out with ’08 – in with ’09

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one always brings out the reflective side of me. I guess it does for a lot of people.

Perhaps more-so, this year, for me.

For Christmas, I asked for and received this book.

Besides being beautifully designed and amazing, it’s chocked full of wisdom by someone in my field of work – maxims that began in the author’s personal diary that he turned into graphic work over the years. Personal truths like “Complaining is silly. Either act or forget” and “Over time I get used to everything and start taking it for granted.”

While these actualizations about life are useful to designers in daily work life, they’re useful for everyone else as well. They’re good mantras to live by.

I’ve been thinking a lot since receiving this book about what have I learned in my life so far?

Here’s three*:
– A $2 purchase gives me as much of a thrill as a $200 purchase
– It costs nothing to be kind
– A valuable lesson can be learned from every person I encounter

My 2009 New Years Resolution is a very simple one – to figure out what I’ve learned so far, and put those lessons into practice. Well, actually, maybe that’s not so simple, but I’m a work in progress.

Happy 2009!

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*feel free to post the truths you’ve learned in life below in the comments