A Year of Bravery

Date night!

I am participating in Mara Glatzel’s lovely Hello, Wonderful series in September, and today she sent participants an email asking us to acknowledge our efforts. Looking back, I have so much to acknowledge in just this year. Since I started homeschooling, I’ve had to reach out past my typical social awkwardness and anxiety to join groups, meet parents and put together programs for my daughter. This is the first year that I’ve noticed it feels easy. It doesn’t feel easy all of the time, but it does enough for me to step back and notice it.

2014 has been a year of bravery for me. In this guts-filled year, I…

Went swimming for the first time in 13 years

Rode rides at Six Flags for the first time in 13 years

Participated in GISHWHES and pretty much left modesty and reservations at the door

Made online videos, one of which I was visible in

Truly did not give a damn about what others thought (most of the time, a huge jump from every other year of my life)

Entered a fair with an art project and won a blue ribbon

Painted all over the walls–quotes, characters, stars, you name it–with confidence

Took a whole lot of pictures that actually include me in them

Made some friends I would’ve chosen with or without homeschooling

Tried a bunch of new foods, music, date night locations and experiences

Painted in public

Adopted two dogs and trained them on my own (Still working on that! Thanks, YouTube!)

Stood up for what I believed in, even when I shook with fear doing it

Taught a PE class (something I never even considered doing!)