Happy New Years

Today is March 19th and I haven't posted my New Year's Motto.

Last week I found this in my journal. Things I wanted to do in 2011

Revamp my blogs.

Pursue my photography, take classes, improve.
Work to get out of debt.
Organize my pictures.
Organize my life.
Clean out my house.
Get a new roof.
Tare out the water stained carpet in Seth's old room.
Finish the New Testament.

I finished two out of nine. How's that? Well, I'm working on my blogs. I'm still working on my photography, my life long goal. I'll get out of debt when I die... maybe. I am always organizing pictures. Organize my life? Ok, that's a life long goal too. Clean out my house? Another continuous goal. Hey, I did fix the roof. It's not new but it's repaired. I am sad to say, the disgusting stained carpet in the bedroom is still there. And I gave up reading the New Testament in order to go back to reading the Book of Mormon. Only because it's the choice of scripture study this year in Sunday School.

New Years Eve, I started the following post. I wasn't going to post it. But then after reading it I want to remember it. I want to remember that I changed my attitude.

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"New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights." ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Today is January 3rd, 2012 ---the beginning. Here I am typing on a blank page. 363 days await! It's leap year.

Every year I pick a motto. Something to inspire improvement in myself. Tonight I really sat down and looked over six years of motto's that were meant to foster change and in doing so I was sorely frustrated. I suppose it is that realization and frustration that has really inspired my motto for this up coming year.

2006- Just Do It

2007- A thing done when thought of needs no more attention.

2008- 2008 Will be great.

2009- Rise above it.

2010- Be happy.

2011- The year of great relationships.

Just for the record. I hated my New Years Motto for 2011. When I picked it the two one's standing side by side reminded me of a great relationship, the kind I'd like to have. Maybe some symbolic example of two people who move through life as if they are one. 2011's motto is a motto I will never pick again. Why? Because I am only half of any relationship. I repeat, only half!

I'm a sour grape today. Snarky would be a good description of my present attitudes. Not a good day to pick a motto. None the less, gotta keep up the tradition. In looking over the last six years and given my present snarly disposition. I've chosen something really appropriate. And I'm sticking by it.

My motto for 2012... "To Hell With It!"

Yes, you read that right. "To Hell With It." How's that for a New Year's Motto? I'm telling you it's really growing on me. Yup, this year I fully intend on taking the entire year off. In 55 years I'm giving myself a much needed break. Don't you think I deserve one? I've had my head in a self help book since I was old enough to read. I forgot to buy the one on perfectionism first. Maybe if I'd bought that one to begin with I could relax a little.

In the year 2012 I'm not going to buy one single solitary self-help book or set one single solitary goal. How's that for making sure I reach my potential. It's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm going to deliberately by pass the self-help section of any store and I'm heading right over to the fiction and romance shelves. Maybe since I can't seem to produce great changes in my own life I can read about some fictional character who does.

So there you have it, I have no intention of working on myself one bit this year. There's going to be a lot of disappointed people. I'm really excited though, and I feel a great sense of relief. Self-improvement is hard work, excruciating, grueling, labor intensified work. This year I'm going to give myself full permission to be a down right slacker. Goal setting is over rated and only for those who want to succeed. I'm sorry, besides being sour I'm also sarcastic today.

This year I'm going to embrace my imperfections. Maybe even shine them up for people. I'm going to fully be accountable to myself and myself only, well, and God of course. Some how I think He understands where I'm coming from more than anyone. He knows my heart.  I know it's sad, but this year I'm not going to get my self all in a fix over the billion and one things I need to improve on. Nope, I'm sitting this year out. I'm going to give it a rest. I need a rest. I'm tired.

So here's to 2012 and being a down right imperfect human! I know one thing, you might want to stay clear of me for a bit. This year I'm taking a sabbatical. Hallelujah, a complete year of rest from stressing over improvement. I can't wait to see how this goes. I am embarking on territory I've never seen before.

I'm also moving my writing to my own personal blog. Oh I'll still post family stuff on the family blog, but that's it. You can see where that's headed can't you?

One thing I want to do more of this year is write. I love writing! I love writing about life! I love finding a way to give the high's and lows meaning with descriptive honest words. And I want to get better at it, so I'm going to practice in my own persoanl space, a place where people can participate if they want, share opinions and insight. I love blogging.

So that's it.

Happy New Year!
Yours Truly,
Despicable Me

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I've decided to improve my attitude today. So here it is my real 2012 New Year's Motto.

Henry David Thoreau said, "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts."  So that's it, today I'm going to live artistically. Draw my day out and live it colorfully in an artsie kind of way. I'm going to strive to make each day count. I'm going to be present in the moment because today is really the only time I have. That's it short and simple. I'm going to take life one day at a time right now. I'm going to improve how I look on life ...TODAY. I'm going to concentrate on makeing each day a good day. Sounds near impossible doesn't  it?