A Year End Note.

It's always an amazing time of year.
Social media is flooded with well wished, and large outlandish statements like "this is my year".

New Years has always been a very sobering time for me. It's such a special time to look back over the past 12 months, and take stalk of the high's and low's of the year, but more importantly, to thank God for each of those- the good, the bad and the ugly.

This year has had it's share of ups and down. The low's were really low, and the highs were incredible! Throughout all of this i've learned a lesson I seem to learn over and over again, but for some reason, this year it's resonated with me and I'm excited to bring a new outlook with me into the coming year.

What i'm most consumed by as I close this year, is the people who have come into, and out of my life. I've always believed that people come into your life for a reason or a season. I consider myself extremely blessed to have some amazing people in my life who love me, laugh with me, encourage me, uplift me, and even help me get into some mischief!

From amazing conversations, bottomless drinks out, travel, road trips, summer nights, laughs and inside jokes I look back and smile at the great things that have happened. Truthfully tho, i'm also a little conflicted when I consider those who I know will not be part of my life coming into the New Year. I spent the better part of the summer doing some serious soul searching. I had somehow lost track of what was important to me, and was trying to please everyone and live up to the expectation that everyone had of me.

People speaking ill of me, and bringing their toxicity into my life, really brought me down. Once I unplugged and took a step back, I was again filled with so much joy at those who had stood the test of time in my life, but also saddened by those I thought would- but didn't.

People.
I've always been a people person. I love people! I love connecting with people, I love learning about them, making memories with them and growing a meaningful relationship with people. But at the same time, I also hate people! I hate that people have the ability to cause so much pain and suffering in my life. I hate that people can be such idiots. I hate that people seem to have lost their authenticity and always seem to take the easy way out.

Being a people person has also meant being a people pleaser.
Being the life of the party.
Always appearing to have it all together.
Never wanting to bother anyone with any "heavy" matters.

This year however, I've learned to lower that expectation of myself.
I haven't been hard on myself and have embraced that I, like everyone else have an array of emotions, all of which are valid, wether they are validated by others or not.


It's ok if people want to talk smack about me.
It's ok if those who by all accounts should be more involved in my life, aren't.
It's ok if some days I don't want to be social or play nice.
It's ok if I decide that certain people aren't worth my time.
It's ok to walk away.

Some amazing lessons I've learned and have since seen it's powerful effects this year -  is the power of love & the power of forgiveness. I've learned that if I wait around for someone to apologize for the hurt they've caused me, I'm only hurting myself. Forgiving someone, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because I deserve peace. Loving those who are hard to love, not because they are deserving of that love, but because I want to show love in a tangible way. Loving myself in a way that may seem selfish to other people. Above all, acknowledging that peoples opinions of me, are not a representation of me, but of them.

I am wonderfully and fearfully made!

As I close the chapter on 2015, the preface of 2016 is "be united"
I'm making it my motto of 2016 to have a wholistic approach to love.
Loving others, Loving God, Loving Myself, Loving those who have wronged me, Loving the adventure of life, and Loving the unknown. I choose to stand united to those who have stood beside me and helped shape me into the man I am today. I choose happiness, especially when it's one of "those" days. I will love others. I will treat people with respect, even if they don't deserve it. Why? Because I'm a lover, not a fighter.

To those I haven't shown love to this past year, I'm sorry.
To the new friends i've made this year, and long time friends, get ready for love fest 2016!

So as I push publish and send this blog into cyberspace, I pray good wishes and happiness to whoever reads this. Would you feel you are loved, and I challenge you to love others more this coming year. As I leave my jaded experiences behind me, I encourage you to do the same; don't let your past hurts stifle your potential to give and receive love. Choose happiness. Make this "your year"

Every next level of life, will demand a different you.
Happy New Year.
So long 2015- it's been real, it's been nice, and it's been real nice.


David Ibrahim