Even though I never said it on here, on my last birthday, I was determined to make my 25th my best year yet. And maybe it was because I kicked it off with marathon training, but I really have felt that 25 was the age of accomplishments.
To recap, when I was 25 . . .
*I ran my first-ever marathon (and in just over 4.5 hours, no less!)
*I ran my first under-8-minute mile (not on the marathon)
*I quit the job I hated
*I successfully completed (and loved!) student teaching
*I graduated from college
*I finally read Great Expectations, the unabridged Count of Monte Cristo, and the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy (which have all been on my to-read list forever, but which had seemed too daunting to attempt before)
*I got called as the president of the Young Women’s organization (not that I count this as an accomplishment–just something that happened)
*I finally learned how to do genaeology and family history work–something I’ve intended to do forever but didn’t start until this year
*I started practicing violin again
*Even though I don’t know how to prove this with a solid fact (although I could prove it with a product!), I’m positive that my cooking skills have really taken off in the past 12 months
*After diligently searching and applying and interviewing, I got 3 excellent teaching job offers (a far cry from my job search from the year before)
*I started my first year of teaching
*I started saving diligently for retirement
*I became a ballroom dance instructor (and even though it’s just at the middle school, it’s always been a dream of mine–so boo yah!)
I think it will be hard to top all that in the upcoming year, but that’s not to say I’m not expecting great things–in fact, I’m convinced that life just keeps getting better and better. One good thing about getting older is that as I age, I feel more capable of rising to meet life’s challenges and of setting (and reaching!) higher and higher goals.
Here’s to another great year ahead!
