One full year coming to an end...

This has been one random, up + down, decision-making, creative, in-the-moment, thinking of the future, crazy year. I wouldn't have it any other way. I started to do a year in review, but it's really hard to narrow down the events of this year - so you can go back and read my archives if you're so inclined.

In January, I picked a word that I wanted to focus on in 2007: DECIDE. It was the perfect word and just what I needed to live and learn during the year. I'm still indecisive when it comes to most things, but the DECIDE mentality has caught me in the moment many times when my attitude is poor, or when I just need to make a decision and do something. Here is what I wrote about my word at the beginning of the year...

And it really means so much more than just making decisions in everyday life. I know that's going to be tough! It also includes attitude (Sheri, here's some COM 102 for ya) because deciding to have a better outlook and attitude about things can change your whole perspective. I want to have an awesome 2007, make myself a more positive person, to be more confident, have a better life, have better relationships, enrich my faith, get out and do more, and only I can decide to do those things. To wake up and decide that it's going to be a good day. To look at the mess that's around my apartment and decide that it's okay because we are blessed with food that dirties our dishes, clothes that clutter the bedroom and laundry basket, and kitties so full of life that they fling litter all over the bathroom floor. Just to decide means so much, and I love it.

Here are some of the major decisions of the year...

Deciding on a design for wedding invitations and all other things wedding
Deciding to marry a great guy and best friend
Deciding on how to be the best wife I can be
Deciding to start our business and follow our dreams
Deciding to make a list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days
Deciding to challenge myself with various little things (like the current blog goal)
Deciding to look at situations and events more positively
Deciding to acknowledge the blessings in my/our life
Deciding to have DECIDE in the back of my mind daily
Deciding how to balance everything in my life (this is infinitely ongoing)
So many more decisions that came into play...

Just deciding... trying to figure out how I want things to be, how things need to be, how I should spend my time, the direction I want to go with my life, trying not to be a grump when things don't go my way - or any way, and working on being confident in my decisions. Even though I haven't gone back and read my paragraph from January until now, I think I've done a decent job striving for everything I wanted 2007 to stand for + teach me + inspire me to be.

And tonight: I'm deciding to work myself up for a good night with friends. Really, I would love nothing more than to relax at home and watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve. But Dan has a need to be social and I should probably do the same. It's always the things I don't want to do that end up being okay (and sometimes really fun) in the end.

Tomorrow: Is the first of the year. A new start - love the motivating, fresh feeling of a new year. I would like to finish cleaning and organizing the office, and set up some more organizational tools. There are a couple other things on my mind for the first of 2008, and tomorrow will be the day to DECIDE whether I want to tackle them or not. Also, I thought I had my word for 2008, but now I'm debating between a couple that could prove to be even better.

LOOK! My total next to 2007 says 50, just like 2006. I plan to post later and beat my goal to the ground (instead of just tying it). I WILL POST LATER SOMEHOW. Post #17 here I come - maybe even with a photo of the festivities.