A happy person...

... is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. - Hugh Downs

Well I have definitely been realizing recently that I have been very negative as of late. It's really pretty pathetic of me. So much has been going so well in my life this year. I've loved being back in the classroom, subbing has been this huge blessing, I've had a wonderful time with friends, both old and new, and things have been going generally well. I have always considered myself to be a fairly positive person. But in these past few weeks, I feel like all I ever do is complain. It's really only a handful of people who have had to deal with me, but still, I feel terrible.

I guess it's finally hitting me that I can choose my attitude. I can choose to be happy. So my new goal is to find what's good in every situation. I would ask you all, my faithful blog readers, to hold me accountable to this. I just want to keep smiling no matter what life throws at me (which is usually curve balls, in case you forgot).

I have a passion for teaching. It's what I've wanted to do for as long as I can even remember. And yet, I have some people who are very important to me who don't get it. On Friday when I was having a total breakdown, I came across a quote that I wrote down quite awhile ago. It's from the movie "Million Dollar Baby," which I haven't even seen, by the way.

"It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that no body sees but you."

I guess that's sort of what I'm doing right now. I am risking a lot to go after a teaching career. And it hasn't been easy, and it's not going to be easy. But it's what I've wanted my whole life and I am not willing to give up on that yet. I'm excited about teaching kindergarten next year and I'm praying that some sort of job will come out of it. And honestly, I have faith that it will. That's why I'm doing it. That's why I'm making sacrifices so I can commit to it completely even though it's only a part-time job.

I am not the person that I was in high school, or college, or even a year ago. I sometimes can't believe how much changing and stretching and growing God is having me go through. I wish it would stop a lot of the time, but then I realize that I like the person I am right now. (If you know me very well at all, you are realizing right now how big of a statement that is for me to make.)

I love my life. I love being single. I love subbing. I love spending time with my friends and being silly. I love blaring music and dancing in my car. I love falling asleep on the couch watching SportsCenter. I love eating Pistachio Pistachio ice cream right out of the carton. I love staying up till 6 in the morning talking. I love singing in the shower. I love playing Lynch Mob. I love taking random pictures. I love road trips. I love the theater. And I absolutely love my friends.

I'm ready for whatever comes my way. And I'm excited about where God is going to take me. I'm prepared for that to be somewhere completely different than what I'm planning, but I'm okay with that too. I have learned so far that His plans for me are ALWAYS better than my plans for myself. So I'm ready :)