Intention, resolve, decision, aim, plan, commitment, pledge, promise.

The New Year is as appropriate a time as any to undergo a life shift... a shift in attitude, in motivation, in priorities, in goals. My aura is new, fresh, and minty green. The past year has been one of intense growth and soul searching, soul seeking, soul finding. And after getting incredibly lost I have finally stumbled upon the crumbs that will show me the way back home. I've lived the past 6 months essentially devoid of beliefs, goals, motivation, or cares. In a rather selfish way, perhaps, but indeed at the time it was necessary for self-preservation and a great deal of self-awareness. But I'm ready to get back out into the world, to be a member of society again. And here's what I'm gonna do differently.

1. Budget my money. I'm finally at a point in my life when I am making good money, and I don't want to waste it thoughtlessly. I'm going to try to start saving, and putting my money away for the future and the present (i.e. stop living in debt). I already have everything that I need, and much more. And I plan to try to find more creative ways of obtaining anything else (like making it, trading for it, or getting it used).

2. Be carbon neutral. I just calculated my carbon footprint for the past year and offset it with Native Energy. I think that this is important to do considering how much I drive my car and fly on airplanes. I can start the new year in a state of carbon neutrality and when 2009 roles around I will put back into the world whatever I took away once again.

3. Only buy things that are earth, people and animal friendly. So essentially, drop out of an economy and capitalist system that I can no longer consciously support. The idea of this is a little bit terrifying, but I am going to give it a shot. I am only going to spend my money on things if I know where they came from, and if they cannot be traced back to sweat shops, unfair labor, animal cruelty, or environmental exploitation, and if they do not possess things that are bad for one's body (like chemicals or pesticides). This means lots of local, organic, union-made, fair trade, and thoughtfully made goods. I want to have a connection to the things that I buy and know that my purchases are not exploitative or harmful to anyone or anything else.

4. Sing in front of people.