Looking to the New Year

It's been a wild year. I don't need to recap here, you all know what a strange ride it's been. Every year about this time, I take inventory and review my hits and misses for the year. It's a great exercise that I do with my husband, rehashing what we have done well - individually, in our jobs and as part of the broader community. It is also our anniversary and it gives us some fun, and not so fun, things to relive.

On target

• Relieved that I didn't have enough discretionary income to be a Madoff investor.
• Glad that I am not responsible for hiring, professional development and retention for the Detroit Lions personnel.
• Happy that I don't work in HR for any of the automotive industries.
• Grateful that we both have wonderful jobs in Michigan, in this economy.
  
• Maintain our investing in areas of need - animals, people and programs.
  

Course corrections

• Owned AIG. Nothing more to say on this.
• Sold stock I should have kept, kept stock I should have sold.
• Didn't invest enough in myself, personally and professionally.
• Need to focus and hone my emerging interests.
  

I am not a New Year's resolution kind of person. But I do take this time of year to review what I have accomplished and look forward to the next year. I look for areas to sharpen my strengths, and places to use them; I also assess my weaknesses. My business plan for the next year starts to take shape. My goal is a balanced scorecard - personally, professional and in the community. It's a marathon, not a sprint. And about this time next year, I will review it all again. Happy New Year!