The New Year came a little early :)

I feel things changing. I am getting more and more antsy and ready to leave this place. Maybe it will be another year before we even consider it, but man, I feel it burning a hole in my heart. 2013 is going to be a strange year, and I haven't decided yet if I am ready for it. I am anxious and unsure, but a little anxiety is good sometimes...right? I have some things I want for this upcoming year. I want to push myself in my music more than I ever have before. Next week I am taking this huge desk out of my room (finally!!) and making that corner my music corner. I am going to move my keyboard and guitars there and make that a place of creativity (instead of clutter) where I can make music and write. I need to focus. I need to make this more important than the things that always seem to take over. (God give me strength to do that.) I am not going to make myself a lot of promises this New Year's Eve though. I am not going to say I will do this or that when I know I won't last more than a month. But on the other hand, don't stop playing the game because you are afraid to fail.

I am making four New Year's resolutions. 4. Maybe that is too many, maybe it isn't enough, but that's the number I have. I know it is a couple days early  but I was really thinking about this today and I decided I am going to take every fresh start I can get. So in lieu of the New Year, (read : New Beginning) I am going to diligently seek and stretch myself to achieve the things that I desire for myself and my career. So without further adieu :

My four New Year's Resolutions. 

1. Play an instrument everyday. Now the reason I said "instrument" instead of being more specific with the instrument I should play, is that I don't want to limit myself. I want to be a fluent guitar and piano player. But perhaps I will learn how to play the harmonica or violin as well. The possibilities are there, it is only a matter of me following through. By playing everyday, I am actively solving a problem. I wish I was a better guitarist and this is how I plan to accomplish that. My first resolution is to play every day. 

2. Write for ten minutes every morning. I know I am making all of these "every day" things, but I think it is important to establish good habits instead of indulging bad ones (such as spending five hours a day glued to a computer screen). In this book I have about songwriting, they suggest writing for ten minutes every morning. The purpose is to engage the creative side of your brain, the writer inside of you, early in the morning so that you can see the world through the eyes of an artist instead of the sleepy eyes that you would see from otherwise. It will also make me a better writer. The more you do something, the better you become, right? That's the idea anyway.

3. Get in shape. I know what you are thinking, "how generic!" Am I right? But not only does working out and eating healthier help you get in shape, it also stimulates your brain and relieves stress. The more active my brain is, the better my songwriting and school work will be. (Are you seeing a theme? hah!)  I found that for me, it is easier to get something done or stick to something if I have a clear plan of how I want to do it. With that said I am making a plan to workout daily, if only for a few minutes, and do yoga every week. It will be a slow start, as it always is, and I will probably have to allow my plan to adapt as the year goes on, but I have to start somewhere.

4. Grow in my relationship with God. This is the most important one. I sometimes let my relationship with God go on the back burner, but I want to actively seek His love a grace more and more this year. It is going to be a year full of growth and new experiences and I don't want to lose sight of what is really important. I am going to stick my little nose in the Word and ask for eyes to understand. God is so faithful.