End of the Year

At the end of 2008, I wrote a post discussing the changes I went through that year, and the things I hoped to achieve in 2009. In the same spirit, I'm going to review the past year to see how well I did in keeping with 2009's Resolutions, and make some more for 2010. Here goes.....

By the end of 2008, I had spent slightly more than a year in the workforce, and I had already realized that it wasn't totally for me. I said at that time that my career choice was correct, and I can understand even now why I felt that way. I have since realized, however, that it would take a large amount of luck for this career to truly help me reach my life goals. While I do enjoy design, I now believe that it is best that I practice it as a hobby, not a way of life.

Therefore, much of my 2009 was spent researching various ways to alter my life's path so that it would help me achieve as many of my goals as possible. After identifying the things I most wanted to achieve, I looked into becoming a flight attendant, then looked into private aviation schools, and finally found an appropriate solution in a place that I had already experienced to a small degree: the Air Force. And then, after several months of doctorate-worthy research and planning, I finally had the courage to enlist in December. As I said last year, the decision came down to whether or not I wanted to start completely fresh, and I have decided that that is precisely what I want to do. The only difference is that instead of just moving to a new city and trying to find happiness, I am doing something that will fulfill many of my live-long dreams, and letting the happiness come naturally.

It's important to note that making a decision of this magnitude took a lot more courage than I am used to putting forth. And because of that, I am going to consider the courage portion of my 2009 resolutions a success. The other half of my resolution was respect. I wanted to respect the sacrifices that my family and friends have made for me, by taking full responsibility for my life. I can think of no greater way to take responsibility than by making a life-altering decision from which you can not back out. However, there were plenty of instances in 2009 where I could have showed much more courage, and times where I should have put others before myself. Therefore, despite relative success, I will continue to build upon the progress I made on my 2009 resolutions.

But what about 2010? This year holds a lot of unknowns for me, so it is difficult to plan too far ahead. If all goes well, I will be writing my 2011 resolutions from a laptop on a plane in some foreign country. But regardless of the uncertainty inherent in the military, nothing good will come from this unless I am completely dedicated. Therefore, my 2010 New Year's Resolution is to maintain a steadfast dedication to every decision I make. This will manifest itself most obviously in my new career field, as it will take my full dedication to complete my training successfully. However, I will attempt to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to everything I do, in every aspect of my life. This will not be an easy task for someone who struggles with motivation, but it is one that will be necessary if I am to succeed at fulfilling my dreams.

2009 was certainly one of the most eventful years in my life, and I truly hope 2010 will be so, too. Happy New Year, and may you have nothing but success in fulfilling your resolutions as well!