Getting Organised For 2010
[ 29 December 2009 ]
It’s the last week of 2009! God, how exciting. I LOVE the prospect of a new year! Fresh starts, new goals, rejuvenated ambition & no idea what the future might hold — it doesn’t get any better than that!
We all have ideas (some vague, some concrete) about what we’d like to achieve in the next decade (!!!). I always think it’s important to start out as you mean to continue, so here are a few ideas for you to ruminate on as you get ready for 2010!
I want to… plan my life right down to the most minute detail!
I really do love a good Moleskine for daily organisation. I have been using them for years & there is something about the sexy, simple design, good quality paper & substantial hard cover which really appeals to me. I usually go with the Moleskine Daily Planner, which is wonderful — you get a full-sized page per day which is great for workaholics or organisational freaks like myself. But I decided 2010 needed a shake-up, & where better to start than with my day-planner? I bought a Colour A Month Daily Planner Box Set, which has been sitting on my desk & delighting me with its rainbonic (!!! or PRISMATIC!) visage! You still get a full page per day, just smaller, & I’m sure it will be just dandy for my purposes. I can’t wait to throw one of its colourful little books into my purse for mega-organisation on the go!
But this is not to say that a Moleskine is the only way to go, because it certainly isn’t. You might also like to try the Muji Chronotebook Non-Linear Day Planner (here is Lifehacker’s take on it), the 8 Days A Week planner (you can use the 8th day for things you’d like to schedule in, but are not sure when — v. clever!), the Daysteps planner (they seem to have thought of everything), the Multi-Task Notebook, a planner by Kate Spade or the Llewellyn’s 2010 Witches’ Datebook. The WeekDate planner looks really, truly incredible. You can even design your own planner with your own photos & pre-scheduled events at FranklinCovey. Amaze. So don’t give up or feel resigned to the ugly diary that your bank gave you, because there really is something for everyone!
Once you get your planner, use it! Keep it on your desk & open to the day’s date. Start making lists of things you want to do at night-time — for example, plan Monday on Sunday evening. If you do this, your brain will ruminate over the tasks while you’re sleeping, allowing your subconscious mind to come up with a plethora of solutions for the day ahead. Lovely!
Organize Now!: A Week By Week Guide To Simplify Your Space & Your Life might be a good purchase, too!
I want… a great wall calendar!
Me too! Yes, a good wall calendar should definitely be on your shopping list.
Okay, so if you have a daily planner, why do you need a wall calendar too? You don’t, but I like it that way. I love to be able to see my month at a glance: that way I always know where I need to be & what I need to prepare for. It also gives me a sense of accomplishment as I see what I’ve achieved as the days tick over!
The difference between the calendar & my planner is that my calendar is strictly for things I need to leave the house for. My planner is more of a daily to do list.
It’s a fab time to buy a calendar. In most bookstores they are 50% off, because it’s after Christmas, & it is beyond wonderful to have it hanging on the 1st of January! It always feels a bit wasteful to buy one in March.
My 2009 calendar was a Tim Walker one & I cherished it. Sadly there is not a 2010 one, so I have been on the hunt for a suitable replacement. Here are some you might like.
Check out The Wizard of Oz, A Year In Yes (I have this & it is so cute, with spaces for making sweet little lists etc. etc.!), Walt Disney World (pictures of the park, YAY!), Magic Places, Hindu Gods & Goddesses, Llewellyn’s Astrological, Holly Madison (I kind of love her), Celebrations, Gods of the Bazaar, World of Faeries, Alex Grey, Tokidoki & Hello Kitty. This reversible calendar is very chic & clean. The Women of India calendar is super-colourful & An Ideal World features Indian educational charts from the 1950s. Love it. If you’d prefer to choose your own images, you can make your own calendar by connecting your Flickr account to Snapfish. Genius!
If none of these grab you, or you’d prefer not to put something on the wall, you can always buy a calendar tin!
I want to… sort out my desk!
Me TOO! We have so much in common! Well, you definitely need to begin with a good pen. What else are you going to write all your grand plans of world domination with?! The Yoropen is “the most comfortable pen in the world” & looks super-rad. You could always buy a 10-pack of Gelly Roll pens to make your to do lists more exciting, even glittery. Everyone needs a good Sharpie, especially for addressing packages (mine is magenta). I find it hard to resist scented pencils too!
...& why not keep your favourite pen in a happy Buddha pen holder? I ask you! Why not indeed!
If you have a landline — & I don’t know anyone who does anymore, but still — this phone should be essential.
Bone- & heart-shaped paper clips belong on your desk, most definitely.
As far as resources for making your life more productive or wonderful, start with Never Check E-Mail In the Morning: & Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Work Life Work, Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion (Gary Vee! 
!) & The Life Organizer: A Woman’s Guide to a Mindful Year.
I want to… get a better, more satisfying job!
This could be a whole book on its own, but if you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated in your job, it might be time to look for something else.
Keep in mind the following points.
It’s a cliché but it’s true — dress for the role you want, not the role you have.
Expand your networking skills. Never Eat Alone: & Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time is an excellent, excellent place to begin. It’s totally true that when it comes to getting work, more often than not, it’s who you know & not what you know.
Be aware that higher-level positions usually get about one-fifth the number of applicants that a lower-level position does. Most people aim low. Hilariously, if you apply for a more prestigious role, your odds of getting it are actually better than if you go for the job which pays less! Plus, you never know. I have told this story a zillion times, so feel free to tune out if you’ve heard it before, but I got a job as a book buyer for a university bookstore when I was 18 years old because a) applicants were few & far between & b) their first choice turned it down because they wanted more pay. It was a great job, too — sitting in a café all day, talking books with reps from various companies? Brill.
Give some thought to what you’d really like to do, & try not to be too “practical” about it. If you want to do satisfying, fulfilling work, you need to listen to your heart, not your head. Additionally, if you keep going for the same sort of job, you’re going to get the same kind of result.
I want… to get fit & healthy!
Take advantage of the post-Christmas sales, but not the ones on big boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates! Think about gyms, health clubs, dance classes, etc. — after Christmas, everyone wants to work off a bit of the turkey, mashed potatoes, gargantuan pieces of fruit cake et al from the season of glut. All businesses in the health & wellness sector know this, & you better believe they want your dosh!
So do some shopping around. See what the deals are. Get a few tours. Grab some day passes if you can. Do some research. (Plug “gym or company name” + “review” + “your city” into Google & get cracking!) Purchase wisely, though! If you’re buying from a gym, these memberships often last two years, & while $x may not sound a lot, multiply it by 24 & you may feel quite differently.
Don’t be afraid to drive a hard bargain, either. Tell your membership advisor that you’re shopping around, & see what else they can offer you. If they can throw in some free personal training sessions, so much the better. In fact, the personal training route is a great way to go because the right trainer can give you a mission, encourage you & motivate you — three things you can start to lose sight of if you’re just slogging away under your own steam.
All gyms have their advantages & disadvantages. What is it that you really need from a gym? Good yoga classes? Women only? Personal trainers? A spa? Work out your criteria & then purchase a membership accordingly.
If you’re not of the gym predilection, plot an exercise schedule which suits your lifestyle & STICK TO IT! Self-discipline is key if you want to see results.
As in all areas of life, in order to really achieve something, you need to set a goal that pertains to it. So set health & fitness goals which inspire you, & then get busy!
I want… to eat better!
It’s best to deduce what “eating better” means to you. Less meat? More vegetables? No meat at all? No fried food? All home cooking? More regular meals? Less snacking? Macrobiotic? Vegetarian? Vegan? Raw? Organic? Once you know your definition of healthy eating, you’ll know which direction to head in.
Get some books & do some research, see what you can find online, visit a nutritionist or buy some kitchen equipment that will make your journey easier. Go food shopping, & remove the foods you’re trying to avoid from your kitchen. Make an eating plan & then make sure you have what you need every day so you can keep to it. Half the battle, truly, is just in being organised.
If you want to start with a hiss & a roar, you might like to try something to clear you out. I am going to do a juice fast in January through Blueprint Cleanse. You can do it without supervision or hand-holding, but because I have never done it before & I am a wuss, I’m doing it through them! If it’s something you’re interested in too, you can read an FAQ here.
I want to… move forward & put the past behind me!
Start by cutting loose the negative people in your life. Work out if you’re in a destructive relationship. Set goals for 2010 which wow & inspire you. Improve your home with a dash of feng shui. Come up with some affirmations of what you want for 2010, & recite them every morning & every night. Remember to count your blessings & practice gratitude every day (not just Thursday!). Breathe. Be good to yourself.
I want… to achieve HEAPS!
This is something I did on Saturday evening with a friend of mine. We weren’t planning it, it just happened. After shopping, we crossed the road & sat in a diner. We sipped milkshakes & were talking when I said to her, “What do you want to achieve next year?” We started discussing our goals. She even pulled out her notebook & read me the list of things she wanted to do. As we talked about our plans, we came up with ways we could combine them, or help one another, or people we could introduce the other to who could assist them. We encouraged one another & talked about how great it would be to do this or that or the other thing. It was really fantastic. I would recommend doing this with a friend, lover or family member — anyone who you know will be supportive (very important). If they’re just going to try & talk you out of it, you’re wasting your time. Don’t spend time with dreamkillers!
If you are going to do this, I would recommend doing it when you have no time constraints, & also I would suggest that you phrase everything as if it is already happening. So, instead of saying, “I want to get fit & healthy”, you can say, “I am getting more fit & healthy every day”. Bring it into the present. If you are always phrasing things out in the future, they remain there: in the future, distant, just out of grasp. Pull them to you with your words.
The reasons for sharing your goals are multiple, but one of the best is that it will give you a jolt & make you accountable. Before you said anything out loud, it was just an idea floating around in your head. But now your friend knows about it, & can check on your progress, help you if you want them to, & encourage it to blossom into the real world.
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” — Yoko Ono
What do you want to do, manifest, achieve in 2010? Where do you want to go? What does your dream year look like?
Here’s to the start of a beautiful decade!
P.S. It’s Mercury retrograde which is a little daunting but means it is the perfect time to look back & reflect before launching into the new year. You will get the best results in 2010 if you take a moment to review 2009! There is a FABULOUS Cancerian new moon eclipse on January 15th, which is the best time to start fresh & go wild, so start psyching yourself up for it now!
Love letters & feather headdresses,
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Aaaah! 2010! What happened to this decade?
I never thought about going for higher level jobs…I have my Masters and applying for entry level positions for over a YEAR with little result has been exhausting. This year, I’m just effing GOING for it!
Oh, I love this so much right now!
Thank you so much for this; very inspiring!
I want to fall in love & have someone fall in love with me! That’s just one thing I have planned for 2010, of course.
I want to fall in love.
I want to go zorbing.
I want to find an internship for the summer.
I want to go to Paris.
I want to spend more time in the pub and the library.
I want to start all my assignments a week earlier.
That’s just the beginning!
Yes, I want to achieve heaps for 2010! Currently working on my list of big plans, steering clear of empty new year’s resolutions and actually detailing every step of my mission. Woohoo!
In 2010 I want to:
begin selling my photography projects wholesale
do more craft fairs
take some sort of business class on the cheap
use my brand new dayrunner book every day (yay for daily lists!)
and .. a lot more…
Wow I hadn’t thought of ANY future plans.
But instantly, graduating in the top of my class.
Getting and ensuring a full ride scholarship.
Read a ton of books I’ve been wanting to read.
Get on better terms with my mother so I can stay out later with my lover.
Celebrate my eighteenth birthday somehow.
Get a job or something at a book store, library, or such.
And of course…freedom and college! :D
Love this, Gala! I’m so excited for 2010 now. Merci beaucoup!
This post is fantastic! This is extremely helpful, as this year is going to be pretty intense for me. I’m graduating in May and then have to decide whether I will move to LA or NYC, and then I have to find a job! That will be the most stressful part for sure. I definitely need to focus on organization because I’m sure that nothing will feel too impossible as long as I don’t get jumbled and overstressed. More posts like this throughout the year would be lovely. I know you regularly post inspirational and how to entries, but I seem to lose my goals after a month!
I’m definitely flipping through planners right now..it’s so difficult for me to maintain one regularly but the ones you suggested seem a bit more enticing than the average Target planner.
Three thumbs up! Excellent article!
This is exactly the kinda post I love from you, Gala, thanks!
Here’s to a brand new shiny sparkly decade..
xox
That reversible calendar is so coming to live at my house.
Soo exciting! My housemate and I just got chips and sat down to discuss our future plans; jobs and travel and juggling the two. Tomorrow I’m going to have a hibernation day and do big planning for next year…So much to organise!
xx
2010 is going to be a pivotal year for me, and heres what’s reached the top of my large ‘plans for 2010’ list: Finish coding my website and have it all fabulously gorge by end of Jan so it’s a real reader experience. Do Callanetics daily. Eat ethically and begin the transition to vegetarian. Pursue freelance work. Do an art class. Kiss lots of people. Mwah!
I’m planning to put together a vision board for this year’s goals, so this was the perfect post to find in my reader.
I am traveling, making new friends, volunteering, launching a new project, reading 25 books, and finishing decorating the second floor of my house.
Thanks for the inspiration!
whoa, love that moleskin daily planner – at one point in my life I was so overwhelmed that I planned my day out by every 15 minutes – never have I been so productive in my life!
I just got Llewellyn’s astrological calendar and am tempted to get this “Season of the Witch” planner that has tons of great feedback tinyurl.com/yghuntm
Thanks Gala, I really needed this article. No joke, just before I read it, I was fretting the prospect of a new year. I know big changes will happen in 2010 in my life, and I’m rather freaked out.
This year, I want to move out on my own (again), I want to get a job serving (and get out of the jewellery biz), lose some weight in a healthy way, reconnect with old friends, grow out my poor, stressed out nails, and go back to my love, New Orleans Louisiana!
oooh! i want to do SO MANY THINGS in 2010. i can’t remember the last time i felt this excited about the year ahead – and it seems to be contagious, everyone seems to have that sense of excited anticipation for the new year and the new decade…maybe the universe is clueing us into the awesome that’s about to kick off??
i want to: excel at my new job (i start on the 4th, yikes) buy a house (!) fall in love, find a new local tap dance class, write a book, work my way through the thousand and one craft projects i have in the works, be a great bridesmaid for my best friend when she gets married this summer, read a ton of new books/old favourites, travel, BE GENERALLY AWESOME.
here’s to 2010! clink xx
I love this post so much! I can’t wait for 2010 and all the scary, exciting, new things it will throw at me.
xxx
Thanks for the metaphorical kick up the backside. I’m full of flu (though had a great Christmas)and feeling fairly crappy. Boiler’s had a nervous break down too, but hey. That could be extended to life and other stuff. But I’m going to break open my new Moleskine diary open, as well my Doctor Who / David Tennant calendars I got for my birthday / Christmas and start making plans. Bless you Gala.
My goal for the new year is to hire ONE awesome employee. I manage a team of four IT support staff, and only one of them does any actual work, but since it’s a union gov’t gig, I can’t fire the slackers. I need to take the load off of my and the good employee’s backs and transfer some over to a new employee.
Got the budget, it’s an attractive position with lots of potential for advancement, I want to groom a fantastic replacement and get that corner office eventually. I’ll be negotiating and networking up a storm this year and hopefully will end up with a sweet team!
Just sat down with my laptop and my journal and had an IMPROMPTU PAR-TAY of organising and planning for organising and planning and making things happen. Yay!
I love you so much right now.
Hope you have a great year, Gala :)
As for me, I HAVE to buy myself a daily planner and USE IT (every year I get one from the university but I’ve never used it…) So yeah, that’s one thing I want to do.
I also want to stay on doing yoga. I went to classes 2 times a week this year and it was awesome
I want to start working too…
but overall, this was a great year for me, I mainly want to keep on being happy :D
Gala, That was a fantastic article! I just spent most of my lunch break reading about the cleanse thing! You’re brave! I’m not so sure I could handle that! haha
I set aside my last personal day from work for Thursday. I’m going to make an inspiration board and an inspiration water bottle (a bigger one! I did a small one last year, but i drink the water too fast!). Lots of cutting and gluing in my future.
I’m also going to get a notebook that I can keep track of my exercise, eating, and studying/practicing on a daily basis. That way, if I look and there is Fail written all over the page for that day, I’ll be sure to fix that the next. I think it will also help me organize my weekly vlog next year. :)
I’m excited to get started. I’m not the most organized person in the world, but I’m sure gonna do my best! :D
Galaaaaaaa why are you such an inspiration? :D thanks so much for always giving us what we need (plus what we didn’t even know we needed!) and here’s to an absolutely splendiferous 2010!
Thanks for this post Gala!
I have a lot of goals for 2010. In some ways I think I have too many, as I really just want to be the girl that I have always wished I was.
It’s helped me to sit down and make a list (yay lists!) of everything I see when I picture ‘that girl’ that I am trying so hard to be eventually. What she looks like, who she is with, what she is doing, where she is going.
It’s helping me narrow down some things to aim for during 2010 :)
These are my favourite kind of icing posts :)
Scarily, I already kinda have a month by month plan
January: Start my final semester of Uni. Book flights to New York for the summer. Double my driving lessons.
February: Take a weekend away for Valentine’s day.
March: Take (and pass, goddamnit) my driving test.
April & May: Just focus on squeezing every last drop out of my degree.
June: Finish uni
July: Trip to NY
August: Start making movements towards leaving home and finding a place in Manchester. Also put in a transfer request at work.
September: Be settled in Manchester, pushing for a job with the police force as a forensic photographer.
October, November & December: Open to ideas :P
I’m also taking the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge :)
Talking of calendars my boyfriend got me the most amazing one for Christmas. I’ve had a crush on the footballer Ryan Giggs pretty much forever. And I lament, every year, that they don’t make calendars of him anymore. So my wonderful fella had one custom-freaking-made for me!! Men who are secure enough to indulge your crushes get massive
Exactly the post I needed.
I already have a moleskin for 2010 that I’ve been filling in over the past month, but now I’m lusting for that big, colorful version. My planner is weekly, however, and I like to jot down shorter notes and plans, so half the pages would probably have been wasted…so pretty though!
Thanks for the props, lover! Also! Oh Em Gee, I can’t wait for all that planning! 2010, you are going to rock my socks off!
I really like this post! I think good posts like this one is far between these days, although tilt and carousel posts are good, I think these kind of how to posts are more interesting!
For 2010, I want to change a lot of my habits.
*drink more water *eat less chocolate *do the important things first *keep my home cleaner *say no to things I don’t really want to do * leave my job and find a more interesting one *move to another country, at least for a couple of months
Good luck with your plans, Gala!
In 2010 I Will…
Eat Better by: Eliminating dairy from my diet (it makes me sick), eating more vegetables, reducing beef and pork intake, and drinking MUCH more water.
Improve My Art by: Taking a drawing class (starts Jan. 11th) and making art daily.
Reduce Stress by: Staying organized with my new calendar and moleskin (thanks to my baby-love), making more “me” time, and staying positive (practicing gratitude everyday, of course).
Become A More Valuable Employee by: Improving my Spanish-speaking skills (with the Spanish class I’ll be taking), getting more work appropriate attire (that still lets me feel like me), and seizing ALL networking opportunities.
Get Fit. by: Using a pedometer and making more time to be active.
I have been thinking about this for a while. These are all still in the panning phase but I’m hoping that implementing some of these things throughout the year will help me, not only achieve my immediate goals, but also some of my long-term ambitions.
Here’s to 2010.
Hello Gala!
I am so very happy you wrote this!
I have so much to tell you. I also wrote about my goals a couple of days ago here: bit.ly/6muetR
Alot of my goals are similar to yours. Maybe Virgo’s just think alike! I really wish I had heard of The Daysteps Planner before. It sounds like what I need, but I don’t like that the thing is so big. This year, I ordered a Daily Moleskine, last years was a weekly Moleskine. I might get this Color-a-Month Moleskine next year, if you end up liking it a lot.
I’m not much of a wall calendar person but I can understand the appeal. Quite honestly, I’d love this Crispin Finn letterpress wall calenar! www.crispinfinn.com/
I like that you linked your ‘Updating Your CV’ Post… that’s what brought me to your life changing site so long ago! :)
Question about the updated resume, I’ve really wanted to use a pale pink paper, but so many ‘career’ gurus recommend againt it! Hmmm, what to do? (Really?)
You know what has been recommended to me for personal goal setting is a site called ‘Blastation’. www.blastation.com I am really wanting to try it out… I’ve got goals that I really need to keep.
This incoming New Year has me excited, much like the above comments above. This year is different. I can FEEL it!! :)
Much Love to You and Le Dish (and Hank!)
XOXO
It’s funny a lot of the things you talk about already ie. gratitude etc, I already do it. I am again in love with your site and all your energy. Here’s to 2010. Here’s to creating, loving and laughing. I am cutting people out of life especially some family. It’s scary but necessary. Thanks for being you and I look forward to continuing my transformation with you alongside of me.
I really need to sit down and actually DO the planning, thanks so much for the article, what an inspiration!
I cannot believe it is the start of a new decade!! I am so, so, so excited.
Luinae McAnish, CALM DOWN!!
I always love your end of the year/beginning of the new year posts! I actually got the monthly Moleskines for Christmas and I CANNOT wait to really crack into them Jan. 1! Thanks for your great posts :)
Gala,
I really cannot thank you enough for your insight, your positivity and your originality. Reading your blog is my medicine, my entertainment, my little ray of light at work and at home.
All I need to do if I feel down/angry/bored or just gray is visit your blog, do some reading and I leave with new ideas, a positive attitude and a 100% re-balanced view of my life as well as of life in general. Your blog is definitely my Thing I loved 2009!
THANKS FOR A PRECIOUS YEAR!! May you get what you need and keep it up for 2010 (like I really need to tell you, right? :) ).
All the best Señorita Gala,
XX B.
Hurdles of love and appreciation,
A new year is always so exciting to think about and plan for. Here are a few of my goals:
Live a Healthier Lifestyle- this is my main goal for the year and I’ve already started it. I juat want to really stick with it and be committed.
Start doing what I want- I feel like I’ve always done what other people wanted me to do, so now it’s time to start living for me! :)
Take a Class- I haven’t decided on what that will be yet, but I figure it will be great fun, whatever it is.
What a fantastic post! I was drawn in right away by the moleskin planners, which I found underneath my tree this year. I ADORE them already and am so excited to use them later this week. I also adore those bone shaped paper clips. I need those at my office so I can always think of my little Bella pup. Great post! You’ve gotten me excited for 2010!
Oh my goodness. I love you Gala. Seriously. This is the BEST!!! And it couldn’t have come at a better time (as cliché as that may sound!) because I am re-decorating my room at the moment, and today I am re-organising my desk! Coincidence? I think not! I think that maybe the universe heard my pleas for help and answered my pleas by having your post ready for me to read this morning! Haha. Or not.
Hope you have a HAPPY new year Gala.
Also, have you turned off comments for your LLTTU blog? It says I need to be ‘logged in’ to leave a comment, but when I enter my wordpress username and password it tells me it is invalid, even though it’s not? Weird. It’s ok if you have turned off comments, but I was just wondering why I couldn’t log in…
Oh my goodness, this is amazing! This year hadn’t been to good for me so I’m planning to make 2010 the BEST. My resolutions are as follows: Get organized (re-doing my room will be a major help), shape up (eat waaaay more veggies and fruits and exercise 30 min 3 days a week at least), get a job (I’m so strapped for cash and need to save up for a car), and find someone special (uhm… not sure how this is going to happen.) Anyway, I’m ringing it in with my closest friends, so I think it’ll be nice :]
Fuck I Love You Gala.
This is exactly what I needed to read, just when I needed to read it. You seem to know what to say, and when. Your articles on how to ‘shake your life up’ or ‘sort your life out’ always seem to hit me at the right time. So I am thankful that somehow, across the enormous blogosphere, I found you 3 years ago, on a lonely night in Vegas.
Keep it up girl, we need you!
xx
Another amazing motivational post! I do wish I’d waited another week before buying a diary, because as much as I love the bright blue one I got from smiggle, some of the one’s you’ve linked to are amazing! Mayhap I shall just have to buy another…
As for 2010, I want it to be as amazing as 2009 was! I’m planning much more socialising and networking than last year allowed, and am looking forward to not only making great new friends, but maintaining the wonderful relationships that I started this year! And, being inspired by the likes of you and Nubby, I have started a small blog that I intend to pour my heart and soul in to.
xoxo
LOVE THIS! I will travel more, be more concious, follow a lilou mace guided meditation daily, eat only when hungry and only good, clean food! 2009 was amazing and I’m so excited for 2010! Going to uni!!!!!!
Ahhh, it’s time to think about 2010 already!! Wow.
I really want to work on my right brain…more creative writing, dancing, making clothes and jewellery in 2010.
Happy New Year Sweets!
Fab article, thanks Gala!!!
Masumi, I like “*do the important things first” – yessss.
Crysti Couture – If pale pink CVs are not good, how about hot pink paper?
OK in 2010 I will …
* use my diary planner every day and check it the day BEFORE not AFTER lol
* get a paying job in a photography studio or assisting a photographer
* increase my freelance work
* start to pay off my debts
* actually follow up on networking-type stuff
* finish my assignments before they are due … :D
... and I’ve already fallen in love against my better judgment, although I’m afraid it doesn’t guarantee reciprocity … so let’s say have lots of interesting love affairs.
phew!
What a lovely post. I always enjoy reading your new year organization suggestions.
I’ve been stuck in a rut this year, I can only hope 2010 is better. I worked VERY hard to graduate early, only to be slammed with the recession. Unfortunately, I settled for the first job that came around and I’m still in it. For 2010, I hope to go to grad school and, more importantly, move in with this super cute, nerdy boy.
Good luck to everyone in 2010!
what’s on all our minds…no one better to get goal and organization advice from than you!
thanks gala, looking forward to another year of your icing excitement as well :)
Longtime reader, first-time poster… This post came at the perfect time for me! I am looking for a new planner and was giving up hope that there were nice-looking ones around! Thank you for being so helpful and positive all the time :)
This really makes me look forward to the new year. =) And I feel ahead of the game because I have an awesome Audrey Hepburn poster. =D Maybe I’ll actually try a planner this year.
Gala, I’ve never commented on your blog before, but I’ve been an avid reader for a long time now. Your posts are always so inspiring, and this particular article really has me excited for the new year now. I’ve gone through a lot of hardship this year, but I am slowly coming to realize that it is within me alone to fix these troubles, and I can’t think of a better time that to start fresh in the new year. I already started filling my new moleskine with lists :)
Thank you so much for all your dedication to iCiNG and to your readers (I’m always looking forward to your posts!) and I can’t wait to start turning some of these ideas into my realities… I’ll keep you posted ;)
Thanks for the consistent inspiration, Gala… I can’t wait to see what you have planned for 2010. I made my ‘to do’/resolution list for the New Year and realized that it was short of regrets (what a gorgeous surprise). 2009 was a beautiful one, thanks in part to positive people like you.
Always onward! Happy New Year!
Oh, how I love office supplies!!!
You know, reading though the comments actually makes me feel totally excited for everyone’s lives. Especially you peeps going off to college. i remember when I went to university, and it completly changed my life (for the better)d so I just KNOW you’re all going to have an amazing year.
Here’s my list (explained over at my blog) – learn German so we can move to Germany in 2012 and start our smallholding / heavy metal bed&breakfast. – be in my first modelling shoot – learn the tin whistle well enough to play in a melodic death metal tin whistle band – get a publishing contract for my steampunk novel (so close!) – travel to a random area of NZ I’ve never seen before – launch my range of Steff Metal merchandise – learn to make preserves – brew my own alcohol – focus on being an awesome friend to all the people I care about – staying metal
There’s so much good stuff in this article, but the one thing that’s going to stick with me all year is this:
“I would suggest that you phrase everything as if it is already happening.”
I’m going to practice this every hour of everyday. It’s like a grown-up version of The Little Engine that Could, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”
Happy New Year, Gala. :-)
It’s funny that before I read this yesterday I was searching for a perfect Moleskine and I had come across the monthly planner and thought to myself ‘I wonder if Gala has one of these? She must… it’s just her style!’
I have bought myself 2 of the small volant notebooks (in the most divine sky blue shades) and I’ll be carrying them about with me for the next year.
My main ambition for the year is to find a proper full time job, preferably something I enjoy. I also need to set out a plan to be responsible with money… I have a house to buy in the next 18 months!
Ooh, Gala, this is such a fabulous article! Now I really feel like making some plans and resolutions for 2010.
In 2010, I want to: – finally get rid of my tics, which have been bothering me for years
- start doing EFT (I’ve already bought a book about it)
- eat healthier food and lose some weight
- be even more studious and say more in my classes at school
- use my calendar every day and write to-do-lists, so I can tick things off (which makes me really happy)
- be self-confident and love myself and care for myself
- live more consciously and enjoy my wonderful life
I wish you all a wonderful start to 2010 and an amazing year!
xoxoxoxo :)
(Ooh, I’m excited, I finally managed to submit the whole comment and not just a small part :) )
Fantastic post, Gala, I was excited for this one. I just posted my goals on my blog; It’s going to be quite a year!
I wanted to ask you if you could recommend a good astrologer or website to get a good 2010 horoscope. I don’t want to waste my money on some random person, lol.
Gilt is having a Moleskine sale tomorrow! I know how you love both Gilt and Moleskine, so I figured I’d let you know :).
I’m so excited for 2010! I’m going to make the most of the start of a new decade and try things I never even DREAMED before.
1. I’m applying to transfer to an ivy league school.
2. I’m going to get fit and in shape.
3. I’m going to practice to join a roller derby league.
4. I’m going to treat myself to a designer dress.
5. I’m going to get more organized.
6. I’m going to re-do my room.
7. I’m going to live more in the moment.
8. I’m going to keep my friends close every step of the way, and make scads of new ones!
I can’t wait to start MY molskine!
Excuse me, but I’d like to interject a wee bit of etxra organization for those who live with their computers in their laps:
Well, there’s this website ( teuxdeux.com/ )
that is like a to-do list for everyday and even someday. You may add things and x-out things all you please, and delete them just the same, to reduce clutter. Its free, and I highly recommend it in this economy, so that money you don’t spend on a new planner can go to something else important, like new shoes! Or glittery treasures and vintage lace dresses!
Just check it out, because I sleep better knowing I finished those tasks I always tend to forget. Its worth the couple minutes it takes to set up, you’ll see!
Oh gosh, j’adore you for this! This is just what I needed to read.
There’s so much I want to do: *be more organized and get things done in advance rather than the night before (...or past due) *be more present in my daily life / mindful *meditation more often *get back in shape & comfortable with my body *go vegan *develop an exercise routine to get back into creative projects (drawing, collaging & sewing) *keep studying Dutch & Norwegian & French *cut out negative creeps from my life *enjoy my last term of undergrad! *complete my senior thesis *graduate with a BA in June! *move to the West Coast probably or even just Boston (I live in Vermont for another term at undergrad & need to move out of my mother’s house) *write letters to friends *secure a fulfilling part-time job in mental health & bartend on the side *take continuing ed courses *prepare to apply to grad school *travel to New Zealand *stay positive!
I’m going to (!!)
-Start my first semester with a great attitude and finish with straight A’s.
-Get my ideal body and keep it (already halfway there!)
-Volunteer my time to those in need.
-Read some uplifting spiritual stuff every Sunday
-Tackle my stress (Got a planner and feel better already!)
-Spend more time with family/help out around the house
-Make five new great friends by the end of the year
-Become a beacon of light to others
-Be positive always
-Be the girl everyone wants to be around
-Call on God when I am truly, truly in need of help.
-Finish reading The Secret and use positive affirmations and the law of attraction to make all my dreams come true
I feel so positive! And I know I will fulfill all my goals. Thankyou for this marvelous post Gala, you empower me :)
I just loved your post!
Hugs from Brazil,
Great article. I’m a fairly organized person but I have to be in overdrive in 2010. I have to plan out and stay focused on every little detail because I need to forge ahead on starting my business (I have to write a business plan), make money (make lots of it), find an apartment (needs lots of money), and plan a wedding (I got engaged on the 24th). I need to be on point in 2010. There’s no way around that.
What I am hoping to gain during the year 2010:
-Organize my life with help from FlyLady.
-Get fit with barre 3 (ballet bar meets yoga meets pilates).
-Eat better with bi-weekly fruit and vegetable deliveries.
-Continue to do well in school.
-Be less flaky with keeping in touch with my pals.
-Draw…every day.
-Break out of this shell and network my ass off.
-Move into a beautiful vermin-free home.
-Buy a goat or a boyfriend for my dog.
-Drink more water!
Gala, fasting is great thing to do for yourself. I’ve only done the Master Cleanse several times when I was really ill. Fasting when you’re sick helps with the entire process as you have little or no appetite. Also, your recovery from illness a lot quicker because your body is not using up energy to digest food. My boyfriend did a juice fast for a month, so if you need any advice, he can help!
And, ladies and gentleman! Gilt Groupe has a sale on Moleskines right now!
Fantastic post.
This year is especially promising because I managed to find the world’s most magnificant calendar. It’s a collection of strange comic book covers from the 1960’s and amazingly enough the rest of the year looks better just because I’ll be able to see ‘The Man With The Head Of Saturn’ everyday on waking.
AWESOME.
Much love Gala, hope your new years was fabulous.
fantastic post! how do you always manage to post things like this at the exact right moment?
in 2010 i essentially want to get back in shape, become a better writer, a more accomplished diy fashion designer, do & learn lots of new things, get way more organized & productive, be more social & just take a great big leap towards the person i’ve always wanted to be.
i wrote more specific goals on my blog: maraleopard.wordpress.com/2009…
i’m so excited to do all those things!
happy new year & best of luck to all of you!
Hello,
I discovered your blog today and have been looking through it…it’s absolutely amazing. You are so inspiring to me. I’m going to graduate with a degree in Fashion Design this May, and I’ve lately felt a little…lost and scared? Just reading your story of starting this blog has given me confidence in the diretion I’m feeling I should go. I look forward to purchasing your podcasts in the near future! Thank you for being awesome.
Good day and happy new year!
my goals for 2010:
1. getting a new job
2. moving
3. doing some kind of volunteer work
4. travel to a continent I haven’t been to
5. doing a foreign language or painting course
Me.
Becoming a recognized emerging politician
this year is my first interview!
i am so excited. i know it is going to happen.
i need to heavily improve my academics from C to A and prepare for a rollicking social life.
everything will be on!
get super focused and plan plan plan.
personal goals plenty. take up many whole pages.
career goals moving up the ladder fast!
there are only so many years to turn us back from the terrible past we have to move to a better more secure yet freer future.
somehow i think i can bring us there and i sure will.
that is the number 1 goal this year.
to announce that plan.
it will be controversial and revolutionary, but frankly, anything less would be insufficient.
watch this space guys!!!
Oh my lord, I think I need some of these bicycle-shaped paperclips (!) on my desk: www.kikki
bought myself an electric toothbrush & Paul McKenna’s quit smoking book… wish me luck!
I’ve just discovered your blog and inspirational downloads last month and I love it!
I think that small goals are the best to stick to Its so hard to commit to big things, like going to the gym 5 times a week… I wrote about this on my new blog sherbetstars.blogspot.com/.. Hope you like!
xoxo
AHHHH!!! THANK YOU for posting this!!! I need a great organizer…moleskin for me!!! Love the color coding.
Gala…if I didn’t love you already, your info on organization and planning would have done the trick. Looking at that part of this post, or my iCal and Vera Bradley planner makes me know what guys feel when they look at porn! That may be overexaggerating a bit, but I love it. When I’m bored at work (like right now) I just make lists of the most random things and plan out what I’m going to organize next! I just stopped using my personal blog to start one thats a mix of a diary and a blog similar to yours and I’m definitely going to rave about this article over there too!
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