Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts

1.08.2013

10 Green New Year's Resolutions

 
This time of year we think about our goals - our resolutions - for the year.
 
Here's a list of 10 Green New Year's Resolutions:
 
1.  Do not use plastic bottles.
Instead, get a reusable bottle to fill up!
 
2. Use canvas shopping bags.
Don't use plastic or paper bags from the store, bring your own.
 
3.  If you don't already use public transportation, try taking it one day per week.
 
4.  Buy local food.
 
5.  Use earth friendly cleaners.  You can make your own, or purchase them already made.
 
6.  Change all of your light bulbs to compact fluorescent. 
You'll save money while you're saving the planet.
 
7.  Hang your clothes to dry instead of using a dryer.  Try for hang drying one load per week to start.
 
8.  Switch to cloth napkins and quit using paper ones.
 
9.  Buy fair trade products.
 
10.  Try Meatless Monday.

12.20.2012

Reflection


"Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand that things that lie ahead." ~Yvonne Woon


It’s so easy in our daily lives to feel like we don’t get enough done.  We have kids to take care of, we have “to do” lists a mile long, we have to go to work, some people have businesses that they also do on the side, or maybe your business is full time.  When you’re in the day-to-day of just living life – maybe even you feel like you’re just trying to get through the day – it’s not easy to take a moment and reflect upon the things you did accomplish.

At the beginning of last year I did take some time to reflect on the previous year.  I’ll do the same this year.  I actually took time at the halfway point of this year to see where I was.  I was amazed to actually see many of the things I wanted to achieve I actually did achieve at 6 months.  Goals I had set had been accomplished.  Or, if they hadn’t been accomplished, I had gotten a lot further on it than I realized.

I had made a list of 100 things I wanted to accomplish in 2012.  Without looking at the list – honestly, I don’t think that I did look at the list in 6 months – I had done many of the things on the list.  Even though a lot of them didn’t appear on my day-to-day “to do” list, I found myself marking them complete.

I got extreme satisfaction in this.  It made me feel so much more like I am moving in the right direction and that I am getting closer and closer to living my life in the way I want and doing the things I want to do.
Had I not taken these few precious moments to reflect upon it, I probably wouldn’t have even realized.  I probably would keep pushing forward as usual, but without realizing the satisfaction of completing so many of my goals.

I want to give credit where credit is due.  Although I usually make “Resolutions” each New Year, I never really thought about completing the previous year in this way.  I love the fresh new start of a fresh new year and usually am hurried and happy to get on with the next year and put the past year in the past.  But last year I got the Create Your Incredible Year Workbook and Calendar fromLeonie Dawson and it gave me this different perspective.

I haven’t yet started on this year’s workbook.  I’m not quite ready to put 2012 to rest yet, but I do have it all ready to go when I am ready.  I wanted to bring it to your attention in case you are craving a peaceful time to reflect and put 2012 to rest. 

Of course, planning for 2013 is also a big part of the workbook.  I have heard it again and again from other women who have also used the workbook that if you just set the intention for your goals, they start to – almost magically – start to come true.  Even without you actively thinking about them!  When you look back at your list of 100 things you want to do this year, so many of them are done.  (And you don’t have to make a list of 100.  Make a list of however many you want.)

I hope you take some time to reflect upon your year and make some goals for next year sometime soon.  I wrote a post on my Emerging Tutorials blog about reflection with some ideas.  If you would like to check out Create Your Incredible Year, click here.  There’s a life version and a business version or a combo pack.  (I got the combo pack!  This is the first year for the business version!)  (Oh, and feel free to take advantage of the deal I have at the end of the post here!  I'm offering free tutorials when you purchase the planner, workbook and calendars!  Or join the goddess circle!)

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday!  And a beautiful new year!!

1.15.2012

The Beginning of My Goddess Year


If you are a woman - any woman - I believe you will find Goddess Leonie inspirational, truthful and full of love and joy.


It is gorgeous  - lots of colors, fun fonts and art throughout.   I got right to work on filling out the excercises, which are thought provoking and help get your mind in the right place when starting out a new year. 

There are worksheets to fill out to help you ease out of 2011 and plan and dream for 2012.

To Do Book

One thing that I really found helpful is making a "to do book” as Goddess Leonie describes.  She tells you how to do this in the workbook, but she previously did a video on this


here’s her video:




If you know me, you know I have a list.  Or rather a few lists.  I have read a bunch of books and I have tried all kinds of different ways to organize my lists.  Usually I can't figure out how to keep my list with me, while still being able to keep it constantly changing.

If my list isn’t with me, it’s sort of pointless.  I’ve tried to find ways around this that have improved the situation (like putting my lists on google docs so I can access them anywhere I have the internet; however, I don’t have internet access everywhere I go.)

Now I have finally found the solution!  Goddess Leonie's "to do list book."  Or as I like to call it, the Big Book of Beautiful Bounty.

After reading about it in "Creating My Goddess Year Workbook and Planner," I got straight to work on it.  Just like Goddess Leonie suggested, I put one goal on each page.  Actionable tasks go underneath.

The best part, is that no matter where I am, I can take the book with me.  It fits in my purse!  It travels!

I saw the video when Goddess Leonie first showed it and I didn’t really think it was for me, but after reading about it again, I realized that it was the perfect solution.  In perfect time for the New Year!

This is just one tiny little juicy tidbit in the "2012 Creating My Goddess Year Workbook and Planner."  It’s over 100 pages.  I am working through it myself right now!

It is soooo affordable and you instantly get it in your email.  I’m planning my yearly goals and dreams in it.

Who wants to join me? Let me know if you are already doing it and want to talk about it.

If you haven't gotten it yet, head over to get your copy now:  2012 Creating My Goddess Year Workbook and Planner.

12.30.2010

Where has B.B. Bellezza been?

(Handmade Rocking Horse from Building Character!)

I know I have been absent.  And I’ve made excuses.  I should be acclimated to my new home, new workspace and new day job hours by now.  But then the Christmas season hit.  Then I got sick, and then my boyfriend was sick.  Then I got sick again….

Today I opened the blinds to let some sun in and they broke. 

It’s easy to look at the negatives in the situation.  I mean, I didn’t actually want to move to begin with, I can’t seem to get going on anything new artistically because I keep getting sick and I’m working longer hours at my day job (more hours are actually a positive in every other way than that), our apartment is much smaller than our old place. 

However, I’m done being a baby and whining now.

The Positives

I'm starting to feel better.  Our home is tiny, but we live right in town which is awesome.  Lititz has a lot going on for it.  It’s adorable and fun and I can walk everywhere.  I don’t have a dedicated studio space, but it makes me keep more organized and cleaner, instead of the tornado aftermath that was always my old studio. 

The New Year

I’m looking forward to the New Year.  I have plans and goals in mind.  I have ideas.  I love fresh starts and I think the New Year is a great time for them.  No, not necessarily for resolutions, but I do actually make them (and break them) each year.  But instead for new goals, reassessing old goals and trying new things.

Next year I hope to bring you lots of new posts and ideas, a new jewelry line (exciting, right?) and more peeks into my life.  I’ve been considering a “one-a-day” thing (i.e. ring a day, creative everyday, crafting 365), but I can’t settle on anything just yet.  Any ideas for me?

I hope you are all enjoying the holidays with the people you love!  (And I hope you’re missing out on all this sickness going around.  I seem to catch everything that anyone has!)

12.31.2008


I didn't realize it had been so long since my last blog! All the craziness of the end of the school semester and the Christmas-present-making frenzy really kept me busy.


Now the dust has settled and I am ready to celebrate the New Year!

This time of the year always feels like it has so much oppurtunity. Like I can do anything, I have a whole new year to start fresh. Sure, you can start fresh at any time, but the New Year has something more special about it.

I think this is also a great time to reflect upon the last year. What are you grateful for? What have we learned?

This year was exciting for me, especially for my jewelry business. I started to do craft shows and through that met some awesome friends and now have my own little retail space at artMarket. It's like my dreams are slowly starting to come true.

There have been definite ups and downs this year, but I have learned a lot about myself in so many ways.

So, my friends, as this year draws to an end, my wish is for you all to be happy and healthy and be able to conquer anything life throws at you.

I will see you next year!

Kim

P.S. Lancaster folks: If you would like a fun thing to do, come check out Building Character to celebrate! Faux Minx is having a CD release party and you can check out the Lancaster fireworks, too!