Hello! Please welcome back J. L. Tomas. This is her second guest article on this blog. She always writes her pieces from the heart, so you know you are always getting an honest perspective from her. Enjoy!
– Kevin J. Hotter
Ah, the New Year!
I think this may be my favorite time of year; the hectic holidays are over and normal life can resume. The New Year brings with it the ultimate reset: not just a new week, day, or month, but a whole brand new year that you get to use however you want to use it.
Lessons learned and experience gained from last year are now the latest tools in your backpack for journeying along life’s winding roads. It’s true that you get to make a different choice at any moment to make a change or experiment with a fresh way of doing things, but the beginning of the year has the energy of change and growth.
As a world we say, “Let’s start over! Onward!”
This time of year also marks the beginning of the next chapter in one’s life. I like to remember years by the major events that happened and goals that I met in that twelve month span. For example, 2012 was “the year I moved to San Diego,” 2013 was “the year I went to Bali” among other significant things that happened, and 2014 might be remembered as “the year I had surgery,” but I’m still processing how I want to remember last year.
It was also the year I learned to paint and wrote a lot (perhaps the year of creativity?). In December, I want to look back at this moment and be in awe of how the year began and how it ended.
January may also be the most optimistic period of the year when you wonder what’s to come, then plan, dream, and move forward. Now is your chance to use the inspiration you feel to take hold of the next 52 weeks and make of them what you want. I set goals rather than resolutions because I want to make it “the year that I [accomplished that goal].”
I don’t get too crazy with this list, just three to five things I want to accomplish. I generate ideas by asking myself what it is that I want to do with my life at this time. What am I always saying I want to do that I haven’t gotten around to doing? What skills have I been wanting to acquire or sharpen? Where do I want to visit? What new approach to relationships do I want to try? It doesn’t have to be a huge accomplishment or a whole list of things. All that matters is that you make one meaningful goal for yourself and take the steps to achieve it.
Let’s make the most of this year and every year! I wish you health, adventure, good fortune, love, and creativity – now and always.
About the Author: J.L. Tomas is a native Californian who has settled in San Diego after having lived in L.A., Santa Barbara, and Orange Counties. Her adventures have taken her all over the state. She loves her friends, family, dogs, coffee, meditation, and music. She works in the mental health field by day and writes by night.
Categories: Guest Post, Inspiration
Kevin Hotter 
Interesting how we mark time, right? For years, i marked it by grade or college year. I agree, after that, its the major event that sticks out in your mind. My friends and I used to give every summer a theme — e.g., “life is better at the beach” for the year we spent endless hours tanning, or “we ride in style” for the summer my best friend drove a minivan. Good times…
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Haha. One summer my friend drove a huge silver van. We called it the “silver bullet.” His mom was a florist and that was her delivery van.
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I really like this idea of titling the season or the year! “We Ride in Style” sounds like it was a fun group in that van 🙂
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What an inspiring post! I have followed this author for a while and applaud her ability to live “her best life.” I love how she lives her life in an authentic way and embodies a vision that is full of adventure, fulfillment and promise. The statement, “All that matters is that you make one meaningful goal for yourself and take the steps to achieve it” is a simple yet great reminder about how easy the process can be towards enriching one’s life.
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Thank you for your comment Loree! And thanks for taking a look at my blog. Have a great day 🙂
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Loree, thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad you enjoyed this article.
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Great guest post! I’m in Carlsbad too, so we have commonality. And it’s VERY liberating to only have a short list of things I want to accomplish. Thanks for relieving the guilt I usually feel that there aren’t 20!
Stephanie
ps. Very gracious of you to have so many guest bloggers, Kevin!
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Thanks Stephanie! I visited Carlsbad for the very first time a few weeks ago. Loved it. Beautiful city.
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20 goals would be so overwhelming! I feel the pressure just thinking of it. Let’s set ourselves up for success by focusing on few central goals. Carlsbad is beautiful! I live in San Diego near the zoo. I love living here – great energy, fantastic beaches, good food. We have a lot to offer in our little county.
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Nicely put! Accomplish anything of value and it will enrich your life!
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Exactly! I will let the author know you enjoyed her work!
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You got it! I hope you enrich your life in a meaningful way this year!
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Working on it….thank you.
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Look forward to reading this as well S your email from yesterday 🙂
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
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Very cool! 🙂
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