I still have memories of Junior High School … getting frustrated with myself, whether it was because of a slip of my grades, or because I just did not know how to socialize as well as I wanted to.  But the largest part of that memory was of simply wanting to be different.  I wanted to be a whole different person, I wanted to be the person I imagined myself to be, like one of the characters in my favorite stories.

I eventually managed to make some big changes, and I am happier now with myself than I can ever remember being, but there is still a lot of room for growth.  What I am finally starting to come to terms with, is the patience required for the kind of changes and growth I was dreaming of.  I repeatedly made New Years resolutions to do all kinds of things differently, to start doing several things, and to stop doing even more.  But what this path has shown me, is the interest that grows when you do something 1% different today than you did yesterday. 

Anyone who has been through a few different phases in their life should have a familiarity with the rapid passage of time in hindsight.  Hell, all it takes me now is a picture of Danica McKellar, my Wonder Years crush, to feel time just flying by.  And yet for many, the feeling is fleeting, and we quickly try to move on with our day.  But what I try to let that feeling remind me of is the small changes I made 5, 10, or 15 years ago that are still having an impact on my life today.  And from there, what small changes can I make today, so that when I have this same feeling in another 15 years, I can reminisce with a smile.

What changes are you proud you made 10 years ago that put you on the path you are on today?  And where can you be in another 10 years if you just start being a little bit different today?