Happy 2011!  It's cold here on the shores of Lake Michigan, but I'm a big fan of winter, crazy as that sounds.  I love the clothes, I love my cozy house, and I absolutely love flannel sheets.

The problem with my flannel sheets, and every other set I own, is the fitted sheet.  Folding flat sheets and pillow cases is no problem.  But what to do with the fitted ones?  I  once saw a Martha Stewart segment where she matched up the corner pockets and then did a couple of quick maneuvers, claiming it was easy and all in the wrist.  I try that every wash day, but the darn things just end up in a big wad under their nice, smooth, flat cousins.

Making the bed the other day, I started thinking about other things that we try repeatedly, yet never quite achieve to our satisfaction. Sometimes we call them resolutions, sometimes we call them goals, sometimes they're just stuff we want to accomplish. They usually involve weight loss and career advancements and self improvement.  And more often than not, we set these goals so high, there's no way we could ever achieve them, even if we were perfect.

News Flash: the goal we should really seek is to have the courage to say, "So what?"  So what if I'm not as thin as I want to be?  So what if I didn't get the promotion or raise I really wanted?  So what if I didn't learn to speak Chinese fluently last year?  It's tough to walk away from goals, but that's where the courage part comes in. 

To help take the sting out of not quite achieving your goals, past or future, here are a couple of courage-boosting ideas:

1.  Instead of setting new year's resolutions for yourself, make a list of last year's accomplishments.  They could be large or small, involve others or just be about you.  (Be bold, be honest, be a little boastful - this list is just for you!)

2.  Make a list of your assets, abilities and blessings.  What are you good at?  What skills do you have?  What activities do you love to do more than any others?  (Sleeping in is not acceptable in this list!)

3.  Take the time to try things on.  We do this in dressing rooms and at makeup counters.  Why not do the same thing with new ideas.  Think about all the emotions and implications of having that job, traveling down that path or making that decision.  While you can't control others' reactions, this will give you a handle of what your own might be, both in achieving your goal and in not quite making it a reality.