2009 the Year of Taking Risks

Happy 2009!!
So 2008 was a year filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows... One of those lows being my Uncle's devastating diagnosis with ALS. It's been a long hard year of adjustments and trying to comprehend it all - I by no means claim to be there yet... The highs include getting into my program at RRC (in record time), reviving my aspiration to be a CGA, my 4.2 GPA (whoop whoop!), and my little brother's WEDDING!!! I'll admit, I NEVER thought little Sammy would beat me to the alter... hmm... more about that another day... lol...

Here we sit just a few short days into the new year. I'm not gonna lie - I'm excited about 2009. I think it's going to be a year of surprises. This last week I read a book by the title "All In". It's written by a former compulsive gambler (it's all good - he's reformed - no longer gambling... haha). Anyways, it was all about taking risks - you can't win big if you don't risk big... I was totally enthralled. This is my last few years in a nutshell - playing it safe, always having my guard up, REFUSING to take a chance on anything that didn't guarantee the results I wanted. This book rattled me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. DUDE! I have been so inspired. And how cool that I finished reading it on New Year's Day, right??

So - for someone who has never 'really' made a New Year's Resolution - I decided to make one this year... I am determined to make 2009 the year of stepping out of the boat, keeping my eyes on the prize, and believing that I will achieve great things beyond my wildest imagination! It's going to take some readjustments in my thinking because I have SOOOOO trained myself to take the safe route - (you rarely get hurt when you play it safe - but then again is it really even living??) and I may fall flat on my face a few times - but I'm willing to take those odds. I don't want to get to the end of 2009 and wonder how things COULD have been - no regrets!

So here's to 2009 - I hope it is a fantastic year for you!

I'm going to leave you with the lyrics to my new favourite song.
Risk - by Paul Brandt.

I’d rather stand on the edge of a cliff
And hang my toes over a bit,
And then jump when they dare me,
Even if it scares me and I get hurt.
I’d rather build my wings on the way down,
Do my best not to fall to the ground
and than laugh at my mistakes
‘cause there only lessons I’ll learn

I’d rather burn with desire deep in my soul,
And love like a fire that’s out of control, and laugh and dance
and fall and chance and kiss
I’d rather live my whole life
with a sense of abandon,
Squeeze every drop out,
no matter what happens.
and not wonder what I've missed
I’d rather risk.

Well I guess I could just play it safe
and forget about love, hope and faith,
with my eye on the shore line,
keeping my boat tied and staying home,

Oh, but I’ll never discover new land
by keeping my feet on the sand
No I’d rather set sail
and get carried away by the storm.

I'd rather risk - I would rather risk.