Happy New Year! Can I still say that? It is January 12, after all. Anyway, …
This is the time of year when we all make grand resolutions to improve ourselves in some way: Vow to eat healthier and exercise more; Promise to meditate daily and go to bed earlier; Pledge to live in the moment and be kinder; Save more, do more, be more … The list goes on. I get it. I do it, too. Every year, I make similar resolutions: 2015 – To be calmer, happier, better; 2016 – To be less uptight and rigid; 2017 – To be more forgiving, mindful and connected. Notice a trend?
According to researchers, 80% of people abandon their resolutions by mid-February. They just throw in the towel and straight-up quit. Well, I am not a quitter. I am also not a totally relaxed, carefree, zen yogi like I hoped to be by now, which is why I’ve decided to recycle my old resolutions from the past three years as my new resolutions for this year. Some will say this is lazy, but I say it’s inspired — maybe even genius — because I never fully achieved any of those old resolutions. Sure, I’m a little calmer, looser and more aware than I used to be, there’s still lots of room for improvement. Every day is a chance to get better, to be better and to move closer to truly reaching my goals of inner peace and happiness, so I’m going to keep trying.
My motto for 2018 is, “Progression over perfection,” which is a good thing because it’s been slow-going these first twelve days of the new year. 2017 went out with more of a fizzle than a bang (a canceled vacation and ten long days of family togetherness left a bitter taste in my mouth) and 2018 started off sort of strong — until it didn’t. The boys finally went back to school and actually left the house showered, fed and on-time without any yelling involved for two days in a row! This minor miracle gave me hope and I took it as a positive sign of what the year had in store for me — peace, serenity and productivity. Unfortunately, Mother Nature interpreted this sign differently. She must have thought hell froze over because what followed has been nothing short of a shit show so far: One ice storm (with a school delay), two snow days, three broken toilets, four power outages, five days without heat, six meltdowns (all mine) and, of course, back to the usual scream-filled, late mornings. I’m not sure if I’m more pissed at Mother Nature, my kids, the school superintendent or that f*cker Murphy with the bad luck that makes everything “law.” Not exactly the road to blissful living.
But tomorrow is a new day and I’m not giving up. Progression over perfection. And things are already looking up: The sub-zero temperatures are gone, our heat has been fixed, new toilets will be installed next week and my husband and I are going on a much-needed vacation without the kids. Life is good. I know there are more sucky days ahead, but in general, my life is good.
So here’s to slaying all your 2018 goals, and even those left over from 2015. Just take it one day at a time like me. Breathe, you got this!
– LJDT
