Happy New Year

Choose the story you want to write!

I have a friend that sets a motto for every year, and for 2016 her motto is "choose the story you want to write". It pretty much sums up how I have lived my life for the past few years and I wanted to say something about just that.

I try not to leave anything to "coincidence" or chance, I try to make real decisions. Conscientious decisions of what I want in my life, or not. By that I don't mean that I can control everything that happens, but what I can control is how I react and act on everything.

I'll take the most recent event in my life as an example. A few weeks ago my boyfriend went to pay our rent and was told that our landlord had decided not to renew our contract when it was up for it in mid February. Only minutes after he got the news he spoke to a friend and mentioned it to him and our friend then told my boyfriend about a house that was available in the area where he lives, so when my boyfriend called me shortly after he told me that "hey, we have to move", and "hey, we might have the chance to move to a house".

Here's where the decision on how to react and act comes in. I had a choice between getting upset that we had to move from a place where we have lived for almost four years, or to get excited that we had the chance to move to a new place, possibly a house. It's all about where I chose to put my focus, right?! So I chose to be happy about it, to see the opportunity brought to us. We viewed the house, we payed the deposit for it and we are moving in in three weeks time. This will give me an office of my own where I can sit and write, my boyfriend will have his own office and man cave, the layout is a lot better than what we've got now, I can put a small table in the kitchen, there is a small porch and good space both in the front and the back, there is space for a work shop and storage in the garage and it's for the same rent as we pay now.

So, how does our choice of reaction and action make a difference here? In the way we felt about it. We could choose to be upset with our current landlord for making us move, or we could choose to be grateful to him for making us move. We choose the latter, because it makes us feel better, and, let's face it, we're getting a house instead of a cramped apartment. An apartment we love in many ways, but it's still not as good as the new house.

Now, if you hadn't already noticed I am all about finding the silver lining to anything and everything that happens in life. Even my dad's passing seven years ago has the silver lining of me getting my life together and deciding to change it to something better than it was. That does not mean I don't miss my dad every day, it's just a better feeling way to look at things.

And that's the rub to it all. Whatever story you choose to write, choose the one that makes you feel better out of the options you have. Every situation, every second of every day, has the option of you choosing how you want to feel. Always, always, always choose the option that makes you feel best, and always, always, always remember to be grateful. Because gratitude makes you feel good.

Feelings don't choose you, you choose your feelings by choosing your thoughts. Try it. Think of something and check how it makes you feel, then think of something else and check how it makes you feel. Now, choose the good thoughts and you will feel the good feelings. Whenever you feel bad it means you are thinking thoughts that makes you feel bad, find better thoughts and you feel better feelings. Choose the story you want to write.

My story for 2016 will be better, bigger and happier than ever before. It will be filled with love, joy, laughter, friends, family, prosperity and creativity. I will keep growing; both intellectually, creatively and emotionally. I will do more things that make me feel good, and I will become even better at living my dreams. Dreams are meant to be lived (if you don't believe me ask Home Free, or your artist of choice if other), and that is the second part of choosing the story you want to write. Follow your dreams, write your own life, make decisions that will make you treasure your life more (even if it is already perfect, or even if it seems impossible). Do things that will make you feel better.

Years ago I made the decision that every new year will be better than the year before was, and even through the rough years I have managed to find silver linings to make it so. So as I am leaving a fantastic 2015 behind I know that 2016 will be even more fabulous. Because I choose the story I want to write.

I'm starting my new year by having a lazy day. I have done some writing (as you can read, hehe), I spent some time sunbathing up on the roof terrace, I have listened to some music, I've meditated, I made some carb-free bread, and I am about to have a nice warm bath with candles and some soft calming music. All things that make me feel good. Because isn't that what life is all about after all? To feel as good, and be as happy as you can be? So don't let outer circumstances control you, choose the story you want to write. Take control of your happiness and your life and be the best that you can be.

That is my only new year's resolution. To Choose the story I want to write, and to feel as good as I possibly can at every given moment.

What is yours?

Thank you to my friend G for letting me use her motto for today's post. I am so looking forward to meeting you in London!

Today's video is by another one of my favourite artists, and he is not a cappella, nor is he country. However, I would love to see a collaboration between him and Home Free at some point.

Here's Bruno Mars with a song perfectly fitted for today; The Lazy Song. This is also one of my favourite videos as it's cute, goofy and it makes me happy. (There is an alternative official video for this song, but I prefer this one). I have shared this song and video once before, but it was last year so ... here you go!

Happy New Year, friends!

Love//
Carina