It’s time to dump the crap in your life and move on

In an odd twist I’m going to start out with my point and then get to the details. I’ll repeat it below again but here it is: It’s time to dump the crap in your life and move on.

At midnight tomorrow night 2011 is over. You need to move on (not from this blog though…actually, please tell your friends… my mom stopped reading a few months ago, so I need all the help I can get…).

You may have had a rough year. I’m sure on some level you’ve loved, lost and laughed in 2011. And I’ve never been one for artificial deadlines or resets like starting a diet or exercise plan on a Monday (I think Saturday afternoons work the best, actually.). But there’s something about the New Year that gets everyone focused. So let’s focus.

It’s time to dump the crap in your life and move on. Drop the stories, keep the lessons and move on. Over the next few days I’ll be introducing my 2012 goals. As you know, 2011 has been an almost-complete failure for me goals-wise. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster in many ways. But reflecting back on 2011 with a proper focus leaves me with no doubt that I’m better now than I was January 1 of this year.

It’s important to count your blessings every once in a while. Among my successes and “good spin on seemingly bad events” of 2011 are, in no particular order:

We had a new and healthy baby girl (this is in a particular order…);
I have a renewed focus on making time for what’s important to my family;
I’m pretty sure I know what I need to do to take my career to the next level;
I’ve steadily increase readership here and have met some wonderful people as a result; and
I hit my savings and net worth goals for 2011.

So yes, I was a pretty major failure in 2011 if you only look at my incomplete list of “things to avoid” in 2011. But it was also a year that brought me more love than I could ever imagine. I took some hits along the way, but who hasn’t? I’m dumping the crap and moving on. You should too.

Wait! This is important:

Before you move on to the rest of your day take out a piece of paper and pen (or write in the comments below if you prefer) the following two things: Your best moment or biggest accomplishment of 2011 and the one piece of crap that you’re “just done” with. Now dump the crap and move on.

Remember, this includes things that just don’t work. How’s your investment strategy working out? Too complicated? Simplify it. It’s OK to be the tortoise.

Until next time, put your credit card down and slowly step away from the mall!

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Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net