{simplify: getting back to basics}

Did you make resolutions this year? Were they different than last years? I don't have the list I made for '08, but I remember what the theme was... work, work, and more work. Being a certified workaholic, that seemed like a good thing... and there were certainly some good things that came out of focusing on my store and growing my business. Unfortunately, the sacrifice that came with that deal was less time to focus on the other important aspects in my life.

My father always gave me the same advice, "Simplify your life. Downsize." I always thought he was being kind of dramatic, but the older I get, the more I understand his philosophy. His advice never felt more relevant than with this new year upon us. I'm a pretty practical girl, so downsizing still seems a little extreme, but getting back to basics by eliminating some of the extra clutter in my life makes a lot of sense. And by "clutter", I mean anything that is making your life more complicated than it needs to be. This might include putting some distance between "friends" who seem to take more than they add to your life, not accepting all invitations to parties or events, not staying late in the office, or volunteering to be on another committee. You would be surprised how much time these things can take away from the things you really want to be doing.

My resolution for 2009 is to focus on the things that make me happy and cut out some of the things that take away from my quality of life. It may sound simple, but sometimes having to say no can be very difficult. You just have to try to remember that when you say no to something or someone, you are saying yes to yourself. I'm looking forward to a year where I have more time to focus on the things that I enjoy, which will improve not only my life, but the lives of the people who mean the most to me.

Happy New Year! Make it about you.