Last day of 2011

355 days ago I changed my life. In 10 days I will celebrate this accomplishment, but through this amazing journey I have grown in many ways. As I'm sitting in my new living room on a floor of pillows watching bad reality tv I am taking a moment to sit back and reflect on what has changed for me in 2011 besides my weight...my size...my shape.

Career 
This year has been one of soul searching and figuring our what my heart wanted and the next step in my career. This was a tough decision because I wanted more than I was getting out of my job, but felt dedicated to my students, so I had to make a very touch decision to search to make me happy. I had to live out what I tell each of them to do everyday - go for their dreams. With all of the changes that I made this year, I was feeling suffocated in my career and it was effecting my health in a negative way so I searched for new work in my field. I was truly rewarded with a job of my dreams! It is amazing to think that 12 months ago I sat in TN and now here I am sitting in TX in a job and at an institution that is "home" to me!

Relationships
I made some big decisions this year with many of my relationships. With all of the change I realized who my friends were and who were dead weight. I figured out who I was and what I wanted out of friendships and at some point whether it was conscious or not I figured out who I wanted close in my life and who I didn't. I re-kindle relationships with my mom and my sister. That was a huge thing for me and has helped me grow even more. I made an effort to really get to know my mother-in-law, but am still apprehensive with her...but in time I hope that it can be cordial. I re-connected with my brother, and I realized how much I missed him and talking to him intellectually. Though we don't get to see each other a lot, I do like seeing him now and chatting with him when his schedule allows. There have been family fall outs this year and though it isn't ideal I think that things happen. No one is perfect and honestly with all that the extended family has gone through it is pretty amazing that we are intact as we are, but I digress...I have found that relationships are what you make of them and sometimes you need to examine them and edit them whether you like it or not.

My thoughts....jumbled but there nonetheless.