Happy New Year 2018 from Zee & Zoey’s Cat Chronicles
While larger, overall goals are important, don’t lose sight of the possibilities and opportunities each individual day brings us.
With 2017 behind us and a New Year on the horizon, it’s time once again for reflection. While I’m not keen on measuring my life in terms of years, preferring instead to concentrate on the quality of each day I’m blessed to have, it’s hard not to think back and contemplate, especially considering I’m currently at a point in my life I didn’t think I would be – i.e., I have a position at my day job that has taken precedence, all but putting my cat life to the side.
But just because my life has taken this turn doesn’t mean I’m unhappy, or that I’m not personally successful, or personally fulfilled. I’ll admit sometimes the green-eyed monster of jealousy hits me when I see my cat buddies on social media moving forward with one cat-related project or another, but I’ve come to realize it does me no good, and I prefer to be happy for them, rather than upset it’s not me.
Mind over matter – rather than begrudging what I don’t have, I prefer to be grateful for what I do have.
Life is what you make of it, and honestly, I’m very grateful for what I have. I’m good at what I do, and right now I’m needed where I am. Cats will always be a part of my life – that will never change – and I miss writing and visiting everyone’s blogs with regularity, but for my own health, I’ve had to make some compromises, one of them, making peace with the fact I can’t do everything and have to participate in moderation.
Life is hard, it’s rarely perfect, but it’s all we have. How we chose to get through it makes all the difference between a good and a bad day.
Another milestone, despite the significant difficulties and challenges 2017 presented both in a personal and global sense, it was a time of mending, forgiveness, and healing for my family, something that’s given us much needed peace, acceptance, and tolerance of one another. It may seem cliché, but that’s all that really matters to me in the scheme of things – everything else can be overcome if you have that in your life.
Often the roadblocks to the path of happiness are self-imposed – remove them and set yourself free.
But it all starts from within. For true happiness to exist with others, you have to be happy with yourself. Set yourself free from negative emotions and anger and open your heart and mind to a healthier life in all aspects. Live in the moment and be selfish. Not a mean and hurtful selfish – a selfish that is nurturing to the mind and soul. Follow your dreams, follow your passions, and jump off that cliff just a bit – you’d be surprised at how liberating even the tiniest step can be to changing your life. A happier, more fulfilled you, is a happier and healthier person to the world at large.
Follow the lessons our cats teach us – why waste energy with anger when it’s so much healthier for us to be happy.
Happy New Year everyone – peace and love to you, yours, and all those beautiful critters in your life!
Beautiful and wise words. I especially love the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote. Happy New Year to all of you!
Happy New Year to all of you! May this new year bring much happiness.
Happy New Year from all of us at Brian’s Home!
Beautiful post, those are words of wisdom. Happy Mew Year to all of you ! Purrs
The new year is a natural time to look backward to assess, and forward to plan, like Janus, the god for whom this month is named. Life ebbs and flows, always changing, bringing us opportunities given to move us forward. They may not always be what we want, but they usually have a way of turning out to be what we need. I can tell you it’s been difficult for me in the past few years to put my feline projects aside and watch from the sidelines while I took care of other things, while this year, I feel, will finally be my time to write those books and create that artwork and merchandise I’ve been visualizing, some of it for decades, along with having the time to adequately promote. Best wishes in this new opportunity, but we know you’ll still be coming home to your family of felines and sharing their lives with us, and your books. And I’ll continue enjoying and sharing the cold and snow on your behalf. 🙂
Very wise words.
Wishing you all the best for the New Year 🙂
Purrs xx
Athena and Marie
Thank you for inviting us into your world over the past year and here’s looking forward to the next! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Deb. This post has very powerful words. My wish is for 2018 to bring you abundance in everything.
Wise and lovely words. I’m with you on looking at each day rather than some arbitrary date. I wish you much joy, good health, peace, and prosperity in 2018. Happy New Year!
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˚ ˛ •˛• ˚｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚Happy New Year
* Joy to all! ♫•*¨* Peace on Earth ♪♫•*¨*
I am very very new here, but Happy new Year, and I hope things go the way you would like.
Wishing you and all of your loved ones a bright, happy, healthy, safe, prosperous and wonderful 2018!
Excellent post. I love all these quotes, such a nice positive way to start the year. I wish you and your family ( 2-legged and 4-legged) a healthy and happy 2018! XO
Wishing you a very Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year filled with love, peace and happiness.
Wonderfully said and you are so right, you have to embrace what’s right there in front of you and look for happiness from within. Wishing all that’s good for the soul in 2018!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! May it bring you and all whom you love blessings beyong your measure.
You’ll always be one of our cat writing heroes, Deb! Wishing you all a purrfect new year!
Very thoughtful and wise post. Happy New Year !
Deb this was a fabulous post, I think being Libras, we are in a rather challenging cycle. I have been experiencing the same. Wishing you and yours a kinder, gentler 2018, you are NOT ALONE in reference having to choose moderation/family. I have cut back blogging big time and anticipate cutting back more in 2018…….lots of personal health issues with a few of our family members that have proven to be quite challenging in late 2017 and they are carrying over into 2018. We all have to do what we have to do! Sending (((hugs))) and may 2018 be extra good to all of you!