This is 34

Have you read Jennifer's "This is 38" blog post?  You haven't...well, hop on over there (Ellison Lane Quilts) and check it out.  Maybe it will encourage you to write one yourself, as it has me.

Now, I only have a few months of 34 under my belt; but in many ways I'm in a good place right now.

Love me some Instagram filters
 
34 is me realizing that my health is something I shouldn't be toying with, so I've made changes and they are paying off...BIG time.  Yay! for Yoga and iPhone apps to keep me on track, so I can lead a better lifestyle. 
 
 
34 is having better friends then I ever did in school, and knowing that they are around for the long haul.  I assumed that making friends as an adult was hard, and honestly it was in my 20s.  Yet, I learned that it's really about being who you are and doing what makes you happy.  You'll soon find that there are other nutty people out there just like you.
 
 
34 is finally putting behind me the "mental and physical" damage of a car accident that had been haunting me for years in little ways.  While people assume that it's a bad thing when someone has mastered "hiding emotions behind a smile"...actually it allowed me to work on things internally.  Learning to walk again, using a cane for a year, then finally coming to terms with the fact that while physically I would never be who I was before...I survived and with each passing year I have continued to grow stronger.  Yeah, it's cruel that I work for a footwear company and can never wear any of the shoes; but there is little space for superficial thoughts like that anymore. 
 
 
34 is being thankful for the travel opportunities that I've had the last few years.  I didn't take my first flight until I was 20 (went to Dallas, Texas).  Since then, I've set foot in 7 different countries (Canada, Brazil, China, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, and Great Britain) and travelled domestically to about 10 different cities...most of which completely on my own.  I cannot wait to see where life takes me next.
 
 
34 is being excited by all of the opportunities that have allowed me to share my love of quilting with others.  Additionally, it is realizing that this is not just a hobby; but can seriously transform one's life.  It has allowed that creative fire; which was dying out in my 20s, to burn bright again. 
 

34 is embracing Who I Am, because you know what there is no one else out there like me.  I like macabre decorations such as ravens and spiders.  Things that are old and broken such as well-worn antique furniture, reclaimed wood and peeling wallpaper.  Then, there's the things, yes things, that I never knew I could actually love as much as I do, things like Doctor Who and Sherlock.




 
34 is not beating yourself up because you haven't checked off everything on that list that you made back in high school and college.  You know the list, we've all made one at some point "Where/Who/What will I be in 10-20 years?" I had plans; some worked out, some didn't, and some I don't even know what I was thinking when I wrote them down.  While I will always be a big list maker, my lists evolve now instead of remaining static.
 
 
34 is taking risks.  If you don't try, you'll never know.  I've taken quite a few risks the last few years and most have paid off, shown me something new, or allowed me to grow.  You never know what will happen if you don't send that email, or make that phone call.  What do you have to lose?
 
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So, there it is my This is 34 post. 
 
It wasn't so much a post for you, as it was more about me clearing out the cobwebs :-)
 
 Happy Sunday !!