Tuesday, December 31, 2013

On to 2014!

Image courtesy of Dez Pain, rgbstock.com
Happy New Year's Eve!

How are you spending the last hours of 2013? I've been doing the things I usually do: reflecting on the year I've just had and thinking about my goals for the coming year. This past year was kind of a rollercoaster for me, but the high points were great!  I discovered that my husband and I are expecting our third baby this coming spring; I was asked to participate in a huge poetry project during National Poetry Month in April; I met some of the biggest goals I'd set for 2013... Overall, I'd say it was a very good year!

Now on to 2014! Here, in no particular order, are my goals:

Practice art journaling for at least ten minutes every day. Some of you might remember that I posted about this new obsession a few weeks ago. Since then, I've found so much joy and peace in art journaling that I want to make it a part of my daily life. I decided to set the bar low—only ten minutes a day—but I know from experience that once I start working, I usually don't want to stop. In addition, I've signed up for a couple of online art journaling classes that I really think will help me grow.

Practice gratitude. This is one of the goals I had for this year as well, and it's something I want to continue. Looking for the good in each day—no matter how small—has made me truly appreciate how blessed I really am.

Write more! This year was an okay year for writing, but I want to do more. I'm still working on my dad's memoir and my children's journals, but in 2014 I'd like to find another big project to focus on, either in fiction or poetry. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Read 110 books. I didn't reach this goal this year, but I like the challenge. We'll see how I do once I have a new baby in the house. ☺

♥ Grow in my spiritual journey. This is always one of my goals. I think this year I'd like to focus on my role as a mom and the responsibility I have to nurture my children's spiritual lives. In fact, I read a wonderful devotion about this very thing yesterday: 10 New Year's Resolutions for Christian Moms.

Continue to reduce clutter and organize my home.

So there they are, my six goals for 2014. I'm excited! And tonight I'll celebrate the end of 2013 by watching movies with my husband, which has become our New Year's Eve tradition ever since we had kids. It's a nice way to end the year. ☺

How will you spend the end of 2013? Are you making any goals for next year?

Wishing you all a wonderful day and a Happy New Year! ☺

73 comments:

  1. Nice list of goals, and I bet you nail them all. Here's to a kick butt 2014.

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    1. I appreciate the vote of confidence. Happy New Year, friend! ☺

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    2. 110 books - I say you'll kick but this year. Do you guys know if it will be a boy or girl yet?

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    3. About the books: Thanks—I hope I do!

      We're having a girl. :)

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    4. I don't make New Year's goals but I do make seasonal goals. Each new season I set a challenge for myself. Usually just one thing that I want to work on. Fall to Winter was supposed to be finish getting our office in order but I didn't make it. Working on it all this week though. Maybe I can get it done before January 21st and just be a month behind.

      A girl. Very nice. Exciting stuff. Cheers and boogie boogie.

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    5. I'm trying to get our office cleared out because we're going to have to turn it into the baby's nursery. What a job! I'm not the best at organizing, and I unfortunately come from a long line of people who hold on to stuff because they're (and I am) sentimental. Ugh. Good luck with your organizing!

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  2. The art journal sounds very interesting! Love your list of goals for 2014 too! Wishing you a Very Happy New Year and lots of success in 2014 for your writing and your blogging!

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    1. Thank you! I wish the all the best for you, my friend. Happy New Year!

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  3. Wonderful purposes!
    My best wishes to you, thank you very much and a hug. Happy 2014! Leovi.

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  4. Baby news is the best kind of news!! I'm here to wish you an awesome New Year!

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  5. Good luck with your goals and Happy New Year :-)

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  6. You have some very nice goals set out for the new year. Have a very happy new year.

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    1. Thanks. I'm looking forward to the challenge. Happy New Year!

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  7. Those are all great goals! Happy New Year, Dana! I wish you all the best in 2014!

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    1. Thanks, Sherry. I hope 2014 is your best year ever!

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  8. 110 books?! Holy moly lady! Good luck and wishing you a very happy and healthy new year!
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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  9. Who knows, Dana, you could get those 110 books in if you have a baby that doesn't sleep at night and you are up rocking her! Those are great goals though and I like how it includes a lot of things focused on creativity :)

    Happy New Year!

    betty

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    1. :) That's so true! Thanks, Betty. Happy New Year!

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  10. Great goals and very brave of you to post them. Wishing you a wonderful 2014! Happy New Year.

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    1. I wish the same for you, Donna. Have a wonderful New Year!

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  11. Glad to know your goals!! I wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous and meaningful 2014.

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  12. The art journal idea is very inspiring to me. Maybe I could try that too. Just a few minutes a day is a great plan. Happy New Year!

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    1. I think it will be my main focus, at least right now. I enjoy it so much. :)

      Happy New Year, Joy!

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  13. Hi Dana - I haven't visited your blog for a while, but am back to wish you a happy new year! I love your goals! 110 books - now that is impressive. I read 33 this year which was a record for me and I thought I was doing pretty good. I am not a fast reader - wich I was as I do love it! Have a wonderful 2014. I didn't know you have a new baby coming! I need to check in more frequently.

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    1. It's so good to see you—we definitely need to catch up! Happy New Year to you as well! I wish you all the best in 2014.

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  14. Did see the new year in but that was about it, Helping get dinner ready at the moment. It will be one of the few times we sit round the table together. I don't make resolutions as I never keep them. I just look forward to tomorrow and what that will bring.
    Happy New Year and look after Bump she need you.

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    1. Aw, thanks, Bill. Happy New Year to you as well! Enjoy that meal with your family. ☺

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  15. I like your list of goals.. I share some of them especially to write more, read more books, practice gratitude and grow more the spiritually. Hope this year brings you much joy.. in fact, you have inspired me to write my goals down, and when better than at the beginning of a new year. :) x

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    1. Thank you, Dawna. Happy New Year to you as well! I hope 2014 has many wonderful things in store for you. ☺

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  16. Happy New Year, Dana! Those are excellent goals. I guess I should set some for myself. Where to begin??

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    1. Beginning is the hardest part. :) Happy New Year, Wendy!

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  17. Hi, Dana,

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

    I know you'll achieve lots this new year. Just remember to BREATHE! lol.

    All the best in 2014!

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    1. Thanks, Michael. I definitely need that reminder. LOL :)

      I hope 2014 is a wonderful year for you.

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  18. Those are wonderful goals. You amaze me with the amount of work you get done with being a mom. Can I borrow some of that energy? Happy New Year.

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    1. :) Thanks! And there's so much more I wish I could get done...

      Happy New Year!

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  19. Good luck with your goals! Happy New Year :)

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    1. Thanks, Laura. Wishing you a wonderful New Year!

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  20. Such amazing aspirations. I've been journaling for years, and it really is so cathartic. I don't know how people handle the day to day without chronicling some of their emotions onto the page.

    110 books? Seriously? My goal was 4 fiction books a month, plus a classic every 6 months, and at least one educational book a month. I was shocked when I looked back over the year and counted up ninety-some-odd books. It was a good reading year. Still, 110? That epic.

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    1. Thanks, Crystal. Yes, the art journaling is so cathartic—and I love being able to combine my love of words and art!

      A few years ago, I managed to read 104 books, and ever since then, I've upped my goal to 110 (it just seems like such a nice round number!). I haven't met that goal yet, but I'm still hoping. :)

      Have a wonderful year, Crystal!

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  21. Happy New Year, Dana. Your 'resolutions' all sound well worth doing!

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  22. I didn't make a lot of goals because I know I don't have a good track record of keeping them. But it sounds like you have some great ones there - I love the one about gratitude. :)

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    1. Thanks, Wendy. That's one of my favorites as well—and something I want to teach my children. Happy New Year!

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  23. Good luck on achieving all of your goals! ♥ Happy New Year!

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  24. Good luck! More writing and reading are always great goals. Happy New Year!

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  25. Wishing you all the best this year! Great goals. I can identify with most of them. I wish your family health & happiness, too. Hugs.

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  26. Congratulations on the baby news! :) That's so very exciting! And good luck with your new goals!

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    1. Thanks so much, Krista! Happy New Year. ☺

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  27. Happy New Year! You've set excellent goals for yourself. I'm looking for less clutter and better organization this year too. I even started by cleaning out and organizing the house and organizing my online home too.

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    1. You're way ahead of me! My house is so cluttered (especially the basement and garage) that I fear it'll take me forever to "fix" it. I started last year, and I'm still not done. Ugh...

      Have a wonderful New Year!

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  28. Happy New Year! I like your goals...I easily read over 100 books each year but they are not books for my pleasure but books read aloud to my class...I do enjoy these books but I do need to read more adult books...I really enjoy non fiction- "informational text" as it is called now.

    Have a great year...it will be with little baby girl coming :)

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    1. Thanks so much! Good luck with your goals as well. I hope you have a wonderful 2014!

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  29. I love your goals, Dana, and I have no doubt you'll accomplish them. :)

    110 books?! Hey, are you on Goodreads? If you are and you want to, find me over there and we can be "friends."

    As for fiction projects, NaNo has a spring/summer version called Camp NaNo that might work for you.

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    1. I appreciate the vote of confidence. :)

      Yes, I'm on Goodreads. I'll search for you the next time I log in. Thanks for the Camp NaNo info. I did that one year; I really enjoyed it and should do it again. Right now, I'm thinking of doing some sort of found poetry project. We shall see...

      Happy New Year!

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  30. I like your goals! I really need to keep up with the last one too. Especially since I had some free time right now without a job, but as soon as I start working, I won't have time to organize the apartment anymore. So far, I've even found the floor of the closet. (I have yet to figure out why a spoon was in there though.)

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    1. :) Congrats on your find! I know exactly what you mean. I have so many boxes to go through. I don't even remember half of the stuff I'm finding...

      I hope 2014 is a great year for you!

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  31. I plan on finishing my book this year. It'll be a tough slog, but check back in about twelve months to see how I made. If I answer, you'll find out whether I was successful with SECOND resolution: still be alive in 2015.

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    1. I'm hoping for a big YES to both of those, Al! Have a great year. ☺

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  32. I like your list. I want to write more this year, too. I wrote more in 2013 than I have since I was a teenager, and now I'd like to keep the momentum going. You should do a post about your organizing and de-cluttering, maybe some of us could learn something. :-)

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    1. Oh, gosh. I don't think I could teach anyone anything about organizing and decluttering. I have a terrible time getting rid of things!

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  33. so many goals, Dana! I think growing a baby and birthing that sweet thing would be enough! I can't imagine reading 110 books! I'm in awe of that one. My daughter does art journaling and loves it. You are going to be one busy gal. God's blessings for a great year, though!

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    1. That's if I can do it all. :) Thanks, Mare. Many blessings to you as well!

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