Welcome, 2015!  I always love the start of the new year (well, and my birthday is this month, and I’m all for celebrating). Best wishes, fellow Aquarians out there!

Normalcy is resuming after the holidays, with a slower pace. We enjoyed Christmas, with frequent, small gatherings of friends to share in the holiday spirit and ward off a bit of homesickness. It was special, too, to watch Ramsay grasp a better understanding of Christmas this year, and delight in the decorations, parties, and presents.

Are you someone who makes a gentle step or a bold leap into the New Year?  Is there something in particular you want to accomplish or shape you in 2015?  I didn’t make resolutions this year, however, I enjoy writing in my slightly clunky and well-worn paper Filofax calendar…documenting birthdays, writing to do lists, and planning vacations, art projects, and castles in the sky.

I did choose a word I’d like to focus on for 2015: Authentic.  Being real and authentic in words and actions, letting go of pretense and things that don’t fit my lifestyle; a commitment to say more of what I think and like to do instead of putting the shoulds first, often not leaving time for the fun.  Nourishing all of the facets of my soul as much as possible, and emotionally investing in things and people that I love, worrying less about the rest.

I read some great nuggets of wisdom over the holidays that I highlighted in my journal:

• happiness stems from learning how to cheer yourself up and stand your ground
• lay down the guilt and do things that make your SOUL SMILE
• making life changes are scary, but regret is worse
• focus on the FUN, not the fear
• continue to look at the world around you with new and unique ways, for there is magic in the everyday if you open your eyes

 And I saw this inspirational little sticker on a wall:

Wishing you a year that unlocks your potential, makes your soul smile, one that is full of joie de vivre, passion for living, and a year of finding muses to tap into amazing joy.

Happy New Year and Carpe Diem,

Tracy