My oh my did yesterday bring about some big ideas as to what the next year is going to involve for me. It felt a little bit like standing at the edge of a pool right before jumping into the deep end. Thank goodness the first thing I wrote about during the Gratefulness Challenge was my appreciation for change because it feels like there is a lot of it coming my way. With this in mind today’s items have themed themselves around the idea of new chapters in life.

1. Access to resources: I was in a meeting earlier this week and we brought up how fortunate we are to have so many resources at our disposal. Things such as business workshops, guides for writing contracts, and budget templates. Today I had a free information meeting with Dance Umbrella of Ontario and it brought the same thought to mind. There are so many organizations who have put the effort in to offering free or affordable resources for the general public. It is so helpful on both professional and personal levels to have these tools at my disposal.

Why gain knowledge if you don’t plan on sharing it? It seems like most things in our society come with a price. It is really refreshing when you find companies who value knowledge before profit. As an emerging independent artist, having these kinds of tools at my disposal is invaluable. It means that when I start something new I am starting just a little ahead of square one. It also means that I can educate myself enough on my own that when I do get into a meeting with someone I am knowledgeable enough to not need the basics explained to me. Instead I can ask the more complex and challenging questions.

2. Living without regrets: I feel really lucky that up until now I have no major regrets about what I’ve done with my life. I have been known to go as far as to say that if my life ended tomorrow that, as much as I don’t want it to happen, I’d be ok with it. Because considering what I hoped to have done by this point in my life, well I have far surpassed my own expectations.

I think the biggest reason I have no regrets is because I try to live in the moment and constantly remain open to new, exciting opportunities. It isn’t that I don’t make mistakes, but I often wonder if I would change any of those decisions if given the chance to go back. The choices I have made have gotten me here and my life is really spectacular. I cherish all the gifts I have been given on a daily basis and look forward to what is to come.

 3. Growing Up: Some people want to stay a kid forever, and though I want to keep some of the qualities generally associated with youth such as curiosity, enthusiasm and optimism, I’m pretty excited about growing up. With every year comes new challenges, and new opportunities to learn. Each obstacles is a chance to grow and become a better human being. Though adult responsibilities still scare me a lot of the time I am also really grateful to have that them.

People often focus on how hard it is to have to be responsible for so much all the time, they wish they were still young when everyone did things for you. Personally, as much as there are moments where I would love a day off, I also like the fact that I am in charge of my own future. I have the tools and knowledge to continue to move myself forward.

I believe that there is no limit to our potential for growth. We don’t just suddenly become an adult and then stop growing. We are constantly further developing our relationship with the world. It is our choice though as to how we would like to grow. It can be in any direction we choose. We can even try and remain exactly the same and see how that impacts our personal path. I choose to grow up, because for me it is the most hopeful, positive, and infinite direction. Growing up is challenging and requires determination, but it is also really rewarding to be able to look behind you and see just how far you have come.