Happy New Year!

In just a few more hours 2010 will be officially over and a brand new year will have begun. I'm looking forward to ringing in the new year with my husband's family and my adorable niece.

For me, the start of a new calender year is a reminder to make purposeful decisions about how I want to live my life. I like the idea of a fresh start, new beginnings. A clean slate.

I was skimming through The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People the other day and I was struck by the second habit - Begin With the End in Mind. The basic suggestion is that we should figure out where we want to be and then work backwards to develop a plan of how to get there. For me, developing a plan on how to get to where I want to be in the end is daunting, but it seems easier to create a specific plan when thinking just a year from now. This year, I want my new year's resolutions to reflect my end-goal. By beginning with the end in mind, I'm hoping that I will be able to stay focused on my intentions.

So, what is my end goal? In a year from now I want . . .
+ to have my master's degree
+ to have strong relationships with friends, family, and Neill
+ to be financially secure
+ to be healthy 
+ to be happy

In a few days, I'll share what my resolutions are and how they will get me to my end goal. Until then,  I hope you have a happy and safe NYE!