{ a path to 2012: reflections & resolutions }

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As the year-end approached, the blogosphere was buzzing with those Teh Awesome Things That Happened This Year!!!1 posts. At first I thought of sparing you guys, but then I started reflecting on what an interesting year it has been for me and decided to do this entry after all.

(I think my apprehension about this type of post stemmed from the seeming bragging undertones many of these entries had, and that's definitely not what I wanted to accomplish here, I promise.)

Lost of things did happen this year, new experiences were experienced and new friendships were formed, and overall, I'm in a better place than I was in the last few years.

This past year:

• I switched disciplines at work to something that I'm sure will cause me a great deal of stress, but I believe will ultimately be more challenging and fulfilling than my old job. Hopefully.
• I met some really amazing people this year, from Internet BFF Jenn to Dance BFF Meaghan (an actual IRL friend), both of whom make my life better on a daily basis. 
• I've learned to not dwell on the friendships lost. Or at least to dwell less.
• I also stepped out of my comfort zone by saying YES more often. YES to meeting new people, YES to a random happy hour and YES to doing stuff as opposed to sitting in front of the TV, watching another tired episode of the Kardashians.
• I've taken more dance classes last year than I have in my entire life, combined. I feel like I've improved tremendously. AND I STARTED POINTE!!!! I mean, who does that at 29???? (I first typed at almost-30, but it looked gross, so I deleted it. 29 is a lot less intimidating).
• I resurrected my blog after a 39839084 year hiatus. Trust me, this deserves a bullet point of its own.
• I met people from the Internet, which still baffles my mind because it's so far out of my comfort zone. Besides Internet BFF Jenn, I also met Michelle, Katrina,  and almost-Megan, another blog friend from Vancouver and my monochromatic soul sistah, but alas, plans changed at the last minute. The point is, had this been any other year, it would've never happened (see also: stepping out of my comfort zone)

Overall, I feel that I'm more patient, stable and a lot less of a stress case I was a year ago. I'm still learning, and have a long way to go, but for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction.

I'm making no resolutions this year, because ultimately there's no point -- I end up breaking every one of them and then feeling like shit about it. So this is a year of no resolutions, no rules and no guidelines. This is a year of not feeling like a failure because I didn't accomplish some bullet point on some stupid list. This is a year of ME.

What are you resolutions this year? Are you even making any?