I tend to do everything with a fervent passion straddling the line of obsession! Give me a good thing and I will make it better by doing it over and over…and over. That’s ok, I actually like that quality about myself. Repetition, there is something comforting about it. Mix that with a little creativity and you have a WIN WIN for the soul.
For 22 years I have hand painted Christmas ornaments for friends and family. I was inspired by one a good friend and babysitter gave me for Christmas in 1995. I still have that ball today, the one that started it all. Each year I’m inspired by a theme, a picture on a Christmas card or something I find sifting through all the holiday cheer. I paint anywhere from 12-18 “balls” which take me anywhere between 1-3 hours each.
There have been years I rushed the idea or felt pressured to keep up the tradition. But every year, when I add a new ball to the collection, I feel accomplished. Goals are challenging but rewarding. If we didn’t have to push ourselves to complete them then the feeling at the end wouldn’t be so gratifying.
This year I set a new goal. To paint ornaments all year and to create a collection to sell at the local Christmas in the Village. I thought it would be a fun and therapeutic goal to set and something I could inspire my Mom and Matt’s Mom Rita to do with me. I’m off to a good start with 24 balls done – sneak peak of the 2018 design 🙂 A subscription to Hallmark online that I received as a Christmas present has made the activity even more enjoyable! 
Is there something that you lose yourself in, something creative that adds an element of therapy to your life? What new goals could you set around this activity? Maybe the goal is to dedicate more time to enjoying yourself and letting it become your obsession. Make sure as your set your goals for the new year, you incorporate FUN in doing it and reaching it!