Coming Full Circle...2013...

Bismillah al rahman al Rahim: "In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate".

Truly under the governance of God, I've found strength through the path I had set for myself…

“Believe in resolutions, believe in setting yourself up for all the blessings you are due to receive; only you can set that "right foot” forward towards a better you. Life is truly not about finding yourself, but about creating the person you were meant to be.

Let Twenty-Twelve be a year full of blessings, joy, happiness, surprises, experiences, strength and growth. Let's make every single day the best it can be. Regroup every night, mindful of the lessons learned and aware of the missed opportunities. Remember to say "I Love You" every time you get a chance.”

Reading this (again) brings a flood of emotions. Those few lines represent a milestone in my life; the beginning of something that would eventually give me a renewed sense of purpose and vision. It’s hard to think that this year has come and gone so quickly, but it would be remiss of me to not pause and see how far I've come. It’s been a wild ride at times. I've ruffled feathers, I've gained respect, I've brought tears to my and others’ eyes, and I've experienced heartache along with others who told their stories; through comments and guest appearances. I wanted to use this post to not tell a story, or narrate an event – I wanted to simply go back over the birth, nurturing and growing of this blog….

At the onset of 2012, I challenged myself to (finally) bring an undeniable and necessary, balanced focus to my aspirations; to the things I've always wanted to do but never did. Primarily, so that regrets would have no room in my life (or at least just a minimal one).

My main target was to fulfill my dream of writing a book. I had dreamt of bringing my vision to pass several times, but I had no clue about where to start, or even how to go about it. The one thing that was certain was; I knew if this was what I wanted, I needed to work on my writing, and work on relaying my emotions through words. I needed to work on sharing my points of view, my opinions and stories in a way that people would connect with, even if they didn't necessarily relate. I had to learn to be humble, taking criticism and accepting that people might not agree with me… I needed a platform to put in place all of that process… I needed a commitment that would be my testimony of how bad and serious writing a book, my book, was/is to me, and that’s how the “RosieSandz; My Life Lessons” blog was born.

On 01/01/2012, those words above were the end of my first post, in my newly started blog. I had finally learned that nothing comes to pass unless a committed effort is put forth towards achieving any goal (or fulfilling any desires). So I committed… I committed to starting this blog and make it my University of Life. In retrospect, I realized that every year brings its own set of challenges. Every step I took brought a new level of priceless experiences, as well as much needed maturity.  Every step I took towards what I am and towards who I’m building myself to be, uncovers unknown horizons and lessons… My life lessons.

2012 did bring me all that I had wished. It presented me with plenty of blessings, joy, happiness, surprises, experiences, strength, growth and more… It also brought challenges, deceptions, and trials… But whatever I was going through/experiencing or witnessing, it was handled with a different maturity. With an inquisitiveness to know the why and how of everything… And while I wasn't sure of what my blog was going to be about, it became clear very quickly - looking at my past and picturing my future - that I didn't want to miss any moment of significance, especially not because I didn't understand it, or because I just chose to overlook the obvious or the least obvious. So my blog became my journal; my intimate journey to who I strive to be and what I needed to achieve… a journal I wanted and desired to share because of the things I was learning.

Now, 12 months later… 365 days later, 152 posts later (not including an additional 10 by my guest writers), and 262 comments later, I have learned so many things about myself, my world and my life. I have learned that no matter how I look at things, and no matter how strong I stand in my beliefs, there will always be a different point of view to challenge me. I have learned that reaction is a reflex that overrules thinking, if you lack the discipline and control over yourself. I have learned that I am an excessive person when committing to “something” and finding moderation is a constant battle and struggle. I have learned that regardless of knowing my goals, patience is a virtue. Nothing happens overnight. Becoming the person I want to be takes more than knowing, as I’m evolving every day. My circumstances are what they are but I am responsible for who I want to be and how I’ll get there. I have learned about friendships… those you need to hold on to regardless of anything, and those that maybe need to be let go of. I have learned that while I needed to recognize and face my wrongs, I needed to forgive myself and accept them so I could move forward. I have learned to never think I know it all, because every day I am being taught something new. I have learned to trust in me, my instincts, and my gut.  I have learned that age doesn't equate to a maturity level. I have learned that the best lessons generate from the most unpredicted places. I have learned that love starts with me.

I didn't realize the work it truly took in knowing me, and standing for something, until I started this blogging adventure. So when I say “I have learned that no matter how I look at things, no matter how strong I stand in my beliefs there will always be a different point

of view to challenge me”, I have only two choices - either face my challenges or move around them, but I have to do something. I have strengths and weaknesses just like any other person, but I believe that I have gotten stronger in my strengths and have done my best to strengthen my weaknesses in my journey towards my making.

“There is no greater agony than bearing

an untold story inside you.”
~Maya Angelou

2013 is right there… at the tip of my fingers, and I couldn't be more proud of myself for having maintained this commitment; for having nurtured this process, for having shamelessly shared my deeper thoughts, standpoints, and opinions. I am proud that I committed to learning from my life and from the lessons that were laid in front me daily (for my growth). Hopefully, I shared with you all in a way that was humble in its delivery, eye opening in its subjects, and challenging in its information.

While I primarily started this blog for myself as a form of assertiveness, one thing that is very clear for me is that RosieSandz; My Life Lessons would have never been what it is if it hadn’t been for your visits (almost 10000), your shared thoughts with kindness ...your presence ... and your comments ... Your constant following gave me confirmation that what I am doing is good, worthwhile and meaningful. However; it is time for me to focus on why I started this whole thing in the first place…

2013 needs to be about my book - and while I wish I could maintain the pace and quality of my blog the way I did this past year -  I know I wouldn't have the time and strength to juggle all that is in my plate without something suffering in the quality of the material.

I am not ending sharing in My Life Lessons; I am just not making it my priority. And while I truly hope that you will continue following my blog (by clicking on the link and making sure you are a follower, adding me in your Google+ or RSS feeds), or through Facebook as I won’t be as active in my post schedule ( it will be random but me and my guest bloggers will make sure we continue sharing our most interesting lessons or questions) or about promoting the blog. 

So I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU for everything! Thank you, to the followers who have been reading my blog since I first started it, and to those that have recently started reading my blog. Thank you, to my family and friends who have shown me love and support in this journey that took time away from you… I really do appreciate it. I appreciate all the comments, the emails and messages, so please continue showing your support and letting me know...

01/01/2013 is the day I will start writing my book…

RosieSandz

Picture courtesy of startupgrind.com