Brace Yourself... Another Good-bye to 2013 Post

I said I wasn't going to do it. In fact, I was dead set against it. 

I was throwing an internal temper tantrum refusing to write this blog post up. Then, something happened.. I woke up this morning in a reflective mood. 

Like that petulant child who refuses to listen to her mother but knows that she should, I listened to my mood.

Thus, this good-bye to 2013 post. Grab a chair, coffee in hand (preferably spiked with your favorite booze, this may be a long post, who knows) and read until your eyes are crossed. Yes, I'm long winded. I can never make a short story short. Well, what can I say about 2013...

It all started in December of 2012, yes, a whole year ago when I turned 35 (I'm now 36). That was a turning point for me. There was something missing, something not right within my very being. I knew that I needed to do something, be someone, be more than just a mom or wife. Don't get me wrong, I know I should be proud of those things, and I am, but I know I'm more than that. I needed to find that something I was good at. That something that I can call my very own. That something I had/have control over. And guess what? I did, I found it and I'm still working on tweaking it to make it better. 

In December of 2012, I started this blog, Same DiNamics. I just wanted to share the adventures in my life. I wanted to share how I grow and learn, as a human being, as an individual. Just like I grew, so did Same DiNamics. You can read my very first blog post here. The reason for Same DiNamics was to hold myself accountable in accomplishing things I set out to accomplish. I'm still working on them. 

I also left Facebook. I won't bore you with the details of that in this post, you can read it here if you want to. At the time, I needed to let Facebook go. It was one of the best things I did for myself, at that time. Now, I'm back on Facebook but it has served another purpose for me. 

In 2013, I found myself growing, changing, accepting and overcoming obstacles that I didn't even know I had and becoming a stronger and happier person. One of the biggest realizations (obstacle, really) that I had, was that I was depressed. Not on a clinical scale, at least I don't think, but I knew I was. In fact, I am still overcoming that. I'm still growing and learning to recognize the signs and overcome that depression. I can tell when I'm going down a spiral. I think, that recognize and accepting is one the best ways you can overcome your struggles. 

Anyway, I've grown in that I have learned to accept all things as they are. Yes, you can fight for the changes you want because we need to but also accepting things for what they are. Accepting people for who they are and knowing that you can't change them, you just have to accept and love them with your whole being. Love one another. 

I've changed as well. Even with all the depression, I've become happier with myself. I've learned to accept myself for who I am, flaws and all. I'm not perfect and will never be. I'm me. The best that I can be. 

You know, I attribute all this growth and change to the fact that I found something that I feel and know I'm pretty good at: book reviews and crocheting. I love reading. Absolutely love reading. It will be my first love. When I shared my first book review (here), I knew that I found something I could share with others. Whether my reviews influence others to buy a book or not doesn't matter to me, what matters is that I shared something I enjoy and love with others. 

I also, started crocheting, though in all fairness I started in October of 2012 but 2013 was a fantastic year in crocheting for me. I crocheted some items and gave them away to friends. The gifts were well received. Then, it happened. I sold my very first crocheted hat to a Google+ friend. She's ordered more from me since and I am eternally grateful to her for being my very first order. That's when I ventured into learning and having my own crochet business, Same DiNamics Crochet. Did you see what I did there? I kept the name Same DiNamics. After all, Same DiNamics is all about evolving yet remaining true to myself. 

Though I didn't accomplish some of the other things I wanted to in 2013, I still feel it has been a great year for me. Though there was loss in this year, one that shattered my heart to its very core, it was still a great year. I have to remember, we all have to remember, to focus on all the positive and good things that have happened to us. From the little things to the big things. Each and every last little accomplishment should go down in our books and the greatest of them all. Why? Because we are wonderful and amazing human beings who can accomplish anything we set our hearts to. 

So, good-bye 2013! Thank you for being a fantastic year for me. Thank you for teaching me valuable lessons. 

Here's hoping, knowing, praying and keeping the faith that 2014 will be just as great, if not better! See you next year! 

**See, I told you this was going to be long winded. I can't make a short story short, let alone a long story. :-)