Not quite the New Year yet I know. It's that in between time. The clean up from the 
Christ-mess time...little by little. Everyone's loot is almost gone from under the tree. I am not in a hurry for it. I am not a fan of messes but Christmas aftermath doesn't bug me (much).

I like to look back on where I was at this time the year before. A nice thing about a blog is having things "documented" so to speak so you get to look back. Sometimes I laugh about things that were written. (sometimes I cringe and think  "who the heck was the chick that wrote that??")

If I looked back on January posts from years ago (and it is years now...wow)  when I wasn't as old wise I can see where I was setting myself up for failure.  I had plans for rearranging my life both figuratively and literally. "Get my house completely organized." Yeah, still waiting for that to happen. "Lose all the weight I need to." Umm...anyway....you get the drift. 

This year I reviewed my last New Year's "words of wisdom". For once I was pleasantly surprised. I think I actually accomplished most of what I wanted for myself in 2014. And it's not because I have suddenly become super woman and have my act together. I think it's because I went a little easy on myself. Plus I put my money where my mouth is and brought about a shift in myself (albeit a work in progress) in the way I look at or react to things/people/issues in my life. I am now a firm believer in you can't change things or people but you can change how you react/act. 

I have given up trying so hard to hang on to relationships that are quite frankly too much work. Some I have put on the shelf never to be revisited or "worked on" again. That's not easy for me. That's not how I roll. I don't invest time in "disposable" relationships. But sometimes you need to take off the rose colored glasses and truly see someone for who they are. That's not always easy for me...even when Maya Angelou is in my ear saying " when someone shows you who they are, believe them". It's one of my favorite truisms just, ahem.. not always when it applies to my life.

There are some relationships though that are put on the back burner for one reason or another. I know they are there and either they or I don't want to deal with them now.  I am still here, just not about giving them my energy now. After opening my eyes, there are many relationships old and new that want and deserve my energy.  

I allowed new ideas, "Gifts of Imperfection" or what I thought was a silly "100 happy days"
and was quite changed with what I took away from it. 

I have given myself a lot (well, it's all relative) passes this year. I have eased up on outside obligations without much guilt.  I've focused on what's going on with my kids, not that I have been neglecting them, heaven forbid. But I am more focused on how different they all are what different things they need from me, even if what they need is not that much anymore, well not on a regular basis anyway. Focusing more on my marriage which is just fine thank you very much, but now that the daily craziness of having little kids is a thing of the past, there's more couple time. There are more opportunities for conversation without interruptions or short people tugging on my leg. 

So of course I have some plans for the new year. That's what the clean slate is all about right? I haven't got any grand plans or resolutions (p-lease with those already). Maybe there will be some new ideas about being healthier as the 48th birthday that will arrive in 2015 is pinching me a little. There are definitely plans to make better use of the space in my house. (OK yes, that's organizing I know but it wouldn't be January without an organizing plan, c'mon!!)

I am looking forward to my clean slate. Looking forward to shaking things up along the way this year. 

Wishing you a clean slate and oodles of chalk in cool colors to write all over it to your hearts content...or not.

Happy 2015!!!!