
These are my daughter’s favorite Christmas cookies. They are actually more like mini-cakes. Without the frosting, they are nothing special. It is this final step that makes them worth the effort.
New Year’s resolutions are work. They require a lot of slogging along, often without much visual improvement. In fact, when it comes to decluttering, I always warn clients that it will get worse before it gets better. That is why finishing touches are so important. They are the final reward for a job well done: the new pair of sneakers when we’ve established an exercise regime, the shopping trip when we reach our goal weight, the vase of fresh flowers when we’ve finally cleared-off dining room table, etc.
If you’ve been pursuing a goal this month, give some thought to how you might “top off” your effort. The promise of a sweet ending will help you stay strong to the end.


Aw, love this, because I agree that it is so those final touches that are so hard to actually get to, but definitely worth it when we do 😉
It can feel like a long time in coming to get to the end! Worth it to polish off your result in some way that makes you want to maintain it.
Hmm, you’ve given me something to think about. I’ve been avoiding a few tasks around home – maybe I need an incentive to do them!
Janet Barclay recently posted…Planning for Your Best Year Ever
Perhaps the promise of a special little finishing touch will help get you over the finish line. Few things feel as good as finally getting things done, right Janet? Stay warm up there… it is freezing here, so I can only imagine how things are in Canada!
Now I want to know the recipe for those cookies!
They do look good, don’t they? They are a lot of work, but they are worth it. If you really want the recipe, email me!
I really do want that recipe!
And as usual, I love the metaphor. That finishing touch can make all the difference. I approach my work life a lot like this in the early part of the year. The goal is to keep fueling that fire and adding those touches year round.
I think photographers really understand that idea of finishing touches and details. You have the right kind of eye to want to push toward that finely tweaked, satisfying result. I try to front load my work year with selling as well… get everything into the pipeline we there isn’t a rough spell come December!
So True. A reward at the end is a good motivator. Cleaning out a drawer or closet results in a pleasant orderly appearance to everything and is calming-weight loss is especially rewarding-and working hard to entertain is rewarded by a successful event that everyone really enjoyed. It’s very often the finishing touch that makes everything a success.
Like the new outfit when you’ve lost weight, or a new organizing tool for your freshly cleared-out space, right? Love getting those finishing touches in place:)