Day 7: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?
My first thought would be Weddingbee (even though I technically discovered that last year). I feel so blessed to be part of such a great community of wonderful women. Instead, I'll say twitter. I know some people think that it's incredibly lame to be on twitter and see no point to it, but I feel like I've "met" some wonderful people who I would never would have connected with otherwise. I really can't state enough how
much admiration I have for my fellow tweeters.
In 2011, I would like to find a local sewing/craft/art circle to join. I feel like those activities are truly what I'm passionate about and I would love to find some fellow Austinites who feel the same. I think it would motivate me to invest more time in them too, because sometimes I feel like every day life just exhausts me to the point of wanting to do nothing.
Day 8: Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.
Honestly, I really hate this question, mainly because I hate focusing on myself. I guess if I were to ask my husband this question he would probably say either my thoughtfulness or my creativity. I really like combining the two to create homemade items for people. I love putting thought into gifts (whether it's birthdays or Christmas or just because). I try my best to help my peeps out when they need it. I love spending time with my husband, friends, and family. I love doing things for other people to show that I, that someone, care(s). I love learning about my family history and learning (and carrying on) family traditions. I love seeing people smile, I love making people smile.
Day 9: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.
I would have to say my friend's wedding that was back in April. The weather was perfect, the music was great, the food was yummy, and it was great to see my friend happy, happy, happy (and look so very beautiful).
December 10: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
This is a tough prompt too. I can name a million wise decisions that I made in 2009, but for 2010..... I wouldn't necessarily call this a "wise" decision per say, but one of the best decisions of 2010 was going to Vegas in April for a Weddingbee meetup. It was so much fun seeing and talking with the women I had previously only chatted with online. Other than that, I would have to say deciding to postpone my big exam until April was my wisest decision. I was able to celebrate my one year wedding anniversary with my husband stress and worry free (the previous exam would have been the weekend following our anniversary) and I now have more time to study. I guess I'll find out in April if the extra study time was really worth it :)
December 11: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?
1. Stress. Emotionally, I tend to naturally stress about every. little. tiny. thing. The yucky part is that affects more than just my emotions- I feel it in my bones and muscles. I'm going to attempt to tackle this in the coming year through two methods. 1) Adequate planning. I think by becoming better organized, I will be more able to take on tasks with less worry and anxiety. 2) Exercise. I want to incorporate more cardio and yoga in my life in the coming year. I really just need to create a schedule so that exercise becomes a part of my every day routine. (After you do something 5 days in a row, it becomes a habit? easier? lets hope so...)
2. Caffeine. (see item 1, I'm sure caffeine and stress don't mix). This is going to be tough because I. Love. Coffee. I think I've finally cut down on my soda intake to a point that I'm happy with, so now I need to cut down on the coffee. The only solution I see to this is incorporating more decaf into my daily coffee intake. I'm also hoping that by establishing a regular exercise routine, I'll have more energy/ less need for caffeine too.
3. Eating out. We do it, a lot. It's expensive and not necessarily the healthiest of choices. Husband X and I both need to do a better job of making a daily menu, taking sack lunches, and eating left overs. I've found that I really hate grocery shopping, but I'm so picky about what veggies, etc. we buy... I have to do the shopping. Uh, and the same goes for cooking: I feel like I have to do it. Call it being independent or anal, but it needs to change.
4. Stuff. Husband will be the first to agree with me when I say I have a lot of it. I really would like to go through my crafting supplies and clothing and finally get rid of the items I don't use/ wear. They take up too much space and cause the rest of the items I do use to become disorderly and messy. Must. Organize.
5. Smelly dogs. They will be getting a bath on a regular basis. Regular as in at least every two weeks. Good for me, not so good for them.
6. Perception. I happen to worry quite a bit too. I worry about what people think of me and how I'm perceived. It's not as bad as it used to be, and it's getting easier as I get even more comfortable in my skin. My confidence has always been a little lacking, but I build it up a little bit each and every day.
7. Chapped lips & dry skin. Burts bees wax and lotion.
8. Dull moments. If ever there are any, I hope that I can come up with an adventure to keep life interesting.
9. Plaquenil. Really, this is an item I need for right now to treat my autoimmune disease. It helps me not feel pain every day. It prevents me from requiring a nap or two every day. However, I hate that I have to take it and I would really like to cut down on my dose (not that it's really that much anyways...) This item is definitely dependent on items 1 & 2 because I know they make my every day symptoms worse. I think this year will be about paying better attention to my body and becoming healthier. I really hope that I can improve on those things so that 9 can be eliminated :)
10. Wasted time. I want to be better organized with my time management. Creating a set schedule will definitely help me improve in this area.
11. Wasted money. I think I'm fairly good about money management, but I still feel like I need a tighter budget. I think I can be putting more $$ towards retirement or savings, so I want to work on making that happen. Eliminating item 3 will contribute to more $ in my bank account and I'm sure there are items that can be cut from my every day/week/month spending (ahem, starbucks....).
Many of the items I've listed are for a healthier me. Emotionally, physically, financially. I really want to have my ducks in a row as I near the 3-0 mark (as of now, I have 1.5 years). And I really, really, really want to have my ducks in a row before the husband and I start seriously discussing the "b" word (and no it's not happening anytime this year or next year, thank you :P).
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