As the Year Ends…

Christmas Decorations finally hung on Dec 25th. (Yes, those are leftover Halloween decorations you see in the background. I just put away an Easter thingie too, to make room for Christmas. Sigh. I’d like to say its because we celebrate those holidays every day of the year but I think we all know what the truth is!)

…I get reflective at this time of year. Also at the change of seasons, and especially as September draws closer (like an old firehorse who still charges at the sound of the firebell, I get an itch to start school or something…anything…every September).

OK, so I am naturally introspective and reflective….navel gazing, I think it’s called at its most negative.

One of my cousins just started reading this blog and her comments about my…ahem…adventures caused me to go through some of my postings to find out what the heck she was talking about. Um, oh yeah….I did do or say those things…

Anyway, what I learned from my review is that I am a helluva starter of things but not so great at finishing (see Photo of the Day, Getting in Shape etc.). (I take some small comfort in the realization that I am not alone in this.)

Christmas Tree – assembled on the 25th, now destined to stay up till Valentine’s Day

However, hope springs eternal (for me anyways) and I am ready to start 2011 afresh and with a new strategy.

I even have a mantra for this year and it is:

Peace & Strength

Peace – to ensure I do the things that bring me peace of mind and body, things that I love, that put me in the Zen Zone and make me feel in control of my life (in no particular order of importance):

  1. Exercise – yes, I am one of the strange and few that actually enjoy exercise.
  2. Cooking – I love to cook healthy foods.
  3. Doing good work – at work or at home, I love the satisfaction it brings to me.
  4. Spending time with family and friends.

Strength – taking care to build and maintain physical and mental strength to get me through the challenges and demands of my life in the year ahead AND to help me attain my goals for this year:

Short Term:

  1. Start Graduate School, specifically an MBA program. Which means I have to prepare for, write and get a score of at least 550 on the GMAT exam. And assemble an application! Deadline: May 1, 2011 for a September start.
  2. Move house! JD and I would like to be moved over by late spring/early summer 2011. This means decluttering, organizing, packing.

Long Term:

  1. Only 1 goal but it’s a biggie. LIFESTYLE CHANGE. For the betterment of my health (mental, physical and emotional) and energy levels, I will be focusing on building muscle and stamina through pumping iron and cardio activities. Hopefully, significant weight loss will be a side effect.

Let’s see where all this takes me.

Peace and strength to you all in 2011!