Mexico has some interesting ideas about New Year’s Eve and how you can get what you want later in the year. What do you think of this list of dos and don’ts from Focus on Mexico?

**Wear red underwear for love. Wear yellow underwear to assure happiness and good moments. It is better if the underwear is a gift from someone else. To have many new clothes during the year, wear your underwear backward. (In our part of Mexico, yellow underwear brings the wearer financial prosperity for the coming year.)
**Eat lentils for prosperity. Make a little package of lentils and carry it in your purse all year long so you will have money.
**Walk out of your house with suitcases in your hands at midnight to make trips during the year. You can also walk around the block.
**To have your wishes come true in the new year, eat 12 grapes during the 12 times the bells ring at midnight and make 12 wishes.
**Sweep the floor of your house through the door and out to avoid bad luck. (In our area of Mexico, there is a special cleansing called la Limpieza de las 7 Iglesias using holy water gathered from 7 churches during Semana Santa and chlorine)
**Throw a bucket of water out of your house to clean it from bad vibes.
**Sweep money inside to have prosperity. Put money in your shoes for prosperity.
** Write on a paper everything you don’t want anymore in your life like sadness, anger, etc… and then burn it.

This year, the Flores family bypassed every single one of these traditions. We didn’t even head up the hill for the yearly BYOB (bring your own bucket) family bonfire. And you know what? Nothing bad happened! At least, so far.

On the other hand, there are some new traditions in line with our resolutions that we’d like to implement. I have already begun the Transition Year, as I have dubbed 2016-2017. Along with some personal goals that will be revealed in due course, I have some blogging goals that begin today!

Each month, I will endeavor to find a Woman Writer in Mexico to feature and share with you. In line with starting things out right, this month’s inspiring woman writer is Monique Alvarez.

“Your life is your adventure’ …say Yes to whatever beckons your heart. Make decisions that line up with your soul…..Push yourself past where you think you can go. Surprise yourself with what you can accomplish…..cherish your uniqueness. Create your world and fill it with all the things that make you happy.

With these inspiring words from “Success Redefined, Travel, Motherhood, and Being the Boss” by Monique Alvarez, I challenge you to rethink your New Year’s resolutions and traditions too.

Use these inspiring questions from Monique to define your resolutions and make your change:

**What are 3-5 things you want to accomplish in the next year?
**What must you do in order to reach each one?
**What must happen for them to fall into place that you have no control over?
**What will it feel like when you accomplish these things?
**How will you celebrate when you accomplish them?
**What is one area of your life on which you’d like to focus over the next 6 months?
**How do you want to grow in this area of your life?
**What is one daily self-care practice you can start right now?

So, armed with our resolutions firmly in mind, let’s begin 2017, shall we?