January is a great month. At least I think it is.

I know we can start anew anytime we want, but January seems such a perfect time. In Michigan the days are long and cold and dreary for the next two months. Unless you ski, which I would like to but can’t, it is a great time to reflect.

Here’s some questions I ask myself to initiate the process.

• What brought me joy?    

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joy

For me, it was people that brought me the most joy. But there was also the new ceiling and the painting in our TV room. There was the  pergola my hubby and I built. There was seeing my grandson walk. There was our time in Florida collecting seashells and enjoying the sunshine. There were the restful times at teeny tiny red cabin.

• What were the situations that rocked my boat and how can I avoid them in  2015?

There were some unwelcome changes this past year. But I’ve come to terms with the change even though I still don’t like it.

• What situations caused me angst?

There were a few but very few. Avoiding angst was a resolution for 2014 and I did pretty good.

•  Are there any attitudes I need to change? Of course, there are.

changing my attitudes

  Everyone has attitudes that need to be re-adjusted.

 

• Are my relationships as healthy as they can be?

friendships

I take my relationships with family and friends seriously. Some are what I want them to be. Some aren’t. Some I can do something about, some I can’t. The trick is to know which is which.

• In what ways do I need to expand my life or challenge myself?

This last year has been a challenge where this blog is concerned. I upgraded my “package” and that meant extra challenges as I learned how to work with through all my options. But I learned a lot and look forward to learning a little CSS formatting next year.

•  Am I using all my talents and resources?

I find creativity crosses all forms of expression. I think that’s why I like blogging so much. It feeds my creative appetite. But whether or not I’m using all my talents and resources, I’m not sure.  And whether or not I’m using them as God intented is something I’ll be focusing on this year.

(I love blogging. When I see words that morph into thoughts right before my eyes with seemingly no conscious awareness, I sense God is in control. I write thoughts I didn’t even know I was thinking until I read them on the screen. Blogging is perhaps the most self-revealing activity I do. Sometimes that feels good and sometimes it doesn’t. However, it’s always worthwhile.)

I encourage you to take some time this month to reflect on this past year.

I’m a firm believer that the life worth living is the life that is examined periodically. Some people think all this “reflecting” and making “resolutions” is silly. I even read something just recently where the author stated that no one keeps their resolutions. I guess the author doesn’t know me!

One thing is sure; we are generally moving forward, moving backward, or remaining stagnant. And stagnant anything equals “stinky”.

Anyway, God bless and I hope you have a good day.