Baby, It's Cold Outside. Strike That. It's Frigid.

Zero.

That’s what the outside thermometer is telling me this morning. Zero degrees (or for those of you who live in countries that use the metric system, my area is at -18 C).

Just 30 days ago I was enjoying a cruise in the Caribbean with Husband #2. The temperatures hovered around mid-70’s to low 80’s. Many nights we slept with the balcony door open listening to the sound of the ship moving through the warm sea on its way from one island to the next.

Just 30 days ago I was wrapped in the loving embrace of my part-time husband, all the while knowing it was our last visit. Yes, I was interested in getting back together with him but I realized that he wasn’t on the same page. We wanted different things for our future. The time had come to cut ties and go our separate ways.

It was a very nice vacation.

There’s my quick December glimpse in the rear-view mirror of 2014.

While it’s frigidly cold outside, it’s nice and toasty in here. The house is warm, the oven is warm, the muffins are warm, the tea cup is warm, my heart is warm.

I continue to realize that “outside” factors do not have to impact my “inside” goals, dreams and feelings. Getting frozen out at work, marriage, and the challenges of every day living doesn’t mean that my heart and optimism has to turn into a shriveled block of ice.

It just means that I find my warmth through other means. Which is why diversifying my identity is so important.

FULFILLMENT. My 2015 theme.

As I spend this snowy freezing day inside, I will figure out ways to achieve fulfillment in 2015 through a list of questions I found on Into-Mind. Because, as the saying goes, good things don’t come to those who wait – good things come to those who work their butts off and never give up. It would be a crime for me to passively sit by and let 2015 expire without working on myself and my goals. Time is one of those resources you can never get back.

For building purpose in my new year, the questions posed by Into-Mind are:

What do you want the overarching theme to be? The answer is one I’ve already set in motion: FULFILLMENT.
What do you want to see, discover, explore? It will be hard to narrow this answer down since I like exploring so many different pieces of life. I’ve set a travel destination for each quarter of the year but during the “down” time at home, there are many parts of my area that I have blown past as I drive here and there. I think a monthly day trip will be in order just to learn more of what’s “out there”.
Who do you want to spend more time with in 2015? My friends and family, especially the kids as they get ready to leave the nest over the next few years.
What skills do you want to learn, improve, or master? Good question. I always wanted to learn a second language, maybe now is the perfect time.
Which personal quality do you want to develop or strengthen? Very good question! The list is long. I’ll need to narrow it down a bit and focus on one or two top items.
What do you want your everyday life to be like? Funny, quiet, relaxing, satisfying.
Which habits do you want to change, cultivate or get rid of? More reading, better exercising routine, more connecting.
What do you want to achieve career-wise? Stability with good pay and 3 weeks of vacation.
How do you want to remember the year 2015 when you look back on it 10/20/50 years from now? I want to remember it as the year I had an awesome garden and finished all of the projects in the house. Does that count as funny? Because I’m laughing as I type this.
What is your number one goal for 2015? Reinventing myself as the person I always thought I could be.