New Year's Resolutions -

WOW - we are one week into the year and already I feel as if I've been ordered, shipped, delivered, received, wrapped and shaken a few times before being torn out of the wrapping paper.

If the last seven days are any indication of what my life will unravel in 2009 I am absolutely tickled pink! - trust me, I am not complaining, things could be worse, much worse.

I spent my New Year's Eve with friends I met when I first moved to California A DOZEN years ago. It was bitter sweet. One night we reminisced about the old days, laughed, told stories - and then the next day we heard the news. The Golf Club, which was part of the Resort that brought us together originally, shut down  after dozens of years of service to the North San Diego County community.

I am grateful and bewildered each day. I live in such a glorious place, and have a job that is like recess to me.  Then I hear about what chaos is happening all around us and the rest of the nation.  I recognize the impact of today's devastating economy.

I empathize with the challenges today's employees and entrepreneurs alike are facing. Collectively the words that I hear and the sentiments that I feel are the same – we are all maneuvering back to basics!

What I do for a living has consistently paralleled facets of my life. I realized recently that the advice I give is advice I should take for myself.  

2008 for me (the last quarter at least) was such a roller coaster. I instilled the “Keep it Simple” motto. This is advice I constantly give my clients. I am not talking décor, furnishings or anything physical. I relish creativity and existing outside the box!  I am talking about organizationally keeping it simple – connecting with vendors that create a smooth planning experience, not over-thinking things that are out of your/my/our control, having a well laid out plan before gunning out of the running gates, simple stuff!

With the above success, I surrendered to taking to my advice:

This year, 2009, is about “Baby Steps”.  

Maybe I am at that age, however, in the last year or two I’ve become Auntie to several of my friends’ newborns. Can you guess what their comments are about their rug rats? “They grow up so fast!”

I don’t think so, as an outsider they are boring unless you see the progress a few weeks later. That must mean that they do it in a progressive, well thought out way. There are hundreds of things that happen or a baby does before getting to the first step.

Let’s learn from the “wee masses”. We all need to take it step by step and reach obtainable goals – just like in planning an event. It takes a little bit of progress every day and support from your team or loved ones to put a celebration together.

This brings me to one of my Professional Resolutions. Instead to committing to a BIG STEP of blogging daily, which is where I strive to ultimately reach. I have set the bar to committing to blogging weekly, that way it is obtainable, I can reward myself when I do it, and I will enjoy it.

Phew!  Resolution one check!

Stay tuned to next time!

To a wonderful year! I am so excited to be on board with such wonderful people and embraced by a supportive community.