NEW YEAR'S THEME!

Photo by Erwin Blumenfeld

So, I know we’re all over the whole New Year’s resolution thing - I’m a little over them myself. But, something occurred to me during a three hour meeting at work the yesterday. We were talking about personal and professional development, and how to get where we want to go in our lives, and it occurred to me: what if instead of thinking up specific resolutions that often end up feeling out of reach, we thought instead about a theme to focus on for the coming year? Using this approach leaves things a lot more open-ended, but also leaves room for joy in the unexpected. Sometimes when we focus too hard on accomplishing a specific goal, we can lose sight of the bigger picture, and in the process miss a really great opportunity. There are lots of ways to get to the same destination, which is the greatest thing I’ve come to learn over the years and has also been very liberating. Of course there is also strength in setting tangible goals and creating a sense of urgency, but perhaps losing a little control can help you get there.

This year, my theme is going to be pushing boundaries - particularly in my professional life. I really want to work on getting out of my comfort zone - trying different styles of design and layout while also learning even more about the programs I currently use. I want to open myself up in networking events, in my blog and my relationships. Take risks, and challenge myself. Within this blog, I've been brainstorming some new, original content to share with you all. I want to focus on creating a dialogue between freelancers and creative professionals this year. Some of these new columns will roll out right away, and some you'll start to see down the line, but I'm excited for all of them!

What do you guys think? Even if you’re sticking to the traditional resolution route, do you see a theme there?