One Big Thing I've Learned This Year: Getting the Most out of Life.

This year was the first time I sat down and really thought about what I wanted to get out of the year.  Instead of just making goals, I tried to focus on lessons, experiences, fullness.

I'll never go back to just setting goals.

Having these things in my mind and written down where I can see them has helped guide my year.  It's helped me make decisions, both big and little.  It's made me choose things I wouldn't have normally chose and do things with a different attitude.

On January first, I made a list of what I wanted this year.  I wanted to be brave and adventurous.  I wanted fullness of life and new experiences.  I wanted to hustle my backside off and be proud of myself at the end of each day.  I wanted to live and breathe all things creative.

I have succeeded and failed in these areas many times already, and it's only July.  But there is way more bravery, experience, hard work, and creativity in my life at this moment than there would have been if I would have simply sat down on January first and decided that I wanted to lose five pounds and clean out my closet in 2014.

Goals are fantastic, but they can go beyond a project that you can begin and end.  For me, that's scary.  I don't like it.  I can clearly begin and end a 30-day workout, but at what point does "be brave and take risks" get crossed off the list?  Probably never.  And that's probably one of the greatest things that's happened to my life.

So if you feel like maybe you're not getting all you wanted to get out of this year, I really think you should try this.  Focus on how you want to feel and what you want your life to look like at this time next year.  Make some goals that you may never be able to cross off your list.  There's no time like January first, and there's no time like July fifteenth.

What are some things you'd like to get out of life this year?

Bravery in 2014.

I've never chosen one single word for a year before, but the thought of doing so really inspired me this year.  After writing out all of my resolutions, I chose the word brave.  [with hustle and create as a close second and third.]

I want this year to be a year of action.  A year of taking risks and not being afraid to fail.  A year of becoming exactly who I want to be, regardless of what anyone else may think.  A year of making every day count, full of experiencing life and taking big chances.  A year of making things happen.  A year of celebrating more and worrying less.

A year of being brave.

It takes bravery to make things happen. 

It takes bravery to be yourself. 

It takes bravery to decide where you want to be in life, and then do everything you can to get there. 

It takes bravery to live fiercely and without regret. 

I am planning on doing every one of those things this year, so brave seemed like a good word to choose.  That, and brave is not a word I would have ever used to describe myself in the past.  And I want to change that.

2014 is going to be good because I'm deciding to make it good.  And to bravely take on everything that comes my way this year.  Because I don't want to be sitting in the same spot on January 1st, 2015 thinking of all the things I missed out of because I was too afraid of __________.

So that's 2014 summed up in three words for me.  What about you?  What does 2014 look like for you? 

Happy first Friday of the New Year!  Cheers to making it count. 

all sources for images can be found here.