I have never been a big New Year’s fan as this holiday in particular I’m always a little accident prone. I’ve been hit in the eye by a popper at a party, groped two handed in San Francisco, peed on my wallet in a park (maybe that was someone else, the memory’s a little hazy) stepped on the red-hot wire of a sparkler, gotten asthma from the cordite or whatever from fireworks, and had to hose down the cedar shake roof after mishaps involving bottle rockets and flying wish paper.
Still, New Year’s Day is an optimistic holiday, and with enough alcohol and bad renderings of Auld Lang Syne, I can imagine this will be the year I lose weight, that the economy is actually turning around, and my book will finally get published. For that, I love New Year’s.
Being the creative control freak I am, I go on an annual “focus my intentions” personal retreat on the mountain with my little tent and journal, and assess Where I’ve Come From and Where I’m Going. Yes, those are actual columns where I look at last year’s goals and journal entries and then adjust and redo them for the following year. I know, sickening, right?
But it’s worked. In close to 20 years of doing this I’ve achieved a LOT of my goals, because I won't settle for the unaimed arrow never misses. Some goals still stubbornly elude me, like losing weight permanently, releasing certain people of expectations, and taking vitamins daily—but I keep tacking them onto the goal list. Because if there’s ever a personal motto I have it’s this: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
(Oh how I love my slogans and mottoes! If I ever develop a branded therapy technique, The Bumper Stickers of Your Life is going to be it.)
But this year, I’m burned out. This year, that all just feels like work and I actually dread my retreat, a time I usually treasure. I was considering not doing it at all when I read Rachelle Gardner’s insightful blog. http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
She said something similar in hers, then how she just wants to write some key words and then keep them handy, and make tiny choices that feel good and head her toward that intention.
I love that. That’s something I can do in this burned out end of 2010, with neighborhood piles of used-up firecracker paper just waiting to land me on my okole (rear end).
Some of my unresolutions for 2011, in no particular order (what a concept!)
Joy
Love & Acceptance
Creativity
Healthy & fit
Abundance
Fun
My retreat this year is going to be a little indulgent now, as I plan it. Perhaps a I’ll take a scent candle and a nap in my tent (not at the same time) along with a new book I’ve been hankering for, and my painting stuff—or just a whole lotta nothing but my bongo drums. I get to let intuition guide me toward these liberating little words I’ve chosen for 2011. Nothing needs to be a chore, when Fun is one of my desired outcomes.
I can dream on these words effortlessly, full of grace and laughter.
What are your New Year’s Unresolutions?
I can relate. Been a long year. I just keep my head down and go. Only need to know the date when something asks for it, and if it asks often enough, I find an automated way of handling it. My iPhone tells me when I need to be somewhere. Just keep doing what you do. Let time worry about itself. Happy New Year!
I like that, the Iphone telling you where to go! Externalizing the taskmaster, good strategy. Thanks for everything Peter and Happy New Year to you, too!
With 5 years of constant uncertainity the last few years I can’t help but think ‘Is this the year that life will settle down for us?’ I guess that means I start each new year with some hope.
Without hope, the people perish. I will be hoping for you too… and for NZ to calm.
I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never actually made one and stuck to it. Most of my goals and accomplishments came from goal-setting when I was ready to set/meet the goal, rather than when the calendar said I should. Therefore, quitting smoking was set in March. Finishing my first book occurred to me in August. Graduating happened in July. Losing weight…well, that one happened (once) in April. I’m not the type to wait until New Year’s if I have a goal in mind. Why wait? I started using my Wii Fit equipment in November (okay, so that one sort of fell by the wayside during the traveling of the holidays, but still…I didn’t wait).
Loved Rachelle’s blog about resolutions based on emotions, rather than behaviors. There’s some good psychologicalizing in there! *wink*
You got that right. Motivations that begin with felt need are much more authentic and carry us so much further.
Toby are you saying that you are taking a retreat out in your yard or going camping. Now that is a thought. I was thinking I would have to hop a plane, which I refuse with all this security mess going on, and pay big bucks.
As for New years, as long as it does not involve a fireworks bomb shattering the windshield of our car, another car being stolen and totaled and another being sandwiched in between other cars and totaled, my daughter having 3 eye operations, I will be perfectly happy for the coming new year.
Wow Karen, that’s a LOT to deal with. Perhaps 2011 will be calmer! I take my tent and go to nearby remote park; just use the tent to make a little ‘room’ for myself and I stay for just the day, alone in nature.
After all, we live in Hawaii and its the best place in the US in January, bar none! Best to you in the coming year.
Well, I was either with you or the cause of almost every one of your New Years mishaps (you know what you did to deserve that groping!) sooooo…. New Years Eve is a great holiday! booze and fireworks, my kind of evening. Paying for hotel rooms with urinated on money… good times.
But older and semi-wiser now and not able to bounce back quickly from a hangover… it feels like the end of festivities and the start of a long work grind! Bah humbug.
I hope the cows don’t get you in your tent, I know how you love them. Cow blog to follow please, the real story please, you know what you did that day! 🙂
Oooh, cow blog, GREAT IDEA!!!
Um. Yeah. What are little sisters for? and I hope you find a little more than Bah Humbug to say about ringing in 2011, wish we were spending it together.
<3 sis!