Maybe it’s the nog. Maybe it’s the guilt resting in our bellies after a few too many bites of Mom’s sugar cookie dough. Maybe it’s the nasty cold air that’s frozen over not only hell, but our intellect and reason.
Whatever it is, each New Year we Americans feel an urge - an inclincation, if you will - to make New Years' resolutions. Along with 80 lbs. of unnecessary wrapping paper, we toss out yesteryear’s failed attempts and wake up bright eyed (partially because the snow literally blinds us) and ready to take on the world. Full of hope, motivation and focus, we march forth the New Year with grandiose plans of losing weight, quitting smoking, spending more time with Grandma Millie before she dies…you name it.
Don’t fret. I do this myself, and each year I successfully fail.
Yet, why do we feel the need to change something in our lives? Change implies we are doing something wrong; it connotates negativity, guilt, inadequacy.
Some people actually keep their resolutions – and hey, I whole-heartedly salute them.
However, most of us, once we sober off our holiday high, we surrender – we give up. Reality sinks in, and we’re suddenly too busy, too stressed, too overwhelmed to persist. Suddenly, our goals seem naïve, silly, unrealistic.
And where does this leave us? Empty. Sad. Guilty.
Another year, another failure.
Well, screw that.
This year, I propose an anti-resolution.
That’s right, I said it.
What if, instead, our New Years' resolution was to find something in our lives we enjoy, we are proud of...something that we don’t want to change?
Or perhaps…keep those old style resolutions, but also have a few of these anti-resolutions, too.
Sometimes we spend so much time filtering out the bad…we forget to nourish the good that’s already there.
So, think of a few things in your own life that you like, or that you think you’re doing right. Take pride in them. Remind yourself to not let go of them.
I’ll start it out.
Things I will not change this year:
1. My exercise routine. I enjoy de-stressing after a long day of work. It also elevates my mood and keeps my healthy and in shape. It makes me feel like a better person, both mentally and physically. I vow to continue to value that.
2. My blonde hair. Although the Jessica/Britney/Paris jokes get frustrating and old, and I perpetually worry that guys only find blondes “hot” and not girlfriend or marriage material…I will embrace my blonde hair and, like Elle Woods of Legally Blonde, I plan on proving to the world that blondes and brains are not mutually exclusive.
3. Eating breakfast before work. Even if it makes me five minutes late to work, I never forget to sit down and eat a bowl of cereal. Too many people replace food with their favorite mocha-frappa-espresso-latte-what have you. I will not buy into the craze…Caribou not the alter at which I worship!!!! Starbucks is not my bitch lover, either. I will cling to my Cheerios with part childhood pride, part healthy wisdom, because breakfast really is the most important meal of the day (without sounding cliché or like your family doctor).
I just wanted to get a short list started off. If you’re half (hell, a fourth) as self-critical as I am, it can feel like homework trying to find things in your life that you are happy about or proud of. Still, try to find them. Celebrate them.
Because, gosh, if you can’t celebrate yourself on freakin’ New Years – the biggest celebration all year – then when the heck can you?
:)
Whew.
Blogger's writing block...officially over. For now. lol.
