Tuesday Talk: Don't Quit On Me...

Isn't that the title of a song or a line in a movie? It should be. I've been majorly MIA and that is for a few reasons -- I've just been hired on F/T at my job (let me hear BIG cheers :) and I started my rehearsals for a musical I'm doing at our local theater in town (4 nights a week!) -- But I can't lie... not to you guys, the #1 reason I've gone blogging AWOL is because I'm working through a few issues all things writing. I've needed some inspiration because I was beginning to bore even myself --

I saw the "LOVE" picture in clipart and it made me feel happy and I realized that was it -- Nothing I was doing on my blog was making me feel happy {and I'm a very happy person} -- In fact, so much so, it's the thing my husband says he loves the most about me, my happy-go-lucky way about life -- So... this is the dealio (yes. I just said dealio) -- I want this blog to be for you -- It's actually for me, but definitely for you -- Now that I'm making a lot of sense... let's get on with it --

I've mentioned that one of my greatest joys is to find out what someone's goals/dreams are and help them achieve it -- I love hearing what they want and then coaching them very practically how to get there -- I love promoting them like I have for Victoria and Leila -- I. love. seeing. others. succeed. and being a part of that --

I want my blog to serve a purpose and this is how I want to do that -- First... I've got skills ladies :) I didn't pay for an education in counseling and coaching to sit on it and make my life more comfortable... For all you Newlywed lovlies out there, I want to provide practical tools for getting you through that first year of marriage {which is statistically proven to be the hardest} -- So... I'm going to start "Tuesday Talk" -- This will be a post dedicated only to marriage and supporting its success -- If you've got questions, I want to answer them {no one has to know you are the one the question came from, unless you want that} -- If you don't have questions, well... you are going to get an earful about me simply hear about my life -- If you've got any success stories, I want to hear about them!

Secondly... If you have a dream, such as using your insane ability to throw meals together using rice and pretzel sticks {if you can really do that, email me} and want to write a cook book and sell it... I want to help. I will be calling this "Fantastic Friday" -- My hope is to not only generate blog traffic for you, but to seriously. truly. practically. help you get to your dreams... I will be posting tomorrow hold me to it how I've done just that for my SIL and I want to help you, too --

OK... enough rambling. I miss you guys :)

Party Like It's 1999

I remember New Year's Eve 1989 (ouch, that hurt) -- I had just turned 12 years old, moved to our new town of 500 people and thought it was coolest thing ever that I was witnessing the entry of a new decade -- The very fact that in another 10 years we'd be adorning a new Century clearly wasn't phasing me... it was going to be The 90's and life was good --

19 years later, I find myself laughing at the thought of me sitting in our panel covered wall living room trying to burn into my mind exactly what I was wearing so that I could forever remember that moment forever... Clearly it worked -- (a stretchy jumpsuit with black bottoms and a black and white striped top with pseudo suspenders topped off with colorful buttons for those of you who were wondering... I now understand I was not a fashion guru :)

Many New Years have come and gone and with each, new memories, heart aches, challenges, victories and of course, resolutions... There were even a few years where I don't even remember New Years and resolutions were clearly a fleeting thought -- At 31, I find myself looking at the coming New Years differently -- My resolutions more grounded, my goals not so lofty and my dreams less selfish -- I've been told (by whom I'm not sure, but it stuck and I like the theory) that in your 30's you start to not care about what people think anymore and you begin charging through life one goal at a time... I'm definitely finding that to be true --

12 months ago, I found myself in a deep depression -- If you know me, you'd know that this state of mind is all wrong for me -- I'm optimistic, resilient, passionate and ready for any challenge... but not the one of being a Newlywed -- Not that I wasn't ready for Newlywedhood, I just didn't realize I'd signed my death wish to freedom know what the challenge would look like seeing as Hollywood, magazines, hallmark commercials and anyone else who likes to paint fantasies for innocent brides, made 'Happily Ever After' seem like a breeze and that love conquers all... boy was I flipped off my fantasy rocker --

Hence... a blog -- I love to write and as an extrovert, I needed an outlet -- As I started to organize my craziness through posts, I found that everyday married life was quite funny -- No need for depression... but gratitude that I'd married the right guy -- It wasn't that I didn't have freedom, it's that I was now challenged to believe I was totally loved and that this was freedom in and of itself --

As I have written since April, I've learned so much about myself and Dan our relationship is absolutely incredible -- Not boring perfect, but open, honest, fun, comfortable and trusting -- I no longer feel the instability and insecurities of all the what ifs and we're at a point where our love is able to grow deeper and stronger... The second stage of marital love --

So... New Years Resolution? I only have one because it seems I get too overwhelmed by any more than that... What is it?

To only set goals on a daily or weekly basis

Yep. That's it. Nothing special, nothing extravagant, nothing to go running to all your bloggy friends about and shout You must read Anna's New Year's Resolution -- Sweet and simple and to the point -- Why? As a counselor, I set goals with people everyday and something I've learned is they only ever meet the goals in which are attainable within that week -- The best part about this is within a month, they look back and have accomplished a lot --

The benefits to this resolution are:

• You are constantly accomplishing something so you are continuously gaining the reward of your accomplishments


• There's not a lot of time to get discouraged about not getting to your goal


• Your goals won't seem so overwhelming (i.e. Loose 20 lbs. -- instead it will be This week I will loose 1 lb.)


• At the end of every month, you get to look back and reap the reward of having accomplished so much

OK... so, that was just a little psycho ed for each of my sweet bloggy friends --

So... whether you enjoy bringing in the New Year partying like it's 1999 or watching a good movie and drinking wine, my hope for each of you is to bring in the New Year just how your heart desires... I know I am :)