It seems like everyone, their dog and their dog’s best friend does a year in review post. I hereby refuse to sit and regurgitate all the things I’ve already written about this year. It’s the equivalent of those damn clip shows that TV series run where it’s nothing but flashbacks to previous episodes. We’ve seen all the episodes already…it’s just shy of jumping the shark. That being said I hereby reserve the right to do year in review posts in the future because I am fickle and contradictory by nature. I make no excuses or apologies. *grin*
Instead, I am going to do a Year of Lessons Learned (and hopefully they’ve been learned for the LAST time!). I’ve had my ass kicked this year in every imaginable way…I’ve also been blessed in every imaginable way. To quote my dear Adam Ant: “That’s just the yin and the yang of it.” So without further ado I bring you…
Life Lessons of 2011
- Hang in there. Sometimes things will suck…they will suck bad…sometimes really really bad. Ride it out. There’s always light and hope on the other side. That doesn’t make it suck any less, but it helps to know that the bad times can’t last forever.
- Going after your dreams is scary, but it’s worth it. You know the old adage – it’s better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. As long as you try you’ll never have to wonder “what if…”
- Listen to your gut…it knows things. Mine had been insisting for months that November 15th was an important date…that there was something important we were supposed to do that day and I just couldn’t remember what it was. As it turned out the 15th was a MAJOR day in my life. If I had quit trying to rationalize that persistent thought and actually tried to listen to it, I might have been better prepared for what that day held.
- Miracles happen. My beloved Mischa had a stroke about two weeks ago. I woke up and his head was turned at a 90 degree angle, he was walking in circles and he had facial paralysis. I rushed him to the vet. The diagnosis? It could have been a stroke or a nasty inner-ear infection. So we treated with steroids and antibiotics. 24 hours later there was no improvement. 48 hours there was still no improvement and the vet then felt confident that my little fella did, in fact, have a stroke. The whole time I babied him. I stayed awake with him for two days. He was handfed, watered, helped on and off the bed to use the bathroom. He even allowed me to give him a reiki treatment. He sat there for 15 minutes and rested his forehead against my forehead while I worked with his head cupped in my hands. It was awesome. On the third morning I looked at the foot of the bed and there he was, looking completely normal save a small, barely perceptible bit of droop to his left eyelid. When he went to see the vet for another follow up his doctor was stunned. He was looking and acting completely normal. Excellent response, walking normally, and his head tilt is about 3 degrees to the right…noticeable to no one but me. What a blessing.
- Forgiveness brings peace to your soul. It’s true. anger, resentment, hate, revenge – these are emotional and energetic burdens. Forgiveness seems hard to many but it’s really just a matter of doing it. You just do it. You make a conscious decision to let go. It doesn’t mean you agree with what was done…it merely means you forgive them. Bear them no ill will. Your heart will thank you later.
Are there any lessons you learned this year? Feel free to share them in the comments. Your lesson just might help someone else.
Before I sign off I would like to thank you all. I am blessed to have you as part of my tribe. I love you all for your love and support. You all rock my socks.
Best wishes & sending Mad, Mad Love to you all!
Happy New Year!
Kisses & Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
image credits: all images D. Sharon Pruitt
