Well, the time is almost upon us. As I start writing this, it is currently 4:20 PM (I won’t even make a joke about that), and the time is ticking down until we ring in the new year with people shooting off fireworks or trying out their shotguns. I look forward to it, really.

This time last year, I was preparing to spend the day with my niece. We had all the movies laid out, ready to watch them. It was going to be a night of Anastasia and She-Ra. We were going to have SO much fun. What really happened though, was we fell asleep and she woke me up at midnight because she heard a big BOOM outside. We missed watching the ball drop-oops. That’s not something I like to do. In the last three years, that’s kinda been our thing. We watch the ball drop together and it’s usually just her and I, celebrating a new year and talking about what we’d like to see change/happen in the next 365 days.

It is now 4:24. I’m being slow with my posting today, but mostly because I’m looking for gifs to represent my emotions. Hey, I love gifs and if you’re not familiar with them, make them one of your resolutions. EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH GIFS!

I’ve thought a lot about what I’d like to change/see happen in 2014. I guess it’s the usual. I always have that goal to QUIT SMOKING and LOSE A FEW POUNDS. However, in 2012, I did successfully break the habit of biting my nails! I’m rather proud of that one…but I do have other goals, too.

I will continue chasing my dream of writing. One of these days I’m going to tackle that sucker and I’ll become a well known author with lots of fans (I have 592 right now. Last year I only had 67!), and my books won’t be able to sit on the shelves for more than a day.

Okay, so facing reality, I probably won’t reach JK ROWLING status, but I’ll be that woman from Kentucky who made it happen. I was so happy to watch Jimmy Rose chase his dreams this year, and one of his quotes stuck with me.

“I wanna be the one that says I chased it.”

That’s who I want to be, too. I don’t want to be on my deathbed thinking “what if?”. So that’s why I jump and I don’t look down. I don’t look back. I just keep jumping, no matter how far up I am, and one of these days, I’m going to land in the right spot and it will be glorious.

I could get super emotional and ramble on for the next twenty minutes about what writing means to me, and how happy I will be when I finally embrace my dream at the end of the rainbow (it’s 4:36 now), but I can’t and that’s really not the point of my post.

2014 should be the year of dreams coming true for everyone. No matter what it is that you want to do, this is going to be your year to make it happen. You cannot simply sit back and wait for your dreams to come true. You need to chase after that little bugger and tackle its hind-end to the ground!

If you have a crush and you’ve been afraid to act on it, don’t be. Tell him/her exactly how you feel and see what happens. The worst they can do is tell you no. I wish I would’ve listened to that advice a lot sooner.

If you want to lose 10 pounds, do it. Eat healthy, sleep more, and go for walks. Did you know the biggest woman in the world lost 25 lbs simply by clapping her hands together? Go watch some Richard Simmons videos and get out there, Girl/Guy! Shake your thang!

If you want to write a short story to publish for others to read, do it. Don’t be afraid. Someone out there will love it and you just don’t realize that yet. WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE. Don’t write for others. Write for YOU. That’s the best advice I can give you.

Get a new pet. Go rescue a dog or cat from a pet shelter and give them a new lease on life-it’ll be a new lease on life for you, too.

Get a haircut.

Visit loved ones more. They may not be here for 2015 and that’s just the facts.

Life is too short. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Live for today, always.

Be kind to others. You have no idea what they’re going through and your smile may make a difference for them.

Laugh often. It is the best medicine, you know.

Smile.

Love.

Live.

This is the advice I can offer to you. This is the advice I can only hope you will take to heart. Yes, the new year is about changes, but we have to be willing to change with it if we truly want to see a difference.

Pray.

I don’t know your religion and I surely am not forcing mine upon you, but no matter who you pray to, pray often and pray for goodness. Pray selflessly and whole-heartedly.

I hope 2014 is the year you’ve been waiting for, because I have a feeling it’s the year I’ve been looking forward to my whole life.