Venturing into the New Year!

The sun has set on 2011 and the journey into 2012 has begun!

What do you fondly take away with you from 2011?


What adventures are in store for you in 2012.  (Of course, I am rooting for you to be the hero!)

I got these shots from the Swift Creek Reservoir in Chesterfield County, Virginia just as the year was ending as I met up with a friend from high school.  The lake was filled with seagulls and families were going out there with their kids to see them.

As I am starting this new year, I have been reflecting on the journey of my life as most do this time of year.  While I am celebrating the improvement in my health over the last few months, it is still frustrating not being at where I "think" I should be.

Embracing the Challenges
I have thought positively and set goals for myself to reach... but my body has fought me the whole way.  But as I thought about it, we all have challenges we have to walk through that we can't control.  When there are challenges that are just out of our control, it not about trying to avoid them or pretend they aren't there, but it's about making the most of what you have during these challenges.

I have always approached life with the attitude that we have all we need to succeed and move forward at any given time in life. There have been times that philosophy is hard to embrace, but that is what I have always allowed to guide me.

What Factors Can Be Controlled? 
There are a lot of things in life that just can't be controlled.  That's when it's time to look at what can be controlled and become a focus.  While I do not know entirely what the new year holds, I can move forward with what is working:

1. My small budget of energy, while not consistent, is growing and I find I can do more every few weeks.
2. My pulmonary doctor is excited that I am going out with my camera when I do my rehabilitative walks.  
3. It's kind of exciting to record my journey with photography with images that others are enjoying. 
4. As my energy grows, I will be able to share more and more of my journey. 
5. I still have a lot of images waiting to be loaded and processed.  I am really looking forward to viewing them.
6. Keep a strong hold of my goals and when they are realized, I will appreciate them so much more than I would have otherwise. 

Right now, I will often opt to get out an move over sitting at the computer.  After spending months and months on my back, I know it's the right thing for me to do for right now... for my body and for my mind and for my spirit. As I grow stronger, I will be able to incorporate more of the balance back into my life.

So what about you?  How will you embrace your challenges to move forward?