When it's time to change

I guess since it's past midnight today is technically my birthday. I have decided not to focus on this year that is gone but rather on an entire new year. A year of new beginnings. I feel like this will be the most powerful year of my life. Although I feel a bit like Peter Brady in the episode where his voice was changing and it cracks as he sings, "When it's time to change you've got to rearrange." in that voice that keeps cracking. Yes there is a time appointed to change and, for me. that time is now. This all sounds great but HOW am I going to change? I have decided to set a few goals that I will make public. Of course I will set some private ones too. :)

Okay. Set. Go. This is going to be a very interesting year. I am changing things in every aspect of my life. Here are some of my goals:

Physically

* Completely eliminate gluten from my diet for a year. 
* Begin exercising daily

Spiritually

* Read scriptures every night without missing a day
* Read The Bible, The Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants all the way through
* Start every morning praying to do the will of the Lord

Mentally


* Finish writing my book, "The Path Back Home"
* Graduate from ASU with my Bachelor's in Family and Human Development with a minor in Sociology

Emotionally

* Stick through counseling even when it gets to the hard things
* Continue to seek out alternative therapy to heal

Misc.

* Become more organized
* Each week evaluate my goals and decide what I need to improve on and how I am progressing. Keep a written account of this. 

So these are the goals. Of course they may be revised but I really want to stick as closely as I can to these. I am trying to keep it pretty simple so I don't get overwhelmed.

I talked to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Science. I have been so nervous since the one I was working with retired and I am dealing with someone completely different. It looks like my Spring semester will be 100% backdated to the first day of class so I am good there but I am still a bit worried about Fall. I know I did the best I could but it's still hard sometimes. I love the quote by Maya Angelou, " Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."  This is so true. I am always looking to do better and be better but sometimes I just have to be content and do my best. Then I can have faith that I will learn a better way and do better. Sometimes it is just hanging on until then.

I am excited for a new year full of change. Change usually scares me but these changes are long past due. I am learning that I can either live in fear (which isn't really fully living) or I can choose faith. It's still not easy but most of the time I remember to choose faith. Really what I have been through the last few years has shown me that I can make it through anything. It has revealed my strengths and my greatest weaknesses. It has shown me what I still need to heal but has taught me to not become too overwhelmed with it all. Life is a journey. There are no fast forward buttons or rewind buttons. There are no pause or stop buttons. All we have is play which is good because I love to play! :)

I this year will bring more peace, joy, intimacy with those I love, security and true happiness. Just for today I choose to change. I am the only one who can control the choices I make in my life. I will choose joy. I will choose love. I will choose light. And when I make mistakes I will choose to make a U turn like I have been doing my whole life and get on the right track. I am learning to do this quicker which is true progress!