I’ve just finished reading a tweet that's got me thinking about the new year:

We have only a few hours to give some serious thought about whether or not we're going to take 2015's offenses into even 5 minutes of 2016.

Excitement is beginning to build.
  
       We can decide what we want to carry into our new year?

The thought of walking into a fresh, clean year without the hurts from the past makes me excited.

Yes, I know some of the difficult issues in my life will remain, and they will continue to hurt me at times. That's just how it is. But walking into the new year without any worry distracting me will enable me see a world of possibilities ahead.  It'll give me some hope.

When hope comes in, it pushes out the darkness and makes the heart light. 
It whispers what no one else can hear.
It says, "You can turn it around."
You’ve got this.
You can break that habit.
You can repair those relationships.
You can feel happy again.
 
Hope is the ingredient that brings dreams to pass.
We can’t live without it.
 
That's why I'm walking into the new year with hope.
I'm grasping it tightly, and I'm letting go of that other stuff:

Every offense and hurt.
Been there.  Worried about it.  Done.

Hope makes me smile.  Hope pushes me forward.  Hope scatters joyful seeds of possibilities all over my future.

It's a wonderful word.
It's a perfect word for 2016.

It's a word I'm willing to share if you'll join me.

Take a paper and write down everything that's causing you pain and worry.  Label it 2015.
Fold the paper and rip it into a million tiny pieces. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it'd feel good, wouldn't it?
Now take another paper and label it 2016.

      Look at the lovely emptiness, so full of possibilities. 
      Yes, good things are in store for both of us.  I can feel it.

 As Christopher Reeve once said, "Once you choose hope, anything’s possible."

Welcome to the year of possibilities, friend.  Happy 2016.

​Dear friend in Florida,

Maybe you're afraid to tell someone because you don't want to be judged.

Maybe you think others will believe you deserve it, since it's being done by a family member.

Maybe you're so tired from the stress, you just want to tuck yourself under a blanket and forget about the pain and hateful words...
the fighting... 
the explaining...
the defending.

My encouragement to you is this:

You deserve love. Not for any other reason, other than you’re human and your life is priceless. 

Please know there is never a good reason for someone to bully you, not even for family members.  

Bullying done in the name of love is still bullying. Don't make excuses for them. Their nit-picking, put downs, constant criticism, lack of affection, complaining to others about you, silent treatment and hitting are all forms of abuse.  

It's abuse you don't have to take.

It's okay to seek refuge for yourself, especially when you are being physically harmed. Remove yourself from the situation when you see things escalating.  Go lock yourself in the bathroom or walk out the door and leave.  

Did you hear me, friend? Leave if you are in an unsafe situation.  Get someone to help you if you are afraid to do it alone.
You can do this.

You are strong,
You are brave,
You can do hard things.

You are valued.

I'm so sorry you are going through this.  Please know you are not alone.
We're here if you need us.

​Not a lot to say today, but this, my sweet friends:

Hope is only one step away.

​There will always be people who will only see my failures.

​They will criticize and gossip, making me think:

I'm a failure.  I'm a failure.  I'm a failure.

I wish they could see past my mistakes...past my appearance...past my history, and notice me for who I really am. I wish they would accept me. Is there a way I can get them to see me for who I really am?

Give them acceptance.

Sounds counter-productive doesn't it? Yet, it's so powerful. By speaking words of encouragement and forgiveness over others, we take our eyes off of our hurts and begin to recognize the value of who we are.

We are someone who is kind. 
We are someone who accepts others.
We are someone who loves and encourages. We are the people we wish others would be.

​It is said that we reap what we sow, and it's true.  When we sow validation in others, we ​discover it in ourselves.

True validation comes from within, not from the perspective of people.  

And one of the most beautiful gifts of this validation is the releasing from the disappointment we feel when others don't live up to role we'd like them to play in our lives. 

You know what I love best about a new school year?  The word new.

There is so much hope tucked inside of that word.

    New supplies.
    New ideas.
    New start.

One small seed of "new" can harvest a whole lot of change, which is why I'm running into this new school year with confidence. As Ralph Marston said,
                                      
What you do today can improve all of your tomorrows.

Since I want this year to be a great one,  I'm already putting some positive things in place to get myself ready.


Organizing a Study Space

I don't want to fall behind this year in my written work, so I'm organizing my study space.  I've made sure it's away from distractions and I've stocked it with supplies. I've even picked up a couple of display boards so I can have them ready for projects. I think being organized this year will help prevent some of my stress when things get really busy.


Finding What Resources Are Available

I've also been doing research on my computer to see the resources my school has available. You can do this, too. Check to see if your teachers have websites where they post assignments and see if your school has a homework hotline.  I've bookmarked my favorite resources, so I can remember them if I start to get overwhelmed.


Thinking Positively

Instead of walking into my school and remembering the stressful things that have happened, I want to walk in and see new possibilities.  That's why I've already started preparing my thinking.  Every time I feel myself start to stress, I think, "Things are going to be better than I expect."  When my self-esteem starts to dredge up old fears, I remind myself, "God made me and loves me just the way I am.  My value isn't based on the thoughts of others."


Taking Time to Laugh

One of the things I love about summer vacation is how often I laugh.  It feels good to laugh, forgetting about everything else.  I savor these times and hate to see them end.  That's why I'm making sure I plan time in my schedule to have fun.  I'm saving time on Monday nights to meet with friends.  I'm planning some fun activities in the Fall.  I'm making sure I continue to enjoy things, even after school begins.

Sound the bell and start the race; I think I'm ready.  No, I know I'm ready.  I'm ready for a new year.

New possibilities.
New changes.
New hope.

I had something terrible happen last week, and I found myself sinking in a pool of hurt.

I tried to heal the wound, but I couldn't.

Helpful people said things like:
        Just get over it.
        Make a new start.
        Try not to think about it.

I tried to do what they said, but the pain in my heart kept capturing my attention.

I was afraid I would hurt forever.

Things didn't get better until I decided to STOP.
        Stop trying to control the situation.
        Stop trying to read the future.
        Stop trying to earn love and respect.

I gave myself permission to REST and think about the value of my worth.  Yes, something awful happened, but it doesn't determine WHO I am. 

There's a great quote in the movie, "Kung Fu Panda 2": 

Your story may not have a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are.  It is the rest of your story...who you choose to be.

There's something comforting about knowing our circumstances don't affect the value of who we are.  It makes the bad things less hurtful.  It empowers us to overcome even terrible things and say, "This is not how my story will end."

This is not how my story will end.

Summer is just around the corner for many of you, or it has already begun!

Without the strict schedule of school from morning to evening, and the random assortment of sport practices, band practices, church gatherings, etc., your schedule may be looking pretty slim. It would be too easy to just sit back and relax for the rest of the summer with no worries. If your plate is looking pretty empty, take time to relax and enjoy, but stay active.

The worst thing you can do is NOTHING.

Which sounds great at first, but after a few days, weeks, you will start to feel the summer funk. Which includes and is not limited to restlessness, sleeplessness, sadness, and loneliness. I have been there, trust me, it is not a fun place to be.

So here are some tips to stay away from the summer funk: ​

1. GET INVOLVED. It could be with a sports club, volunteering, or something similar. Do something you love to do that will get you out of the house and enjoying your summer days with friends. 

2. RELAX. Of course find time to relax. ​