Focus on 2007

There are 4 new things I'm focusing on for 2007:

• To live consciously
• To make it a point to enjoy life more
• To continue to create a home environment that radiates contentment, peace, love, nurturing, and joy
• To spend more time outdoors

Each of these has various aspects to it, that I'll expand on below.

1. Live consciously.
This is a big category, that encompasses many things for me. I'll try to break them into smaller sections.

• Be aware of blessings. By making the most of what we have, just being aware of all we have, and working with what we have. Honoring our little family and our home. And, to bask in gratitude and apprecition for those blessings.
• Be aware of my internal rhythms, and listen to inuition. Make time for quietness, and spiritual reflection - even if it's only 15 minutes. Take a step back to look at the bigger picture.
• Live more Greenly. Give gifts that can be used, or make donations in the name of others. Start to recycle. Freecycle or donate items when applicable. Get a compost bin, and create compost. Support local farmers. Try to buy things with less packaging, and/or packaging that can be recycled. Bring own bags to store. Continue to determine how to live more greenly (http://www.treehugger.com/)
• Create a compact pledge that works for us, and following through for at least a month, if not longer.
• Be aware of how we, as a family, can eat healthier. Try to eat less processed and packaged stuff, by making own breads, soups, and fresh foods. Create healthy snacks by keeping carrots, hummus, and other fruits and veggies on hand and accessible to Pook. Learn how to can our own veggies and the like.
• Be conscious and aware of spending. Spend wisely, frugaly, and continue to invest in savings. Also, be aware of what we really need, and what we need to buy. What are the necessities? Heaven knows we don't need any more knick knacks or decor!
• Bless others. Through monatary donations and freecycling.
  Spend more time outside.

2. Enjoy life more; have some fun.

Silly to have to post this, but a big thing for me. Do fun things, do more of what we enjoy, keep a perspective of positivity. Continue to say No to those things (and people) that drain us. Plan a fun vacation. Take care of myself by doing things I enjoy, spending quality time with friends, and doing things that decrease stress (massage, Reiki, diva days...)

3. Continue to create a home environment of contentment, peace, love, nurturing and joy.

Nurture a postive and loving attitude. Show my family I appreciate them by nurturing them with love, good food, and appreciation. Honor those who enter my house - family or friend, and nurture them with respect, good food, and love, and shower them with appreciation.

Honor our house by enhancing it with creativity and love:

• Indoors: Continue to get rid of clutter (those things that we feel bad/guilty about, things we don't need or like, or have space for) and create more space in our home. Paint the main areas, new curtains for dinning room and living room, new bed for Pook, clear out Pook's room to make room for new kitchen set, repaint basement, set up office/study area in basement, repaint study (this will be later, as when it's repainted, chances are, it'll be turned into a baby room), repaint Pook's room.
• Outdoors: Create our own Secret Garden of tranquility. Fence, clear out back, put in cement patio, steps to patio, garden, plant an apple tree. Shed, potting area, and compost bin.

*Not all listed above needs to be done at the same time, not all in 2007, though it would be nice to have it all done in 2007. :)

4 Spend more time outdoors.

Walk to the park. Take notice of walking to the car, or from the car to house, or building. Make the most of nice weather. Take pictures to help encourage more walks.

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I know that for some, this is a large list. It helps to just write things out, to get a clear view of things. Next year, I plan to blog more on how we are faring on each of these topics. I may need to edit here and there a bit as well. We shall see!

Make note: This is subject to updates!