Looking Forward.

How’s the New Year treating you so far? 4 days into it and I have to say, I like 2011. Really, I do. I’m usually more of an even numbers fan, but seeing as I was quite ready to bid adieu to 2010, I’m happy to live it up a bit in an odd year.

In an earlier post I mentioned that I’ve got a few big goals for this year:

1.) Write more. For a very long time, I’ve found every excuse in the book to keep myself from sitting down at my desk and typing away on a short story or working on the novel I have buried in my heart. I suppose, if I am honest, my biggest fear is that whatever I churn out will be horrible. From time to time I stumble across things I wrote in high school and college that I thought were very, very good. As it turns out, they were very, very horrible. Still. The time has come to stop waiting, stop worrying, and start doing. Onward; pen in hand.

2.) Start riding horses again. With the exception of the past two years since my beloved horse Derby died, I’ve pretty much been riding all of my life. In these past few years I’ve realized how much I miss it, what a calm and stabilizing part of my life it became. And so, the time has come to get back in the saddle so to speak. Want proof that some guiding force or my guardian angel agrees? Today’s GroupOn (you all know about the magic of GroupOn, right?) was two private riding lessons for $40 at a farm right over the state line in New Hampshire. SOLD. I’m so giddy about having a jump start on this resolution I can barely speak.

3.) Be the kind of person the world needs. I’ve been thinking about these sort of ideals a lot lately, and have decided the easiest way to keep moving forward – always moving forward – is to break a lofty sort of “be good” goal down in to smaller, measurable steps. I thought I’d focus on one goal or idea a month in 2011 and see what unfolds, what or how people and things in my life change and evolve.

For the month of January, I’ve decided to focus on the words like Revive, Renewal, and Resourcefulness. Oh, I know I sound like I’ve taken a large gulp from the earthy, crunchy, hippie juice and I don’t really mean to sound as “we are one/earth mothery” as I do. (I mean, have you met me? I’m not really the hemp wearing type.) After the whirlwind that is December; with the shopping and the parties and the rich foods and the running around, I’d like to take 30 days to just detox a bit. I’m taking a break from shopping (oh don’t think walking past the sales isn’t killing a small part of me) to focus on the multitude of clothes I already have. I’m trying to pause and think about needs versus want – regardless of the bargain I might be getting– and I’m doing my best to spend a little more time on the idea of just slowing down for 30 days.

After all, 2011 is ushering in a whole new decade where a great many wonderful things await all of us. I’m absolutely sure of it.

So here's to it. Enjoy the New Year and all that lies ahead of each and every one of us.