Good Intentions

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Whaddya think? Looks kinda pretty, huh?

We can only hope that 2010 will be a pretty one. For everyone. All creatures big and small.

As part of the said creature population, I intend to do my part however big or small.

Which brings me to the topic of New Year's Resolutions.

My oh my.

I really have been giving them a whole lot of thought lately. To begin with, I prefer to swap out the word Resolution with the word Intention. Seems more positive and empowering.

Anyway,it's been awhile since I have bothered with either a resolution or intention. Well, that's not exactly true.  The past few years I have been pulled in many directions and had to place my focus on the welfare of some other folks in my life who needed it more than I. So it's not like I didn't care to look ahead and aspire to bigger and better things. I did. For them. That's cool. To every season, etc., etc.

Folks, this year it's MY New Year.

About 5 or 6 years ago I put together this thing called a LifeCycle Plan. The whole thinking behind it is that we can manifest the things we want in and for our lives by visualizing them in actual hardcore, right in your face, images. 

Long story short was at that point renting had become damn old. My husband and I reeeeaaalllyy wanted to own our own space. So in the spirit of doing everything we could to make that happen, I got busy cutting and pasting. And I mean that in the literal sense.  I plopped myself down in the middle of the hundreds of magazines that I admittedly tend to stockpile and got busy with my scissors and glue stick. Pictures that represented the pictures in my mind found their way onto the yellow posterboard that was left over from an old yard sale sign. Needless to say, all of the images were about what I saw as to how I wanted our new home to look like and be about. Briefly, I envisioned a ranch home (so we could grow old there and not have to deal with stairs), lots of gardens (for obvious reasons) and the space to allow myself, my husband and my young teen-age son the room to do the things we liked to do (lots). AND I wanted a home that would welcome in my Mom should she ever need a place to move to as she aged.

Fast forward to January 2010. This May will be 4 years that we have lived in our own ranch home with lots of gardens (though small) that has all the space that I, my husband and my teen-age son need for the aforementioned reasons. 

And yes - my mother did come to live with us. She did have a need and we were able to help her meet it

Guess there was something to that LifeCycle plan, huh? I dug it and took a few pics in order to share it with you.

Obviously, it is time for a new one. So I guess that tops my New Year's List of Intentions.

   2010's LifeCycle Plan which will include the following

(not in any specific order):

• Get organized - On every level. Mind. Body. House. Car. Underwear Drawer. But not to the point that I become like the Wizard  hiding behind the curtain. Getting stuck in the seemingly important "behind-the-scenes" puttering does not generate all of  the stuff that needs to happen to better myself and my business The yellow brick road awaits but only for those who dare step OUTSIDE - literally and figuratively..
• Buy a new computer so that I can install the software I need to expand my consulation services
• Keep blogging in order to a) get good at it b) network c) learn more about design and decorating d) inspire even just one person in how they decorate their life
• Celebrate a year blogiversary in October 2010 with at least 100 loyal followers/subscribers/contributors
  
• Be published in a shelter magazine
• Travel to at least one major trade show
• Meet at least one of my design blog heroes

I could go on but I think this is a good start especially considering that part-time I work "another" job to help pay those nasty things that arrive in the mailbox every month.

As the year progresses and should there be more time left than intention, then I'll loosen my belt on those extra notches I've gained and get out my scissors and glue stick again.

Okay - let the fun begin!

***all image credits can be seen by right-clicking and viewing properties