Happy New Year! I hope your 2020 is off to a great start. I am inspired by all the creative resolutions I see floating around the web. All the good things that I want to focus on this year. Life will be full of drama, but I want to live with a positive mindset and hope for the best every day.
I've never been a big one to draw up new year resolutions. For decades I went with the one from St. Elmo's Fire – “To fix everything in my life that isn't working”/Wendy. This year I want to think more along the lines of activities or steps to make one feel good. Not the cliched ones like join a new gym and lose 50 lbs! Less blaring noise and more get outside and see the world and create a better world for yourself indoors. Be less afraid and start the business or life you want. I found a good article to help me with these resolutions from GoodHouseKeeping.com.
Excerpts from Good Housekeeping.com's article and input from me:
45 Achievable New Year's Resolutions for Healthier and Happier Living
Boost your energy and stress less.
Read more books
January is the perfect time of year to snuggle up with a new book. Keep yourself accountable to this New Year's resolution by opening a Goodreads account and reviewing each book you read. By next year, you'll have a clear snapshot of how well you accomplished this goal.
One of my new joys is reading bookstagrammers on Instagram. People who share what they read through visual and written descriptions – including great reviews. I love the way people are using books in their images to draw you in and make you want to sit down with one and a cup of tea or a glass of wine right now. I’ve also learned about bullet journals to track what you read throughout the year. I’m not ready to do one but fascinated by the process. I am addicted to book posts. Here’s a list of favorite bookstagrammers I like:
Mountain Mama Book Reviews
@mountainmamabookreviews
Books and Beers (Sean)
@books.and.beers
Alexas.bookgram
@Alexas.bookgram
Shelflove
@_shelflove_
Cold Brew Book Reviews
@coldbrewbookreviews
Charleston Book Girl
@charlestonbookgirl
Plan a vacation
Women who vacation at least twice a year have a lower heart attack risk than those that do so rarely. And researchers have found that even thinking about an upcoming trip can boost happiness for weeks.
My friend Julie Fair is a woman that believes in vacation, travel, and living a life of adventure. She lived near me for a few years and our boys went to school together, she ran the best book club, we laughed while hanging out, and drank good wine. Julie burned to move somewhere new and decided to pursue her dream of going out west. Her family sold off their major possessions, bought an RV, and traveled all over the country for 2 years. Really living on the road and meeting people as they explored and looked for their new home base. They decided Boise, Idaho fit the bill for what they wanted. One of our friends calls Julie “the Spartan” because she loves to be outside climbing mountains. Once she settled in Boise, an opportunity landed in her lap to lead a hiking group and her experiences with it led her to start a new travel venture. Coordinating those group hikes, climbing mountains, and making new friendships with women on her hikes inspired her to open a new business There She Goes Travel.
“Once I started guiding trips I noticed that basically every type of woman is drawn to this concept. Women that are timid to travel by themselves but would be happy to go in a group – check! Women that are confident to do anything and everything by themselves but like the company of others – check! Women who may not be able to afford the trip except through group travel – check! Women that literally work their ass off and don't want to research, plan, and do all the grunt work but are ready to show up and have fun – check! These and everything in between are why I do what I do. It is filling my soul to see you on these trips enjoying yourself. Everyone leaves with new lifelong friends. We all share the desire and love of travel, exploring, and getting out there to see what this world has to offer.
There She Goes Travel caters to guided women only trips all over the world, we're on a mission to empower women and make connections along the way.”
Julie Fair, Owner
Get artsy
To help ward off the blues, engage in a bit of culture—a trip to the museum, a night at the theater, or attending a concert. A new study found that people who make regular trips to these types of attractions have a lower risk of developing depression than those who don’t.
Atlanta is a city where at any given moment you can see art of most any kind. I am someone that is often almost late because I’ll walk down a building’s hallway and slow down to check out the photography, paintings, or art pieces. You can even go out on a walk in the woods and experience “found art” on Atlanta’s Doll’s Head Trail.
Don’t Be Afraid to Express Yourself
Ringing in the new year in style is my friend, Kim Cresswell. She’s a featured artist in a pop-up show from Different Trains Gallery on Friday, January 24, 2020. I’ve seen Kim’s art and it’s a show you won’t want to miss! Kim is a true creative soul and it shows in her art and her music. I loved her recent comments about getting ready for her new show:
“It is definitely me putting myself out there, which I haven’t done creatively in a really long time. I’m not even sure how it all happened, but it’s pretty great. I’ve actually been thinking about how I could inspire others to try something that scares them too … I meet a lot of people through my massage practice and it’s amazing how their dreams or goals get pushed to the side of forgotten as we age… I did the same thing. But it’s important not to forget them and to also stay healthy and strong so you can do them.”
Kim Cresswell, Artist
Start that business
I created my blog March 2019 and have enjoyed every minute of it. I am learning new things every day about writing and the business of a blog and it fuels my desire to grow more and more. I am about to step my toes into the business side of blogging and pursue opportunities to expand my reach and hopefully earn some income. I chewed over ideas for years and searched for a purpose that allowed me to earn money and be creative and finally arrived at this decision. Years ago. Yes, I did not pursue it at first until last year when it could no longer be denied. I am getting so much joy out of it so worth all the work it takes.
Liz McKenna is sharp, witty, fun, and has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Now, she’s found a way to bring her social media marketing skills to your front yard. She started Card My Yard Stone Mountain in December 2019. Liz has the knack of bringing fun to anything she does and this definitely looks like her niche.
“Card My Yard is super popular in New Orleans, my hometown. My friends and family use these greetings as a way of celebrating birthdays, babies, or something fun like marriage proposals!! I wanted to bring this kind of excitement to my own side of the world, Card My Yard-Stone Mountain encompasses not only Stone Mountain but also Tucker, Lilburn, Redan and Snellville. I really hope everyone falls in love with these greetings as I have!”
Liz McKenna, Owner
And finally one of my favorite joys – candles. I have so many around the house I don't even know how many!
Make your home more fragrant
Because smell is associated with the parts of the brain that process emotion and store memories, certain aromas can affect mood, says olfactory expert Rachel Herz, Ph.D., author of The Scent of Desire. Research shows that vanilla makes people more relaxed and joyful (mmm, baking), while peppermint can boost energy and lavender can zap stress.
Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
One of our favorite new soap and candle sites is NamasteandSkulls.com .We bought the Raspberry Ale skull baby candles. The scent is crisp and not overpowering. I like this company because their products are:
- chemical free
- hand poured
- cruelty free
- small batch
- last longer
- biodegradable
I like their mission and their dedication to quality products they believe in.
Whatever your resolutions or goals are for the new year, I hope you find PoeinWonderland.com as something joyful and interesting too. Happy New year!
