2012: look how far you have come...

Postcard download by hi, i'm francesca.

I can hardly believe a year has gone by. I was just reading back over some of this year's blog posts and thought I would check in and discuss the concept of remembering how far we have come. 

I hear over an over again the sayings "never look back" and "don't dwell on the past" as words of encouragement. While these words are helpful when something difficult has happened and you are a person who tends to obsess about the negatives and never find a way to move on, I have found that they have sometimes lead me far away from valuable information. Sometimes we do need to move on but still periodically look back. To spend time understanding what we have been through and how it influences who we are and who we want to become. To simply acknowledge how far we have come. 

I think one of the primary keys to this is finding the appropriate amount of time that should pass before looking back. With enough distance between you and the emotions of that time there is a clearer picture. Then with an ounce of self awareness you may begin to see yourself as you were and how much you have changed (for the better or worse) since then and find ways to either continue your progress or correct bad behavior.  

(However, if it was a good thing that happened...I say dwell in it for as long as you like. Swim in it for hours, days, months even. If an accomplishment you have made makes you feel stronger and more worthy of that praise, by all means enjoy it! Savor it!) 

At the beginning of this year I chose one word, one wish and one wonder for 2012. My word, "postitivity" stayed strong through the many ups and downs this year. While it faltered a bit during the last big hit (my foot injury) I reminded myself to keep going and took it at my own pace. I'm happy to say that it did not bring me down. My wish for the year was to be better at follow through. While I think I improved a little, it was definitely not as much as I had hoped. And so...the battle continues. Lastly, my wonder was to look back on 2012 and see if I am ending this year with as much success, passion, and prosperity that I started it out with? My answer to this would be yes, yes, and yes. While 2012 was full of new lessons to be learned (so excited that it wasn't the same lesson over and over like the previous year!) it was still a magical year. I smile because I know the hard stuff that happened and the challenges I faced will keep pushing me forward and make me that much more prepared the next time around. 

So getting back to my thought for today...Look back. Remember who you have been, where you have come from and do not compare your path to anyone else's. We all evolve, whether it be a little or a lot, and there is so much joy to be found in our triumphs and struggles and how they have changed us along the way. It only takes a moment to acknowledge how far you have come. Then accept the good and the bad about yourself and move on with good intentions. I guarantee you will look back in six months, a year, or two years and smile because once again...you have come a long way, baby.