A New Year, and Some New Goals...

Hard to believe January is almost over. Every year I always seem optimistic that things will magically become new, and we can start over with a clean slate on January 1. Problems, stresses, issues, and drama from 2013 will magically disappear when the clock strikes midnight, right?? Oh, how I wish this was true!

I am, and always have been, a very emotional person. I rejoice with others, I mourn with them. When life throws my friends challenges, I empathize and sympathize with them. I pray for them.

But I'm not always such a great friend to myself. And that's a pretty hard truth to swallow. I would rather blame myself for what goes wrong, and beat myself up about it. I always have. Not an easy habit to break, is it?

2013 was a year full of new beginnings, challenges, leaps of faith, disappointments, and intense stress. Trust me when I say I'm not sorry to leave it behind.

Yet 2014 has started out with its fair share of problems. Lingering drama and stress from the previous year has carried over, health issues have manifested (no doubt in part from the lingering drama and stress), and I'm not sure how much longer I can tread water like this.

Let's be realistic. There is no such thing as a perfect year. I may not have a "good" year this year, but that doesn't mean I can't try. Now, I'm not one to normally make New Years Resolutions. But in light of how much the drama and stress has begun to affect me in negative ways, I'm making a few goals this year. Fairly open-ended and broad, I'm not going to tell myself I have to reach them in any specific way. They're just things I'm going to focus on and keep in mind as we take the bull by the horns.

- Destress (Kind of speaks for itself, don't you think?)
- Declutter (living in a tiny apartment means clutter is a constant. ugh)
- Organize (this goes along with decluttering. whether it's re-organizing my kitchen cabinets or a new method for filing paperwork, little things count.)
- Focus on the positives (THIS. Perhaps it's the hardest for me to do, especially when things are very stressful and uncertain. How often do the negatives waaay overshadow the positives? Looking for the positives is so important.)

This year, I also want to challenge myself outside my comfort zone a little more. I've got a few ideas already, and I'm currently pursuing some of them.

Of course, I'm sure crafting will play a significant role in many of these goals, and potentially contribute to the roots of their problems (craft rooms, or lack thereof, can get so disorganized, can't they?). Here's to a better, healthier, new year!

The doldrums of January

Well, here we are. Almost halfway through January (really?! It feels like just last week was Christmas!), and I'm not sure how much I have to show for it. All in all, it's been an eventful year so far. I've survived the nasty noro virus going around, started my new job, adjusted to life with said job (but really, that's a work in progress), and ... yeah, that's about all I have to show for it.

Christmas decorations are still up, because surprise! I'm too tired and have too many other things to do when I get home from work. And honestly, I like them up. There's something comforting and peaceful about coming home and seeing a Christmas tree in my living room, displaying our favorite ornaments from years past. I rather like it. :)

Work is going wonderfully well. I feel very much at home and really think this position will be a good fit for me. The early mornings and commute are worth it, and that's a wonderful feeling! D has been so supportive during this entire process, and I'm so thankful he's there to help pick up the slack as we make all these adjustments as a couple to our new post-school life.

This week should be a somewhat normal, albeit busy, week (when is a normal week NOT busy??). I'm starting shifts on the reference desk, and very much looking forward to it! I've got one meeting this week after work, a few things to research and put together for an upcoming Helping Hands event, and of course, Knit Night! To be honest, though, I don't exactly have much to show off this week........ hoping to get a chunk of D's vest done tonight though. I'm ready to be finished with that project, and of course have more things waiting to cast on!

I'm not someone who typically makes New Year's Resolutions, and I didn't this year either. However, one of my goals this year is to try and be a bit more organized around the place. I've been looking into various methods for organizing bills, important paperwork, appointments, recipes... you name it. A few things look promising. Not that I'm in really bad shape right now, but there's always room for improvement, right? And with my loan payments in the near future, I figure it can't hurt to be proactive about this sort of thing. So add that to my mental list of things to do. (Soon to be physical list of things, thanks to a helpful tip I got from my friend Raelynn's blog. P.S. See that adorable sheep mug she made? It's mine. She got my name in our Secret Santa gift exchange. :) )