Monthly Archives: December 2011

2012 – What Will The New Year Bring

On this New Year’s Eve 2011 my friend Michelle posted this photo on her Facebook page.  I think it’s a great thought as one year comes to an end and we are about to start another one.

A lot of people ask me what I am doing on New Year Eve.  My New Year’s Eve is my night to enjoy a treat bottle of wine and to write in my journal.  I like to write on the reflections of the past year and my hopes for the coming year.

This past year I quit smoking, and one of my personal goals this year is to have the strength to stay away from cigarettes.  Some of my other personal plans is to take control of my weight once again and rid myself of the ‘quit smoking pounds’ I put on.  I am going to do it in a healthy way by exercising more and focusing on a more plant-based eating plan.  More fruits and vegetables, less animal fat.

I am already an avid reader but I want to educate myself better this year.  I will read practically anything I can get my hands on, but one thing I want to do this year is read more biographies and learn more about other people.   I also want to become smarter in business and I have set some lofty goals for my business life.

I have cut many toxic people from my life and I try to surround myself with positive people I continue to learn from.  I want to become even better at that and work  harder at being the positive person other people gravitate towards.

I want to become a better public speaker and get some practice in 2012 and I would like to volunteer more.  I have been blessed with many gifts in my life and would like to give back even more.    I am a firm believer that what you give out will come back ten-fold.

And I would like to be a mentor to more people in 2012.   I have had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic people who have been great at mentoring me, and I would like to do the same to someone else.    I want to be the person I would like to see more of in the world.

I read a quote today that says ‘If you want to feel rich, count all the gifts you have that money can’t buy”.    So as we are about to enter 2012, I hope you can count many gifts in your life and that the New Year brings you even more gifts in value that we can’t put a price tag on.

Happy New Year

Darlene

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Yes, it’s that time of year.  Stockings are hung by the fire with care, in hopes that St. Nick will soon be there.   We are days away from the big day – the day Santa Claus comes to town.

So tell me why so many people are rushing around trying to buy presents for other people in a gesture of good will, yet many people are so angry by this.  If Christmas has become such a chore –  maybe you ought to change the way you do Christmas.

I love Christmas.  I love shopping for gifts.  I love wrapping the gifts, and I love watching people’s faces when they open the gifts.  The whole process for me is a labor of love.  I love everything associated with Christmas.  I also love how my house looks with the lights on, and I loved doing it.  I had a coffee and Bailey’s after I came in from putting on the outside lights, turned on the fireplace and loved every minute of that day.

I spent Sunday making lots of cookies for a cookie swap, and now, with the help of 10 other ladies at work, I have a different array of cookies and treats to serve people who come to visit… I love it.

So my wish for you is that you start to love Christmas again, or continue to love it.  And I realize it’s a busy time for everyone, but choose to love those busy times.  Smile – after all, it’s Merry Christmas right?  Not Scary Christmas.

Enjoy a safe and happy holiday Season

Darlene