{Happy New Year Peeps}

Happy New Year!!!!! Have you missed me?

Photo credit: Design*Sponge
 

Boy - have I had a very eventful couple of weeks. I had very different plans for how my Christmas break would go, and while at one point {actually several points} when I didn't think I was going to make it through it...I did! On top of my travels back and forth to the ER*, I ended up getting really sick with a sore throat, horrific cold, and an ear ache. I kept looking up to the sky saying "Are You There God...It's Me Jessica ~ why am I going through this....now....on my Christmas break?" and after a while I quietly received my answer and learned a few important lessons. It showed me the importance of taking care of me first - it showed me the importance of a supportive family that in your worst days are there for you and willing to put all things aside so that you are well and smiling - it showed me the value of true friends that understood why I couldn't talk on the phone, or come to visit while I was home in Ohio - and the value of friends that called, text, or emailed to check on me - and  the value of friends that would rather me spend time with them sick for New Year's than not be there at all. It showed me that I need to relax, play on my iPad {you know I had to slip that in}, watch some movies, and enjoy just being. It showed me that my readers would rather me be well than for me to blog/tweet/facebook - it showed me that  I have a puppy that knew something was wrong and didn't leave my side for 2 weeks - and finally it showed me to never ever leave the house thinking you can just run in and out of a store without bumping into someone you know {while in crappy clothes,  hair slicked back, no make up on, skin red and full of bumps from the medication reactions, etc.} because it never fails you always will {LOL!!!}... however, this time around that friend still tells you that you look great {which was a lie - you know who you are} - are things that all you can do is step back and say...."Ok, Lord - I get it. Not sure why I had to learn it this way, but I get it, and thank you!"  So while I had other plans for my Christmas break, I learned that I'm not always in control which then lead me to tweak my new year resolutions. Speaking of which..

My Resolutions {some have carried over from 2010 as they are continued works in progress}:

1. Make continued efforts to let the most important people in my life know that I love them through frequent phone calls, cards, and little acts of kindness spread throughout the year.

2. Re-brand Flourish & Modage {this will take place within the first quarter of the year...stay tuned}

3. Be joyful in my own skin, regardless of external negativity.

4. Love more. Write more. Blog more. Tweet more. Design more. Live more. Travel more. Save more. Make memories more. {ok ok....Exercise more. or....Exercise! lol}

5. Spend less time being cautious and safe and more time being creative.

6. Push myself past the scary bits more often and not let comfort and complacency hold me back from really exciting places on the horizon.

7. Enjoy and love the California sunshine - or learn to love the Chicago snow {lol}.

8. Believe in myself.

9. Spend more time with God.
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My wish for you this year is to continue live your best life! Don't wait, start now!

{*I am feeling better on most fronts. Still in some pain, but I have good meds to help with that. The saga isn't over yet - but there is a clear cause and hopefully within the next couple of weeks I will be fully back to me! My continued thanks for your love and support.}

Happy 2011!!!!!