Running out of Gas

Literally.

About a week or so ago my car ran out of gas. This seems largely impossible considering all of the technology cars have now that beep at you; talk at you; flash at you; etc reminding you to fuel up. Sure, I saw and heard the indicators but due to my perception of time constraints and cold rainy weather, filling up was the last item on my priority list. I knowingly made the choice to pass up countless gas stations thinking I can make it, tomorrow will be better. It wasn’t but a block, maybe two, after the last gas station I’d passed up that my car just puttered to an abrupt halt. Seriously, how embarrassing. Who knowingly lets their car run out of gas?! All I could sit and do was laugh at myself.

Metaphorically.

Life works just like a car- it has to be refueled every so often to continue running.

I can feel myself sometimes running out of gas. I work too much and too hard. I strive too hard for things in my life that just aren’t meant to be. I get myself worked up over silly things. All of these things drain me and sometimes I’m the last person to take needed time to rest, refuel, and spend time with people who encourage and inspire me. It’s terribly easy to ignore the warning signs of life demanding you to stop and refuel and much easier to make excuses to not tend to your starving self. It’s frustrating- I hate this cycle.

I think this year, I will commit to myself to make more time for me- to refuel, to be re-encouraged and re-inspired. Since writing is a really large part of my life and is a fantastic outlet for me I think this will be my first goal- to spend more time writing. I know a lot of people commit to write every single day for a year; while this is a lofty goal, I feel that for me it’s rather unattainable. Not to mention, it sounds difficult to be that creative every single day. My life just isn’t that entertaining, at least in my opinion. I think I can at least start with committing to try and write at minimum 3 times a week, and then work up to daily. Cough.

I will also commit to spending more time reconnecting with friends and family. I spent a lot of time this year reconnecting with a few friends and with my family and I’ve really benefited from each and every one of them and the time spent together.

I know it’s a bit early for New Years resolutions and all- but who really keeps all of their resolutions anyhow. I’ll be coming out with my New Years resolution list sometime around January. But, why not get a start now? It’s never too early to implement change in your life, right?! Especially change that encourages and inspires.

I’m excited to see where these commitments take me in the coming year.

Here’s to never running out of gas again- metaphorically or literally.