Thursday 13: New year, fresh starts

ix days in, I am almost done talking about the new year... and resolutions... and one-word themes for the year (I'm pondering changing mine already, how wishy-washy is that?) and all that January nonsense. Almost.

Before calling it good, and moving on to actually accomplishing stuff (oh yeah, that!), here are a few more thoughts to set the tone for the year.

First up, I must mention a post I read earlier this week and posted on Facebook. It's a good one. Completely chuckle-worthy.

And, more seriously, here are a few other interesting and inspiration posts relative to the new year and all the aforementioned themes and words and resolutions:
* Happy New Year from Positive Thoughts
* Thematic Declaration from Curly Girl
* A combo birthday-new year post over at Fit to be Seen
And a brief but effective Happy New Year! post by Chel over at GingerBlue.

Lastly, from Yes and Yes, I found a post about 13 tasks to take on in the new year. I agree with almost all of them... 13 good things to consider in the new year.

1. Get rid of the clothes you don't love and don't wear.
This is so true for me. I wear the same things (mostly) over and over. And yet the closet overflows. Time for a reassessment. This fits nicely in with my plans to pare down and get organized! My mother always said something about "if you haven't worn it in a year, it should go," but I might need to extend that to two... see, this is how I got in trouble in the first place.

2. Clean out your car.
Right now my car is pretty clean. But this is one I should review quarterly, since these things can creep up on one... maybe I'll add that to my to-do list so I don't get so far out of whack again. A clean car is a happy car, right?

3. Organize your email/photos/online profiles.
This is not currently out of control for me. Everything has it's place on my computer and is fairly findable. Now if I were going to pursue photography like I sometimes claim I want to... For me, it's more appropriate to say "Organize your craft/art/sewing/desk stuff." Now THAT'S an item I can get behind, and definitely need to.

4. Change up your fitness routine.
And how. Time to get the five fingers out for a trot again. Definitely. The treadmill is minutes away from being usable again (post-flood). I am looking forward to getting moving again, and the idea of spring is especially invigorating, already. I look out at the cold cold yard and thing, will things really green up again? Is it possible? Hardly seems so.

5. Reevaluate the relationships in your life.
This sounds a little complicated... but I get her drift. Surround yourself with the energy that is going to help you accomplish what you need to, and don't spend time around the energy that isn't. I feel most fortunate to have pretty stellar energy around me most days.

6. Clean out your cupboards and fridge.
Yes and yes. On the list. I might participate in the "Eat Down the Fridge" project again this year, and I definitely need to clean out the freezer too...

7. Update your resume.
Sure... never know when that might be a necessary thing... mine is pretty current, as I had to put it together a couple of years ago for a nonprofit board I joined, so they'd know what kind of riff-raff they let in...

8. Clean out your bathroom cabinet.
This one should go higher on my list. It's a little like my closet, in my bathroom drawers. For some reason, I have a hard time parting ways with the little samples and lotions and such. I might just use them... some day...

10. Change out your ringtone/alarm/screen saver.
Why? Just because, apparently. Not sure I need that, but maybe the screen saver... I have had the same image for a very long time:

I've already changed it! Now it's this image (you didn't see that one coming, did you?!):

11. Try a new scent.
Nope. Sticking with Daisy by Marc Jacobs. Love. It.

12. Switch up your surroundings.
How did she know? What with the forced house re-do from the autumn water leak, there are lots of options for switching up around here. We added some seating in the kitchen area and aren't going to bring back in the table and chairs. Wow, it feels different and I love it!

13. Make a list of new things you want to try.
Right now my focus is less on new things I want to try, and more on existing things that need a new look or a better, more refined approach. That applies to all kinds of areas of interest, from cooking and nutrition to crafts and sewing and writing and photography and the plethora of other hobbies I fritter away my time on...

OK, I'm done talking about new year's resolutions. Maybe. I might be back to talk about my one-word thing... "focus" is sounding too... focused? Ha. I'm thinking "mindful" is a little more what I'm going for. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to actually focus and get stuff done, cuz I am. Really. Right after I go treat every jelly bean like it's my last. (Read the resolutions I linked to above. Really. Your life will be better because of it.)

Blessings in 2011!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.