OK, so I’m a few hours late. Makes no never mind.
I have been anticipating today for several months, even since before my departure from Italy. All I’ve been able to think about is a new year with new beginnings and new opportunities
In chatting with head hunters and other professionals for months now, I’m convinced more than ever that I will be finding work very soon and starting on a new trajectory in my life. Ten thousand jobs were created in Oregon in November, the most for one month in twenty years. Many employers are having problems filling positions. News like this encourages me.
And I’m excited about a new year just because of its inherent exhilaration and excitement. A new year allows one to start all over. Whether it’s a new job, new diet, new attempts at maintaing health, the mere awareness of “starting over”, provides opportunities.
The opportunities are whatever one wants them to be. After two years of following my dreams, achieving them and receiving more than I ever expected, I’ve come to understand that stagnation is the worst thing that one can endure. Even if the only change one pursues is something small like painting the house, it must be done. Running around in circles only exacerbates frustration and a sense of non-accomplishment.
For me, I find that when I take the initiative to effect change, life takes on new meaning. There’s so much to live out there. Yes, there are the mundane things of every day life. There are problems and crises. But that makes the pursuit of challenge and change all the more crucial.
It is change that jars us out of complacency. It is the initiatives we pursue that give life flavor and allow us to flex our emotional, professional and mental muscles. Going after what we want is scary, but the alternative is “what if?”, two of the most frustrating and unanswerable words in the English language.
If I may be so bold, I want to wish my readers a New Year of joy, happiness and blessings. If you have honored me by following my blog and reading about my life as an expat and my experience in researching my genealogy and finding distant family members, thank you. I hope that my experience has not only entertained you, but touched your heart. I hope my struggles have challenged you and I hope that my decision to just “go for it” and pursue my dream encourages you to take whatever steps you have been considering. You won’t regret it.
Here’s to a wonderful 2016 for everyone.
This is My Lemonade 