In 2011, I worked extremely hard.  I dedicated myself to my job, my boyfriend and it seems like making everyone else happy but myself.  Believe me, I’m not by any means upset that my career is taking me places that I never dreamed of or that I have the most perfect and wonderful boyfriend in the world, but sometimes in the midst of it all, you forget that who you are is important to.

My 2012 resolution, ultimately, is not to comprise who I am for anyone.  I can define myself in many ways, but words that come to mind are; writer, dreamer, creative, rebel, explorer, chef, emotional, drinker, lover and good.  Today I want to talk about the good.  I want to make a difference in the world.  I want to be someone who inspires and leads and sets the example.  I find myself challenging “the system” rather than accepting it, and thus I have more motivation to be the change.

I am very much a believer in anticipation, being proactive and that we all need to realize the long-term effect of our actions.  This can be something small, like using an eco-shopping bag instead of plastic bags every time you go to the grocery store.  The long-term benefit to the environment seems obvious.  Another good change is shopping at local stores and markets, again the long-term benefit to small businesses seems obvious.  Little things like turning off faucets, lights and tvs, not just to save on electric bills, but because it’s the best thing for the environment.

Now we’re starting to dig deeper.  I don’t shop at Wal-mart because I don’t support their business practices.  At work, I enlist and support the “human side” as one of my favorite blogs, Switch and Shift describes it.  I say please and thank you.  I don’t say “give me” or “I need”, which I find are incredibly rude terms that are accepted by our society.  And I believe in pushing people to find their good side and true potential.  I don’t think everyone has the patience nor the ability to do that, and sometimes I even struggle, but it’s a challenge that I’ve embraced and want to see it through to the end.

I hope that maybe at least you’ll think about your own good and how you can make changes in your own life.  Of course, I will continue my mission to be the change and spread good.  As always, stay tuned for more!  

Jayson walked in on me while I was typing this and insisted I include the following: “My boyfriend has been the greatest addition to my life since the invention of Cheese!!!!!!” 

True that J.  I love you with all my heart.