Happy New Year 2014!
The year that was, the year that will be…
2013, what a year it has been! It has been a year of growth for me, both personally and professionally.
I am not much of a resolution maker, I prefer to make goals; specific things I can accomplish by taking steps in a particular direction.
Every year I set aside a little time to dream my dreams for the coming year. I am not afraid to dream big dreams; I figure if you reach for the stars, even if I don’t quite make it I may just make it to the moon. Then I cut out words and images that depict those goals and pin them up on a corkboard – a vision board. As I look over my 2013 vision board I see that so many of my dreams have come to fruition. OK, I don’t have a body like Jennifer Aniston’s but let’s face it that was a long shot anyway. But I did exercise a whole lot more than I did last year, and I drank more water – so I count that as a win!
I worked probably more than any other year of my life but I also spent a little more time with friends and family. My pantry is not as beautiful as the photo stuck on my vision board but it does look a lot prettier than before and all my gluten free flours and oats are in lovely jars.
Probably the best part of this past year was all the traveling I did, speaking at gluten free expos and meeting so many people! It was an absolute pleasure to be able to speak face to face with the people who read the blog, the magazine, and who use my flour! Even if I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you in person, every day in every way, you are the people who make my life so full. Thank you for making 2013 such a fabulous year for me!
2014, the year to come. I’m not sure what’s in store for 2014. I haven’t taken the time to dream my dreams yet or do my vision board, that will come. And even though I don’t usually make resolutions, I have decided to make one now.
I was reading an article about a woman the other day and the author described the woman as “a tsunami of kindness.” Wow! What an epitaph. So I have resolved to be kinder.
You know, it is easy to be kind to people you like. What is more difficult is to be kind to people who are not especially pleasant to you, who are inconsiderate, or offensive in some way. I don’t think that tsunamis are particularly discerning about what gets swept up in their wake – so for me, I will resolve to do my best to be kind even when kindness is the furthest thing from my mind.
I am also keeping that photo of Jennifer Aniston on my board for this coming year because, hey, a gal can dream right?
Happy New Year – here’s wishing you a magical, happy, healthy 2014!
xo,
Carol
