Happy New Year everyone! I’m always excited about a new year, but as we approached the yawn, stretch, and final awakening of 2011, I swear something in me was dancing a little jig! So to add to my extra New Years lift, I created some new New Years traditions for myself. While doing so, I stumbled across one thing we must do in 2011. Before I get to that, though, I just have to share with you some of my new New Years traditions:
1. Hair: I usually (if the bank account agrees) get my hair done before the New Year. There’s just something about having a fresh hairdo to greet the New Year, don’t you agree? This year, I tried a new salon, new stylist and a new style! I was very pleased with the results. What do you think?
2. Eyebrows/Manicure: Well, now, I couldn’t have a new hairdo without doing something with those BLAH brows! Oh yes, the eyebrows got it! I get mine threaded. (OUCH, is right!) This past NYE, I tried a new salon. Ladies, I was able to get my eyebrows AND nails done in one spot!!! I tell you this. Eyebrow torture has to be the ultimate in female “pampering” rituals, right ladies?! lol…. I mean, if done properly, it’s like getting a 5 minute face lift where the end really does justify the means! (BTW, the picture above was taken PRE-Operation Brow Clean-up 🙂 )
3. Pajamas: NEW JAMMIES!!!! Now I’ve never done this before, but I did it this year and LOVED it. I bought a cute pair of new, girly PJs – nothing fancy or expensive by any means, just new, CUTE, and comfy! On NYE night (since my church doesn’t hold NYE services, I stayed inside for the night), I showered, sprayed on a little perfume and slid into my new jammies!! I enjoyed a phenomenal evening of movies, munchies, writing, and of course prayer to bring in the New Year. This new tradition was the ULTIMATE IN GIRLY for my NYE! Left me wondering why I don’t do that EVERY night (and I just might start)!! I love to look and feel like a woman, and those new jammies hit the spot – had me giggling to myself, like a little girl, all night!
I’m still smiling! 🙂
Did I mention that I just LOVE BEING A GIRL?!!!!
4. Clothes: I purchased a nice new outfit that I’ll probably wear on our first “non-casual” day back to work. My office has blessed us with one final day of denim on Monday, so Tuesday my little outfit will make its debut. I can’t wait!
5. Journal: Last, but definitely the most significant, I bought a brand new journal! Those who know me know that I go through journals like water, so a new journal is certainly not a novelty. The tradition is that I will now begin a new journal on New Year’s Day. No matter how many pages are left in the existing journal, at 12:01am January 1 I must close it, label it (Don’t laugh at me, but I do have that many journals!), and store it away with its journal sisters. Of all my new traditions, this one was the most important. Earlier in the week, I asked the Lord to give me a way to symbolically release the events of 2010 and prepare for the story He’s written for me in 2011. By starting a new journal, I was able to lay them to rest. May they truly rest in peace.
I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t even realize my new journal was God’s answer to my prayer until I picked up my pen and began to write in the early A.M. hours of 2011. I felt an overwhelming sense of newness, freshness, joy, and peace. And then it hit me… My new traditions, including new words on new pages, are symbolic of a new story that I must live out in this new year.
All of this brings me to the one thing you must do in 2011. The good, the bad, and the ugly of an old year are now archived as old news. I must leave them there, and so must you. My New Years challenge to you is that you linger no longer in thoughts or deeds of the past. A new chapter has begun, and it’s time we turn our full attention to the story the Lord has already written for our lives in this year. So, if you haven’t done so already, you can do it today. Find your way to formally say good bye to the past, and prepare for the new chapter in your story. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you did. I’d love to hear from you!
Wise, Virtuous, Valuable,
Monica, you’ve created some interesting traditions. Cute do my the way. I purchased a new big journal a couple of months ago and I was tempted to start in it but just couldn’t let the empty pages in my current journal go to waste. But I love your idea of starting a new one every year. I recently read a book about journal that has given me some additional ideas on journaling and I can’t wait to give it a try. Great advice on looking ahead rather than behind.
Happy New Year, Ms. Wanda! You are always so faithful to stop by and pay me a visit. I LOVE journaling. I’ve always said I’d like to teach a class on it, some day. It was truly important for me to symbolically close the book on one year and open the fresh new pages of a new year. I never thought about it that way before, but I praise the Lord for the revelation this year. Looking forward to sharing more with you this year!