Maybe it's not my weekend but it's gonna be my year.

So this is the new year and I don't feel any different.  The clanking of crystal, explosions off in the distance.   So this is the new year and I have no resolutions for self assigned penance, for problems with easy solutions. - Death Cab For Cutie

I don't make new year resolutions because I think they're silly.  I don't need a specific date to make decisions to better my life.

But, I do want to reflect on 2012...

I cleared so much toxicity from my life, mostly in the form of friends.  I thought I would be really upset by it and it was lonely for a little while but I can honestly say, I've never felt better.  I've spent too much time holding on to certain people and didn't realize how negatively it was affecting me until I let them go.  Don't ever ever ever let someone dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes.

I learned how much of myself I'm willing to sacrifice for a relationship: NONE.

This year I really learned to fight for myself and what I believe in even if it alienates people.  This coming year I will work on softening my delivery a bit.  ;)  But it's so empowering to finally say, hey ya know what, this is what's right and I'm going to fight for it even if it puts a wedge in our friendship.

On that same note somewhat, I've become really comfortable in my religious beliefs. I took this year to really focus on God and I've prayed more than I've ever prayed before.  And I've really been focusing on listening to Him and actually allowing Him to guide my steps.  It hasn't been easy but I've been blessed SO much this year because of this decision.

Social media played a huge role in saving my life this year.  Crazy, right?  Through Twitter this year, I discovered So Worth Loving and POTSC.  And because of that I met five beautiful women: Eryn, Erin, Ashley, Melissa, and Sade who have taught me that I have so much soul inside my shattered heart.  Every Tuesday night, I reminded of how beautiful their spirits are and I'm so overwhelmed with gratitude.  

Also, there's Ileana.  You know how your mama always told you not to talk to strangers on the Internet?  Well, ignore her.  Do it, anyway.  You will meet your best friends.  Haha.  Ileana and I had the same group of blogging friends and started casually talking via Twitter.  A few months later, she moves an hour away from me and we decide to meet up for smoothies and the beginning of a very long friendship. :)  Since then I have grown to love everything about this lady.  She has taught me so much about grace and empowerment and beauty and love.

Please know that just because I haven't named you doesn't mean you haven't made an impact on my life this year. 

On to 2013...

Band Aid Records is relaunching in a few weeks.  Building a stronger team for Open Our Eyes because we have two major projects we're hoping to have launched by the end of the year.  I have a new project that I'm working on with one of my oldest friends that's launching in two weeks.  Clothing and accessories line is still happening.

I applied for something very very dear to my heart.  I don't want to say too much until everything is in place, which should be within the next week.  I will say it involves India.  :)  My heart is so overjoyed about the possibility of serving there!

I'm going back to school.  Inshallah.  Spending a lot of time with my family.  Stepping out of my bubble and making new friends.

I hope it's true what they say about the way you bring in the new year is how you spend the rest of the year because I'll be at a show with the most talented musicians I know.

Happy New Year, y'all.  xo

Life happens while you're busy making other plans.

It's a bit nippy outside these days.  I've been wearing a lot of hoodies under jean jackets, drinking a lot of hot tea and climbing a lot of trees...

Snazzy new blog design thanks to the lovely Kaelah.
What do you think?

I've been waking up every morning for Fajr.  I can't even begin to put into words how greatly my life has been enriched by starting my day off this way.  I read on Twitter that for 12 or 13 centuries, people prayed Fajr without an alarm clock because they had an internal clock that told them prayer was better than sleep.  How wonderful would it be if we all had that same mindset today?

One of my best friends is moving back and I couldn't be happier.  I've made some major friend changes in the last month; cut a lot of people out that shouldn't have been there in the first place.  Feels good to cleanse negative energy from my life.

I'm on the brink of something really amazing with Open Our Eyes and Band Aid Records.  I'm working 80+ hours every week and I've turned into a zombie but I'm so excited to implement all of these changes.  Clothing line is still underway too.  I'm also working on a really neat project for the L and B community which I can't say too much about until February.  2013 is going to be such an incredible year business-wise.  Follow your dreams or you'll spend the rest of your life working for someone who did.

Doo da doo, life is goooood.

Where you invest your love, you invest your life.

I've been living more intentionally lately.  I've set out to connect with friends (old and new) that contribute nothing but sunshine and sparkles into my life.  I've stopped working my life away which has given me time to explore paths i've ignored before.  I've been investing my life in things that truly make me happy.  And I've stopped apologizing for anything that makes me happy.

Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you or makes you happy.  Once you learn to be happy, you won't tolerate being around people that make you feel anything less.

nothing is worth it if you aren't happy.