It's been a while. My mom pointed out that I really only update the blog when I travel, and while it is mostly a travel blog, I am currently traveling. I am in Las Vegas for Christmas and decided to write a post to ring in the new year. As we approach the end of the year 2016 and the beginning of 2017, I want to share with all of you some of my plans. First, I will be going on another Study Abroad next summer (yes, it is my third summer in a row). I will be going back to England and Scotland to study Harry Potter. Then I plan to visit a bunch of other fun places with a dear friend of mine, including Dublin, Prague, and several places in Bulgaria. But beyond my travels, I hope that 2017 will be a year of self improvement, positivity, and confidence for all of us.
I recently had a conversation with my mother about making changes. She told me that she just wants everything to be lovely all the time. I told her that if she really wants everything to be lovely all the time, then she needs to be lovely all the time.
I used to believe that in order to see progress you had to make some grand gesture. Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world." I thought that meant that all responsibility for positive progress had to fall on my shoulders. If I wanted to see improvement in any aspect of my like or the world around me, then I had to make it happen. While that is partially true, 2016 taught me that we cannot change others. We can only change ourselves.
Think of the loveliest person you know. The kindest, most gentle, person you have ever met. That person is loved by you because they are loving to you. They make everything lovely, not by forcing everything around them to go perfectly, but by simply being as lovely as they can be.
Think of the ugliest person you know. The meanest, most bitter, person you have ever met. That person is hated by you because they are hateful to you. They make everything hideous, by forcing everything around them to go exactly as they plan, and by simply being ugly they make everyone around them feel ugly too.
I am type of person who wants to fix everything all the time. Sometimes I am a perfectionist to the extreme, but that doesn't make things perfect. Only being perfect could make things perfect. Only being brave will make others less afraid. Only being kind will make the world a nicer place. If I want to fix others, fix their problems, fix their insecurities, fix their stresses, I first must fix my own.
I am not usually one to set New Years Resolutions, but this year I am making 5 goals to improve myself in ways that reflect the changes that I want to see in the world.
1. This year I will try to replace my “I’m sorry”s with “Thank you”s to promote positivity toward myself and in other people’s lives. Instead of saying "I'm sorry that I'm late" I will try to remember to say "Thank you for waiting for me." Without letting myself off the hook entirely when I mess up, this is a productive way to change the inner dialogue about myself and a way to be grateful to the people who deserve it most at the same time. This idea was inspired by my friend who posted about it on Facebook. Thank you for the uplifting post that actually motivated me so much.
2. This year I will list 2,017 good qualities about myself by the end of the year, without repeating any. Having love and kindness towards ourselves can be really difficult. It's so easy sometimes to just see our flaws. I will learn to see the things in myself that others love about me to promote stronger relationships and greater respect for the the people who show me kindness. This idea was inspired by my mentor and friend who early this year told me that he was trying to think of three good things about himself everyday. Thank you for understanding what it is to be that dangerous mix of arrogant and insecure.
3. This year I will read 15 books that I have always wanted to read. Education is important to me. I am constantly wishing that the world we live in was a better educated and more well read world. I want to surround myself with intellectual thinkers, who read to gain knowledge and experience to gain wisdom. This idea was inspired by my Godmother, who reads so much that I could hardly catch up if I tried. Thank you for being a perfect example to me of how intelligence can give women incredible strength.
4. This year I will try 5 new things that I never thought I would try before. I believe that it takes courage to try new things. I also think that the world needs a little more courage in order to be a safer and more noble place. It takes courage to stand up for what's right. It takes courage to love people who are unpopular to love. It takes courage to be the best versions of ourselves. Trying new things is just one way to develop courage. This idea is inspired by my boyfriend who is constantly helping me be brave in the face of adversities that I used to fear I would never overcome. Thank you for .
5. This year I will send more Thank You notes. Gratitude is so important to lifting ourselves and others. My dad used to tell me that practicing gratitude was the only way to be truly happy and I believe that with all my heart. Not only does gratitude lift us, but it's also impressive to others. This idea was inspired by my mentors in the Honors Program at my school told me a story about a position that was once open at the University. Lots of applicants and interviewees came and went, but only one person sent a Thank You note, and she was the one that they hired. Thank you for teaching me that showing gratitude will make me a stronger leader.
May we make the world a better place, by continuously working toward self improvement. I am grateful for my family for never giving up. I am grateful to my friends for being the family that isn't limited to blood. Thank you to all of the people who inspire me to be better everyday, especially those mentioned in this post. I sincerely wish you all a happy Christmas and a successful new year. Keep an eye out for more travel posts coming to you in the Summer of 2017.
Love Always,
The Wanderess
