Midweek, we’ll say goodbye to
2013 and usher in a new year filled with opportunities unknown. So to give this year a proper sendoff and
2014 a great jumpstart, let’s celebrate!
If you are a keepsake compiler, a
great way to archive not just your things but your memories is to sit down and
take a little time to jot down or type out some highlights from the past 12
months. Flip through your planner or
scan your photo files on your computer.
And then make some notes, just for you or for posterity, and slip them
in with your keepsakes. If this
tradition is kept up, it would a neat collection to go back over years down the
road and look back at what you found special and noteworthy.
Make some New Year’s
resolutions. What may seem like an old
tradition could be the catalyst you need to boost you toward action on an
issue. If you share your list with
someone close to you, that accountability factor could help you work out a
manageable pace to accomplish something important to you.
Speak up. If you owe someone a thank you, an apology,
or simply a spoken “I love you,” don’t let more time pass without voicing
it. Because this time of year is a time
of reflection, there’s no time like the present. Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate
achievements and learn from missteps.
Start the New Year with a clean slate.
Mark the occasion. Maybe you want to enjoy a quiet New Year’s
Eve at home, or maybe you want to invite some friends or family over to ring in
the New Year as the ball drops. You can
keep it simple and celebratory at the same time. A selection of hors d'oeuvres can stand
in for a sit-down meal. A bubbly punch
can be raised in a toast instead of a flute of champagne. And a fancy dessert isn’t needed when some
juicy strawberries dipped in dark chocolate line a serving tray made for
passing.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 29th.
