Preparing For 2008

Stendig calendar

I think most of us look forward to the start of a new year with great anticipation & excitement. Just like the first blank page of a new notebook, the days stretch out ahead of you, unwritten & full of promise. I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I am about 2008 — I think it is going to be an amazing year, full of unprecendented growth. (See Astrostyle’s Jupiter in Capricorn spread for more info!)

Here are some little things you can do to make your transition into 2008 even better. I advise doing most of them in that delicious time of nothingness that is the 25th to 31st of December. Eat a little, nap a little, tick one of these off your list, then eat some more. Sounds like a good time to me!

Tidy up loose ends
Well, as best you can. Sometimes it’s hard to do that over the Christmas period, especially if you’re waiting for a response from someone else, but you still have a few days before everything starts shutting down. If you need to get your outfit or shoes repaired for a big New Year’s Eve party, get on it NOW! Send any remaining local Christmas cards as soon as you can. They’ll be late, but at least they won’t be horrendously late!

Create a new signature
Email or otherwise. I’m currently on the hunt for a fantastic quote to use in my email signature for next year. This year my signature featured a quote from Deepak Chopra which I adore: “Where nature goes to create stars, galaxies, quarks & leptons, you & I also go to create ourselves.” But it’s almost 2008, which means I want something else to sign off with. Every year I try to have some over-all lesson I’m trying to learn. This year it was that we can make ourselves into anything we want — hence the signature. I’m still deciding on 2008’s theme, though, so when I know that, I’ll pick a quote to use!

Perform a Wardrobe Taming!
Don’t put it off any longer. It’s the perfect time of year to do such a thing! Think about it — if you start today, by the time January 1st rolls around, you’ll have a magnificent wardrobe containing only things you absolutely love. You know that as soon as the new year starts, it’s going to be “go go go”. Make the most of the free time you have now!

Clean out your inbox
I am so guilty of this one. Reply to all your email & relish the sight of an empty inbox! The same goes for physical mail. If you have letters that need to be responded to, packages which are begging to be sent or bills to be paid, hop to it!

Tidy your house
Even if you’re not going to have any guests over Christmas, & even if you’re going away for the Christmas period, give your house a really thorough going-over. Wash clothes, vacuum, dust everything off. You’ll feel really good if you go into the new year with a spotless house. For the really adventurous, you could also ruthlessly clear out your desk, bedroom & bathroom cabinet. I have such an amazing amount of clutter, & I’ve only been living here a year! I’m going to go through my bathroom with a big rubbish bag, as well as clearing everything off my desk & then re-evaluating whether I need it or not. I am actually really looking forward to it. (What a nerd!)

Indulge in some beauty therapy
I know money can be tight at Christmas, but if you can scrounge up a spare $150, going to a beauty therapist is one of the best things you could do. Get a rejuvenating facial, a massage, a mani/pedi, a wax, an eyelash tint, or your eyebrows tended to. If you can’t quite afford to splurge on yourself, go DIY! Here’s how to give yourself a manicure & tame those eyebrows! It’s great to feel like you are totally prepared for the holiday season, which, let’s face it, can get a little bit crazy. Head into the new year with perfect eyebrows, fabulous nails & beautiful skin! What could be better?

Spend some time reflecting
No, you don’t have to spend hours meditating (unless you want to!). Basically what this means is that you set some time aside for you to think over 2007. What happened to you? What was good, what was bad? What would you like to do again? What would you like to avoid? How can you ensure 2008 is an improvement on 2007? Make some notes if you want to — these can serve as a good basis for goal-setting for the new year, too. (Don’t fret, I’ll be writing about that soon!)

Fill out a survey
Not compulsory, but fun! Take your pick & go to town!

Do you have any end of year traditions or things you like to do before the new year rolls around? Tell me about them!