Sunday, January 2, 2011

Goodbye 2010, hello 2011



Every January, as many people do, I contemplate and write down my goals for the coming year, and what I want to accomplish in each area of my life. Along with my goals, I always give the year ahead a keyword that embodies the theme of the year, and ties my goals together. My 2010 goals had two keywords: restoration and balance.

As I look back on 2010, I am struck by several things.

1. It was one of the busiest years of my life, a total whirlwind. And whirlwind is not synonymous with restoration or balance. Despite the breakneck pace, I believe that the hard work I did in 2010 planted the seeds for restoration and balance. It was a year of discovery and rediscovery for me. I began 2010 with a lot of uncertainty about what direction I should take, and I spent the year searching for answers. I tried everything, put it all out there into the universe, to see what came back to me, what stuck. In the end, it paid off, as I clearly realized what works in my life, and what doesn’t. I now know what I need to do to accomplish the restoration and balance I seek, to live the life I want to live, and I look forward to making that happen in 2011.

2. There were several goals that I am very proud of, and hit out of the ballpark. My relationship with my sweetie continues to make me so happy, and I am truly blessed. We have a wonderful life, and I look forward to our future together. I am proud of the writing I did in 2010, and am grateful for the wonderful people I interviewed and wrote about this year.

3. 2010 provided a dividing line of sorts between my “old” and “new” lives. It was a year of transition, a year that would take me from who I was, into the person I am becoming. It was a bit disconcerting at times, as everything had changed this year. Moving back to the city I grew up in, and starting a new life filled with new challenges and accomplishments. I questioned my ideas of success and what that means. My previous ideas of self-esteem were shaken up and tossed out, and in their place is a new, peaceful concept of self-esteem that comes from within. Along with that is a new understanding of what is important in life, and what isn’t. I learned about fulfillment, and realized that it doesn’t come from accomplishments, material possessions, or being a perpetual people-pleaser. It comes from being true to and accepting of myself and my shortcomings—realizing that it’s OK if some people don’t like me, that I don’t have to jump through hoops to please people who can’t be pleased.

4. This blog was born in 2010, and I have loved writing it. I am excited for another fun year of arts and entertainment posts. In 2010, I continued to be inspired by the arts. I saw a lot of musicals, read some great books, and wrote some articles that I am proud of. In 2011, I will continue to live creatively, and look forward to blogging about my journey.

In the end, I would say the keyword for 2010 ended up being “searching.” Searching for answers, searching for the person I want to be. As we enter a new year, I am excited by the possibilities that 2011 brings. I look forward to new goals, good times, and creating beautiful memories. I wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2011.