Improve Thy Self.

Call it corny and cheesy, but my best friends and I have had this mantra for many years now. Yes, we are as common as many bestfriend-ships are -- we talk to each other regularly on the phone, go shopping together, get our hair & nails done together, watch girly movies that our boyfriends will never watch with us, have catch-up lunches to keep us sane, go on out-of-town trips, and so on..

But what I really love the most about our friendship is that we encourage each other to consciously & constantly make an effort to do just that: Improve Thy Self. Whether it's learning a new 'life skill', transitioning to a new job, reminding each other to pray, or even something as simple as getting a wardrobe overhaul.

biffles: patty, muffin, me & gin + our husbands/boyfriends :)

I kinda OC-ed out through our years of "Improving Thy Self" and have devised a way to make the process more systematic: Towards the end of the year, I compose my Goals for The Next Year, which I e-mail to my bestfriends in the first week on January. Then I refer to the list throughout the year to check on my progress. My 2011's theme was Making My Creative Dreams True. - Be positive & think twice before saying anything. - See the good in everyone and everything. - Please do it. Now. - Be healthy. - Pray! ☐ Paper Products to sell online ☐ After we move in, start building the green and sustainable design studio ☐ Write my books ☑ www.AlessandraLanot.com ☑ Get back to blogging (Well, here I am!) ☑ Focus on design for restos ☑ Jewelry and Culinary workshops in NYC (for organic/natural/vegetarian food)

In June, PJ & I went to Singapore, where I took some lessons in Silver Jewelry.