2016 New Year's Resolutions...To Make or Not To Make...

Do you make resolutions for the New Year?
I haven't for awhile now,

but I'm thinking I might this year. 

Whether you call it a resolution, goal or whatever,

the New Year seems like a good time for a fresh start.

According to Forbes Magazine, 92% of people who make resolutions break them.

Or never even start working on them.

The most common resolutions are the following:

Lose Weight/Be healthier

Quit Smoking

Pay off Credit Card Debts/Save Money

Be More Organised

Be Nicer/A Better friend

I think this one is good...............

But that's just me:)  I like driving people crazy! lol

Or how about this one I made up earlier, as a joke.............

but now that I think about it, I like it!

Anyway, there are a few things every expert

say would help us keep our resolutions or achieve our goals.
(not me......I'm no expert for sure:)

The first thing is to simply start!

That's it...........just START!

Sounds simple but trust me, it's the hardest step for some of us.

Personally I think we should "start" without a lot of fanfare.

Just quietly go about doing it.  That's what I'm gonna do.

Just chip away at it.

The next key to success is to keep going!

Don't give up.  Even if you screw up and blow your resolution, just start over

and keep going.  Who is watching and judging anyways?

Nobody should be.........so ignore anyone who is quick to point out that you failed in 

your resolutions.   That one IS simple.

Third, make it an achievable goal.  Not some crazy hard thing............

something you have at least a chance to accomplish.

Actually, this might be the very best one:)

Just be YOU!

I swear that comparison is a terrible enemy of ours.  

And like it or not, social media.............and I mean all social media, as well as TV, doesn't help much.  Everyone talks about their perfect life and amazing marriage and blah blah blah.  

Let's be real...........we're all doing the best we can on a daily basis.

Or most of us.  I believe that.

Rather than a "resolution", how about filling out something like this next list..........

more of a to-do list for the year.

I like that!

You may be wondering what mine are.

I guess I better figure that out in the next 45 minutes, right?

I'm thinking of the following.

-I want to lose weight but instead of saying "lose 20 lbs", 

i'm saying this.....I want to exercise a minimum of 3 days a week.  

Just do something Suzanne.

-And I want to cut out sugar as much as I can.  

-There is a program in town for people with MS where you can do free group horseback riding..........and I love riding, so I want to do that.

-I do a lot of projects.  I see new ones and start them without finishing old ones.

i want to stop doing that, and focus on just a few.  And learn to do them well.

-I would love to read one good book every week but I'm not sure that is attainable, so I will say every 2 weeks.

-I want to laugh more.  Just laugh.  And not stress.

-And I want to borrow one from Shondra Rimes and "say yes" more.

That may be my tough one;)

But if I fail at all of them, it'll be ok if I simply do the following............

 whatever you decide to do in 2016,

I wish you the best, happiest, healthiest year yet, 

filled with many blessings.

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

2015........It's Here! What are you going to do with it?

Happy 2015!

Time for the million dollar question......

Did you make a New Year's Resolution?

Maybe the question should be, what IS a New Year's Resolution?

Well, the official definition is this

New Year's Resolution: a commitment that an individual makes at New Year's Day

Okaaaay.......  

 I'll be honest.

I haven't made resolutions for years.

I think they're stupid.

And for many of us, they quickly lead to discouragement.

But then I realized I may be going about this all wrong.

I say things like "I'm going to lose weight."

Or "I'm going to exercise every day."

Who am I kidding?

Maybe I simply need to say "I would like to lose 15 lbs."

Then when I do, maybe I'll want to lose more.

Or "I would like to exercise more, so every other night I am going to

leave my exercise clothes handy to put on first thing in the morning."

These aren't really resolutions, they are more like game plans.

I could say "I'll make my bed first thing every morning:)"

Resolutions sound like "resolve", which sounds like "if you screw up, there goes another year down the tube."

When that IS NOT what this is about, I'm positive of that.

So this year I am making them, but my way.  

I'm putting the two above on my list.

And a few others.

Such as........

~ I would like to spend time with my extended family.  

Something I have been EXTREMELY

negligent about, but I would like to fix that throughout the year.

~ I would like to cultivate my friendships and possibly make a few new friends.

Friends I don't have to see, but would like to spend time with.

Chatting, drinking coffee, laughing.......being a friend.

~ I would like to eat healthier.  Less sugar.  MUCH less sugar.

Stuff like that.  Not to lose weight, but to feel better.

~ I would like to have a few outfits for each season that I can put on at

a moment's notice.......to have lunch with a friend, 

shop in a nice store, go to dinner with my husband.......

~  I want to entertain more.  

It seems as if it's all about "going out to dinner", 

and I love that as much as the next person.

But this year, I hope to open the doors to my lovely home a bit more often.

~ I would like to take a "girl's trip" with my two favorite girls in the whole world.

We used to do this......and it's a good time to start up again.  

We're thinking Texas for the Roundtop Antiques Fair.

Yep, you can call me Rachel Ashwell if you like;)

~ I would like to work on saying no if I need to and not feel guilty.

Also, taking those lazy days in stride when I can't seem to get moving.

~ I like to be happy.  Who doesn't.

But I often let the little details of the day steal my happiness, so for 2015,

I want to be genuinely HAPPY.

Totally, absolutely, crazy, stinkin happy.

That's me.

I hope:)

~ I'm going to try to be more organized.

I NEED to be more organized.

But I have a problem that seems to make this a REALLY difficult task some days.

I hope I don't miss anything important, but I vow to not be so hard on myself

when this happens.

~ I love having a blog, but you wouldn't know by how little I post.

This year, I hope to change that.

Hope.  I HOPE to change that.

Maybe I will, maybe I won't........but I do hope so.

So there you go.

My Resolutions for 2015.

Notice I didn't say "New Year's" resolution.

I personally think we set ourselves up for disaster by starting this on a Holiday.

But that's just me:)

Okay my friends,

There's my two cents worth on the subject.

It's taken me 50 years to figure this out.

And I'm STILL not sure I have.

But that's ok.

I think this will work for me.

I would like to wish y'all a very HAPPY new year.

The bright, sparkly, shiny kind of new year.

You deserve that.  Me too. i'm sure of it:)

God Bless!

Suzanne 

One AMAZING New Years Resolution We Can All Keep in 2013. . . . . .

i didn't want to do the usual resolution/new year's post,

mainly because most resolutions are the same every year.

we all want to lose weight, exercise more, get in shape. . . . .

some want to quit smoking or drinking,

cut sugar or caffeine,

others want to save more money.

all great ideas. . . . . .

yet we still manage to give up on them

 sooner rather than later.

at least, most of us do.

so i didn't want to do the typical post.

but i DO have an idea for a resolution that is

 SUPER simple to do and to keep,

and could make a difference in YOUR life 

and the life of someone else.

are you ready?

got a pencil and paper handy?

here you go.

with much thought on my own part,

as well as inspiration from many others in various places,

my suggestion for a new years resolution is this:

S
M
I
L
E

M
O
R
E

yep, that's it!

smile more.

okay, okay. . . . . 

don't check out yet.

this is a good one, trust me.

stick with me and i'll explain why.

come on, didn't you smile when you saw this picture?

there must've been someone who made you smile.

and if anyone was looking at you,

they would've seen you smile and it might have made them smile.

it's like a SNOWBALL effect.

a few happy facts~ ~ ~

It takes seventeen muscles to smile but it takes forty-three to frown.

smiling is EASIER!

you don't have to feel happy to smile.

Studies show that when you smile something wonderful happens within your body.

 When we smile, we release into our body a feel good chemical message 

known as an endorphins. You feel happier. 

Endorphins have the ability to make you feel happy, 

and whenever you smile, you release them.

 So even if you are not happy when you begin to smile, you might be afterwards, 

and the more often that you smile, the happier you will feel. 

Smiling has also been proven to be contagious,

 so you have the power to make other people smile.

 You can do this by simply passing a smile to someone else.

Pretty cool, huh?

Maybe all you have to do to make someone happy is to smile at them.

 A smile is infectious. Try it.

 Smile at someone on the street, 

and odds are you will make that person smile back at you.

then they'll be releasing their own endorphins.

and so on and so on:)

(hmmm. . . . i think he's smiling, but i'm not sure:)

Smiling at someone might make their day seem a bit better,

make them feel a little happier,

maybe make them forget their troubles of the moment. . . .

physical or emotional.

some people will think you're crazy.

they just aren't used to someone smiling at them.

that's okay.  you're doing this for you and if it rubs off on others,

GREAT!

but you'll be doing your part, 

and its so easy to do.

it's been proven, a smile is powerful. 

 it can heal emotional pain,

even if temporarily, and sometimes physical pain.

think about it. . . .there are people who don't know what it's like to

receive a smile.

it can make them feel encouragement and acceptance.

a smile can calm fear and anxiety.

okay, what do you think?

do you like the idea?

i hope so:)

just so you know,

i'm not some smiling POLLYANNA.

not that it would be a bad thing, but i'm not:)

i have my good days and bad.

my personal struggles and concerns.

i often feel overwhelmed and helpless.

but i'm told. . . .often. . . .that people like my smile.

and i didn't even know i was smiling.

i've had sales people thank me and my daughters for walking in

with a SMILE.

So maybe there is something to this.

do you see why i said it was the ONE resolution we ALL

could and should do?

it's easy and might just make a huge difference.

so why not?

it's easier than dieting:)

i hope you'll join me.

i'll be the lady driving around town in a cute mini cooper,

smiling. . . . .for me and for you.

here are a few more thoughts on smiling.

i think this one by Maya Angelou is

 ESPECIALLY important to remember;

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don’t be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning “Good morning” at total strangers.”

~ Maya Angelou

so please remember to smile first at home,

THEN go out the door and smile at others:)

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.”

~ Mark Twain

i'm honestly happy with my laugh lines.

how can i not be???

they came from smiling:)

 Happy New Year!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

it's New Year's Eve. . . . . .

and the simple fact that i'm writing a blog post to help YOU

is kinda crazy.

 i'll be the first to admit it.

i'm a boring new year's person.

i don't ask for much, other than to be happy:)

let me stay home with my family and watch a few good movies

and i'm happy, happy.

oh, and let me munch on some yummy treats, too.

cause you know, the diet starts in the morning, or so they say!

i'm not even a resolution person.

but i did come across some cute things i thought i'd share with you.

maybe i'm not hopeless about new year's after all!

feel like making resolutions but don't know where to start?

here are some good ideas. . . . . .

or maybe there's something for you here. . . . . .

seems like we should be able to grab something from one of these lists,

don't ya think?

here's a cool idea i wish i'd done through the years.

use a mason jar or something similar, and writing on scraps of paper,

add memories throughout the year and then read them on

 New Year's Eve.

next, this would be cool to do each new years. . . . .

just go to thirtyhandmadedays.com for free printables

think of the adorable notebook you could have of each child someday!

IF i were having a party, it would be a family party

with kids of all ages.

so we would need goodie bags!

but remember, no stressing out over details, okay?

just be happy:)

sorry i'm not much help with a menu.

give me a big bowl of caramel corn and i'll be good to go!

but here are a few ideas.

chocolate covered strawberries. . . . .

and they only LOOK hard, because they're really easy to do.

 i love the idea of these simple frosted cookies. . . . .

personally, i'm feeling so lazy these days, i wouldn't even bake any.

these kinda look like those soft, frosted Lofthouse cookies at the grocery store

(which i love and can't have in the house:)

i would buy some, regardless of the color frosting,

and just frost/draw on a clock face.

voila. . . . .instant new year's treat!

maybe, more than anything,

we can all just remember it's a NEW year,

with NEW changes, NEW choices, 

possibly NEW opportunities. . . . .

and a year full of hopes and dreams come true.

 

whatever you do, 

please be safe this New Year's Eve!

may God Bless You in the coming year. . . . .

Suzanne

Sparkly...Shiny...Happy New Year Wishes

Hmmmm....i wish i had some amazing blog post for January 1.

or i wish i had some inspiring advice (HA:)

wish i had some amazing resolutions...

and the secret for keeping them. 

but i don't...

soooo...i'll just wish you THIS kind of new year...

for me, i want a HAPPIER year...

for me AND you.

 

today IS a blank canvas...

full of PROMISE.

i'll hope and pray for all GOOD things to come your way!

now i have to get moving...

the beach is calling my name:)

 

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

One Word, One Year...

the power of "ONE"...

can it change your life?

let's find out together in 2011.

do you know about the "one word challenge"?

it's all over the web and all over blog land.

google it and find out...

or check out these sites.

Ali Edwards 
My One Word

i'm taking on the challenge with Ali and hope you will too.

if you choose to give it a go, please leave me a message saying what your word is, if you haven't done that anywhere else.

saying something out loud seems to make it more real, don't you think?

your word can be profound or as simple as "be", or laugh.

maybe it is pray, believe, create, inspire.

it's almost overwhelming to choose just one when we could all choose so many.

but the point is to make this achievable.

and hopefully by choosing a word to focus on,
to pray about,
to bring into your every day,

it WILL change your life and who knows...someone around you.

part of me wishes mine was some amazing, profound, moving word...
i tried to pick one like that,

but sometimes we need to keep it simple

keep it real,

keep it HAPPY!

so my word for 2011 is happy.

oh, i know it makes me sound like I'm a real simpleton...

or that I'm 5.

but then, what's wrong with simple...

and wouldn't we all love the simple happiness of a child?
when choosing your word, you think about which one is speaking to you...
on New Year's Eve, we watched some videos of my girls as small children.
what joy...what HAPPYNESS
( okay...wrong spelling.  but i think it's happier this way:)

after this past year,

i know the importance of faith, prayer, hope, grace.

it's a no brainer for me.

without these, I would be lost.

so while I occasionally need to be reminded,

hopefully I know.

what i do need is to bring more happy in my day,

in my life,

in the lives of my family,

in the lives of those I meet along the way.

i do have sad moments, sad days...

and i want less of those and more happy moments.

i know that there are many ways to go about this.

first and foremost, i need to pray.

and i need to be open to happy moments.

be in the moment, enjoy the little things that make me happy.

maybe it's floating in the gulf with my girls, going for a bike ride,
taking a walk and smelling the orange blossoms.

these are just a few of my favorite HAPPY things.  

i'll do my best to bring a bit of happiness to each and every day...

some days it'll be my kind of happy...

some days it will be someone else's.

but HAPPY we will be, right?

a happy day, happy life, happy moments, a happy family, happy memories...

HAPPY!

simple, i know.

but HAPPY!

i'll have my moments that are unhappy...

but i'll try, with a lot of prayer and encouragement,

with a little string around my finger if i have to...

to be HAPPY!

the funny thing is, some of these "feeling" words are all intertwined.
for example, i can be happy and sad at the same time.
when i watch my 16 year old dancing beautifully i am happy...
and bawling my eyes out...
mostly with happy tears but also sad ones.
these days are so fleeting.
and then i take a happy moment and make it more sad...
so i want to focus more on the HAPPY...
see?

 hopefully i can tackle a lot of other sentiments...simplify, peace,patience...

i mean, there are days I just need to CALM DOWN:)

but for this year, more than anything,
i want to be happy:)

and with this project, Ali will give us prompts for projects using our word.
photos, things we love, things we create...
i actually wanted to do "play" because we all need to play more.
I also thought maybe JOY was a more profound word than HAPPY.

 maybe i'll rename it later...but for now happy fits best!
think about the things that make you happy...
the things that make you smile...

or laugh...

HAPPY...that's my one word for 2011...

because I realized this year that life is all too short...

and sometimes not too fair...

 but if you take time to be happy...

to make others happy...

to get happiness from those special and everyday moments...

than maybe life can be as wonderful as we like to think it would be.

so HAPPY New Year to you and your friends and family!

let me know if you have a word.

check out the other sites that encourage this project...

and come back for part 2 in my ONE series...

One YEAR to be HAPPY!

 MUCH love,
Suzanne

photo credits:
life:qondio.com.webloc
fortune cookie: /http-::www.flickr.com:photos:rerinha:3074028340:.webloc

spendless: http-::brasilhawaii.com:.webloc