Happy New Year!

 
Welcome to 2013, people!

Yes, it's soooo cliché, but the older I get, the faster time flies. Can we really be turning the calendar page, leaving behind 2012 and setting out to see what 2013 has in store? I still vividly remember sitting in my desk the morning we came back to school after Christmas break when I was in 4th grade and thinking how neat it was that it was 1988. Eights were my favorite number to write at that point in my life. That was a good year. It was also a quarter of a century ago now. Yikes!

I don't know about you, but for me, this past year was a doozie! Superstorm Sandy has us all aghast and worrying about our East Coast neighbors. The presidential election certainly had the country vocal about a handful of issues. The 2012 London Olympics has us cheering on favorites to gold, silver or bronze. And we all held our breath, wondering if we would teeter over the fiscal cliff or not. But that was yesteryear, and I'm excited to see what 2013 holds in store!

The dawning of the New Year is always a fresh start full of new opportunities and provides us with a chance to do things a little better this trip around the sun. And while I can't personally do much about natural disasters or the national debt, I can focus on the things I do have a bit of control over. Finances? We'll make some changes this year to save more. Eating habits? Yep, those will improve.  Carving out more time for friends? Absolutely. I'll write and mail more letters, remember everyone's birthday, and finally get the kids' photos organized. I'm telling myself this year will see less clutter, less pizza, less dipping into savings. I'll read every night with the kids (and hug them more and listen when they have little stories to tell). I'll finally tackle an overhaul of the den and make good on my promise to teach my 8-year-old how to embroider. Family game night won't get cancelled when there's too much to do - it'll be a priority. Here's hoping!

I realize it's easy to get caught up in the renewed mindset of resolutions when January comes calling and we find a bit more time on our hands after the mad dash of the holidays is behind us. And while that excitement might be strong the first few weeks of the year, for many, it begins to wane after a month or two. But consider this your encouragement for the day - keep it up! You're doing great! And pass it on, folks! Offer some support to a friend, coworker, spouse, or neighbor. Changing old habits is a hard thing to do, but far easier with some enthusiastic cheerleaders behind you!

Whatever your New Year's resolution may be, bear in mind that time does drift by faster than we realize. Remember that the most important things in life aren't things, and that time spent with loved ones and friends is precious. 2012 is behind us. Make this year a stellar one!

We'll revisit this post in April to see if I'm on track with my plans. In the meantime, I wish you all good health, peace, and a good fortune in 2013.