A New Year with New Possibilities.

2014 is here! The old has gone the new has come, the past is over and the future is waiting for us. It seems that at New Years we often find ourselves reflecting on what we have endured, or how we have failed, or triumphed. We exam our lives in such detail that I am surprised that more of us don't just throw our hands up with a dramatic huff and say it's just too much. You see, what I love about the new year is that everyone is drama free and change focused. When that calendar rolls from 12/31 to 1/1 it's like a flip is switched in us and we suddenly feel focused, and driven. But what do we do next?

Now at this point, before I tell you any more I would like to insert a disclaimer. I am not a life coach, a motivational speaker, a counselor or trained in any way to give advice on life, so please do not thing I am saying I'm an expert. I am simply sharing my experiences and praying that God will use it if he can to encourage someone else. Okay, housekeeping done, let's move forward. So it's 1/1 and like I said we suddenly have this fresh look on the year to come. I personally dive into Spring cleaning mode like immediately and so really in my house is should be called The New Year is Here and I'm sick of my dirty house now I'm going to conquer this beast Cleaning. I have the urge to overhaul everything. This year I decided I needed IKEA to vomit in my house with closet organizers and playroom cabinets and bedroom storage/entertainment centers (yes they totally have those). I made the mistake of getting on their website with wide eyes and a goofy grin plastered to my face as I imagined all the ways I could organize every thing in my house right down to the cat. Of course my husband stepped in and veto'd most of it (thank you God for giving me a husband who knows when to tell me to get a freaking grip). But I did end up with some pretty awesome wardrobes for the closet to organize all my shtuff, which has appeased the new years beast in me (a wee bit). So here I am with my conquer the world attitude and IKEA closet system newly installed (thank you my love), but what next? 

The question I pose to you, and hopefully give a somewhat doable answer is- when the new year has come and gone, the resolutions have been made, the determination meter set at high and the beast inside you that feels it can take on world hunger is rearing to go, what do you do? It can quickly become easy to get over whelmed with all of our new year ideas, or goals. And if we don't take those exciting thoughts and ideas and bring them into bite size pieces then we run the risk of being one of those people with resolutions never fulfilled, goals never reached and closets still overrun with coats from fifteen years ago, a bat that doesn't belong to you because you have never played ball in your life and shoes that quite honestly should have never made it out of the factory. We don't want to be that person, as a Christian I know that God doesn't want me to be a person who sets goals only to never reach them because I never tried. He wants to see me be successful and His word tells me he wants me to live life and live it to the fullest. 

Okay, hang with me, I promise I'm getting to the point. You have to remember I'm still on the New years high with the beast rearing so my thoughts are a little scattered. A good first step at the beginning of any new start is to make a list (yes, I said it, make a list). Write down the things you want to accomplish in order of importance and then make copies of it. Then take those copies and post them in various places in your house where you will be forced to see it. The best part about a list is getting to cross off the things you've put on it. It's like when you vacuum a room with carpet and the nice straight lines and clean carpet are left behind when you are finished giving it a "like new" appearance (if only for 15 min, but hey those are some satisfying 15 min). Next, write it on your calendar (tap it in your smart phone). What I mean is set dates for when you are going to start a project, and mark them as priority. Another way to help you stay motivated and actually act on your goals is to tell others. Share with your friends, spouse, family about your ideas and soak up their enthusiasm for what you want to do. They will undoubtedly ask you repeatedly if you've done such in such which is a great way to keep yourself motivated. A final tidbit I would offer is this, make your goals realistic. I'm not saying not to dream big, or to set high goals, but I am saying to remember that no matter how much you think IKEA should totally vomit in your house your bank account, and schedule (all that crap has to be put together by us suckers) might be telling you to get a frickin clue. I am totally one of those people who says hey I'm going to paint this room (taps cheek thinking and throws hands up in the air) what the hay let's paint the whole house and the neighbors too. So I totally get the whole not being realistic, I live in LaLa Land so don't feel bad if you're one of those. 

I'm truly excited about this year to come and yes I have a million ideas running through my head. First on my list- Write Into The Fae. So that's what I'm working on. 2nd on my list- Lose 20 pounds- So I started Weight Watchers two days ago and I'm eating my 26 points a day and telling my stomach it's not hungry (my stomach gives me the finger). 3rd on my list (this is a family goal) We want to adopt an infant- So we've already started the process with an agency and will be doing our home study in the next couple weeks. Okay I just took one of the steps and told you all things that you can now hold me accountable for. I want to have a successful year, I want to honor God in all that I do and say, and I want to see you ALL have success as well. Happy New Year and God Bless you all!

~Quinn