Well, 2014 is here whether I'm ready or not! The past year has been amazing. I celebrated two years at Apple Hill Farm, began obedience training with Knox, passed the Canine Good Citizen test and Therapy Dogs, Inc. test, began volunteering at Alliance Bible Fellowship and so much more.
I don't know that I've ever had such a wonderful year. I've had many great moments throughout my life, but I'm pretty sure 2013 takes the cake for best year over all. I feel like it was the first year I got to truly explore myself. It was my first full year without school and that opened so many new doors for me. One would think that being in school with summer, fall, and winter vacations off and classes that take an average of 15 to 18 hours a week that you would find ample time to explore yourself. However, I have found that being out of school and in the workforce has opened so many more doors than being a student ever did. I may not have long vacations (which I usually wasted on a couch anyway) but I do have my evenings and weekends all to myself! While I was a student, even when I wasn't in class or working, I still had papers, readings, and studying all vying for my time and attention. It was hard to find time to hang our with friends, let alone explore new hobbies or discover new passions. It has been so amazing this past year to have had my evenings and weekends to do whatever I want to with. When I clock out at 5, the only obligations I have are ones I have set for myself. I feel that I know myself and my desires better today than I did a year ago, and certainly better than I did when I graduated college. I am so grateful for the year I had in 2013, and I truly look forward to 2014. I have a few goals for the year, nothing major, but I still thought I would share them!
1. Finish saving up my emergency fund (so close!)
2. Finalize my Therapy Dogs, INC registration.
3. Make more time for yoga in my daily life, at least a few days a week.
4. Eat less wheat - I haven't been doing very good about that lately.
5. Start volunteering at the Humane Society
6. Explore dog training more
7. Set up monthly therapy visits with Knox with at least one facility in the area
8. Make it to as many Respite Nights as possible at ABF with Knox
9. Set up a study break with the ASU library where I can bring Knox during finals week.
10. Work towards becoming a Tester/Observer for Therpay Dogs, INC - the closest one is 75 miles away!
11. Spread the word about Therapy Dogs and find some in the area to work with.
12. Step out and make new friends
Like I said, nothing major! But as of now, those are my goals for 2014. Here goes nothing!
Hey Brianne! It's Brianne!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand what you mean about discovering more about yourself after leaving school. It wasn't until I was working full time after graduation that I began to truly map out what I want for my life. School life had prepared me for everything except for deciding how I want to *live* (not work) life once school was over.
So true. I think college is great at equipping you to work, but not how to live, despite what many people think. After graduating college, I'm a bigger supporter of taking a break between high school and college to work for a year or so. Everyone says "You'll never go back to school!" but I think people who do this will either start a great career or go into school with an actual plan and not change majors 6 times.
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