I’d like to wish all the longtime readers and friends of Almost Frugal (and those of you have just found us too!) a happy, healthy and successful 2011! I also want to thank you for joining me on this journey towards frugality, which started a little over three years ago, on December 27, 2007.
These past few months have been full of changes for me- changes which have had no small effect on Almost Frugal. I finished writing my master’s thesis (and was awarded my degree with honors!), changed jobs and launched my own consulting business. All these things led to a feeling of burnout when it came to writing posts on frugality- and when it came to being frugal itself!
I’m feeling rested and refreshed now, however, mostly thanks to where I’m at right now…the United States! We’ve come for a three week vacation and seeing my family, spending time with old friends and just being surrounded by my home have helped me feel resourced and refreshed. I’m happy to be here and to be able to take the time and space I need to get back up to speed.
There are great things that are going to be happening in 2011, I’m sure of it. A recent trend going around the blogosphere has been to choose a word to define 2010 and a word to define 2011. If I had to define 2010 in a single word it would be WORK. There was a lot of work: mentally, physically, emotionally that was occurring in my life in 2011. If I had to choose a word for 2011 however, I think it would be CONNECTING. I just know that there are going to be new connections made- and older connections strengthened- in great ways this year.
Thanks again for sharing your time with me! Happy New Year!
(And, if you feel like sharing, what one word would you use to describe 2010 and 2011?)
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{ 9 comments }
Happy New Year to you!!
Word for 2010: Change // Word for 2011: Focus
The word for 2010 was Busy! We did so much traveling and started so many exciting new projects last year it almost made my head spin.
The word for 2011 will be Chill. Now’s the time to take a deep breath, finish those projects, and move forward with new ones. I’m excited. For me and you too Kelly 🙂 Happy New Year!
Congratulations Kelly and best of luck in 2011!
wow…degree with honors! so excited for you as you explore all your new possibilities. good to take the time to recharge but glad writing here remains among your to-dos. thx!
Wow! Yes, I think that “WORK” is a great word to describe 2010. The primary purpose of the year was to dig ourselves some of the way out of the whole caused the the Great Recession and the terrible year of 2009–and I’m happy to report we made great headway. But I have to say that “CONNECTING” was a big word in 2010, too. We couldn’t have come nearly as far as we did without good friends and business contacts to help us along. (I’m sure we helped them along, too, but that’s another story.) So, immediately after I say that I am proud of what we accomplished in 2010, I have to add that I am SO grateful for all the people who helped along the way–some very significantly–and I am so grateful for the contacts I’ve made over the last several decades.
I guess I mean to say that WORK and CONNECTING will probably always be among the top words I use to describe any year. They are about what my career–and even my personal life–are all about. So, I look forward to more WORK and CONNECTING in 2011.
Congratulations on your degree–and on your progress in your career. I’m sure that you will achieve many more goals in 2011.
P.S. Please excuse the typo–“whole” for “hole.”
I can totally relate to feeling burned out! Doesn’t it take a toll on your frugal ways?? I have four children, two under two and it’s hard sometimes to continue to be frugal. I really have to fight it some days. Especially around dinner time when I feel as though I have nothing to cook! Take out sounds really good about then!
LOL. My word for 2011: Zero. Next Christmas I am spending absolutely none of our income on Christmas in any way shape or form! I am going to use other ways to get great gifts without cutting anyone off of our normal gift giving list and without doing the whole homemade gift thing (not that it’s bad, just that I don’t have the time or skills to do cute homemade gifts!)
If you have time I’d love for you to stop by my blog and tell me what you think. Blogging is new to me, so veteran bloggers like you could probably help me out 😉
Have a great New Year! Can’t wait to read more of your frugal tips!
Jackie @ My Zero Dollar Christmas
Happy new year to you too Kelly 🙂
I think I’m going to pick “Balance” as my word for 2011, because that’s what I’m looking for. Hopefully it’s achievable? Enjoy your much deserved, well earned break!