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Carol Perkins: Five things on To-Do list for 2014

'If I can fulfill even one of them I'm better off than I was in 2013. Happy New Year to everyone, and together let's make 2014 a fantastic year.' - CAROL PERKINS
Next earlier column - Ready for a New Year Posted December 26, 2013. By Carol Perkins

Making resolutions for the New Year is basically pointless. As a matter of fact, I forget what I vowed to do by the time January ends. I am taking a different approach to 2014. Having recently read in Reader's Digest the twenty ways to be happy in the 2014, I thought I'd try a few of them and pass them along to you.


  1. To be happy a person needs to live in the moment. I am guilty of worrying about what MIGHT happen when I go for a mammogram or how much MORE taxes we might have to pay, or how I might set up a website without spending more than I have. I tend to think, ponder, plan, or worry about tomorrow or next week. I am a worrier by nature, so being able to put aside what might be will make me happy.

  2. Getting more sleep improves a person's happiness. Coming from someone who finds a good night's sleep a luxury, I totally agree. When I sleep well, I have more energy and accomplish much more than I do when I toss and turn and move from the bed to the recliner and back and forth. Even with my mask, I am restless and slip that thing off. Ironically, I sleep better on vacation or weekend trips than I do at home. There is something psychological in that fact.

  3. Declutter my life. Decluttering my house and store would allow me freedom to think clearly and relax. Doing so when every space around me is covered with notes, papers, magazines, newspapers, books, and other items waiting for a home is impossible. Sitting in the recliner for a few minutes in the evening only makes me feel guilty because there is so much to be done. If I would strike a routine and first get rid of what is not needed (or I think might be needed in the future) and then establish a routine of cleaning and organizing, I would be much happier. I plan to work on this.

  4. Do one thing at a time. This is tricky for me because my nature is to multitask. No matter how stressful doing so becomes, I fulfill my tasks. However, if I would concentrate on one thing at a time I could reach my goals more quickly and without pulling out my hair. For example, I may drag everything out of a closet and vow to focus on sorting, tossing, saving, and organizing. The music is going in the background and I'm having fun finding forgotten treasures. Then I go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and begin doing something else. An hour later I come back to the project and have lost my enthusiasm. My promise is to do one thing at a time, complete it, and move on to the next. Accomplishing this will surprise everyone.

  5. Make a list. I like to make lists, and when I do I tend to keep my life more organized. The problem is keeping up with the list. I annoy myself when I make a list or jot something down on a sticky note and can't find it. This happens at my business all the time, and I fuss at myself when a customer's order was on one of the sticky notes and it takes me thirty minutes to find it. I will solve this problem in 2014 by throwing away sticky notes and establishing a more professional way to keeping my orders straight. Making lists is easy; finding the lists is the hard part.
Even the happiest of us can find ways of being happier. If I work on these five my quality of life will improve. If I can fulfill even one of them I'm better off than I was in 2013. Happy New Year to everyone, and together let's make 2014 a fantastic year. - CAROL PERKINS


This story was posted on 2014-01-05 08:06:20
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