Cheers {clink!} to the New Year!

I'm normally not for New Year's Resolutions.  The way I see it is that the new year will bring a new set of challenges that resolutions really won't do anything about.  And, if I'm honest with myself, the fact that working out more is on my Resolutions list won't make me any more likely to get up at 5am.  Pretty cynical, huh?  But, with that in mind, I've made resolutions that I think will help me to approach upcoming challenges with a positive manageability.  And, rather than focusing so much on self improvement for the sake of self improvement, I'm going to work on self improvement that will make me a better person for the people around me- my husband, my son, my colleagues.  So, here it goes...

1) Limit technology time.  I want to get off social media more and spend less time building my fake online shopping carts to spend better quality time with my family.

2) Be more productive.  This is a tough one because sometimes I feel like I can't breathe because I have so much to do!  But, I think #1 will help me with better time management.  I just feel better when I'm keeping up with housework and correspondence.  But,  I don't want my productivity to just reach chores- I want to do productive things with my family, like cooking together and doing fun projects.  For myself, I want to do more productive things that help me explore my interests- especially singing!!  It makes me feel alive.  And, to me- that's productive..therapeutic even!

3) Be more creative.  I really want to push my work to the next level this year.  I feel like my work has changed so much over the past year and I'm really coming into my own.  This year,  I want to really solidify who I am as a wedding stylist and what makes me "me" and not anyone else.  I want to draw inspiration from the world around me for fresh designs, rather than pinterest or blogs.  Why be a second rate version of someone else when you can be a first rate version of yourself?  This year, I'm going to focus on personal excellence so my clients get the best work I have to offer.

4) I want to be the most positive, friendliest person I can be!!  Sometimes I can easily fall into a pattern of meanness.  It's true.  I have some anger tendencies.  I've been making a conscious effort to be friendly to EVERYONE, no matter how much I feel like they may not like me.  This year- I'm just going to be a friendly person.  If people around me don't receive that or reciprocate- that's on them.  But, I'm going to be positive, encouraging and friendly.  I'm going to let me guard down and and just be me.

5) I want to be content.  I have a tendency to obsess over what I should be doing or how I should be doing.  I think I should be dressing better.  I think my house should be better decorated.  I think I should be coming up with more innovative designs.  I should be booking more business.  I should be making more money.  I should be spending less money.  I think my house should be cleaner, more organized.  I should be more fit, a better wife, a better mother.  And, sometimes these things are true.  But, sometimes I literally get myself so upset thinking about what I can't do or who I'm not that I don't live in the present and appreciate the things I have and the work that I've done.  This year, I'm done with perfectionism.


I hope you all have a FABULOUS year and achieve PROGRESS, not perfection.

(Photo Credit: Inspired by This)