2013 was the year I LEARNED...

Happy New Year!!!  Can you believe that 2013 is over?  A thing of the past?  Hey, remember 2013?  That was SO last year;)

It's 2014 now, baby.  Time for a fresh start.  The beginning of a whole new year and anything can happen!  Do you make resolutions?  I do, sort of.  I do with the anticipation that life will become way too busy and I will forget about them by the end of January.  But for those first few weeks, wow, am I motivated!!

Some of my "plans" for 2014 are to simplify life, spend less money {I say this as I am about to go out and shop with my mom, it's really working out for me!} learn how to use power drills and build furniture, read 100 books, and finish writing my book by 2015.  I want to be healthier too, get back into the gym, cook healthier things, make healthier choices, but that is always a goal so I am not making that a resolution.  Also spending time with my family, being a better wife and stepmother, and maybe *even* becoming a mom {gasp} are things that I'd love to work on.

I had a great year in 2013, but it was a growing year for me.  I really learned a lot about me, about other people, and about the world in general.  I feel like my 30's are the "new" 20's, for real.  I know we hear that saying a lot, but I agree with it.  I'm really finding myself and who I am in my 30's, whereas in my 20's I was trying to figure out what the heck I was doing with my life!

Here are a few things that I learned in 2013:

- I love my job, but I don't always like it.  This year has been a stressful one so far!  More so for my coworkers than me, but believe me I am feeling it too.  I love helping people, I love working with kids, I love talking with parents and the staff about how to help students.  When I am doing what I love to do, I love it so.  I think that I may not always be in this position though.  Education is a rough profession to be in, and I feel like there is something more I am supposed to do with my life.  I'm not sure what that is yet.  I'm not sure when I'll be called away from this one, but I am open to possibilities.  That brings me to my next life lesson learned...

- I love writing.  I have always liked to write.  Like in school, I always enjoy writing papers.  I actually miss writing papers.  When a teacher or professors gave us a writing assignment (even my 50 pager in grad school) I got really excited.  Writing is fun!  It's creative!  I started this blog 3 years ago because of a resolution to read more, but it actually fulfills my love for writing too.  I am writing a book, and it's very slow going, but it's mine and it's crazy fun.  I'm having a good time.  I'd love to actually make it as a writer, but who knows if that will every happen.  This book needs to be good, it's totally not yet!

- Everyone has different opinions about everything.  You may be thinking, "Tina...we've all known this for a while..." but really, I am understanding it more.  Some people think their way is the right way, or the only way, or the only opinion or the right opinion.  But the truth is...we are allowed to think and believe in any way that we want to.  Everyone has an opinion about everything...and they think their opinion is the end-all-be-all...but I've realized...it's totally not.  Let everyone live their lives, and let it be.   There are SO many other things to be thinking about or worrying about, so don't worry about how others are living.  Let them live!  This topic came to me because I see so many people posting antagonizing Facebook posts about how the "world" should be.  Don't worry about the world, unless it's to help and uplift.  Do as this little cutie says, and worry 'bout yourself:)  Do as I tell my kids and stop putting down others to make you feel better.  Love who you are.  Love who they are!  Thank you:)

- Family is the most important thing!!!  I spend more time with my family, extended and of course Dave and Ashley, than I did with anyone else this year.  I just really enjoy being around my relatives.  My friends are wonderful too, but we all have our own lives right now and life is very busy...and when I carve time out of my schedule it's usually to be with family.  When you have a crazy life schedule like us, Dave & I have completely opposite schedules, you have to prioritize!  I know that some of my family won't be around forever, and if I think about that my heart freezes, so I want to get in as much time as possible.  I cherish this time.  It's the most important thing to me.

- I have rediscovered my love for Musicals.  Rent, Les Mis, Chess, Phantom, Wicked...I could listen to the music all day.  I want to branch out and learn about new ones!  Do you ever listen to these songs and just cry your eyes out?  I listened to 525,600 minutes the other day and was balling like a child who dropped ice cream.  How DO you measure a year?  Totally!

- My style.  I'm learning more and more of what I love as far as home decor, fashion, shoes, jewelry, etc.  Yes I wear leggings as pants, arrest me!  I still love my Uggs and wear them almost everyday.  I don't care if they are so 90's (see my opinion post up there).  I love the color gray.  On walls, on a sweater, in the sky.  I love it.  I love vintage-industrial-farmhouse styles of home decor.   I love warm wood colors paired with gun metal chairs, or a metal shelf full of vintage books and pink flowers.   You'll see these changes coming to a Bland house hear you.  It's amazing what you can learn about yourself on Pinterest.  I went to my boards, realized that a lot of the home and clothing style stuff I pin is related in some way and BOOM...self knowledge is everlasting.  How awesome is that?

- Simplicity.  I've written about this before.  Up until now I have felt the need to buy, clutter and collect...and now I've gone in reverse.  I want to clean, simply and purge.  I want a simple life.  Less to choose from.  Less to look at.  Less to do.

- I like who I am.  I'm weird and quirky and so crazy, but I'm fun and caring and love life.  I am also stubborn and selfish and worry way too much and spend too much money.  But I'm really working on those things.  More like...I'm giving those things to Jesus and letting Him work on them.  But still, I like me.  I'd hang out with me.  Oh wait, I do.  I think it's important to like who you are!

There.  Those are some of the lessons I have learned in 2-0-1-3.  I can't wait to see what lessons life has in store for me this year!

Happy New Year!