the end: new year, new changes

This is going to be my last post here.  I've decided to make some changes in the new year (the new decade), and one of them is to let this go.  It's been wonderful writing here ~ sharing with all of you the things that I love and the things that inspire me.  This year has been very difficult, and this blog has kept me afloat.  It gave me inspiration and the energy to seek the positive things in life in the midst of some of my darkest days.  But now, I believe it has served its purpose.  And I must move on.  As Paulo Coehlo wrote in "Closing Cycles" (one of my first posts here), "one always has to know when a stage comes to an end.  If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through.  Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters, whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished." 

So, I'm leaving this in the past - along with the inspiration that started it.  It's been a great ride.  I don't know if I'll create another blog again one day.  I'll be sure to leave a message here in case I do.  :)  In the meantime, there are so many things I want to do and that I'm excited about.  I believe that 2011 will be an amazing year.  The storms have passed, and the lessons had been given and learned (and boy, did I learn - experience is an amazing teacher).  Now, it is time to start anew.   

And one of the new things I'm doing differently this year is that I'm not making any new year's resolutions.  Although when I do make them, I'm pretty good about keeping some.  But, this year, no new year's resolutions.  Instead, I'm making myself a vow.  A promise.  And it is this: choose happiness.  Choose to be happy.  No matter what the circumstance, no matter how dark some days can get (because there will be dark days), I promise myself that I will choose happiness.  Because if there is anything this year taught me it is that life is too short.  So, whatever life I have, I will make sure that I spend it being happy.  My grandfather always told me, "smile" - even when it hurts, and it will make a world of difference.  He was right.  Smiling got me through some very rough times.       

So, this is it.  Thank you, again, for dropping by ~ for reading and following my words and my adventures.  You all inspired me.

Now, let's end this year with a smile and celebration.  I wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!  2011 will be amazing!

*photo via