succeeding

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

I'm slowly but surely coming out of my shell. It is hard for me to admit that medication may be helping me. When I started, I half hoped it didn't work and, but I now must admit it is. I'm glad, but it also is proof of yet another flaw.

I took this picture this morning. I was happy. I didn't feel homesick or scared or confused. I haven't cried for weeks. I'm smiling a real smile. Life is pretty good.

My success over the past few months is exciting. Not only am I becoming happier with myself, I'm actually happy at work. I've been given a new job responsibility acting in a lead administrative role to our Events Committee. This Committee is responsible for living out the company values of "giving back to our communities" and "having fun." I will get to be involved in fund-raising for many different projects. We are embarking on March of Dimes and American Cancer Society Relay for Life now. We also support the Crisis Center, Klein Animal Shelter, H.O.P.E., and United Way, just to name a few. Along with these new responsibilities, I got a raise on top of my annual raise. I've been recognized at (unofficially by the HR Department) as the ideal community representative because I'm "confident, friendly and compassionate." Nice, huh?

I'm glad I didn't give up when I was down.

needs

"In vital matters... decision[s] should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. In the important decisions of personal life, we should be governed, I think, by the deep inner needs of our nature." - Sigmund Freud

In closing out 2005, I am drawn back to the profound words of the great Freud. I'm anxiously looking forward to the upcoming year. For all of the obvious reasons; continuing to grow and build on my already wonderful relationship with my husband; watching my children grow, learning, aspiring, dreaming, etc... In my last session with Dr. French, we discussed how essential it is for a person's needs to be met. And we all have different needs. Our challenge is learning what those are and how to get them met in a healthy way. For those of you who are married and/or have children, I recommend this book and this book to help you in discovering how to show those you care about you love them in a way that's meaningful to them. But also, don't forget about yourself, because being a happy person is not only the best thing you can do for yourself, but it is also the best thing you can give to others.

So that's my New Year's Resolution - to meet my needs in 2006. It will be a struggle; not because I'm a stranger to being selfish, but because I'm prone to feeling guilty about it.