A New Year... a New Perspective.

Hello my dear readers,

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope all three of you (because let's face it, I don't have many readers) had a great and safe holiday.

It's now 2010, which for many means starting fresh and starting over. However, I'm not sure if that's exactly how I am approaching this near year. This is a new year... but I'm not starting over or forgetting about the past by any means. Instead of making a silly resolution, like, vowing to lose weight or exercise more (both things many people often lose sight of and forget after one month into the new year), I've decided to take a new approach:

I'm going to try to be happier.

So, exactly how does one become happy? Okay, okay, I know what some of you are thinking: "And how do you plan on doing that, Mr. Sassy Pants??" Well, if you go to Barnes & Noble or any other well-known book store, I guarantee that you will see dozens of books about improving one's self-esteem and "how to be happy" in life. Well, I have not read any of these books -- nor am I claiming I have the "end-all' answer on how to be happy. At the same time, I've come to my own conclusion: being happy is nothing more than a mindset.

If you tell yourself that you're going to attempt to be a happier person and look at the bright side of things more often, then you're chances of being happier will increase greatly. It's no secret that I'm not the most positive of guy. I'm usually a pessimist, the one who fails to see the silver lining and is quick to get bummed out. But I've realized this is no way to live. When you're negative and choose not to enjoy life's simplest joys, then you really do miss out on a lot. I've decided I no longer want to miss out on all the great things out there.

I'm also being very realistic about this new "resolution." I completely understand that being positive is not an easy task. There are going to be days when I want to punch a hole in a wall and curse at every person that I encounter. However, I'm going to try to be calm and remind myself of all the great things in my life and all the great people by which I am constantly surrounded. I'm going to let myself "pout" and being negative from time to time (after all, I'm only human!), but I am going to always remind myself to put things into perspective. Things could always be much worse.

So, there you have it. It's a new year... so I'm taking on a new perspective. I'm going to strive to be a happier person. I've learned you cannot depend on others to make you happy; you've got to find your own happiness and sometimes that happiness needs to come from within. I have been blessed with great friends, an (occasionally) amazing family, the affection of a great guy in my life, as well as many wonderful material items. I am going to do my best to be most positive and not take all these great people and belongings for granted. I am going to be happy... because I want to be happy.

Happy New Year!

Signing out,
Josh