#operationnotapartypooper

Helloooooo 2018!

Oh wait…I’m almost 3 weeks late to the party? I missed the pumped up shebang about New Year’s resolutions, and the announcements about everyone’s “word” that will buoy them for the entire year?

Dang.

Though, this is entirely not shocking.

I will forever be the “better late than never” girl. People…I’ve been known to send birthday gifts nearly half a year late. Yes, I am that girl. And proudly, I might add. Because I truly believe late is better than never. Can I get an Amen? (I am choosing to believe in my heart that somewhere out there someone just leapt out of their seat and fist pumped me an Amen. Or at least whispered it quietly to themselves…)

Ok, so 2018. It really can’t be that year can it? Perhaps I’ll live in denial the next few months until I’m 100% sure. I kid. The past few years have been a little haggard over here. I write to you now with a few years of depression under my belt (you can read more about that here), and this is the first year in what feels like a long time that the New Year actually arrived laced in hope. Real, live, actual hope. Tangible almost, and after a period of time where it seemed quite evasive, this bit of hope is exciting and has my mind churning in ways that it hasn’t in a very long time. If you’ve ever had depression, then you’ll totally understand why that makes me feel like doing a happy dance for the whole wide world to see. And if you haven’t, just know that it means feeling acutely alive and present in a very, very good, deep down, soul-fulfilling way.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m not a New Years resolution girl. I’ve tried the choosing a word thing and typically, have promptly forgotten said word by about mid-February. This year feels different though. I’ve lived my life on the sidelines for the past 2-3 years. Letting opportunities with family, friends, kids, hubby, slip by because frankly, I didn’t have the energy or motivation to say yes to much of anything. I was in survival mode plain and simple. Now that I am well and have regained my motivation, I am finding that what initially had been survival mode (saying ‘No’ to new experiences, opportunities, or situations) has now become a habit. And much to my dismay, I have realized that I have flat out became a party pooper. Which is a total bummer and definitely not the kind of wife, mom, friend, or human being I want to be!!

So this year, call it a resolution, call it a word, heck, call it a hashtag because that’s how I’m tracking it on Instagram, this year it’s all about:

#operationnotapartypooper

You can seriously track that hashtag on Instagram (and I hope you will!) where I’ll be posting any and all opportunities I have to NOT be a party pooper.

To accomplish this, I’m listening to my gut (very scientific, I know), and saying yes! When it feels easier to say no, or I feel too tired, or that it’s too hard…basically to all the lies I have been believing for the past few years, I’m kindly flipping them the bird and beginning to live my life again. The way God designed us to live,

“So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

So there you have it. Operation: Not a Party Pooper is underway. Pictures below and in blog posts to come will show you what I’ve said yes to thus far. If I’m honest, I actually started BEFORE the New Year (Say what?! Who am I??) Some of the items are big, like when we’re traveling and exploring; other items, like when we’re at home, may seem fairly insignificant to you, but to me, they are all victories if I reached deep within and turned a no into a yes.