The New Normal 2022

Who would have thought we would live to see a pandemic of this size? Who would have thought the world would go on lockdown? Who would have thought we wouldn't be able to see or hug or kiss our loved ones? Who would have thought we would have lost so many people we loved and not be able to say goodbye to them?

No one ever thought this would have happened even with all the science fiction movies we watched throughout the years, but our world has changed forever. These last few years will be in our history books long after we are gone. 

But, as the countdown happened on New Year's Eve, we all looked forward to a new year, new beginnings, and hope for a brighter future. We don't know how much time we have here; we aren't given a countdown clock, it can be your time at any minute.

So I ask you what changed your life from this? What things are important to you now, compared to years ago? Many people quit jobs they hated and started businesses they always wanted to. Many people got to spend quality time with their loved ones that they would have never been able to. Many of us decided we will no longer wait on trips, on dreams that one day we will do because that one day may never come.

My hope is that we learned what is most important: our families, our friends, our health, and living life large while we still can. I don't do resolutions; I do life resolutions, and this year mine is to be present at the moment. I want to gather all the memories I can now. I want to put my phone down and just be present with those I love. I want to live my life large and do what I want to do without caring what others say or think. Like my girlfriend says no one is going in the grave with you, so do you, boo! 

I want to laugh, dance in the kitchen, and share a meal with my family and friends. I want to leave the dishes in the sink more, be more spontaneous, and trust and believe I've been doing this since my divorce, but I want to do it more. Because I want to go screeching into my grave yelling, "What a frigging ride!!" 

I'm not wishing I should have done this. I wish I would have done that. I want no regrets; I want to love hard no matter what may be the consequences, I want to let the people I love know that I love them. I want to celebrate life every single day I am allowed to still wake up.

So today, my friends, as this new year starts, what did you learn from the past? What is most important to you? How do you want your life to be? We don't know when the world will change again or when our last breath will be, so like I say at the end of every blog, you need to be the change you want to see.