Step 1 - Committing

Let me be brutally honest with you (those of you who know me, know this is how I roll typically anyway) - I don't like that many people and some people really piss me off.  I have a hard time trusting people and I have a very small circle of friends.  

Part of this is because I grew up with a lot of dysfunction and there were a few key people in my life that proved to be liars, manipulators, cheaters, addicts and truly harmful people.  

The other part of this is that I really believe in quality, not quantity, in just about EVERYTHING.  I don't think you can really establish meaningful connections and/or friendships with more than a handful of people.  

I also am very sensitive.  Sometimes I find myself being too sensitive and truly wishing things didn't affect me as much and that I could just be like, Oh that guy's a jerk and who really cares, laugh and move on.  Don't get me wrong, on occasion, I do that and have no problem...like if the person cuts me off in traffic or whatever.  However, if I have to continuously have contact with people or if the people are in my life for various reasons (family, work, social settings, etc.) I ruminate on it.  I mean, I can go on about it for days, weeks and sometimes even months.  

I can honestly say I don't wish any ill will on anyone. I mean I don't sit there and hope something bad happens to anyone or their loved ones or anything horrible like that, but I do wish they would just *poof* disappear and perhaps move far, far away into another galaxy and I will never have to see them, hear about them or deal with them in any way, ever again. Sadly, this is not how life works.  

SO I say all of this to say that there's been a number of incidents and people that have really ticked me off just recently.  They're repeat-offenders, of course, and I came to the conclusion that I'm being tested.  Am I really committed to changing? Do I really mean what I say about achieving my goals this year? What am I going to choose to focus on?  

I must be determined.  I must be steadfast.  I must not allow anyone or anything to stand in my way (particularly and most importantly, myself). I've realized that I have to be committed to myself, above all.  I have to commit to doing the things I've set out to do - which is to be positive, to be strong, to love myself for real and in doing so - actualize my dreams.  

Today, I submitted a travel review I did to two different travel magazines, and three poems for greeting cards.  I'm determined to be a PAID and PUBLISHED author in 2017!  I will do it and it will happen.  It's happening now.

I also am going to write a separate post today about the Robbin's book.  I told myself I would finish that book this year and make a commitment to applying what I learn.  I will not let myself down.  I will not quit as I did in the past.  I will do it - no matter what life tries to throw at me or if I start to get discouraged or distracted or whatever.   I will do this.

I encourage you today - COMMIT to yourself and to accomplishing at least ONE meaningful goal this day, this week, this month, this year.   You can do it and so can I!