A Year That Answers

22 Jan

 

years A Year That Answers

So we’re a few weeks into it, how is 2013 treating everyone? For me, it’s shaping up to be a pretty damn good one. I have so much to look forward to.

I’m not usually one for new years resolutions, which is why I never wrote about it.  But for some reason as we were ringing in 2013 I felt a change.  A clean slate.  A door opening to possibilities.  An empty glass of champagne. (I kid.)

I’ve had a series of thoughts “clicking” into place.  Some may call them epiphanies.  I don’t take myself that seriously.  What it boils down to is this:  Even if I am not able to control a situation, I am always able to control how I respond to it.  This is applicable in so many cases – work stress, feeling sick, pangs of jealousy or any unexpected change.  I may write more about this in the future but for now I’ll leave it there and let you know that keeping this idea in mind has put so many issues at ease for me.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about what I enjoy doing and who I really am.  Oh god this is getting too deep QUICK FUNNY ANIMAL PICTURE

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Phew ok.

What I’m saying is…you know how at some point in your childhood you make the statement “I love monkeys”, and then until you’re 42 you get a myriad of monkey sculptures, stickers, stationery, etc all due to that one flippant statement because Paul Frank was really big that year (someone please know what that means). And then you realize that you don’t care about monkeys. You’ve never cared about monkeys. You’re drowning in a pit of monkeys.  Or maybe you formed a certain opinion about someone (I’m looking at you, Mariah Carey) just because someone you admired (I’m looking at you, best friend from 3rd grade) didn’t like them and that opinion stuck with you until you realize that All I Want For Christmas Is You is the Greatest Song Ever Written.

The point is, you’re not stuck. I’m not stuck. Ways you thought about the world or yourself are fluid.  You can throw those monkey pajamas away (just kidding, give them to me).  It’s ok to unsubscribe to all those blogs you started following when you wanted to be The Best Blogger Ever and just read the ones that are uplifting and pretty. It’s ok to like things that aren’t cool.  It’s TOTALLY ok to not be cynical about everything (or anything).

A lot of this for me has to do with blogging.  There were those halcyon days of last summer when I was posting nearly every day.  And it was great. It was fun. And then it wasn’t.  And then I felt like I had yet another job.  So I had to step back a bit and realize what I really wanted out of blogging.  I’ll let you in on some secrets: I never totally understood SEO and I don’t care to learn.  I haven’t looked at my page views in months.  I don’t remember the password to check my Google Analytics. I think all those lists of “10 steps to being a better blogger!!!” are dumb.  I’m never going to be a famous or even semi famous blogger, but I’m going to use this fantastic platform as an outlet and a portal.  An outlet for all the brain goo that needs to be splattered somewhere (I’m charming, I know) and a portal to new relationships, new connections, and inspiration.  I don’t want to blog more, I want to blog better with an eye on expressing myself and connecting to other people, bloggers or not. 

So, things I want to do this year with all this extra time that I don’t need to spend worrying how to be cool: take more pictures, meet new friends, talk over coffee, continue learning who I am, stop being scared, ask questions and listen for the answers.

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  • http://www.primandpropah.com/ Amanda Davis

    Well, a couple of things/thoughts/anecdotes that this post spawned from me: First, Molly is to Monkeys as Amanda is to those two very famous cherubs from Raphael’s Sistine Madonna painting. I’m serious. I mentioned liking it and for years, as a child, I received more prints of it then I imagined existed. Now that I look at it again, I actually do like it, so this is OK.

    Second, I need to not be cynical about everything. People asked me how my wedding was upon returning to work this week and I have to make an effort to bring up the positives even though there were only a few, very small negatives. You’re right about that and I need to work on it. So thank you for calling me out. Also, I watched 4 Star Trek movies on Syfy on Sunday so you don’t have to worry about me liking cool things.

    Third, my thoughts on blogging. Sure, it’s nice to get attention for a good blog post you wrote or feel proud when you get a certain amount of page views but you’re right about it being another job if you aren’t enjoying it. I felt the need to drum up some posts to schedule while I was away but at the end of the day, I was like eh, so what’s the worst that happens, the 3 people who follow my blog don’t have something new to read. It’s about making yourself happy and expressing yourself, right? Blogging schmogging or YAY Blogging! whichever works that day.

    I rather enjoyed this post because it made me think about stuff. Kudos to you Molly!

    • http://www.wickedcheapboston.com/ Molly @ Wicked Cheap

      I feel like it’s sometimes easier to be cynical because that’s what’s expected! It’s the cultural norm to be like “ugh everything SUCKS” right now but NOPE. IT DOESN’T. Some stuff does, indeed, suck, but the majority of stuff? Nope. You get to use the “unBELIZEable” pun for all eternity when talking about your honeymoon so I mean, COME ON. (it will never, ever, get old, btw)

      Also, I’d rather read a really damn good post every three weeks than a craptastic post every day.

  • http://dearfriendblog.com Anna {dear friend}

    Molly, I love love love this post. It is so good and so much the truth.

    I’ve made a promise to myself to only blog when I feel like it. To only read/follow blogs that make me feel good about myself and inspire me (not make me feel jealous) and to just write from my heart. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers sometimes, but it’s way better when you don’t. More than anything, blogging is fun, but living life and having experiences is funner. WAY FUNNER.

    I love your intention to just be yourself and stop worrying about being cool. I’m working on that, too. And facebook is one of the first things that I’ve said CYA to. I still have it, but never go on, and it feels amazing.

    We should get coffee sometime! I would love to. :)

    Also, my Aunt make the mistake of saying she loved cows once. And now? Her house is CRAZY COVERED in moo spots. It’s ridiculous.

    • http://www.wickedcheapboston.com/ Molly @ Wicked Cheap

      I’m glad you like it, Anna!

      I’ve culled my facebook/twitter/etcetc friends down to those who I really care about and who inspire me (and who I won’t get jealous of haha). I love social media and could never get rid of it entirely but I’ve realized there’s no reason not to block certain Debbie Downers ;)

      We definitely should!!

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