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Sretan rodjendan2

This is so pretty! Image via Wikipedia

I’m going to break with the theme of the month–love, romantic relationships, dating, marriage–and talk about something completely different: it’s my birthday! This is not one of those milestone birthdays (I’m 26), but I thought it was noteworthy enough to break into regularly scheduled programming.

Before I wax philosophical about the passage of time, please note that I have filled in all the posts I missed last week (I still have a few to do for this week). Please look over those and comment! Comment everywhere; it’s my birhtday, after all 😉 OK, on to waxing.

I, like many other people in my generation, am suffering from a Quarter Life Crisis (yes, it exists. I didn’t believe it existed, either, until I saw support groups and a wikipedia entry on it. There’s a book and everything). I feel behind in every aspect of my life–where I want to be in my career (not a full-time writer, or at least well paid to do something else I equally enjoy, no book published), financially (hello, student loans!), romantically/personal life (no rings, no husband, no kids), or spiritually (of course, if I were where I wanted to be spiritually, I’d just move that goal post out again, wouldn’t I?). There are times when I look over my life and all I see, in bright, 20 stories high neon letters, are the words EPIC FAIL. It’s easy to get maudlin thinking of all the things you could have, should have, or would have done had you had the 20/20 vision hindsight provides way back when.

But what I also realize is that I’m not dead yet. My life doesn’t end here. There’s still so much more of the story left. I can still accomplish the things I want to accomplish. I hold myself to a very high standard and impose impossible deadlines on life events as if I really have the final word on what happens. Even I can’t predict changes in the publishing market or the economy. I can’t make people accept my book/short stories. There are some things that are just outside of my control. As long as I am progressing, I am not failing.

Besides, there were some wonderful things back there in my past. I graduated college. I got a job. I moved out on my own. I was published. I wrote great things. I overcame obstacles and circumstances that could–no, have–crushed weaker people. There’s nothing wrong with where I am, but that doesn’t mean I have to stay here. Moreover, if I hadn’t went through all of those obstacles, challenges, and setbacks, I wouldn’t be the person I am, or have the memoir in me that I have to write.

There are so many things I can choose to focus on. Today, I’m choosing to focus on the victories, big and small: a three year relationship, a good job with great benefits, my own place to call home, the wonderful gift/ability of writing, mental health, loving friends and family, and a new opportunity to do and be more than I was before. Also, the fact that no calories I consume today count (;-)), I have the day off tomorrow, there’s good music on my iPod (even if there ISN’T on the radio), and I have several more male guest posts (that they are going to get to me soon, yes?). The marriage kits will be up (I’ve been writing introductions and transcribing audio and handwritten notes!). 

I’m thankful for steady (and growing!) blog followings, twitter followers, facebook fans, and supporters who keep asking me when my book(s)/writings are going to come out. I’m working on it! 😀

So, in short, I’m fantastic, you’re all fantastic, and happy birthday to me!

The year that I’m 26 is going to be my best yet!

XOXO

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