I’ve always loved the beginning of a new year. Its my way of rebooting, renewing and reassessing everything in my life. It hardly feels like its been a whole year since we rang in 2011 due to how busy my life has been, but alas, here I am with a brand new year to look forward to. I know some of what will be going on for my family in this new year. Some of which I am excited about and one specific thing  I dread(more on this one later).

Every year I do my best to learn from what the previous year brought me in lessons. Just a few things I’ve learned in life so far:

1. All work and little play makes for a grumpy mom. ):   Downtime and recreation is like good medicine for the whole family!

2. After 40, the pounds come on with little effort. It really is possible to look at a cookie and gain 5 pounds. Actually eat the cookie and you might as well just go get those fat jeans on right away.

3. Perfectionism is the best way to unhappiness and discontent.

4.  The benefits of forgiveness is also for the forgiver, not just the forgiven.

5. A good night’s uninterrupted sleep is more valuable than gold and even harder to get when you’re a mommy.

6. Some days it really is perfectly alright and probably advisable to do absolutely nothing but “be.”

7. Baking bread from scratch (grinding my own wheat) makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. (:

8. Money doesn’t buy happiness. It only softens the blow of stressful times.

9. I am an artistic type (have really always known this) and if I don’t get to “create” or make things, I feel blah about life in general.

10. When I get to the point that I feel as if I am just moving through my life robotic just doing what must be done, its time to shake things up a bit – learn a new hobby, make something, sing,write, dance, sew, photograph….anything. Its my way of shaking off that mundane melancholy feeling that comes with the daily grind.

11. People will disappoint you and often. You will disappoint yourself. Just go ahead and plan on it….and I don’t mean plot your revenge. (:

12. Coffee makes mornings more tolerable even when its decaf.

13. I can’t drink caffeinated coffee and haven’t in a year or so. I feel so much better its amazing.

14. Being nice doesn’t ensure that people won’t hurt you, gossip about you or betray you. I’ve been accused of being “too nice” or “too tolerant” and I’m sure its been true occasionally. My nicey nice days are over. Middle-age has hit me and I find I have little tolerance lately for some of the stuff people do. I now have to make an effort to be nice to intolerable people and if I can’t, I avoid them with great passion. I can always love them from a distance!

15. I need to spend time alone to reboot. A few hours of peace and quiet is my survival technique.

16. You should be a parent to your child primarily and spend less time trying to be their friend. Its more important that they respect you. You will not be able to teach them or guide them in life if they think of you as a “peer.” If you do this right friendship with your child comes with time and is priceless and lasting.

17. When you spend more time cultivating your relationship with your children and your spouse than you spend with God, you will eventually find yourself out of balance and disappointed. Put God first.

18. Music is great therapy to me. I have found that it can lift me up, soothe me or even inspire me. I am making more of an effort to keep it in my life daily.

19. A clean house is a temporary thankless thing. I’m no longer allowing it to be  what I do the most of. I will clean but I refuse to let it consume me.

20. Life is short, goes by faster the older you get and is totally unpredictable. I’ve learned to bend with the harsh realities, dance through the boring and soak up the beautiful moments. Worry is wasteful and ruins your health. Praying, hoping and believing are better on the heart and mind.