What I am most proud of

While reading this post by Misty and the comments below it, one commenter (Hawaii Planner) mentioned there seems to be a lot of negativity, challenges and bad stuff in the PF world. I've read this type of response time and time again, though I won't quote all the sources. And I wholeheartedly agree. It is true. This end of the PF blogs focuses in challenges and debt-repaying, becoming smart through lessons learned and advice taken (or ignored), but also through a lot of mistakes and bad situations that pushes us to making smarter decisions because we just run out of choices. My blog has really been a bit on the negative side as well. In my defense, these are challenging times! But enough of excuses.

So let's hear it all! Time to post what you're most proud of. What you've done right. How you are a better person. And how you're just awesome. Go ahead and post it in your blogs. I know the holidays are a busy time, but heck, now is as good a time as ever to celebrate YOU. Look at your good pictures and congratulate yourself for all the RIGHT things you did this year. At the very least, it should get you off on the right foot to start January 2012.

You can use any format you want. Any number of things. Make it a list or make it a story. Tell the rest of us in the blogosphere how awesome you are and how you've done things that deserve a standing ovation from all of us. You know we're a supporting group, so go all out!

Here's my list of 12 things in honor of ME and the year 2012:

Four things I did right
1- Not incurring any new major debt.
2- Tracking my finances and being honest about my debt.
3- Not buying a new cell phone and re-re-resurrecting my old one (duct tape rocks!)
4- Building a budget and savings plan I can definitely achieve if I try to do so and Murphy/parents don't mess me up too often. Also, following said budget to the best of my ability.
Four things about ME that just rock
5- I'm bilingual in a bilingual field managed mostly by English-only management. Guess who's their main translator?
6- My determination to drive 15hrs each way by myself to visit someone for the first time (my only other 'long drive' had been about 1.5 hours long each way!). I was really proud, especially after 8/10 people told me I was crazy.
7- I'm the healthiest person that you will meet, except for once every few years when I end up in the ER. I'll take 5-10/365 consecutive days of being REALLY sick over 50-200/365 days of being mildly sick any day!
8- I'm an excellent listener and very loyal friend. I make few friends, but they are friends forever.
Four things I did for myself
9- Going on vacation for the second time in 10+ years! (And saving for it!)
10- Starting this blog and meeting wonderful people!
11- Formulated a 5/10 year goal that has given me a whole new purpose and willpower to move forward.
12- Have used my off-time from PT job to hang out with my half brother, instead of sulking at my parents’. One of the little decisions I made that really made me happier.