So, we're about to say au revoir to 2006, and bienvenue to 2007. I keep hearing that Barry Manilow song in my head: "It's just another New Year's Eve, another night like all the rest..."
Is New Year's Eve just another night? In some respects, sure it is. I certainly don't place as much importance on it as I used to, back in the day where I felt like a social pariah if I didn't have a party to attend or a date to kiss at midnight. Now, a movie and Chinese food is the order of the day (I'm planning to see "The Holiday").
But in other respects, the passing of the old year and the launch of the new always makes me want to think back on what the old year has brought (and I only focus on the GOOD stuff), and also to think forward, about what's next and what I want to create in the coming year. So here are the highlights of my past year, as well as some of the things I'm envisioning for 2007 -- which I fully anticipate will be a year unlike any other in my life because I'll be spending it in PARIS!
2006 in Review:
- Finally achieving my dream of moving to Paris; that's got to be Number One on my list. The timing was a bit unexpected and the transition hasn't been as smooth as I envisioned it, but it hasn't been bad, either. The main thing is: I did it!
- Taking control of my health with a 25+ pound weight loss. I still have more weight to shed but this was significant for me.
- Finishing my first book and actually having people BUY it.
- Sending query letters out to literary agents to pitch my travel book ideas (even though no nibbles yet, this was a big first step).
2007 Intentions:
- Improve my French; it needs a lot of work. I'd like to be capable of carrying on a decent conversation by the end of the year.
- Travel around Europe both for fun and as part of my book research.
- Get a book deal and write (or at least start to write) one of the two books I'm planning to work on while living in Paris.
- Take off the rest of the excess weight. The lifestyle changes in Paris will be a big help with this one!
- Take my freelance writing to a higher level both in terms of compensation and the types of projects I'm attracting (I want fewer, but bigger, projects now).
- Decide if I want to stay in Paris longer than a year. I'm hoping this will be a "Yes" but I'm deferring the decision until after the hot summer months.
- Meet and fall in love with someone amazing, bien sûr! It's Paris!
There are other intentions I've sent for myself in 2007 but these are the ones I'm willing to share publicly! I prefer to think in terms of "intentions" rather than New Year's Resolutions; intentions has more weight, more of an inspiring feel to it, whereas resolutions are often made to be broken.
My wish for you, you Bold Soul, is that you create a bold and wonderful year for yourself in 2007, and that you find yourself a year from now, looking back and saying "WOW! What a year I've had!" And feeling pretty proud of yourself, too.
Bonne Année, mes amis!
