Year of Yes

Shonda Rhimes, one of my favorite writers, wrote a book called Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person. It's not a writing book, not at all, but it is nonfiction. It's parts of her story, her experiences, creating and writing television shows, being a human being, losing weight, realizing how to live her life she had to say yes. One little word.

Yes.

I finished this book this weekend. I'd already determined late last year that 2016 was going to be my year. A better year than 2015. Granted, 2015 had some items in the plus category.

• Hawaii
• Lifetime developing one of my scripts (even if they didn't go forward with the show, I still count this as a HUGE HUGE plus)
• Spending time with family and friends
• Being alive and relatively healthy by the end
• Losing 21 pounds 

But then I finished this book. With tears and shouts of YES and a huge smile on my face. Shonda is a rockstar. She is my Bruce Springsteen, my Beatles, my Taylor.

I want everyone I know to read this book. I know that won't happen. But I want it to be so. I want everyone I know to be encouraged by Shonda's life, her adventures, her Year of Yes. Frankly, her new Life of Yes. Because I am. I am so encouraged.

This will be my Year of Yes. I am determined.

This morning I sat down at my desk and thought about how I could make meaningful changes to my career path, to my life path. I made a list. I added to it. I subtracted from it. I paid money to join an organization designed for writers like me. I emailed a friend to share the news. And his response? YAY! Come join me at this this and this. I love that. Already my world is getting bigger. Last year it seemed so small, my world, my life, and I'm done with that.

So here goes nothing. I'm going to spend the rest of the day writing. WRITING. Because I can. And? I have a new mantra. Just this weekend Ms. Shonda tweeted out this:

#writelikeyourerunningoutoftime

And so I will. Because frankly, I am. We all are. Running out of time. But not yet. Not this year. Not during MY year of yes.

Join me. Cheer me. Smile for me. Life is good. YES IT IS.