Decade in Review & Plans for the Future

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The past ten years were the hardest I've been through, but I've also grown a lot in the process. In a nutshell I: Lost my mom and aunt (my two best friends), moved seven (soon to be eight) times, quit a thirteen year career, divorced, remarried, became a foster parent, became an adoptive parent, made two movies, lost my grandma, didn't speak to my brother for two years, reconnected with old friends, got rid of toxic ones, became comfortable with who I am, stopped letting people walk all over me, and started standing up for myself and my family (this was huge), almost lost my step-mother twice to suicide, found my voice as a writer even though I struggle daily with the actual writing, built and ran a writing website for writers, learned who my real friends were when I got divorced, reconnected with my ex-husband and his wife, and we're all good friends who get together now, struggle with family and learned how to say no.

I'm sure that's not everything, but it's what I remember right now. I'm not into making resolutions, but there are a few things I'd like to accomplish from this year on: I want to write every day no matter what. Even if it's just this blog, I need to write something. I want to do my best to stay healthy. I have no self control when it comes to the things I'm not supposed to eat or drink. I'm not supposed to have coffee, pop or alcohol because I have ulcerative colitis, yet I struggle constantly to stay away from coffee and pop (not to mention sugar!). I only hurt myself when I have these things and end up in a lot of preventable pain. I want to drink water, water and more water instead. I want to practice more patience not only with Joey (and Mike), but with whatever other kids we take in and hopefully adopt.

It's not a big list, but it's an important one and one I hope I can stick to.

Comments

Janna Leadbetter said…
Such an important post! Thanks for sharing all of this with us. It goes to show how we learn, what helps us grow. May 2010 be an awesome year for you!
January 2, 2010 at 8:59 AM
Lisa Miles said…
Thanks Janna. Reading it again I realized almost all of the yucky stuff happened in the beginning of the decade. It's progressively gotten much better, and I look forward to the next ten:)
January 2, 2010 at 10:48 AM
Melanie Hooyenga said…
That's a heck of a decade! You've got me thinking back over a lot of good and bad things, and while 2009absolutely sucked, it's good to remember there were good things as well.

Happy new year!
January 4, 2010 at 5:03 PM
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