happy 2013.

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Enamel sign from Best Made Co. //
Inspiration from Benjamin Franklin’s schedule

One of my favorite days to read the Internet is January 1st. The mornings are quiet, as many self-employed bloggers and freelance writers are nursing champagne headaches or soaking up the last days of holiday hiatus. Yet as the afternoon creeps in, Twitter slowly becomes abuzz with links to resolutions, challenges, life-betterments in one form or another. And I love it. There’s a lot of fluff, yes, and a lot of the usual suspects. But there’s also a lot of meaning. A lot of self-reflection. A lot of inspiration and excitement for the coming year.

There’s a link to Bob Dylan reciting the top ten most popular New Year’s Resolutions (I’ll bet you can guess them all). 12 TED talks that might inspire your own resolutions. Famous people’s resolutions. The anti-resolution. The manifesto (and how to write said manifesto). Project Life 365The 100 Thing Challenge. And on and on and on.

In the past, I’ve always practiced a tradition on January 1st: the creation of two lists. One list contained goals for the year, much like every other resolution-maker-and-hopefully-keeper. The other? Non-goals. Quirks and habits in my daily life that I’ve grown accustomed to, that I’ve grown to love about myself. It’s a practice I highly recommend, but one I won’t be participating in this year.

Instead, I’m slowing down. I’m living in the moment. I’m letting my curiosity lead its course, whether I follow it down the path of an intriguing design concept, a leisurely walk or an impromptu dance party in the kitchen with my daughter.

The quote printed on the above sign was taken from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule. A tedious schedule, yes, but a schedule with purpose. A schedule bookended with two simple question:

What good shall I do this day? and What good have I done today?

I can’t wait to fill in the blanks. Happy 2013, us.

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