2017: Regaining My Focus

 

I have been extremely pensive for the past few weeks attempting to choose a mantra for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, the most uncomfortable part of this process is attempting to determine which area in my life needs the most improvement...where I can make the biggest impact on my own personal path to inner peace. 

 

I love my marriage. I love my kids. I love my profession. However, in 2016 I feel like I wasn't the best wife, the best friend, the best employee, the best mother, or the best anything that I could have been. I lost my magic. I lost my drive. I couldn't even find my happy place IN my happy place. 

 

There is good news, though. After much thought, I figured it out. I know what happened. My focus was out of focus, so to speak.  All of my life, I have focused on what I could do for others. I have focused on a life of serving my fellow man...not just on the clock at work, but constantly serving. That's not what happened in 2016. This past year, I focused A LOT on myself. I focused on the things I don't have. I focused on all of the changes that I viewed to be negative. I focused on what WASN'T happening in my life instead of what I was giving to those around me.  And through all of this negativity, I lost my ability to dream. (Not the kind of dreams you have at night, but the kind of dreams that give us purpose.) I'm tired of this inner-me that has developed and so here it is...my mantra for 2017:

 

Focus on others and learn to dream again. 

 

I will admit, it's not a hallmark card. It lacks the poetic finesse of my mantras of prior years. However, this one is the most important one I have had in a very long time. It's time to find myself wrapped in happiness and inner peace again. 

 

So Cheers and Happy New Year! 

 

Here's to the ones who dream

Foolish as they may seem. 

Here's to hearts that ache. 

Here's to the mess we make. 

     -Mia, lala land