Finding the Balance

Maybe it's the idea of a new year that creates the endless opportunity of a fresh start. Shedding your skin and reaching towards those goals that at one time seemed completely unattainable. I like to choose a word every year that I will try to live my life by. Last years word was Learn, whether it was about myself, in school, or taking the time to learn more about the world around me. This years word is balance. A problem I have suffered from is losing total balance when things in my life go in a different direction than I thought. Finding that balance will hopefully help me keep my feet firmly on the ground and my head out of the sky. The reality of growing older each year is coming to terms with the fact that all things are in your control. People will only hurt you if you let them. People will only love you if you let them. Recently I saw a gif set on tumblr that really grabbed my attention. It was a scene from the lion king when Rafiki hits Simba on the head and Simba asks what that was for. Rafiki responds "it doesn't matter. It's in the past." to which Simba says "yeah, but it still hurts.", and here is where the real wisdom comes in, Rafiki's response is "Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it." Probably one of the greatest things I have ever heard and it comes from a cartoon. I have seen firsthand how detrimental holding onto the past can be to a person. Of course your past is important because you are who you are today because of your experiences. But guess what... EVERY NEW DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE YOURSELF. Every new sunrise is a clean slate. If that doesn't fill your heart with hope and happiness then I don't know what can. Love harder than you've ever loved. Cry when you're sad. Laugh until your cheeks hurt. Try new things. Meet new people. Live by your heart and not by your head. Balance is key. "Balance, my darling, is never letting anyone love you less than you love yourself."