Being Who I Am: What I Accomplished Last Year

All year long, I take notes on the kind of person I want to be, what kinds of new things I want to try, and steps I can take to get there. I have a notebook solely dedicated to my personal reflection and it can include notes on anything from a craft I want to try, to prayers, to list upon list of places to go and people to meet.

Sometimes, though, I forget to follow up and can end up feeling like I'm not accomplishing anything. So, here's my list, my little pat on the back for all the things I wanted to do and actually got done in 2007.

1. framed and hung family photos (Father's Day present to my hubby)
2. lead two women's Bible studies
3. baked more
   
4. cooked more (3 meals maybe?)
5. sent more thank you notes
6. participated in a Bible study
7. started this blog
8. started writing more
9. began recycling regularly
10. began reading more (13 books!)
11. read and studied my Bible more regularly
12. hosted more dinners for friends at home
13. painted bedroom walls
14. painted the dresser my sister gave us
15. volunteered more
16. organized our recipe "center"
17. cooked a meal for a friend
18. helped a friend in a time of need
    
19. kept the business bookkeeping up to date
20. paid the business taxes on time
    

Some of the things on the list are things I want to repeat this year, specifically the ones related to being the kind of person I want to be, organized, thoughtful, generous, and creative. I still have a long way to go I think, which is why I'm grateful to have today to work on it! It can be alot of work to be mindful of my character throughout the day because I get so caught up in the mundane tasks of being a wife, mother, and business partner. I forget that in those tasks I can also be encourager, comforter, and nurturer.

Remembering that each moment grants the opportunity to shape my character is one of the most important things I can do. Asking myself, "Am I being who I want to be in this moment?" is how I release myself from the momentary bad mood or harsh tone, from the lazy and the indifferent. When I am able to that I can transcend my circumstances and get back to being who I was created to be.