First steps...

In my effort to unplug from technology and reconnect with more personal touches I have sent out the first birthday cards I ever mailed! I am typically Horrible at remembering Birthdays. I found a free printable birthday list organizer and I am contacting family and friends trying to get it filled in and making sure not to forget anyone (I hope), as well as gathering physical addresses. I have already rounded up a few cards for birthdays, thank yous, get well, thinking of yous, and weddings, so I am ready for any surprise occasions! I have also started to think about how to approach my goal of self acceptance this coming year. I believe in positive reinforcement, so I am hand writing myself a lot of little "you are ..." kind of notes, that I can post all over the house. I have a poem hanging by my bathroom mirror that I will say out loud to myself each time I walk by the mirror. I am also going to try to stop thinking in terms of what I can no longer do and be thankful for what I can still do. I have a large jar sitting on the counter that my family is calling our "stop self hate" jar, any time any of us speak negatively about ourselves or our "limitations" we have to put money in the jar, and it will all be donated to local businesses to "pay it forward" for those who are less fortunate.