Goodbye 2008; Hello 2009! My, how the years have flown by. It seems like yesterday when I was starting my first year of high school, turning 16, learning to drive, getting a job. I can't believe it.
I've never really been one to make new year's resolutions. But this year, I think I will try and start with a 'clean slate.' In less than a week I will be starting my first semester at NWACC. While my first semester of college completely sucked, I am very much looking forward to a change. A change in schools, majors, scenery, classmates and much more. I will once again be working toward a goal that I somehow lost track of these last few months. I'm still trying to understand how I got here in the first place.
Not only am I starting over in college, but I feel I need to change a few things about who I am at work. I have been told that I am too "black and white." I never thought that was a bad thing. Until now. Our whole lives we are taught that there are rules and we must follow them. All of a sudden, I'm being told there is grey areas that need to be seen as well. Yes, these may be the rules, but they can be bent or altered as need be. So, this year, I will start by taking a step back and thinking, "What would the b&w me do?" and the alter that state of mind.
This is not the only thing I will change about working Carissa. On occasion I have been told I am mean when I ask someone to do something or the way I respond to questions. When I stop and think about this, I can't seem to figure out how this happened. Somehow over the years, my level of confidence has increased far more than I ever would have imagined. I guess the level increased a bit too much. So, in the future I will try to think (more) before I speak.
I feel my personal life also needs a bit of change. Although I work a lot, I have learned that it is good to get out and spend time away from the job I love and spend time with the friends that I love. I am going to make a larger effort to hang out with my BFFs. I miss them like crazy. I am also going to take more time to cherish the time I have with the people around me, whether it be family, friends or coworkers.
While 2008 had it's perks, there were a few not so good times of the year. We lost my grandma after months of hospital visits and finally putting her in a nursing home. Although I never felt as close to her as my other grandparents, it still hurts when a loved one dies. We also had tragedy strike at work. One of our cashiers of over a year died on Christmas. While it is still unknown what the true cause was, we all mourned the loss of our friend and coworker. She was fun to be around, always entertaining, a hard worker and was always someone to talk to. They say tragedies happen in threes, but we're hoping this ends at two. Here's to a happier, refreshing new year!
