New Year and Resolutions

Hi all!

I thought since we've recently kicked off 2016, it would be good to let you know where I'm presently at in my life and how I've been trying to execute my resolutions and hopes for this new year.

For the past several years, I have worked in offices and have been greatful and for the most part happy with my jobs. All of my spare time outside of work however, was never organized properly. I hadn't found my niche in where I wanted to spend my off work time in the most productive and soul fulfilling way and to be honest, probably didn't think much about how wasteful I was with the precious time I had outside of my 9 to 5. I wanted to make a list of things that I have tried to change or improve in my life and felt like I needed to hit the ground running in the new year and take advantage of the clean slate ahead. Here's my list and hope that you can relate or can take some of my experiences away with you and hopefully make this a productive and positive year. The list is in no particular order, by the way...


Write Things Down

I was mostly the kind of person that took mental notes of things or had ongoing lists of tasks/responsibilities in my head and you know what, this method just doesn't work for me anymore so recently I've tried to change this. I now keep a notebook on hand at all times and write down almost everything. Whether it's an item I need to pick up at the grocery store, a new idea I have for re-decorating, gifts I need to buy, people I want to send positive energy to, etc - I write it down. At the end of the day, I go through what I've written and re-write them (yup, you read that right) and try and categorize them. I know this sounds tedious, but this process is great for staying organized and it also will help you to internalize and remember these things if you happen to forget your trusty notebook. And don't just write things down that you don't want to forget, write down your goals, no matter how big, small or unattainable you may think they are. Write down an inspiring quote you've come across online. Write down a beautiful moment you've happened to witness on the bus. When you write things down, it makes them more then just a hope, wish or thought, it makes them more real and will give you a sense of accountability for your goals. I'm starting to schedule time once a week for myself to review my notes and cross things off of my list, add additional items or to just read through the goals that I've written to reaffirm them to myself. This has been so therapuetic for me especially when I can actually cross things off and accomplish my tasks - personal or not, and it's amazing to watch your goals progress and become reality. Scheduling time to read through notes is also cool because you can see how far you've come from where you've started and that is really the ultimate motivation to keep striving for your goals.

Purge

Purging is something that I have really tried to get better at. I come from a long line of "collectors" and I've definitely inherited the hoarding gene. Don't get me wrong, I haven't turned into a minimalist by any means but I certainly have tried to de-clutter as much as I possibly can. Over the course of 2015 I spent some solid time doing some purging but with the amount of stuff that I've accumulated, the process seemed neverending but was so rewarding. This year, I'm continuing to de-clutter, purge and now I am re-decoreating so that I can organize my space in a way that will avoid cluttered areas. Purging is not only great for making room in your physical space, but it's so good for you emotionally. It's nice to hold onto nostalgic or sentimental items, but most other things can go. Find a local thrift store or charity that accepts donations and drop off anything that is still usable. It will help to de-clutter your space and you'll be doing a good deed for your community. A friend of mine recently sent me a link that I thought was a fabulous guide to purging: http://www.organisemyhouse.com/101-items-to-get-rid-of-without-regret/.

Find a Creative Outlet/Continue or Start a Hobby

I currently work full time and have little spare time on evenings and weekends for things that I would like to pursue creatively. I have really been trying to make solid time for my creative endeavours because it does wonders for my soul. We live in an age where everyone is on the go and schedules are filled with things that may not serve our souls purpose. By the time we realize how far we've come from who we are (and who we are is almost always based on what we like), we forget the things that ignited a spark in us and really make us happy. What you decide on what becomes your outlet is your choice and doesn't necessarily have to be creative. Reflect on things that made you happy as a child as those are usually the things that will still spark an interest in you today. Were you an avid reader? Join a book club! Were you athletic? Join a community league! Did your grandma like to knit or crochet with you as a child and you always wanted to pick it up again? Take a class! Of course, we all know that everything can be accessed online so you probably won't even need to leave the comfort of your home if you want to learn something new. There are ample tutorials on blogs and Youtube that show step by step instructions on how to do almost everything. A lot of us can use the line or excuse that we are "just too busy", or "don't have the time". Make time. Period. Clear out time in your schedule, skip that episode of Game of Thrones, turn your phone off and do something that makes you happy. For me, this excercise has been extremely important. When I'm doing something creative that I'm passionate about, I feel like it's a form of meditation. I just get in the zone and get totally zen.


Be More Positive

Everytime you let something negative out of your mouth and into the universe, it creates a ripple affect of negative energy. That negative energy builds up inside and around us and creates cloudiness that fill up spaces that should be filled with light and happy things. If all your energy spaces are full of darkness, there is no room to let in the light. I am making it my mission to be a lot more positive this year. Before I say something, I think about how and what I'm saying and just simply don't say it if it isn't positive (sometimes I forget, it's hard!). I know this is easier said than done, but it is so good for you. One of the best ways to stop this habit is to avoid or distance yourself from people that like to gossip with you. If some of these people are closest to you, then try and change topics when they start to gossip, refrain from responding and try to guide the conversation in a postive way. This also applies to how you speak to and about yourself. Many people (I think women are more guilty of this - I definitely am) speak about themselves internally and externally in a negative way and that is so bad for our self worth. We need to love ourselves more and stop putting ourselves down. Accept and embrace yourself and when you start the positivity and love from within, it spills out to the rest of the world.

Uplifting Things 

In this age of social media, we are flooded with news and information and a lot of it can be negative (which goes hand in hand with what I said above about your spaces being filled with cloudiness). When we are constantly reminded of tragedy or sadness, it wears us down. I don't think that we should become completely ignorant to what is going on in the world but we need to balance it out and make room to take in some uplifting things. What I have started to try and do is not let something negative, sad or tragic consume me and basically kill my spirits for the rest of the day. It's hard to not let your emotions get the better of you but, I've found that when I have the right balance of happy things that I'm reading or watching, it not only makes me feel better but also helps to decrease a slumber mood and increase my faith in humanity. Here are some links that I often rely on to uplift my mood:
http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/good-news/
http://www.slice.ca/breaktime/photos/35-heartwarming-photos-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity/#!a9a7889997cb0dfe74fb2c0d635af38e

I think that's just the tip of the iceberg with the types of things that I want to do/improve on this year. Hope that some of this was beneficial or inspiring. I wish you all a wonderful, successful and happy 2016!

Thanks for reading!

- Netti, The Vintage Teacup Lady