What's Stopping You? Part 1: Recap

This is such a trivial, yet pivotal question. Especially when you start asking questions about resolutions, changes, hopes, dreams and desires.

What stops us from leaning in for that kiss? What stops us from sending that letter? What stops us from making the move to another city? What stops us from making a decision we have been pussy footing around for months?

Is it risk? Is it fear? Is it past situations we find our current perspectives limited by? Are we in wait?

You can flip all of that on its head and ask the same question the other way around and begin down the "Why?" path.

You will indeed discover the things that make us passionate, irrational, excited, alive...and first and foremost, I believe, human.

If we begin to measure our actions, to quantify choice, thought and neural node fires...we seek perspective. Which is generally sourced through inquiry. Something brought us to a place of pause, however temporary. These moments can happen in a crowded drug store, in a intimate conversation and in the dawning of a new morning.

We have choice and attitude (chosen perspective), which are the forerunners for every single situation we find ourselves in daily.

So it would be a fair question to ask the question: "What's starting you?"

I have begun to work on having more of an immediate response to a question, or trend I've noticed in my own life. Slowly but surely, I am beginning to be proactive in certain areas, and allowing for less back sliding, and more goal setting. Goal setting then transforms into allocating time, community and ability to move forward that ideal and make it an active pursuit.

This requires openness to new thoughts, the willingness to change habits and placing more or less value on elements within your life.

So, in the spirit of "What's starting you?", I will recap some of 2013...somewhat in order.

In 2013 I...

• Had my first New Year's Kiss.
• Continued to grow through introspection, conversation and received insight and life tools through several months of counseling.
• Lead a team again in the Coldest Night of the Year national fundraising walk.
• Grew an even greater appreciation for my students at the dojo. 
• Discovered a precious and treasured heart in a friend, which has blossomed into a deep and amazing friendship.
• Went on a multitude of photography adventures and hikes. 
• Began supplementing a Vega shake in for my breakfast's 5 to 6 times a week. 
• Continued my sparring and weapons training at the dojo.
• Went to my first art gallery opening for one of my fellow university graduates and friends, Phil Ryan. 
• Went to a folk and rock show at a local pub on my own to see a friend play, and came away with new friends.
• Won a ticket via social media, and went to my first wine tasting dinner and presentation for the Clos Du Soleil Winery at the Brownstone Restaurant in Kamloops.
• Took on a new team role at work to take care of a grass root monthly health and safety implementation program at work.
• Went to a costume murder mystery party where I was voted "Best Costume".
• Finally did the professional photo shoot, with Kathleen Ferguson that I had been thinking about doing for the past two years. This was my 25th birthday gift to myself. :)
• Travelled to Seattle with my parents to pick up my little sister on her trip back from Norway and Europe. Had a delightful time wandering out in the harbour. 
• Took a road trip to the Okanagan to do some fieldwork for a project I had been working on. Had a great time working and chatting with my boss and one of his long time friends who also works for the ministry.
• Took a road trip on my own down to the coast and Vancouver Island to visit friends and family. Yay Ferries and highway construction! Amongst other things, I picked wild flowers, jumped on a trampoline and made quick friends with three kids who my bestie Heather nannied. I also discovered that 6 year old boys sure can give wonderful hugs when they feel like it! Haha! 
• Did some freelance graphic design work for room staging, atmosphere and branding. 
• Took quite a few extremely spontaneous road trips including a there and back to Kelowna for my best friend's 25th birthday. This turned out to be a fantastic evening with a beautiful sunset drive.
• Finally went on the sunrise hike up at Kenna Cartwright that I had been thinking and talking about doing ever since I moved to Kamloops, over 13 years ago now.
• Insulted a bartender--I refused to flirt with him for drinks, found that my cousin Tamara and I had bought the same dress down in the U.S.--in different colours--and danced my feet off at my cousin Nathan's wedding.
• Was with my best friend Becca, having a heart to heart in Kelowna out at City Park, watching a lightning storm pass over the lake. 
• Went camping with my parents out at Shuswap Lake, brought my guitar along and sang actual campfire songs, for the first time in years. I also bought another pair of $300 boots...that just so happen to look a lot like fancy cowgirl boots in Salmon Arm. (Haha.)
• Re-donned my Brown Belt--after re-training through seven preceding belt ranks since May 2012, started my Black Belt training material again, joined the Sr. Belt and Instructors team, wrote my instructors exam and was awarded with my instructors certification at WKA.
• Went to the second annual Kairos event with the KAC YA out at Eagle Bay Bible Camp. (And made a decent showing for the Women's single's in the Kayaking Competition. I came away with blisters, and they were awesome.)
•  Travelled down to Seattle again with the family for a week. Went to Benaroya Hall for the 16th Annual Seattle Children's Hospital Gala and Fundraiser. Saw the "Garden and Glass" Dale Chihuly blown glass exhibit under the Seattle Space Needle. I also wandered through, with great delight, at the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma.
• Won a baking competition with some delish cornbread at the annual Chili Cook Off at work. (I even have a trophy!)
• Went to our annual work Christmas party out at a local pub which transformed into a few friends and myself moving location and staying up talking about life, our volunteer passions, travel, Christmas music, hilarious youtube videos, shopping for jeans, champagne toasts and peach schnapps shots until 4am. 
• Attended the sold out annual B3 Kings Concert--Imagine fantastic Jazzy Christmas music. 
• Had lots of family come from out of town to celebrate Christmas. There was a lot of laughter, exciting news, sad news, board games, card games, Head's Up for ipad, and "Draw-Say"--for those who know the game. We ate well, saw the exchange of some fantastic gifts and gave great thanks for the joy of having one another in our lives. 
• Had one of my life long friends (23+ years strong) come visit after Christmas. We stayed up until 5am hanging out and watching one of our favorite series the day before he had to head back to his family down at the coast. 
• Rung in the new year with my family. There were many beautiful toasts, hopes for the coming year and happy tears. 

Part 2: Renew | Plans for 2014

Song for the morning: Lux Aeterna - Anuna