Give 2014 a break already...

Happy New Years! I hope your first day of 2014 has brought you happiness and joy and hopefully only a mild hangover.

Speaking of 2014, before we get too far in to it...lets cut it some slack. I'm sure you're thinking "Kelsey that makes no sense. It's a year, not a person. Also why should I cut it any slack, it's only been operating for a handful of hours? SHUT UP KELSEY!"

Every year, no matter what year it is, we put the stock of ALL of our future happiness into the new year and chalk up any bad to the crappy year we're shedding and leaving behind.

Though I see the logic in that mindset and I totally agree that some years seem to be truly awful for just about everyone...I think some of the blame has to go to us....right?

Here's what I mean. On January 1st every year we tell ourselves we will:

-be healthier
-work harder
-go to bed earlier
-scrapbook
-buy our dogs more sweaters
-stop overspending on luxurious items like dog sweaters

etc, etc, etc.

And the strongest of us make it to like February 4th before we

-give in to that McDonalds craving
-procrastinate that big project because it's daunting
-stay up because there's a Harry Potter marathon on and WE CAN'T RESIST THAT LIL' WIZARD NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE SEEN HIM BEST OL' VOLDIE.
-get one too many paper cuts from that damn polka dot photo backdrop stationary
-realize dog sweaters are actually really expensive and honestly the dog doesn't know why you're doing this to him anyways
-feel guilty that you put your dog through that mental ambush so you go buy him a CASHMERE one...he'll like this one. You're doing the right thing, you'll say.

And when we "fail" we say "SCREW YOU (insert year here)!!!!!!!!!"


And here's the deal, y'all. ALL OF THAT IS OKAY BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN AND OUR YEAR HASN'T FAILED JUST BECAUSE WE SET A FEW GOALS ON JANUARY 1ST THAT DIDN'T PAN OUT (BECAUSE SOCIETY MAKES US THINK THAT A NEW YEAR MEANS A NEW LIFE) BUT REALLY WE NEED TO TAKE A CHILL PILL AND REALIZE IT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT AND A HELL OF A LOT OF WILL POWER TO SET YOURSELF ON THE PATH YOU WANT TO GO SO IT'S OKAY IF YOU MESS UP AND IT'S OKAY IF ONE RESOLUTION IS KNOCKED OFF TO CLEAR THE PATH FOR A NEW ONE OR WHATEVER BECAUSE AT LEAST YOU ARE TRYING!!!!

Sorry I yelled.

But do you catch my drift?

We need to stop putting such extreme expectations on this date on a calendar...and furthermore-on ourselves.

This year lets all just make the resolution to try and be our best selves.

A resolution that we should make every day, not because we feel we have to so that when our co-worker says "Hi there, buddy! Have a fun holiday? What resolutions didja' make?" we can say "BLAHBLAHBLAHSCRAPBOOKBLAH".

We've kicked 2013 pretty hard for what it did to us...but let's take some responsibility for what we didn't do for it. Let's ring in 2014 without any crazy expectations of the wonder and joy it MUST BRING US. Let's just celebrate another year filled with constant opportunities to grow and love and laugh and y'know what...maybe even eat a little healthier and go to sleep a little earlier. Or the dog sweater thing.

And stuff.

Any way about it...Happy New Year. Let's make it freaking fabulous.

-Kelsey