But as the days inch closer to December 31, I look forward to that annual farewell with eagerness, anxious to let go of the year's unwelcome hardships and welcome the hope of fresh, untainted possibilities.
It's a goodbye that doesn't seem so bad.
Time brings so much into life that is beyond our control. But the close of a year often motivates me to search for what I do have a choice in bidding goodbye---emotional baggage, hurtful memories, poor choices, harmful habits. Sometimes, when I take even the tiniest, initial step towards dropping such a deterrent, I find a measure of peace. Just knowing I have begun gives me a bit of encouragement.
At some point in 2011, I gradually began caring less about other people's opinions of me. Slowly, I became aware that I was pushing myself a little further towards my dreams, but with a diminished need for other people to approve. Until I began that (still ongoing) process and experiencing a little more freedom and confidence, I didn't realize how often I let other people's opinions determine my decisions.
How many times do we hurt in life because of fears or beliefs we need to cast off?
Maybe we should ask ourselves more than once a year what we need to let go of.
What is interfering with your life that you want to start letting go in 2012?
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