As we say Bye to 2018, I want to appeal to everyone to take a few ‘Geterdone’ thoughts into 2019.

I want you to laugh more! For your health, happiness and relationships, start laughing and stop getting caught up in the small stuff that just doesn’t really matter. We have to give ourselves permission to be happy despite our history and recent experiences. Who cares what others think?

Do something for others. ‘Tis better to give than receive. If you haven’t experienced this in your life yet, go find it!  If you have but got distracted by day to day life, go find it again! My greatest blessings have come from having absolutely no expectations and just doing good for others. It’s changed me for the better.

Focus on experiences over stuff. Review the last week of your life, the gifts, the shopping and purchases. Do you remember who gave you what? Will you in a few months? Do your kids remember who gave them what? Now think of the moments that stood out. When did you laugh most? When did you feel loved? When were you happiest?

Protect our environment. Somehow, some way we can all take small steps to reduce waste and the downfall of our environment. Making things, is hard on our planet! Even buying less, will help. Stop using disposable water bottles, refuse straws, take your lunch to work in reusable containers, give experiences as gifts instead of ‘stuff’. Get out in nature and build a true appreciation of the natural blessings we should all want to protect. Less stuff, less garbage, more nature.

Smile more 🙂 … even when you don’t feel like it. Not only does smiling release chemicals that make you feel better, the impact on others seeing you smile has a similar impact on them. It’s such a small thing with such a big snowball impact on well being.

Take on a Fear. Get out of your comfort zone, have belief in self, feel badass.

I’m not big on New Years Resolutions. What I’m big on is goals and commitment to them and the best way to succeed is to start a goal when you’re excited about it. Do It Then! Even if you’re planning to start a goal on a Monday, new month, with a group, you can begin taking small steps each day now to prepare and set yourself up for success.

By the way saying https://karengeterdone.com/2016/11/27/the-most-negative-word-in-the-world/ isn’t a good start! My Adventure Buddy said this word yesterday and immediately looked at me with apology in his eyes, rethought the word and changed his sentence to something more believable that indicated success. The power of positive thinking … or threat of judgement by a love bug 🙂

I’ve already begun work on a bunch of goals that will carry in 2019:

• Doing the Ride to Conquer Cancer again in memory of my beautiful Mom Darlene Simpson https://honoringalife.org/tribute/1433489/darlene-simpson/ after I spend the winter doing another immune modifier treatment on my own cancer. Help me get to the start line, get a 2018 tax receipt 😉 > http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/Karengeterdone
• Continue the miracles of daily clean fasting, autophagy, that I began last Feb. It’s not about weight loss (although it should be right now Lol), it’s about my immune system and cell renewal. Shocked at the results!
• I am 31 days into 100 days of working out. Trying new things, sweat equity. Posting all my workouts on Facebook > https://www.facebook.com/Karengeterdone/  and Instagram > https://www.instagram.com/karengeterdone/?hl=en
• Getting published! My 1st published work will come out in March when I’m featured in an anthology called; Carpe Diem. I have found a love of writing since I began blogging July 2015, it will become the basis of the next phase of my life and I’m moving forward on a dream of sketching out the structure of my own book in 2019.
• Continue giving back to my community; professionally and personally. Excited to have attention come to the inclusion and diversity work I’m doing this January being nominated as Top Recruiter in Canada. Here’s a feature post they asked me to write > https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6475747670848741376/ I will continue to support programs for women, newcomers to Canada and disadvantaged groups in my community and write more about the journey to help inspire others. Let’s change our dialogue around women > https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lets-change-dialogue-around-women-karen-simpson-chrl/
• Adventures! After climbing in Borneo in September (which I’ll write about soon) I’ve promised my Adventure Buddy a flat adventure in 2019. We have a bunch of ideas! First, Honduras is calling for some snorkeling fun.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  My wish for you is to find the joys in daily life, realize how small changes everyday can lead to big growth and recognize how love and laughter … mostly your own … is really what life is all about. Much Love!