Starting the New Year with a Smile

Well it's back to the grind; More politely known as the official start to my new working year. It's my first day back and everything is just as I left it, except for my hair.

Nearing the last week of 2009, I decided that rather than compile a list of cliched resolutions for the upcoming year, I would put all my new years wishes out there for the world to see and unleash my creative beast with a new haircut and radical highlights. This will allow me to attract all of the things I want to achieve in 2010; Creativity, fun, surprises, colour, adventure, life!

I've never been one for new years resolutions as I feel that they are too limiting. However, despite my distaste for them, that doesn't mean I don't like to set goals for myself each year. I just simply keep them generic: self-improvement, exploration, creation, and the learning of new things. Not elaborating on details takes the pressure off having no time stamp on them and helps keeps things open to possibility, allowing me to get creative on how each one should be executed.

And even though those generic goals never change from year-to-year, the execution and the outcome are never the same.

Last year I wanted to:
- upgrade my skills (so I went to back to school and learned something new)
- become affiliated with a network or community of designers (so I became a LGDC member, attending a few events, connecting with many great people)
- travel somewhere I've never been (so I took a road-trip through the Rockies of BC and Alberta and explored, going somewhere I've never gone before)
- help me build a foundation for personal and career success (so I worked with a personal coach to help me self-improve)

All fabulous experiences and I can't wait to tackle my next list of goals for 2010.

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2010 goal #1: Filter less, share more

One thing I promised myself to wiggle free from this year was filtering my ideas before experimenting first since I found it lead to so much restriction that I could barely stand it.
So here is my attempt to filter less and share more by helping you start your new year off right and give others a smile.

I created and designed this "Badge of Awesomeness" to hand out at my workplace. Some days, things can get a little too serious around here so this is my way of implementing some fun and positive energy into the mix.

It takes me back to my elementary days when getting 'gold stars' earned you lunch with the teacher if you got enough of them. Unfortunately this one doesn't earn you a lunch but it does give someone a little recognition and hopefully a big smile. Sometimes that's enough :)

"Save-As" here:
http://twitpic.com/wo1n7/full