sometime; always trying to break our own records, always pushing ourselves further and constantly asking ourselves why we aren't pushing harder. However, one of the many things I just recently learned in life is that, sometimes, you've got to give yourself a little break; push yourself, but allow yourself a little room so that you don't get completely burnt out, and so that you're able to enjoy what you're experiencing. Take in some of your greatest moments and accomplishments before pushing onto the next, and you'll see just how much more incredible life can really be.

Continue to push yourself, but remember to take a look up from whatever it is you're working on every once in a while. Our accomplishments and hard work should not go unnoticed, especially by ourselves. - You never know what you might miss.

We may be the most critical of our work, but we may also receive the most joy from it, and we should.

A.E.C.

It's easy to be critical of yourself, and I'm certainly a master at that. Whether you're a perfectionist or not, there are times when you're down on yourself.

We all do it, but that's not a good enough reason to continue to do it. When you're down on yourself, not only is it hard for you to spend time with you, but other people feel that way about spending time with you too. Oh! And have I mentioned what a toll this takes on your goals? It will delay them inevitably and possibly stop you from accomplishing anything at all.

When I got home from Nashville, I was a complete mess. I'd convinced myself that, by moving home, I had ruined everything. Even though I knew that there was a lot of work that needed to be done here before I could get anything accomplished with the career that I want there, I was constantly telling myself that I was a failure - that I'd missed out on my one shot. This began affecting every relationship that I have. I was completely unsure of what I was going to do, slightly depressed, and wondering why everything was going sour.

Finally, I realized that I was making things sour because I wasn't fighting anymore. While in Nashville, not only was I not prepared for the career of my dreams, but I was rather limited to what I could do alone. I hadn't missed out because that wasn't my only shot, and in order to get another shot, I would have to fight for it, so that's what I'm working on now.

No matter how many times you try and fail, there's still opportunity. Yes - there may come a time when you are in the right place, but if you aren't prepared, then you need to reevaluate things to move forward. You need to weigh your options, explore different routes, and fight with everything that you have so that one day you'll be prepared and in the right place at the right time.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You're fighting for your dreams; this is a lot more than some can say. When all is said and done, you'll have more incredible stories than you know what to do with, and - best of all - you won't have regrets.

A.E.C.

The older we get, the faster time seems to fly by. We become busy with work, friends, family and children. Before we know it, our entire lives have changed in what felt like a blink of an eye. A beautiful blur, but some have regrets. Why didn't I stay in college? Why didn't I study abroad? Wasn't I going to travel the world? Wasn't I going to have college funds for the kids?

We all have regrets, but fretting over them is not getting you anywhere. So, before punishing yourself, take a breath.  The questions you want to be asking yourself should include: Where do I go from here? How do I move forward? What do I want now? How am I going to get it?

Just the other day I caught myself wondering how I got to where I am. Although very content, I cannot help but nag at myself for my financial situations or my regrets with schooling. And while it's great to be concerned with those things, we need to look forward. Stop worrying about what you did or what got you here because memory is for learning & being thankful for all of the good, not for torturing yourself.

Learn from your past, be thankful for it, and move on. Start doing things you've always wanted to do and remind yourself that it doesn't matter how old you are. Look toward the future and start fighting before time slips away again.
:) You never know what you'll find.

A.E.C.

There's always that one person who will tell you that you can't do something. Whether it be that dream profession, a medical 'diagnosis', or a goal that you've been looking to accomplish for a while now.

This person has weighed their options & decided that, because the average person hasn't accomplished this, you simply can't. It seems they've forgotten that anything is possible; that they've decided to be negative & look over the fact that miracles happen every day. This is their problem, not yours.

Unfortunately for them, you are not the average person, you've set goals that will get you further in life than this person could possibly imagine, & this is why:
In 1979, there was a study with the Harvard MBA program. The students were asked if they had set clear, written goals & had plans to accomplish them. Three percent of the students said yes; 13 percent had goals, but did not write them down; and 84% said they did not have any goals whatsoever.

In 1989, they took the study to a whole new level when they went back to check on those students. "The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, 10 TIMES as much as the other 97 percent PUT TOGETHER."
(Click Here to see the full article.)

With that said, I think you should take a look at this person who's telling you that you can't do something, ask them if they have big goals that they would like to accomplish... and, when they say no, you can simply smile & walk away.
The key to success is not only self discipline, but positive thinking.

AEC

All of us have experienced the feeling we get when someone has something we really want. When we want something bad enough, it can even seem as though nearly everyone has it. And when it comes to something that you don't have complete control over, it's nearly impossible to not be frustrated, or even heartbroken.

In all honesty, and after personal experience, I must state that focusing on other goals & previous accomplishments is what gets me through the moments of frustration. When we don't have complete control over a particular goal, focusing on other goals can not only distract from that frustration, but often cause that goal to come even closer, get you thinking about a different route... or possibly even change our mind about that goal completely.

So when you want something, but you're unable to go after it alone, or for any other particular reason, set that goal aside & think about all of the other things you'd like to accomplish. As silly as it sounds, some goals can be as complicated as homework assignments. Every now & then we need a breather.

A.E.C.

Ursula K. LeGuin once said, "It's good to have an end to journey toward; but it's the journey that matters, in the end."

This quote, a new personal favorite of mine, had me really thinking about the risks/adventures that we take. We set goals, we fight to accomplish them, & once accomplished, we sit back & laugh about some of the struggles we fought through to get here.

These memories, although tough at the time, carry us through to our next big goal... whether we realize it or not.

Take for example, a trip to Salt Lake City for American Idol Auditions. My mother & I spent our nights at a campground in a tent, where the temperature never dropped below 70 degrees. A search for the beach was easy, but we found ourselves walking through a smelly mush that burned our feet. And for our last night, we found ourselves in a Walmart Parking lot, watching a security guard wind his car around & around & around the lot because he was bored.

Though I did not make it on American Idol, this trip taught me so much about myself, my mother, & taking risks. Without this adventure, neither of us would've taken our next road trip to Nashville, TN. And without that, I may have never taken the risk to move to Nashville for the short time that I did.

When we take risks & work through difficult times, it makes us stronger. These memories, the tough ones especially, are reminders to keep moving forward. Now, we're able to tell ourselves that one day we will look back & laugh about what just happened.

What's a big accomplishment you've made? What parts do you remember most?
Leave me a comment & let me know, even if you'd like to remain anonymous.

A.E.C.

At times, we find ourselves panicked & begging for things to be erased, so that we might be able to start over from scratch. A clean slate. No one knows us, no one cares, & we can build something great.

It's only then that we realize that what we had was actually the greatest thing of all.

Though our flaws do not define us, it's the people that witness them that really know who we are. They've seen us at our best & at our worst... & have supported us through it all.

With that support, the odds of building something great increase. With our flaws, we build something stronger than we can ever imagine. And, most importantly, with those flaws & our history, we can truly show others just how far we've come.

A.E.C.

Every day I'm amazed by the things that inspire me. The weather being nearly 70 degrees, glancing at houses downtown by the college, taking a long walk on the beach, digging through the best memories of everyone I've ever spent time with.
Lately I've been having dreams about days like this, but in them, it seems as though I can relive my favorite memories completely. And they are always a reminder that I need to take time every now & then to just relax, turn my ipod on, & go for a walk.
I love days like this, days that just feel peaceful in nearly every way. These are the days that lead to inspiration, to figuring out who you are & what you want. These are the days when you remember that anything is possible.

A.E.C.