Raise Your Glass

Happy New Year to one and all. 2013 was a crazy year, but also a good one full of growth, challenges, and happiness. As the year winds down, I wanted to share a few of the lessons I have learned.

1. Continue to surround myself with people who challenge me.
It's easy to only have people in your life who agree with you and validate your thoughts and decisions. But the truth is, the people who challenge the way you think, act, and look at the world are the people you need in your life. I have many people in my life who don't let me get away with anything, and I am beyond appreciative of these people (even if they are incredibly irritating at times). I am who I am because of them. 

2. Remember that my job does not define me. 
I always want to work at a job that challenges and inspires me, but I do not want a job that solely defines who I am. I have worked very hard this year to create balance between my work life and my personal life. I AM SO MUCH MORE THAN MY JOB! I have rediscovered passions I forgot I had (cooking) and threw myself back into passions I didn't always have/make time for (relationships with family and friends, music, and the outdoors.). 

3. Being brave is not easy, but it's incredibly rewarding. 
I bought a house this year. And I did it by myself (well, that's not entirely true - I had a tremendous amount of support from family and friends. But when shit breaks, I have to deal with it....so there's that).

 I helped my friend Kristen write a blog post about my breast reduction experience. Being vulnerable is NEVER easy -  I almost threw up when she published the post. However, I was flooded with positive notes from people who were grateful and proud of me for sharing that piece of myself. It's incredibly humbling to realize how much good can come in if you're willing to break down your walls. 

I also started this blog. I have never been confident as a writer, but now I just don't care. I've been given an outlet to write about and share the things that I love (as random as they may be), and that is one of the best gifts I could have given myself.  

4. Don't ever become complacent - continue to find ways to challenge the mind, body, and soul.
My dad and I finally decided to do the boundary waters canoe trip we had been talking about for years. We planned, we set a date, and a couple days before departure, I came down with the plague. Everyone assumed we would cancel the trip; oh silly peeps. My German stubbornness can sometimes be an asset. We went, we camped, we conquered (and I brought enough meds with me to knock out a horse). I felt a great amount of pride after that trip. We canoed about 15 miles and did EIGHT portages in 2 days. Despite my hacking cough, we had an amazing trip and made some wonderful memories. 

I'm also working on spontaneity. I've always been a planner and am most comfortable knowing what's going to happen next. But let's be real, life doesn't work that way. It's messy, it's wacky, and for most of life's best experiences, you just need to go with the flow. I'm certainly not perfect at this yet, but I'm working on it. 

5. You're young - act like it.
Real truth, I've never been good at being a young person. I've always identified better with those older than me, and I definitely have an old soul. But I AM young and need to remember that. These are the years for taking risks, traveling, having new experiences, making fun (albeit sometimes dumb) decisions, and conquering fears. 

SO, what's in store for 2014? I'm not a big supporter of resolutions; they make me feel guilty when I don't accomplish them. I do, however, support a wish list for the upcoming year. 

1. Travel.
Because I bought a house, I didn't have a lot of money for travel this past year. I did spend a good amount of time up north during the summer, but I missed getting out of MN. I hope to incorporate travel into my 2014 plans.

2. Take advantage of where I live.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are amazing cities. There are a plethora of opportunities to hear great music, watch amazing theatre performances, eat fabulous food, drink local beers, explore parks and museums, and so much more. I want to be better about soaking up the experiences that are right at my fingertips.

3. Take time for adventures, big and small. 
Adventures do not always needs to be extravagant. Sometimes they are as simple as a play date with the nieces, a spontaneous game night, or snowshoeing through the woods on a peaceful winter morning. One of my favorite quotes for the Harry Potter series came from Dumbledore:

"And now Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue the flighty temptress, adventure."

Amen Dumbledore. Amen.

4. Dance and sing
I love, like realllllllllly love, to dance. I rarely get the opportunity to do so, and I want to be better about creating those opportunities for myself. I also have a soft spot for karaoke, which again, I rarely do. I like mocking people more than I like to get up and sing, but you know, either option is pretty fun :)

5. Invest in the relationships that matter.
You know that old saying the it's better to have quality over quantity? Well, that sure is the truth. I'm lucky to have some quality peeps in my corner, and I want to make sure I'm investing in those relationships and not taking them for granted. 

And because I can't do anything without a soundtrack, here's a little new year's playlist to help you celebrate. See you next year, kids!

XOXO,
Em

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSq1cez_flQ

The Best is Yet To Come (Frank Sinatra)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmf1AYgYj6I

The Night They Invented Champagne (Sylvia Syms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPd0R9Sd_qw

New Year's Resolution (Otis Redding and Carla Thomas)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC-ijmyuZJ4

Raise Your Glass (P!nk)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVNlG5cZyQ

New Year's Day (U2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLtshMhbZPo

The Final Countdown (Europe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

My Dear Acquaintance (Regina Spektor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG8mbe2Ck3c

Cheers (I'll Drink to That) (Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zagg9cJdxZ0

Auld Lang Syne (James Taylor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr-htpPV_Z0