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Posts Tagged ‘New Years’

Celebrate 2008!

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

As 2008 draws to a close, I thought it might be fun, and inspiring, to publicly celebrate successes from the past year. To be clear, the definition of success is completely your own… it’s whatever you’re feeling proud of or inspired about… as measured by your own definition of success and no one else’s.

It could be anything from committing to explore business ownership to launching a new business or landing a new job. It could be that you started a new blog, developed new relationships, found the ideal childcare arrangement, developed a meal planning strategy, outsourced tasks that were draining your time, got pregnant, gave birth or otherwise expanded your family, sent your oldest off to kindergarten or college, rekindled romance, etc. You get the idea …

Some of the things I’m celebrating right now (in no particular order):

  • Set up a new dedicated work space away from the flow of family activities.
  • Purchased tools to help me work more effectively, including a wireless printer/scanner/copier/fax and a wireless hard drive for automatic system backups (yes – I learned this lesson the hard way; going wireless has taken me out of the equation, so backups now actually happen).
  • Formed a Steering Committee for The Enterprising Moms, which will play a key roll in the evolution of our community.
  • Was mentioned in the Washington Post and Washington Post Small Business Blog and appeared on NBC4 News twice this year (NBC4 connection came through a fellow Enterprising Mom!).
  • Launched a new blog, Eco-Active Family, about my family’s quest to have a more positive planetary impact
  • Got myself and my family more involved in volunteer and charitable giving activities. Finally donated all of my baby gear to families in need.
  • Developed many new personal and professional relationships that have contributed to my own growth as a mom, business woman and human being.

So, what are you celebrating???

Since this community is about support, collaboration, and celebration, please take a moment to share and perhaps inspire another!

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Posted in Goals, Life, Reflections | 1 Comment »

Happy New Year!

Saturday, January 5th, 2008

A little belated, but enthusiastic nonetheless. Though, I must confess, that my new year didn’t get off to the brightest start. Our family lost our beloved cat, Stephen, on New Year’s Eve and it’s taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things.

Stephen was a sweet little fellow with big green eyes, who was had such personality. While he used to hide out when the kids were at home and up and about, he loved coming out and chatting once they were out or asleep, or we had friends or family over. We had him long before we started a family, so he was king of the house for some time. More recently he seemed to reclaim his status in the house by blending in with the family, instead of hiding out. With each subsequent child, he’d gotten a little more comfortable with little hands petting his head, stroking his back, and even pulling his tail. He moved to the DC area with us from Boston, where we got him when he was just a few weeks old. He was more than fifteen years old when he passed. Our usual family rituals for celebrating a new year will now include a special remembrance of our dear little one.

Loosing someone special really taps a person at one’s core and can put one in touch with deep-running and raw emotions. And as painful as it was to experience the loss, there is something about it that made me feel alive. To feel so deeply and to connect with family and friends from this place of sorrow really put me in touch with my humanity.

The support and encouragement I received from friends, family, neighbors and strangers was really a powerful reminder of the impact that one person can have on another, even with the smallest of gestures.

And, it’s on that note that I embrace the new year, celebrating the life our dear Stephen, and celebrating love, connection, peace and the power of the human (and animal) spirit!

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Posted in Connecting, Family, Life, Reflections | No Comments »

The Year In Review

Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

As 2007 draws to a close, the pace of life slows and we are drawn to those we love to share and celebrate. This time of connection and celebration is just perfect for connecting with your inner-self and reflecting on and celebrating the year just passed.

So, grab a hot cup of cocoa, a warm bowl of soup, or, my personal favorite — a chunk of rich dark chocolate, and snuggle up in your favorite quiet spot. Now close your eyes, relax your body and your mind and explore the year that just passed. Have a pen and paper handy; better still, invest in a journal and make it an annual tradition.

  • What were your greatest disappointments of the past year?
  • What were the biggest challenges you faced and how did you address them (or not)?
  • What were your greatest successes and what made them so? (Success by your standards, and yours alone!)
  • What were your greatest learnings?
  • What will you do differently in the year ahead based on what you learned from the year just passed?

As you sail into 2008, keep your journal handy. Stay conscious of your challenges, disappointments, successes and learnings; and continue to ask yourself, what you’ll do differently as a result of these experiences.

Do you have a special ritual for marking the end of a year and the transition to a new one? If so, I’d love to hear about it!

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Posted in Goals, Reflections | 1 Comment »