A is for Ambitious

I literally just glanced at the calendar and realized that in about a week, it will be February. Wow. Didn’t it feel like January just whizzed by so quickly? My days have been super full, and I guess that’s why time seems to have flown by so fast. Between taking care of the kiddo, spending as much time as I can with MrC while he’s home, my WAHM projects, and all the other things I’ve decided to take on, my plate is really quite full. In a good way, of course.

A is for Ambitious

I think a good way to put it is that I’m feeling ambitious this year. That’s a million and one times better than being overly laid back or lazy, right, because it means that I actually want to do something and be something more. Maybe it’s maturity (finally) kicking in, or maybe it’s my mind reacting positively to my new-found free time. Whatever it is, this is definitely a good thing. I am happy to see this ambitious version of myself again. She’s been in hiding for a few years, you see.

Funny how, now that I actually think about it, a strange encounter that I had a week ago really adds fuel to my desire to go down this path of enhancing myself. I shared that story on my newsletter last Monday, and I would love to share it with you now in case you haven’t read it yet. I have a favor to ask though, in exchange. Please sign up for my newsletter (here) so that you can get access to the stories I will be sharing there. I would like to think I’m more honest and candid on the newsletter, so those are gonna be good reads. I promise to send you a copy of that strange encounter via email, just let me know in the comments if you’ve subscribed. Thanks in advance! 🙂

Ok, where was I…

B is for Brave

I don’t think that a person can be ambitious without having at least a little bit of bravery. It does take courage to chase after your dreams, after all, especially if this means venturing into things that are new and unfamiliar. It also takes courage to admit that you aren’t as good as you think you are at something, and it’s always the acceptance of that fact that sends you out in search of improvement. So, what exactly is it that I am set to improve on this year? My list is pretty long, and growing by the day!

I want to become a better writer. To me that means improving the structure of my articles and blog posts, improving my sentence construction, and building my vocabulary. It means writing in a tone that’s fun to read, conversational and easy to understand. It also means creating a good flow, from beginning to middle to end, in anything and everything that I write. Finally, it means going beyond what I’m already writing, which are blog posts, SEO articles, and scripts and speeches, and taking that bold step towards what I really dream about writing – stories. Yup, I am a storyteller by nature (one conversation with me will show you what I mean), and ultimately I want to write stories. Now let me tell you, this is something that I am genuinely afraid of failing at.

It took me a couple of years before I became comfortable calling myself a writer. When I left my job to pursue writing, I remember being genuinely afraid of failing, too. It took time, tweaking and lots of learning, and now I am happy to say that I am a writer. If I had let the fear stop me, then I would never have succeeded at this dream. That’s why now, I am happy to be feeling that little bit of terror at the thought of going for another huge dream. Because I know that it means that much to me. Because I know that I want to succeed. And because I know that fear can be overcome.

Becoming a fiction writer is only number one on my crazy list, but it’s probably the most important one to me, as a person. For our family, I really would like to start organizing our stuff and our lives in preparation for when we have our own place. I hate cleaning, I really do, but I know that I need to start somewhere. My baby steps include making the bed every morning, sorting out and putting away the clean laundry at least once a week, tidying up (a little), and learning to discard and throw away unnecessary things. I know that to most people, these are all normal, regular, every day chores. Well, to me they aren’t yet. But hey, I’m trying. Really, really, really.

C is for Confident

My self-confidence, I think, is something that doesn’t need improvement. There are times when I actually feel like I have too much of it for my own good. Like when it comes to my weight, for example. You won’t see me crying over the fact that I gained a few pounds or my old clothes don’t fit. While that’s a good thing, I still see it as a little bit of a problem because I tend to use it as an excuse to not eat better or move more. I don’t think that I need to lose weight to feel good about myself. Not a lot of people can understand or believe that, but it’s true. I was born chunky, and I feel comfortable being chunky. I can jump, dance, kick and run (when needed – I hate running in a busty girl kind of way). I don’t see my weight as a disability. But I do know that I need to be healthy for my self and for my loved ones.

I have been doing a little bit better as far as that goes, though. I’ve been exercising a little, thanks to my mom and her Kinect obsession. I’ve been eating more fruits and vegetables. The battle against sweets and bread will never be won, but I’ve at least been trying to cut back. I haven’t had a cigarette in years. I’ve also learned to drink less at social gatherings. My skin and hair seem to be thanking me for this change, they’re looking and feeling healthier. Maybe in time, my waistline will respond too. Whether or not it does, I’m happy just knowing that my levels are all normal, that I’m not sick or sickly, and that I’m basically healthy as a horse. A chubby, colorful horse. Or can I be a unicorn instead?

Those, I think, are the major things on my list. There are smaller goals too, like reading more books. I joined the 2014 Reading Challenge on Good Reads, and I’m honestly behind on my goal, but catching up. Just this morning, I decided to join the 2014 Moogly Crochet-a-Long. I’m enrolled in 3 Coursera classes, 2 Skillshare classes, and my first ever fiction writing class. I am working at becoming a better blogger too, with the help of the Write on Workshops and the WordPress Workshops by my fellow WAHMs. I want to start a travel scrapbook for me and the boys. I want to learn calligraphy and watercolor painting, sewing and quilting, and so many other things. There’s a lot to do, I know, but I’m up for the challenge.

What are your ambitions for 2014 and beyond?