Walking into the new year grateful

This last month has been a whirlwind. I said ‘see you soon’ to new friends and the city I called home for three months, came back home, looked for a job, found a job, started that new job and more. I haven’t even been home a month yet. From tragically terrible dinners to hosting an amazing pasta making party there have been a range of experiences so far, and a lot of laughs along the way. And tears. It hasn’t been easy adjusting to being back, just like it wasn’t easy leaving. Thankfully, I have something that makes all the messiness right. Or rather, makes it a little less messy so I can enjoy the time and people in my life.

Gratitude.

It’s a word often seen thrown around without application. Or worse, used as a magic wand that people will try to convince you will solve all your problems. I’m not going to lie. Gratitude is not the only quality you need to possess to get through tough times in your life, but it is a big help. From sleepovers to surgery my family has been through it all this month, and we’re all still making it. Still pushing to make today better than yesterday. For that, I’m grateful.

You’ve seen enough posts about making new year goals or tweets about what everyone has accomplished during the year. Whether you were making those posts or staring at them feeling a little bit worse about what you haven’t accomplished, gratitude is for you. The quality that will help you feel more than just okay about where you are, whether or not it was where you planned. Whether or not you feel you “accomplished” anything particularly monumental. You are here today, and you didn’t have to be. That’s something to be grateful for.

While I make endless lists and goals and fill my notebooks and notes on my phone with things I’d like to accomplish over the year or month or day, I’m not much of a vision board person. To each their own, do what you like and what works for you. What I like is setting intentions around a word, or a few if I can’t choose just one, for the year. For what would I’d like to cultivate or manifest in my life. One of mine for last year was gratitude. And I can say I worked hard at it.

There are many who want to leave things behind, and while I have a few things I’d like to leave, I’m keeping gratitude. Walking or twerking into the new year grateful to be here- intact. Thriving and not merely surviving. Imperfect, but hopeful. Thankful for friends who keep me accountable to the goals and attitudes I say I want to embody and for the times they remind me of who I am when understanding what makes me special are ideas I lack. Or ideas I can’t see for all the mess that gets in the way. I am grateful to be exactly where I am, and for the revelations this year has given me to make this place possible. All the heartache and pain that taught me to be softer, and the time to learn and grow to be better.

While you may feel like you “accomplished” a lot or a little, you, just by being there, made an impact on your little piece of the world. In some way, your 2018 was different than all the years before it. And while myself and others often present a world in which we live nothing but lives full of fun, be rest assured that I’m writing this post with a glass of Malbec in hand singing my heart out over situations that will probably be deemed ridiculous this time next year. But even still, I’m grateful for the blessings and lessons this year have gifted me and am ready to take the best parts to 2019 with me.

Gratitude might just change your life, like it’s doing to mine. So while you may want to drop things from your life in 2019, make sure you hold on tight to that. You’ll be happy you did. Now go be a positive influence on someone else, thankful for the ability to do so. And be thankful for the people who decide to be one to you.

happy reading,
kacie micole