Resolutions for the New Year

Happy New Year! Welcome 2011. John and I ushered it in with friends playing games: pass the pigs and Hugger Mugger. A great evening and a good first day.

With a new year, a new beginning. One cannot help thinking about what the last year has brought and what one wants to create in the new year for their life. I often think that resolutions can be trite: I want to lose weight, I want to eat better, I want to budget my money better. But so often we make these resolutions without really thinking about how to live them out. I was reading an article on the Real Simple website that discussed having everything ready before the new year hit. So, if you want to lose weight, what does that mean and how will you stick with it?

Instead of concentrating on "doing" resolutions, I want to focus on "being" resolutions.

Here is what I am resolving for 2011:
1. I want to create space in my life for taking care of myself by spending time each week to do the things I love: reading, writing, yoga, stained glass, knitting, or more.
2. To not over-schedule myself at work or at home, to pay attention to my time.
3. To focus on the relationships in my life that keep me grounded and give me wholeness.

My excitement for 2011 is to discover more deeply how I am in the world and I want to be in the world. I am looking forward to it in all its joys, sorrows, challenges, experiences and adventures. May it be a year of learning and a year to remember!

Happy New Year - Asian Style

According to Francy McAllister, there is a tradition in Japan that before New Year's you clean your house from top to bottom or from bottom to top, if you prefer. She was right! I googled it (a wonderful thing) and discovered Mrs. G, who two years ago posted on her blog that this is a tradition. For her most helpful post, please see: http://www.themrsg.com/2008/12/oosouji-japanese-new-year.html.

This week, while Harry and Francy were here, we cleaned and organized the basement and discussed the need for shelves. Oh, it was fantastic! We got rid of stuff, we organized things. Now, easy to find and easy to put away. Plus, we had cleaned before they got here so our living areas and bedrooms were nice and clean. It is beautiful. I have a clear work table for my stained glass. No excuses to not make stained glass, right?

I find that I am a much calmer, rational, happy individual if my house is not a mess. When the house becomes a JOB to take care of all the clutter and to clean, that is when it becomes so overwhelming and totally clouds my emotions and stresses me out. A Happy Heidi=A Clean House. I get this from my mom. Although, I don't get cranky before company comes like she does. :) LOVE you, Mom!

Tonight, John and I are cooking Thai Green Curry with Tofu and veggies. It is my favorite kind of curry, but yet I don't eat it very often. It is a wonderful flavorful dish. And easy! A resolution: to eat more Thai Green Curry. A yummy way to ring in the New Year.

Good curry with a clean house. A Happy New Year indeed!