Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year's Introspection



Well, as always, this week between Christmas and New Year's is my FAVORITE week of the year. It's the week of my dear husband's birthday, and also, the week I start contemplating a brand new year. New goals . . . . new possibilities. How exciting!



The photo remins me to clap for myself and others and be grateful for what I've achieved.


Usually I try to come up with a word/theme to guide the year, but I'm giving that up this year. Instead, I have created a few reachable, doable goals that will be fluid with my life and will evolve as my year does. I've included three goals and three affirmations and am carrying them around on a small index card in my purse. I am recopying, and meditating as well as visualizing myself achieving these goals each day during my meditation time. That's my plan anyway, and I've successfully been doing it for the past two weeks to test the plan out to make sure it works.



Last year, 2011, was crazy and unexpected in mostly good and just a few bad ways. I LOVE my new job and am making good headway with it. I liked my old job a lot and was so worried that I'd made a crazy decision by changing jobs in the middle of a bad recession and especially when that change involved an initial pay cut, but gues what? Surprise, it was a really good move. I'm meeting my sales goals at work and loving what I do. I'm still not making quite as much income-wise as I did at my old job, but it's all going to work and eventually, I hope the money will follow.



On the other hand, Bob's career has involved long distance back and forth much of the time. I really miss having my husband home all the time - but we are working our way into a better situation where we can balance being together and apart -- while still keeping our careers and home life as balanced as possible. He's now able to telecommute much more, so hopefully it will be easier. I think we're doing as well as can be expected given the odd career ride we've both had the last few years.



Holding it together is important - and we've done that. So in many ways, 2011 feels like a year where we made good with whatever was thrown our way.



I've given up even GUESSING what 2012 might hold, who knows? But instead my focus is going to be on doing the best I can with whatever comes my way.



How about you?

Monday, December 12, 2011

Have a Happy Jolly Christmas



I'm not stressing . . . at least not about the typical gift giving and running around crazy like a chicken with my head cut off to buy just the right gift for more people can I can afford to buy for yet feeling obligated to do so. In fact, for several years now, I really have let that go entirely. This year even my Mother and I have agreed to the "no gift" thing - we have decided we have enough STUFF and we're going to just be together during the holidays and try to be a gift to one another in our presence, not our presents. The only person I'm buying an actual gift for is my daughter, and she's told me what she wants, so that's no sweat - something reasonable and affordable.



I can't believe what a difference it makes not worrying about the gifts. Now keep in mind, I have a small family, and no little kids in the picture. In fact, most of our relatives are middle age or older, and frankly, they don't want more 'stuff' anymore than I do!! It's the phase of my life I'm in - and one of the real perks to being in a life phase where I can "pause" more and step back, having a chance to experience the joys of the holiday without the obligation.



Now is the time to address some Christmas cards . . . listen to some music while drinking an old hot spiced tea favorite of mine from childhood. So where you are stressed or not, buying gifts or not, having lots of guests coming over . . . being with friends and loved ones, or being by yourself, you can do whatever holiday rituals truly make you happy - and one of mine is reading Truman Capotes, "A Christmas Memory" and then drinking some Christmas tea from my childhood. Maybe you can make some too? Or if you have to buy gifts, you can package this up in a little sandwich bag, into a Christmas mug and it makes a cute, inexpensive gift.



Hot Spiced Tea



1 1/2 cup of Tang instant breakfast drink

1/2 cup instant tea

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar or artificial sweetner



Enjoy!