I spent the morning sipping on coffee and reflecting upon another great year. It has been a year of great achievement, uncertainty, disappointment, and ultimately full of happiness. I know, I know the previous four descriptive words don't really go together and I would agree if you looked at them as individual adjectives. However, if you string them into one line it really just describes my life as one continuous adventure that contains an equal amount of peaks and valleys.
In the past 16 months we have had two military moves to two separate states (joined by one big bridge). If any time over the course of 26 years you would have asked me if I ever thought I would be stationed in Washington D.C. you would have been met with a very resounding NO. Life has a sense of humor and I am now stationed in the Washington D.C... and actually enjoying it. The traffic stinks and the gun laws are pathetic, but I love being close to family. You spend your whole life wanting to move away and in the end you feel best when close by.
Many people love to bash social media and how we are all connected to our electronic devices. Of course, they do most of their complaining while typing away on Facebook. A bit odd don't you think? Anyway, I for one enjoy social media and the connectivity it brings. Even though I don't get to see some of my friends or family very often I can follow along with their lives through pictures and events. Everyone is truly a FaceTime call, instant message or tagged post away. Over the course of this year I have stayed connected with those who mean the most and have started reconnecting with those from the past.
We all live in a world of uncertainty and inundated with negativity. So and so hates these people....so and so despises those people...and on and on and on. By watching television or surfing the internet you would think no one gets along anymore. Separated by politics, stance on police, ethnicity, religion, etc....you are manipulated to believe we can no longer coexist which other. I find this view startling and actually not true. I refuse to believe the world is bad, I refuse to lock myself in my house and I refuse to hate my neighbor even though politicians and the media thinks I should. Instead, I am looking to become more connected. In essence...I plan on "leaning in" and building stronger relationships with those around me.
It is no secret that I have drank the Team Red, White and Blue Kool-Aid. I can think of no better organization than one that has the solid purpose of building community through physical and social activity. Mike Erwin, the founder of Team RWB, has started another non profit called the The Positivity Project. I have never met Mike, but his message via social media resonates with me. In a recent Inc article he outlines 10 Essential Habits of Highly Optimistic and Positive People.
In looking towards the new year I want it to be a year full of optimism and positivity. Project Life: 2016 will be another year full of achievement, but more in importantly it will be a year full of service to people and optimism for the future. Life is so much better when you look at it through rose colored glasses.
