Things To Do Before 2009
[ 29 December 2008 ]
For those of us in New Zealand, 2009 ticks into existence in a little over 24 hours. Before we launch into January with a flying leap, pinch a bit of time with your fingers & use it to your advantage. Here are some ideas to start you off right!
Recognise 2008 for what it has been. Even if you felt like it was the worst year of your life, it had lessons to teach you & positive things have happened. Think back & be grateful for what 2008 showed you, so that you can move forward into 2009 with a clear head & a dedication to all things fabulous!
As part of this, consider reviewing your year. You can do this by taking a silly survey, or by simply meditating on the events of the past 365 days. Think about what you’d like to stay the same or improve in 2009, & what you are happy to leave behind. The unexamined life is not worth living, after all. (Thanks, Socrates!) Use this information as a jumping-off point to choose some goals for the new year.
Okay, it’s time! Set yourself a bunch of amazing goals. Remember that your goal needs to be able to be measured & have a deadline. Don’t forget to work out the steps you’ll need to take to achieve each goal! For example, “lose weight” is not a goal — “lose 20 pounds by the 10th of November through a combination of exercise 4 times/week & 2 raw meals a day” is!
“If you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things — you don’t have enough goals.” — Lou Holtz
Before you write on the 1st of January page in your new diary, take some time to write a short manifesto of what you want from 2009. Mine starts like this: “Magic, laughter & adventures.“ For the truly anally-retentive, draft it on your computer first & then transcribe it into your diary in your loveliest, loopiest handwriting. Having something like this written in your diary is a great way to remind yourself of who you are, who you want to be, & where you want to go. You can refer to it whenever you’re feeling a bit lost. Think of it as a beautiful road-map for the year.
Write yourself a fashion manifesto (like this one) for 2009. How do you want to look? Start a scrapbook & fill it with images, words & ideas to keep you sartorially inspired.
Come up with some new year’s resolutions. These are different to goals in that they are more fluid, & less measureable, but still a lot of fun! See this article from last year for ideas!
Sign up for an account with 43 Things.
Throw out your old underwear, & buy yourself new slinkies in the post-Christmas sales!
Come up with a new name for the new year — a nickname, a project name, a full name…
Buy new bedding & shake off the ghosts of lovers past.
Clear out your friends lists on Myspace, Facebook, Livejournal, Twitter, AIM, etc. If someone isn’t actually your friend or has a habit of driving you crazy, why keep them around? Start the year fresh!
Decide to do something in 2009 that terrifies you. Like hip-hop karaoke in front of an audience, telling someone how much you really like them, or sky-diving. Give yourself a deadline & make it happen!
Do something in the next two (or three) days which makes for a good story! Run down the road naked in the snow if you have to, just make it something worth telling other people about! The year isn’t over until it’s over!
Call, email or meet up with your favourite people to tell them how much happiness they have added to your year.
Write a letter to the one person you allowed to make 2008 more difficult than it needed to be. Be as angry & vicious as you like, but when you’re done, burn it or tear it into little pieces. Visualise all your vitriol disappearing with it.
Make a start on what you want to achieve in 2009. Buy those exercise DVDs, join a gym, email that person, go & pick out paint colours for your room, whatever. You don’t have to wait until the 1st of January to start changing things!
Change your hair. Better yet, cut it all off & have it donated.
Come up with some new words to work into your vocabulary next year. Among others, I plan on reviving demode (out of fashion or unstylish), wicked (used for emphasis — e.g. “wicked faded”), mad (also used for emphasis — e.g. “mad keen”) & brocabulary (words your friends say that you pick up)! Huge props to Jake who inspired this idea (& gave me some of the words)!
Start planning a vacation to look forward to. Paris? Miami? Sounds good, mmm? But it doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive — spend a weekend in a couch fort with your best friend if that’s all your budget & schedule allows for.
If you don’t have anything magnificent planned for the night of the 31st, spend some time thinking about what you’d like to do. Then do your best to make it happen. You might prefer a night in with Buffy the Vampire Slayer to a raging crowd. If that’s what you want to do, then do it! There is no better time to start living the life you want.
Remember that 2009 will be what you make it. Set your intentions now & fall in love with the idea that it will be marvellous!
Buy a magical t-shirt & sparkly knickers to kick off 2009 with a flourish! Wink wink!
Hyper-love & bunny kisses,
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Agree, agree, agree! I’m already having fuzzy feelings about 2009!
Love it and love it. I’m taking of all the 31st to paint our new place, meet the BFF at our favorite Thai place and assemble my new travel wardrobe for three months in Bolivia!
Hee! I love that you have vocabulary resolutions. About two hours ago I resolved to use the phrase “Good day, sir” as often as possible this year.
I totally agree with reviewing your year – I just did that in today’s blogpost and it was amazing to see my year down on paper… what I did and didn’t do, what I learnt, how I grew. It filled me with a sense of satisfaction that even though things haven’t always gone to plan this year, it’s been a rollercoaster of a time that I wouldn’t change.
I are cleaning! ;-) As in, full-scale, empty-everything-out-then-put-it-back-in-maybe cleaning. Best way to start off a new year. Or a new week, for that matter.
And last night I wrote out about a page of resolutions. Oh dear. Am thinking of turning them into monthly resolutions in muchhhhh more detail. (That way they might have some chance of happening.)
2009 is going to beat 2008 by a long shot. :-)
Please please please don’t revive wicked…I made the mistake of moving to Boston and they use it ALL THE TIME. Don’t do it!!!
We use “mad” where I come from, though…it’s a much better one, haha!
Gala, thank you for this article & the ones you have written about resolutions & goals. My goal is to stop being afraid. Now I know this might sound silly but I have realized that this year I was limited by my fear! My fear of losing people, my fear of heights, my fear of what other people think, & even my fear of wearing dresses (okay, I’m not afraid of dresses, but I am definitely intimidated by them!) & I know that this week, I am going to make a big desktop image of all the frilly dresses I have always wanted to wear but couldn’t & all of the mountains that I want to climb (both literally & figuratively)! Thanks for being an inspiration! (:
Gala, I love reading your posts and all your ideas for resolutions and everything else, really. You totally should start using “wicked” but that also means you need to make a visit to New England (specifically Massachusetts) as EVERYONE here says it. :)
xo,
Melanie
good suggestions :)
I definitely think ‘Make love to yourself – be it physically or emotionally’ should be on this list. After all, the best way to complete a year is to have a gentle reminder of how much you love yourself.
I always try to come up with new things to do to ring off the new year, & this list is lovely. (:
& I really, reeeeallly love that Lou Holtz quote. It’s really inspiring me to go write out my goals – & actually keep to them.
Oh, I use “mad” all the time! Haha, that & “madcrazy” are two of my ~*signature words. :D
omg.. i was checking the news Via my cellphone.. and I happened to read in one of the headlines “new years resolutions” and In the article it said “According to NZ blogger Gala Darling here a few ideas on New Years Resolutions!” I Squeeled.. just thought I would tell you lol. I want you to revive Wicked Definately!!
My new years resolutions are to buy an old house, Become a make-up Artist, goto New York and Florida in Late November with my sister, goto the Sydney gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (which I’ve already paid for so its inevitable), throw an awesome Jaw Dropping Engagement party, Grow my hair Down to my Bottom so i can pretend like im a mermaid, read at least 52 books, take a photo of myself everyday So i can see how much i age.. Im sick of people telling me i look 15 when im almost 24! Have an awesome New Years! xxx
OMG Gala!!! Love your resolutions they are wicked! :P I like automagically like my c++ teacher uses for automatically haha i love the underwear idea, fantabuluos!! Well i have never write down goals, i dont know, maybe i should start hummm, i know i have them but i just cant bring myself to write them down! i feel silly… well bella! this is amazing i hope im not so damn lazy this year and start shaking that booty!
besitos!
I just started my list of 2009 resolutions today :)
Mannn… you are the best. Seriously. You’re like the ultimate life-raft. And you can quote me on that ;)
xox
I’m already starting my goals for 2009, once I’ve made the I just have to start living then – no point in waiting!
I haven’t done one of those 2008 surveys yet though, which I must, simply for completeness – I’ve done one pretty much every year I’ve had a blog (since signing up for livejournal in 2002!)
I dig what Lou Holtz says, but I must say, there is really no EXCUSE for boredom!
I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008 at the age of 30. May I suggest a great resolution for anybody who has been putting off their smear test…... go and do it! It could save your life! It sure saved mine. xox
I think my booty would like to say a few words re: the new icing underwear…
HELL FREAKING YEAH THAT IS ACE! SLAP A PAIR ON ME SHORRRRRRRRTY!
...and we’re done.
xx
My only resolution is to be the best I can be. Lame. But encompasses it all, really.
“Change your hair. Better yet, cut it all off & have it donated.”
I decided to do this… yestday. you read my mind. hah i even wrote about it in yesterdays lj entry, and today i’m researching charities. locksoflove.org is the american one, i’m trying to find a britis one.
thank you
Woo-hoo!!!! Yay for the New Year and celebrating the old (something I hadn’t thought of – thanks for the reminder to do that Gala!)
I have spent the past 2 weeks writing & getting very excited about ’09 & writing all my goals out – now it’s time for some more details! Finally I am leaping out of bed with purpose & excitement again!
Ooooh & excitement! – I am writing this on my new Acer Aspire One netbook (an integral part of my ’09 plans) & I am loving it!
Jess – I have added to my list with your suggestion – something I do put off & shouldn’t. I hope you are doing well now :)
seriously these are wonderful ideas gala. honestly i was going to wait 2008 out because i was relieved it was over. but i should use these final days.. hours now to reflect.
Yes great ideas! I’m graduating in 2009 so it is quite scary for me since most of my friends aren’t and I feel quite grown-up – but I think I’m gonna take your tips and change my hair and decide what I really want from 2009.
Some times ago I decided to start the reset-button in my life ;-)..
Thanx for the inspiration how to beginn the new year.
as usual enlightening and inspiring stuff gala , yesterday me and my sister wrote our resolutions together on lovely writing paper and tied it with an enormous red bow and hung it up in plain sight so we’d constantly remember to stick to our resolutions. I do so wish you’d bring back international dress up day perhaps another resolution to add to your list ? ;) happy a great new year
thanx for this list, it’s just the little push i need to get me going this morning. love you!
hahah im doing a reverse vocabulary…i say certain naughty words too much!
Goodness Gala, these were such inspiring ideas! I cannot wait to get started on all these. I’ve already started a bit on getting ready for the new year—but I was unsure on what to do exactly. So many ideas. Thank You.
Hope you have a great new years.
I think with the resolutions you’ll need to have ones your gonna keep. Even have mini goals though out the year to keep yourself in check with your resolutions.
To donate your hair, you can not have coloured/dyed hair it’s gonna untouched hair. Which sucks cause it’s gonna take another few years before I can donate my curly locks.
This list is fantastic—!
I deleted “friends” on myspace before reading and then swung right over to delete some fauxfriends at facebook right after! I really have to get going on an ’08 retrospective.
Things 2008 brought me:
eveofproduction.wordpress.com/...
Oh, I’d TOTALLY donate my hair, except it’s too short. Anyway, me and my friends are donating blood @ the local blood bank for the victims of the recent Israeli attacks.
And victims obviously refers to the Palestinians.
Wow – I’d never heard of 43 Things. What a fantastic site and community!
I’ve been growing my hair out for the past four years. On Christmas Eve morning I put it in a ponytail and chopped it all off in my bathroom. Then I headed over to the mall with my sister, and the salon people fixed it up a bit. And then she went and got her ears pierced.
It was so refreshing, my hair looks lovely now and I’m going to be mailing it in to Wigs for Kids in the next week or so. I think it was one of the best new years things I’ve ever done. :)
oh this is such a wonderful post! i am going to get started right away.
haha – I’ve already managed to pick myself up some tres awesome undies. They’re checkered with frills on the side – ooh la la (but yet not in a hoochie mama way).
Also – on that point about telling people how great they made your year…how do you tell someone how much they helped make your year hell? Is there a guide out there for telling people how much you hate them? Because I could use that…
Oh my god, those shirts are awesome!!!
I plan to laugh, scheme, and have more adventures, all of which look to be shaping up nicely!
Thanks for putting into words everything I want to do in the next two days… 2009 is going to be a big year for me— maybe THE big year! I’m going to be going to college. I’m excited & terrified…. but I know what I want and now I know how to keep that in mind.
oh great, now you got me all excited about the new year ;P
i’m usually not one for new years resolutions because i never keep them, but i love the idea of having fresh starts and clean slates, what a great occasion to set goals and and improve ourselves!
what are YOUR new years eve plans, gala?
xo
These are great suggestions Gala… I re-read some of your other posts from last year about making resolutions and they are still relevant! You rule.
Gala, please write about spending New Year’s Eve alone.I don’t have any plans this year and “decided” to stay at home, I thought I would be ok with it but I feel extremely sad… This is the first time in my life when I ‘m not going anywhere and it make me feel like a social outcast. I’m actually going to lie to my mom about my plans so she doesn’t feel sorry for me…
thank you for making this year such an entertaining, colorful and lively year! you really inspire me to reach for so much more than i thought i could achieve. add your never-ending creativeness and boundless energy – you are a true inspiration.
i look forward to 2009!!!
may yours be as bright and shiny as you wish it to be.
cheers!
Tim is an absolutely amazing artist. The unicorn cupcake picture is absolutely amazing.
I’m soooooooo proud of you for winning at life. Here, take a TROPHY. Thank you so much for this article, it will definately help me in 2009.
Also, for your shirt… Is a medium ok? the smalls look SUPER small… Here’s the medium measurements:
19.25 in wide
25.5 in tall
Let me know! I’ll get a small if you want one, I’m sure you’d look adorable in it… :)
Bisous,
Sprinkle
xoxo
Fabulous ideas, Gala.
This year is a HUGE year of change for myself — my first born is due January 23rd (though I’m 98% positive she’ll make an early debut!)
I can’t wait for 2009!
I love this article! I will do most of the tips to make my 2009 an awesome one! Thank you and have a wonderful new year!
I just a huge bunch of goals (by category!) and I need to get them written down all pretty but we took an early first step today.
One of my goals is to do a 92 day juice feast and we bought a great juicer today and made our first glass: carrot, apple, celery. And it was delish. Now I want more.
Onwards and upwards in to 2009!
Luv
Poochie
Fashion manifesto! Excellent — thanks Gala! Happy new year to you :]!
OH such a great list Gala!
I tried reviewing 2008 and realized I will be keeping a diary for 2009!
I just got all new undies! So funs!
Family Party at my Friend’s house for my new Year’s Eve… no kissing. le sigh
Thank you so much for a wonderful and inspiring year!
Hahaha, I have been buying new underwear since BEFORE Christmas. I do it every year, I adore new underwear. I’ve got slinky ones and also gigantor comfy knickers! I got myself a garter belt, too, and have spent 30+ minutes just poncing about in front of the mirror.
All of these suggestions are excellent, I will add them to my ever-growing list of stuff to do for NYE/2009. Superexcited aaar;algkha;dkhaf;sldka;ghashf!!!!!
Ooh a fashion manifesto sounds like a fantastic idea. What an inspiring list of things to do! Happy new year, Gala. :)
There’s tons of underwear reduced at Topshop! I got some today :D
I love these ideas. I really want some of those t-shirt and panties too!
2009 is going to be a year for self-improvement! I am all about replacing all your underwear fairly periodically. Since I’ll be planning a wedding in 2009, I am going to focus on improving my stress levels & not procrastinating as much, so I can enjoy the planning process instead of worrying about it. I also plan on blogging at least 4x a week to keep myself motivated to write! Happy New Year, to all the non-pareils!
I stumbled upon your amazon wishlist and saw that you have ‘Love Is a Mix Tape’ by Rob Sheffield on it.
For 2009, you should really put that one on your reading list, if you haven’t gotten around to make your way through it yet.
I discovered it last year and I re-read it four or five times already. It’s such a great review of 90’s pop culture and a touching story!
xA.
Yay for plans, goals and dreaming!
I personally have big saving ($$) and purging plans for 2009 as I have BIGGER moving OS and travel adventure plans for 2010.
Bring it on!
I LOVE your writing! I came across your page around Halloween time when I was working on a Marie Antoinette costume and found your page of Marie style tips, but now I read it every day!
Just to let you know, if you want to revive the word “wicked,” it’s still alive and kickin’ as ever here in Boston….hehe
This article is amazing, I’ve written out most of it in my notebook (like the survey and the manifestos).
Thanks Gala! Happy New Year from the West Country of England!
super tips, i’m also writing down a few in my shiny new notebook! happy new year gala and everyone ;)
Thanks for these last couple of posts, Gala. Thanks to you, I’m skipping the party scene tonight and going on a random regional adventure with my best friend, wearing cat ears.
Well I have it all set up. I have had a really bad year. Due to lots of circumstances I was homeless in New York for a bit, managed to get a job flight back to UK was homeless there a little bit but got that sorted out. Had to leave my boyfriend in the UK and come back to NY as my father was very ill Dad died October 12th this year, he left me a cross and gold fish that he wore all the time and now I wear it. However, instead of feeling close to him I feel a little bit shitty because 1. I rather he lived than me have his cross and 2. I am not religious.
Therefore, just before midnight I am going to be alone take the cross off in front of my mirror kiss it store it in a safe place and put on a new beautiful silver necklace I have that I have never worn. I will probably wear the cross again probably on the anniversary of his death and his bday. I wonder if this is selfish of me? I don’t really think so because I know what my father wanted me to do that was to do something with my life and be happy. I will never forget my father and now I feel inspired I have recently taking a Gotham article writing workshop and it is wonderful and after that I will have saved money to go back to the UK make love to my lover again and start my MA in film YEY! I hope I don’t appear strange!
Lots of love and Happy New Year!
Laura:0)
I resolve to do my laundry more than once a week and for the act itself to take less than a week – ie. don’t leave everything hanging on the drying rack.
I also wish to eat more protein, nurture and maintain my current palships, amp up my yoga practice, and travel big (Peru before they close the Inca Trail, Shambhala, Burning Man, the UK).
2008 was the craziest year of my life – I really can’t believe the things I tried, the people I met, and the experiences I had. I know that 2009 will be 10 times more special. I will be kicking it off with 10 kisses at midnight.
Dude, I was totally going to buy new bedding today so that I could shake off the feeling of my ex-boyfriend! I want to be like “Hmph, he hasn’t seen THESE.” every time I go to bed.
But then it started snowing and I didn’t really feel like dying today.
And I really want to go Shark Diving in 2009. They have a cage at the aquarium near me, and they lower you into the shark tank. The thing is, there’s a sea turtle in there WITH the sharks, and I’m terrified of sea turtles.
So, I’m going to overcome that fear.
I think the mixture of your accent and the use of the word “wicked” will confuse native New Englanders. I’m at school in New York, and I’m finding that the use of “wicked” is like this little bond between strangers away from home.
good job. i plan on being more interested in my future. i stay in the present alot, and i don’t know what im going to do next year. i really don’t want to live on my parents couch.
and, does anyone know why the polyvore ‘Publish’ button isnt working for me?
thanks.
Hi Gala! As cheesy as this will sound, I want to thank you so much for the way you have inspired me to make changes in my life:) You have shown me that life is too short to not live it fabulously, and i am ever grateful for that!! I look forward to a 2009 that is my self-created version of what I want it to be!!
Thank you is not enough :) :)
Awesome article, as usual.
I have a lot of plans for 2009 and I’m super excited !
You have helped me so much this year and in so many ways, thankyou Gala !
I’m sure you’ll continue to guide and inspire me all through 2009 too :)
I ran out of wonderful things to do, i htink I’ve done and got everything I want :( I still need a boyfriend I guess. I can try for that?
Anyway, one of the best things that has happened to me this year is finding this site. It really is a great uplifter and self assessment/improvement “tool”, I really like it. :)
You are SUCH an inspiration! You’ve made me even more excited about 2009. :) Happy New Year! x
Aaaah such a good post!
I wrote “I want my 2009 to be filled with fantastic adventures, amazing outfits and brillant photography” on january 1st in my new diary.
Exciting.
I’ve also reflected on 2008 and done a silly survey.
I’m changing my hair next week.
My friends and I did a crazy thing – went to hungry jacks on new years day and spend $85 on fast food (there was 8 of us, 4 of whom were boys who ate 3 burgers each haha!)
The woman at the checkout HATED us for ordering $85 worth of hjs all at once. Haha.
I’ve decided to do something that terrifies me – get my tattoo I’ve been wanting for over a year. I will do this in 2009. I will.
I spent nye with some of my best mates too.
And I’m planning a gap year from uni.
I have a list of things to do in 2009.
It’s all happening.
Thankyou Gala!
2009 will be magical! I’m going through a rough-patch right now with my other-half and feel torn to pieces. BUT I will pick myself up along the way and start making this year really spectacular. Yippies!
I have worked up around 30 words I plan on re-using this year including: rad, stoked, emulate, emblem, bliss, and relinquish. Oh, what a nerd I am at heart!
xoxo’s