Contemplating the New Year....

I'm loving that it's Friday and Eddie Dale is home this evening!  Actually, he has been off all day, but I ended up working for the first half of the day and had another appointment later this afternoon.  So, we didn't get to spend a "day off" together......

But, I am still thankful that he is home and piddling around in the kitchen, putting together dinner right now!

It's hard to believe that this is the final weekend of the year!!!

Where, oh where, did 2012 go?!?!?  

It seems that it just sped by at warp speed.  

I ask myself...."Am I ready for the new year?"  Hmmmmmm.....I suppose I have to be.  Because there is no stopping or slowing the clock.  2013 will arrive, ready or not.  

As I look back at the last year, I wonder whether I met my goals....

or accomplished what I had hoped to accomplish....

or lived as I intended to live, on a daily basis....

The answer to all is "NO".  

I did not meet all of my goals or accomplish everything on my "to do" lists.  

I did not always act, respond and think in the way I intended.  

I did not live every day to the fullest or live "in the moment" nearly enough.  

I did not make "New Year's Resolutions" at the beginning of 2012.  Instead, I set goals, both short and long term.  And, as I look back, I did not achieve all those goals.  

However, I do not feel down in the dumps or depressed over it.  I am not beating myself up over it because I knew that, realistically, I would not achieve all I hoped to in this past year. 

What I do feel is MOTIVATED to do it all over again!  

Reevaluate and ponder on where I felt short, what I need to change 

and how to continue moving forward from where I am at this moment.

I figure this weekend is a good time to really start focusing on 2013.  

Maybe I should have been doing it before the final weekend of the year, but with the lull between Christmas and New Year's, this seems to be a fitting time for me.  

Much can be accomplished when a little extra thought goes into it.

Many obstacles can be overcome with foresight and focused planning.

 A life can be changed with an adjustment in attitude.

Whatever the new year holds, I am eager to move forward and greet it.

2013???  Bring it on!!!

 

Goal Setting 101.2011

Wow!  Hard to believe that we have already embarked on 2011, isn't it?!?!?

After such an eventful 2010, I am looking forward to this new year with much anticipation.  Keeping in mind that in the past resolutions have been made only to be broken (at least for me!), I am approaching this year with the philosophy of "Setting Goals".  Yeah, I like the sound of that much better!!!

One of my foremost goals for this year is obvious, but worth putting into words:

Establish myself as a Real Estate Professional. 

I realize that it's going to require a lot of time and effort, but there is a huge opportunity for me to build a career that will be truly rewarding on many different levels.  I am UP to the Challenge!  This goal has many facets and lots of "little" goals within it, so it will be important for me to keep taking those steps forward on a consistent basis. 

Another goal I'm putting into words and actions this year:

Maintain my commitment to growing stronger and healthier.

December was a terribly "off" month for me and the regimen I developed with working out and eating healthy.  But, no use whining about it.  Time to just jump back on the wagon and pick up where I left off!  I promise to try not to whimper about how much it hurts when I hit BodyPump again this next week....

There are so many things I hope to accomplish this year, but these two are at the forefront.  In working towards accomplishing these very general goals, I know that there will be many of those rewarding moments that come from taking baby steps towards the finish line.  Hopefully, there will be some giant strides along with those baby steps, but forward progress IS forward progress!

Now, for an immediate goal:

Get the header on Janie's Porch changed.

Yep, that's one of those "to do" list things, but it's a goal nonetheless!  And one I (and my trusty camera) need to get busy on....

How about you?  Set any goals for the coming year?  Big or small, I look forward to sharing the journey towards reaching our goals with you in 2011!

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy and Healthy New Year!!!

Jane

New Year's Day, 2010

Well, here it is. 2010, in all its newborn glory. And we are off to a running start around here!

Sorry to say that we didn't stay up last night to welcome in the new year. Nope, we were all snug in bed before 11:00 pm because we are still catching up on our sleep from the holidays. But the extra sleep paid off because we had the energy to get a heckuva lot accomplished today.

Come Monday, our house will be on the market...a big "For Sale" sign out in the front, folks. So, this 3-day weekend is devoted to getting the place in tip-top shape.

We started in the kitchen by cleaning out cabinets and packing up some of the gazillion pots and pans we really didn't have room to accomodate. Scrubbed down cabinets, organized our cookbooks, put fresh paper on the shelves and did touch-ups on the paint. Wow! I wish we had done this sooner because it just sparkles...feels so good!

We moved from there into the mudroom/washroom and reorganized the cabinets, putting in new shelf paper and touching up more white trim paint. Now when prospective buyers come through and are tempted to peek in cabinets, they will think I am superbly organized. Ha!



Eddie put a pot of pinto beans seasoned with smoked ham on to simmer this morning and we made a skillet of cornbread and oven-fried potatoes for supper. I know, I know...the tradition is to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, but my husband just abhors black-eyed peas. It's a shame, too, because I could eat a big ol' pot of them all by myself. But, the pintos turned out very tasty and the cornbread and taters were absolutley divine. Guess we have started our own little New Year's tradition.



So, this was day one of the push to get this place ready to sell, and it went very well. We are definitely ready to hit the floor running again in the morning for day two. Working as a team, the two of us can accomplish anything!

A special thanks to all of you who have sent words of encouragement and support my way! It means more than you'll ever know.

Wishing you much happiness in the New Year!!!

Jane