Was I Brave in 2008?

As I've noted before I don't tend to make resolutions to start the New Year, however, this year I did. I made one and that was to be more brave and take chances that I normally wouldn't.

I traveled a lot in 2008. From Vietnam and Thailand to LA to NYC, St. Louis, D.C. and Las Vegas. I traveled with many differnet people and to places in which I was out of my comfort zone be it because it was a foriegn country or because I was traveling with people I had never traveled with before, which I think is brave. It's not always easy to travel alone across seas or with others and I learned a lot about myself and my travel companions on each trip.

In 2008 I ran. A lot. I signed up for a marathon which took more guts than I can even explain - and that was just clicking "register" on the online form. Little did I know that the training that was going to follow took a lot of bravery. I ran on my own, for hours and hours at a time and I logged several miles out on the roads of Beloit. Each morning that I got out of bed and put my running shoes on required me to be brave. To push my body to go distances I dread driving let alone running. To do something that I never, in my wildest dreams could have imagined.

Running the actual marathon scared the hell out of me. Would I finish? Would I die? Could I handle this huge task on my own? Would I make it to the start line in time because the lines for the bathrooms were so long? I was nervous. Running over the Mississippi for the first time (of 4 that I would cross it) I took a deep breath and told myself to be brave. I was, and I finished and I didn't die and I can't wait to do another.

I moved out of my lovely apartment and back in with the 'rents. Now, while I love my parents (Hi mom and dad!) it was a very hard, brave adjustment to pack up my boxes and move back home. I'm saving some money and this is allowing me to figure things out - what I want to do and where I want to go and for that I'm thankful, however, leaving my comfort zone took a lot of bravery.

I met a lot of interesting people in 2008. People who have had a major impact on my life and with all of them, I had to be a little bit brave - be it slipping someone my phone number or saying hello, or just letting my guard down; it took some bravery on my part and with all the people that have come into my life this year, it was worth it. I learned from all of them and the relationships and friendships I've had with them all mean so very much to me.

I took my niece on a day long outing - to work. That was VERY brave of me. Now granted, she's like the best kid in the world, but one never knows how the day of a two year old is going to go. However, she hung out at the capitol and saw the Christmas tree and even took a nap! She was amazing, and it was well worth being brave.

While I haven't jumped out of a plane or climbed a mountain or went running with the bulls I think I stuck to my resolution and was pretty brave this year...

Did anyone else make New Years resolutions? Did you keep them? Any thoughts for 2009?