Today I turn 43.

Today I close the door on the last year, the Lost Year (as it will henceforth be known.)

Today I move forward into a new adventure.

Each year on or around my birthday, I write a set of goals for the upcoming years. That’s pretty common, I think. Me being me, I *also* write down my accomplishments from the past year. I always accomplish more than I think I can, and I always fail to achieve at least some goals.

‘Quit smoking’ for example was on my list for something like a decade. ‘Lose weight’ is another one that lingers. But I’ve surprised myself with publishing two books. With celebrating my coven’s 10th birthing day. With facing cancer and riding it’s tumultuous wave.

The writing and realizations are a private process, one that can take days. (I’m not very good at recognizing what I do well. It has to sneak up on me a bit.) The goal setting tends to be easy, partly because I use Samhain as a time to correct my goals (new year energy and all that) so I know I can dream big.

This year the big things I want to accomplish are:

• sell my old house
• lose weight (20% of my current weight to be specific)
• exercise daily for at least 30 mins (aside from walking Sasha)
• create a system of advanced lessons with my coven
• develop  coven leaders’ handbook
• make a garden
• finish one embroidery project (flowers) and start another (carousel lion)

I’ll check in with y’all ’round Samhain to let you know how its going.