Happy New Year!

Out with the old, in with the new.

Cliches are usually not my thing, but this year I am extremely excited about the events to take place. Here are a few things that I am looking forward to:

*Nik will be completing the last of his training (for me, this is the big one)!

*We will actually have an opportunity to enjoy our new home together, including all the household chores and decorating that goes along with owning a home.

*A house warming party, I can't wait to introduce all our friends and family to our beautiful home!

*After two weddings and almost three years of marriage we will finally be going on our honeymoon (only a couple months to go)!

*New babies, three of my friends are expecting little ones within the next four months =)

*The hype over Michael Jackson, Billy Mayes and Tiger Woods (my two least favorite words currently) finally dying down so that we can focus on real world issues.

*Throwing out countdowns, I feel like most of my life has been a countdown to this, that and the other thing... NO MORE!

*The Unknown. Usually this area unsettles me a bit, but this year I plan on embracing all question marks in my life and enjoying the experience of finding the answers.

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions, I think they set people up for failure. My belief is that if you need to make a lifestyle change it shouldn't be set within a time limit or be pursued as a result of a holiday. Do it immediately and dedicate yourself to it fully, otherwise, really, what's the point? Instead, if I feel like there are aspects of my life that I need to change, I will work on them as the realization dawns. I feel very strongly about this and here is why...

Back in September I went to a women's veteran conference in LA. I spent three days being enlightened and educated in area's that literally broke my heart. One of the keynote speakers at this event was a woman by the name of Chellie Campbell. Chellie is not a veteran, but Chellie is definitely a survivor. Ms. Campbell is a more than a motivational speaker, she is a financial guru who leads "Financial Stress Reduction" workshops. Although her area of expertise is money; how to make money, save money, spend money, etc., she provides incredible life advice as well. I signed up for her "Daily Affirmation" emails back in September and have received one email a day religiously since then. These emails have in many ways been life transforming. Despite the fact that I am not in financial distress, praise God, and am not running my own business, I get more from these emails than most self-help books. She begins every email with a quote from a well-known individual. For example:

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within."

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

or

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

Michelangelo

Then, she goes on to tell a story that is always extremely applicable and the lesson that can be learned from that story. These stories usually revolve around her own personal experience or someone that has gone through her workshops. She always ends with the "daily affirmation" which typically looks like this:

"I revel in all the wealth and joy that life has to offer!"

This may seem corny to most, I know it was at first to me, but over time you really start to believe what she is saying. It makes sense. All Chellie is doing is providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) over the internet. She is reinforcing positive thinking on an everyday basis and putting a tremendous amount of enthusiasm behind it. As a result, she is a millionaire and is helping those who take her workshops to become financially stable as well. I highly recommend you check her out. Not because I think she will help make you money, which she most likely will, but because I think she will help you look at life from a different perspective. I know she has accomplished this with me and I haven't even seen her since September.

This year I will pass from the first century of my life into the second, I fully intend on embracing this transition. I have worked hard to get to this point in my life, I do not intend to wish myself back into the past. I hope everyone has a fantastic year, take a moment to stop and be thankful for where you are before you criticize all that is wrong.