I’m feeling optimistic on this first Monday of the new year. Hopeful. Excited. Good things are brewing in the coming months and I am working on letting go of the worry and enjoying life, and I think, making progress.

Last January I wrote a post called, 2011: I Will Own You, excerpted here:

People seem to have come to the general consensus that 2010 was a shitty year. On a global scale as well as personal, things were often more bad than good, or at least seemed that way much of the time. Of course good things happened too, but the overwhelming feeling might have been defeat for many of us. People we cared about died. People we care about lost their job or their relationship or their home or their pet. We cried a lot.

I thought it was just me who was glad to be stepping into a new year/skin/attitude, but the first few days of January sparked a slew of Facebook posts from my friends vowing to kick ass in 2011. Posts about stepping up, getting out of slumps, renewing passions, not taking shit, and moving forward with optimism. 2011 is going to be better. We are going to make it so. If you believe, it will happen, and I believe. I think the fog of the last few months is passing, and I can see sun and sky and it’s time to finally let go of the disparaging voices in my head—as well as the belittling external voices—and fight for what I want and need and deserve.

So, here’s a (slightly belated) new year’s toast to 2011: You are mine.

And it worked. About a week later, I sold my novel.

So I’m stating my intentions again, here, with you as my witnesses: 2012 will be even better. I will spend more time in sunlight and moonlight, read more books, eat more colors, and play without guilt. I will try to ease up on self-doubt, fear, and worrying about things that haven’t happened. I want joy and love and health and freedom and courage and laughter and fun in the next year, and I will make it so.

So, thanks to 2011 for getting me here. The positivity is growing, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

It also doesn’t hurt that I’m starting off 2012 with a trip to Maui. (Yay!)

Happy New Year!