I welcome the new year with an open heart and mind; fully releasing the past year with love and am grateful for the lessons and growth it provided me.  In 2009 I intend to nurture and strengthen my body, mind, and soul.  I welcome a stable, good paying job so I can provide for my family.  I nurture and develop positive relationships, letting go of unhealthy people, friendships, and relationships.  I am grateful for my life, for the things that I have, and trust that I will always have what I need, even what I want.  My dreams will come true.  Creativity is flowing through me and I am able to express it in my artwork and writing.  I accept there is love and abundance in the world for us all.  I am happy for everyone, I have love for everyone.  I am strong, smart, confident, and beautiful.  I love and accept myself and know that I will have a loving relationship with my family and friends.

For 2009 I welcome new people, new places, new experiences, new conversations, change, growth, love happiness, new opportunites, new relationships, new thoughts, new love, new days and nights, I welcome NEWNESS and let go of the past!!

2009 - I'm glad you have arrived ;)

I love that the hard part is over.  I see how much I have grown and changed over the years.  I love knowing I am ok, I am happy, I am healthy...and most importantly I make my life worth living.  I am alive and well.  I am happy that I have another day.

I have a hard time expressing how I feel, especially after someone says or does something hurtful.  I am actually a very giving person, but to give my thoughts and feelings is difficult for me.

I took a big step in trying to build a friendship with my ex/my daughters father.  That took a lot because he hurt me deeply.  It took a long time for me to get up to the point of being friends and that is definitely worth celebrating!!

I would pick the Shinto practice, which I believe is native to Japanese culture. What I like most is that it falls along the same category as Buddhism, and they believe that everything has a spirit.  What if everyone in the world believed that all things are divine spirits...Now you see where I'm coming from.

I was so excited when I saw this question.  I was laid off for the second time in November...right after Thanksgiving.  Money has been tight...realistically non existent.  In the midst of this chaos I was forced to look at my relationship with money.  I have never been completely financially stable, trying to raise a child alone and all of the other challenges that come with being an adult.  What I discovered is that yes I can manage money.  Not having money made me realize more than ever why it ever so important to budget, save, and invest; and rebuild my credit.  I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  I have learned to respect money and appreciate it.  I always had an issue with money, due to my upbringing, that I have made peace with.  I look forward to the day I begin working again (I have an interview tomorrow for a great positon!!!) because I have financial goals and a new attitude about my finances that is going to assist me in acheiving my life long dreams, and allow me to be able to support my daughter and I comfortably.  I have gone with out the luxury of eating out, shopping, nights on the town.  I am grateful to be living back home so that I can save money, whilee carefully treating myself to one excursion a month.  I have a great plan to build financial stability in 2009.