The time around the start of a new year is always ripe for reflection on the past as well as anticipation for the future.

When we get comfortable in our routines we tend to live our lives a certain way that does not challenge us too much. We tend not to push ourselves out of our comfort zone very often. We think about those things we have always wanted to change or accomplish in our lives as a mental to do list that is just patiently waiting for us much farther down the road and we have all the time in the world to reach out and complete it.

This past year I realized I had reached that point in my life where my comfort level of involvement was not as challenging to me anymore. I also realized that my desire to serve my community in a greater and more involved capacity was pushing me toward certain decisions.

In the next couple of years I will be reaching a financial, social and physical point where I will be able to make certain changes, take a few more risks and accept more challenges. Before I reach that actual point I will spend a certain amount of time laying the groundwork for the changes to come. I fully understand that my journey to lay that groundwork will be filled with success and acceptance as well as obstruction and rejection.

During my service as a citizen in the public process I have personally found rejection to be an important motivator. Rejection inspires me to find out why I was rejected in the first place. At times, I have come to understand that the rejection was warranted and the decision made to reject me was for the overall best at the time. Other times, I have discovered the rejection was for reasons completely outside of my control that really had nothing to with me and everything to do with the desperate political survival of the decision making individuals involved.

So here is my New Year’s toast to the next couple of years filled with planning, implementing and working through some rather significant personal changes and challenges as I look to redirect my skills, talents and passion for increased service to my community, my neighbors and my wonderful city of Bremerton.

For now, I look forward to continuing to write about Everything Bremerton. Thank you for reading and Happy New Year.