CatGotURTongue

New Years is a wonderful time to begin again, isn't it?

Or at least it is a great time decide what’s working in your life and what’s not and try to do some things differently.   I don’t make resolutions but I do set goals for myself.  Of a few that I have for 2010, one that I’ll share is to write the novel that’s been on the back burner. And possibly, at the suggestion of a friend, put some other ideas into a book and see where that goes as well.   Take a few minutes today and think about what you’d like to change or enhance in your life…now’s the time!!!

I want to wish all of you a happy and blessed 2010 - whatever you’re doing and wherever you’ll be tonight at midnight, be safe and be grateful for what you already have.  I personally am spending New Years Eve with some wonderful friends - old and new - and I’m grateful to have them in my life. 

What’s on your gratitude list for the new year???

 

Holidays are wonderful but they can also cause anxiety when we are trying to get too much done.  Constantly trying to remember to buy this gift, send that card, pay those bills, make these arrangements and more will certainly cause many of us to get out of balance. 

Use tools to remind yourself to do certain things.  For instance, I send myself a reminder via Blackberry every night to make sure the doors are locked, homework's checked, the stove is off and that lunches are packed.  You can send yourself an electronic reminder, a virtual reminder that will come to you via email or even call your voice mail and leave yourself a message.  Post-it notes can be put on your mirrors or your computer monitor at work.  Try to find something that works for you to take the burden off of having to remember every single little thing.

It's here - the holiday season and Christmas is right around the corner.  Regardless of how much celebrating you do this month, it's still easy to get off balance pretty early on.  Try to take a minute or two today to look around your house for potential 'designated spots'.  These are places that can temporarily hold items until you have enough time to deal with them.  Designated spots can also keep your house from looking like a tornado blew through during a time when you want everything to be festive.

I keep wrapping paper and all accompanying items in a long, flat plastic container under my bed.  Everything is sort of jumbled up in there but when I need to wrap a gift (all year 'round), I know where to go.  Important school papers go on a silver clip on the fridge and the checks for the music teachers go there too - I never have to hunt for them.  Bills go in a brightly colored pocket folder - not in date order, not in alphabetical order - they just go in the folder.  When it comes time to pay the bills, viola!  There they are.  Coats, backpacks and shoes go in the hall closet - I don't even care if the coats are hung up - just that they are in some way, shape or form in that closet.  Sports, dance and lunch bags go on this amazing hook that goes on the back of my laundry room door - it's wide enough to hold about six bags!

So look around your house for 'designated spots' so you can have some semblance of order in your life - and free up some time so you can joyfully await the many minute miracles of Christmas.

Peace!