Now, all last year (2013 for those of you playing along at home) something was up. I started to feel uncomfortable about some parts of my ‘day’ job and about some of my friends etc. What had seemed fine for years was suddenly unbearable (at least, for a few bad days). Then, it became a super-busy holiday season at work and everything else kind of fell away.
Everything, that is, except my big dreams for 2014.
Because 2013 had awoken me up, and made me realize that it was time for a change.
For so long stability was all I wanted. After some rough personal years (2002-2005) that saw my parents divorce, my mom die and my sister and I have to do a BIG move/minimalize, things had just become peaceful and steady and stayed that way for years and years. I’d honed my writing talents in pseudo-secret and just enjoyed life.
But now things were changing and 2013 asked the question —
Good question.
So then 2014 began, and it began with a rush of enthusiasm and goal-setting. And that lasted all of four days. Then the biggest cold snap in my lifetime in North Georgia happened, and while that doesn’t sound like much to you insulated city dwellers, it caused havoc for those of us with exposed water pipes.
Things burst.
Many things.
And unfortunately, the next three months became pipe problems, flu, pipe problems, flu, pipe–etc.
It’s been the hardest time for me personally since those tough years of the early 2000s. And yet, even as it’s been happening I feel like there’s this energy and power to 2014, like it wants to be a year of great change. And, while the changes have been time-consuming and challenging this year so far, I recognize and am grateful that each one is still small and not at all bad on the scale of life changes. Nothing bad has happened to me; I just feel like a ship breaking free of its moorings.
So now the weather has warmed, flu season is passing, and the pipes are (almost) fixed. Now what?
NOW WE KICK IT INTO FUCKING OVERDRIVE.
I’ve learned so many special things in these first few months, even as I felt like I was being drug backwards, and I can’t wait to share them with you all.
I’m going Paleo.
I’m thinking about breaking into TV writing (Reign here I come!).
I want to cycle 50 miles.
And I still want very much for this to be the most exciting and transformative year of my (and your) life.
Who’s with me?
Stay Extraordinary 
You have without a doubt faced some intense challenges. In the short time that I have known you, I have seen a positive, thoughtful, encouraging person who seems comfortable in her own “skin.” I have heard you mention a few of the things you wrote about, but never to complain. It appears the circumstances and experiences of 2013 have set the stage for a new act in 2014.
Thank you Greg. I was lucky to be raised to always see the silver lining and I think good things are always around the bend for all of us. Thank you for your kind words.