Sunday, January 20, 2013

Still Thinking About My Resolutions


Starting the new year with a rainbow.

We’ve Only Just Begun – And I’m Pooped! - The New Year kicked off a bit too fast for me this year.  Work was already in high drive for the year and already this month I’ve:
-       Attended an all-day board retreat and two half-day planning retreats for organizations;
-       Volunteered at the Alliance Française;
-       Helped produce an inaugural radio program for visually impaired children that will be airing monthly (the program aired yesterday-I’m so proud);
-       Prepared for our annual A Day On, Not A Day Off MLK Day volunteer event (it is going to be a great one!);
-       Hosted an event for the Latin American Association’s legal community;
-       Planned a nonprofit board training event in Dallas being held this week;
-       Organized a music benefit event for the GeorgiaInnocence Project (an amazing and very moving fundraiser event);
-       Worked on a firm-wide celebration...whew! I'm tired!

A Word of the Year  -  With all that has been going on it’s almost as if there was no room for thinking about anything but the tasks at hand at the beginning of the month but I was amazed at so many bloggers that were setting goals and making changes in their lives with just one word. The My One Word movement looks interesting and I did see some bloggers posting really good words like BETTER, EXCELLENCE SIMPLICITY but my favorite word is NO.  If I had to pick one word, NO would probably benefit me the most.

Visioning - So here we are near the end of the month and I’m ready to work on my plans for the year and I’m so thankful to be a part of a circle of women who come together for personal planning. For the past couple of years I’ve been working with these women not just in creating a vision for the things we want to achieve but holding one another accountable. Here’s how it works.  Our group comes together with magazines, poster board, glue sticks, etc., with the purpose of sharing our goals with one another then illustrating our goals on our vision boards.  Then mid-way through the year we meet up to talk about the goals we set and how we are progressing towards those goals.  The process is amazing.  It’s also fun because this group formed casually and most of us didn’t know one another very well but we’ve developed a very high level of trust and support for one another.
Vision Boards Go Paperless! So next Sunday is our vision board session and this year instead of using poster board to make our vision board, we decided to use cork or a magnetized board. (We will be photographing our boards as they change so we have an easy way to track our progress). Finding the right board has stressed me out!!! It’s a great idea and it gives us a lot of flexibility in creating our board but have you shopped a cork board or memo board lately?  After much looking around I decided this adorable magnetized board by Curly Girl Design.  
We will be visioning at my friend’s home – a gorgeous apartment in a high-rise with this amazing view. 
A great iPhone picture from her balcony.
How did she end up with such an amazing place?  It was part of her vision planning process two years ago and if I hadn't been a part of the process to see how effective visioning can be I wouldn't believe how hopes and dreams can become reality.

It’s a great new year with plenty of opportunity ahead.  I’m excited!

10 comments:

  1. Great visionizing ideas . . . like the magnetic boards.
    The word for the year has been with me now for a few years. It helps me with personal introspection, clarity and truth.
    Good luck with your word . . .

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  2. Hmmmm - I'd like to know more about visioning. Can you direct me somewhere?....or perhaps I'll just google.
    I like your word for the year. I have had cause to pull that word out once or twice too - it will keep you sane in a busy world!

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  3. I am exhausted just reading about all your projects. It looks like you enjoy organizing your plans. I am not very good in that respect and usually go with the flow, or what sounds good at the time – but whatever makes one happy is what is important.

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  4. You certainly have been busy in the first weeks of the year. I hope that using your word for the year results in less exhaustion. The visioning sounds like a great way to both connect with like-minded women, and to set a focus for the year. I hope you'll share more about it as you go along.

    I love those boards!

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  5. I like that "Visioning" idea, A Lot!! I have some things I am going to work on---And Thank You, Jo Jo.....!
    I'm pooped just reading what January has been like for you.

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  6. I look forward to 2013, 2012 started out so low but 12 months made a world of difference.

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  7. You are the most energized person I have ever known...you do everything and I love it because you can hear the joy in your voice talking about all you do....I love the vision board....Joyce and I should try that.....it would include going to Ikea or any local cooking school and not having security called....if we could manage that for a whole year we would be doing good....Looking forward to seeing you at her party....

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    1. Hahahaha...Sue, I remember well your episode with the security guard at cooking school!! LOL

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  8. *ZONK* That was me, hitting the floor, after reading all that you've accomplished already! Lord Woman...don't you ever stop?

    I think your goal setting with friends is a wonderful idea. It worked great for me when I was trying to lose wt. Too bad I didn't keep it up (or off, I should say).

    Be sure to take lots of photos of your friend's beautiful location. We wanna SEEEEE!

    Good Luck with whatever you envision.
    Hugs,
    Rett

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  9. wow! that is an amazing view and taken with a phone!

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