Taking Stock of Your Life: What Needs Your Focus Now?

When I was a kid, I loved the holiday season. Singing Christmas carols, decorating trees, making cookies, and of course, exchanging gifts! But as I get older, I enjoy the hoopla that surrounds the holidays less and less. Maybe it comes from being a part of a huge family (8 siblings, a dozen cousins, parents, step- parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews - and it's growing bigger every year!). Anyway, instead of good cheer and happiness, the holidays have started to involve stress, obligations, chaos, and an overall disruption in my normally (somewhat) peaceful life. I know, I know, I sound like Scrooge's second cousin, Bad Attitude. But there is one part of the holidays that I still look forward to - the start of the New Year.

For some reason, I feel like I've just finished a marathon by the time the New Year rolls around. Like I've accomplished an impossible feat by surviving the holidays, and now it's time to get back to ME. The New Year has become a wonderful time for me to take stock of what I enjoy about my life, and what I want to change about my life in the upcoming year. As I say hello to 2008, I've decided that this is what I'm going to work on (my "New Year's Resolutions," if you will):

1) Focus on personal growth. This is a huge one for me this year, and I am so excited! For the last 5 years, I've been in and out of serious relationships, so I haven't taken the time to connect with who I really am, deep down. But this year I'm committing to my personal growth. The plan: enjoy my solitude, indulge my desires and pursue my life goals for myself and no one else.

2) Apply new skills. As I look back on the last year, I realize that most of what I did throughout 2007 was to learn how to live life differently. I moved to a different city. I started exploring different career opportunities. I experimented. I got out of my comfort zone. I learned to solve problems in new ways. And I began to trust that life would unfold in unpredictable (but ultimately perfect) ways. This year, I'll continue to let my life evolve by following my passion and being open to new paths. The only rules - follow my instincts, keep an open mind, and trust that it will all work out.

3) Nurture friendships. I've always been an outgoing person. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and trading life lessons. But I haven't always appreciated or valued the important people in my life to the extent that I should. Looking back, I've definitely been guilty of taking really good friendships for granted. But this year, staying connected to the people who light up my life is something I want to become better at.

I could probably come up with a list of at least 10 other things I want to improve this year, and maybe as I feel more comfortable with these, I'll start on those. But for now, I think this is a good start.