a fresh start

A fresh face. A clean start. Pushing out the old, and grasping the new. Choosing a fresh focus and embracing it. Don't you just love the start of a new year? For me, the idea of beginning over gets my heart singing with excitement. Somehow all the piles of papers sitting in my office, the endless, "to do" lists in my notebook and the countless errands I have yet to run just don't seem as heavy as they did the week before. Already, I've found myself cleaning out cabinets, clearing out closets and creating a giveaway pile for the Salvation Army up the street. And its not just a physical clearing that's going on here in Philly. A mental shift seems to be taking place inside of me too. I feel lighter, more hopeful, like that world of endless possibilities are at my fingertips for a change, and with a little intentional focus, I'll be caught up in no time. Isn't that a wonderful, fresh feeling to have? Alive and awake and just jumping at life!

After a year that was marked by at times painful growth riddled with anxiety and at others constant worry about what needs to get done, or what I should be doing, let me tell you, it feels like the weight of the world has finally left my shoulders. Instead, its back on the ground where its meant to be ready to laugh and play and enjoy the year ahead with a little silliness thrown into the mix. This is exactly what jumped out at me in Damiec's photo below. She wrote that this was "a favorite moment" with "probably a different spin on fresh than you were looking for?" Nope, it looks perfect to me! How about you? Does a fresh, clean start get you going too? Share with us your thoughts in comments so that we can relish in your "fresh" perspective too.

Happy New Year's!
Holly {Soupatraveler}

snap! by Damiec