New Year's Cheers

I've always thought Christmas was my favorite holiday, but you know what?  New Year's may really be the best.  I love starting out with a fresh year and I like wrapping up the current one.  One thing I've been doing for as long as I can remember is reviewing my journal for the outgoing year to see how I did on resolutions and objectives.

From the beginning of my career, I was required to set quarterly objectives and sometimes annual ones also.  I carried this habit over to my own business when becoming self-employed.  I've also added my own personal goals.  I've made those "what I want to do before I die lists" - now called Bucket Lists.  I was even interviewed as part of an article for USAToday when the movie the Bucket List was coming out.  They asked for people to write in what was on their list and I did.  They picked me to call and ask a couple of questions.  It was neat!   So I've always thought ahead on what I should do and I've always looked back on my objectives to see how I measured up.  My favorite part is the "In Addition To" list.  It makes me feel so good to see that I've really accomplished so many things each year.  Even little stuff gets big when you write it down.

Like most people, I've also created New Year's Resolutions. Those things like - "I am going to exercise 4 times a week."  Yeah, hmm, well that usually lasts a week or two.  I even made it about 5 weeks one year on the exercise goal before my knees protested, I got bored, or something.

This year has been a little different.  I made 3 resolutions.  And - drum roll, please - I kept 2 of them!!!  I think that is pretty darn good.  My 3 were:

• stay off of a certain discussion board (entertainment related that wasn't entertaining me.  It was actually adding stress plus it was eatting a lot of time.)
• do something creatively new every day.
• Lose to (insert specific - not going to be mentioned - weight here) by March 31.

Guess which one I didn't accomplish?  (Hint:  I actually gained a little this year, but my clothes still fit so I'm calling it even.)

The other two I'm proud to say were successes.  I've not once gone to that annoying website I wasted too much time on in 2008.  I even discovered so many amazing craft blogs in 2009 that I have plenty to enjoy on-line.

More imporantly, I've done something creative every day - and something at least a little bit NEW, too!   Sometimes it was trying a new recipe, a new card technique, learning just one little thing about Photoshop Elements that I didn't know before.  I counted creative entertainment ideas like finding a fun place to take my aunt on our regular trip to Charlotte for a doctor's appointment. Yesterday, I even counted creative storage solutions as I was repurposing items to store Christmas tree ornaments in.  (I didn't buy anymore so why didn't they all fit in the box they came out of?)  This resolution has made me really hunt ways to do things differently, learn new stuff, create more cards and other goodies, and think a little differently.

So what's on my list for next year.  I've got some ideas...  For now, here's wishing you a wonderful New Year.  Ring out the 00's and get ready for the teens!