Today is the first day of the Hope Writers challenge and I thought I would take part. I want to get back into writing this year and this seems like as good a place to start as any. While I haven’t shared a lot of my writing publicly the last two years I have been writing several times a week in my paper journal. I started journaling in college and it was such a helpful way to express frustrations, successes, work through problems with a project, and generally just document that time in my life. I still have those journals and while they are safely tucked away there’s just something about knowing that those little time capsules exist. I poured so much of myself into my journals the last couple of years. Most of it is stuff that needs to stay private, but I learned so much about myself going back to the page on a regular basis. Journaling is like talking to your very best friend that never judges how petty you are, is always happy to hear your stupid daily stories, and comforts you when things are tough. I met a new me in the pages of my journal last year and going forward into this New Year I want to continue to meet this new me. I worked hard last year on learning how to take care of myself. To take time for me. And to honestly stop beating myself up because I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do. I work a 40 hour a week job, an 8 year old that’s in private school, have four dogs, four horses, a house to keep, food to cook, laundry to wash, and all the other myriad other things that go with everyday life. I still want to pursue my art, my writing, my hobbies, but at this time in my life, there are certain things that take precedence. I don’t have the output I used to, and you know what? That’s okay. Sleep is important. Losing weight is important (I lost 16 pounds last year! And I’m trying to lose more.) Taking care of yourself is important. Every day doesn’t have to be jam-packed with accomplishments and checkmarks beside items on a to-do list. The new me loves and takes time to not only do stuff but also live life. The new me loves herself and is learning to let go and stop obsessing over everything. The new me is a continual work in process. The new me looks like someone who is learning to let go and hopefully grow up again. It’s the last year of my 30’s, no time like the present to find a new me.