Interesting word, that.
Re- solution. To find the solution, again.
Appropo, then, that we try again and again to solve everything, every year, with plans and dreams and promises and resolutions.
It is December 31st, 10:17 pm, and it's time for my annual trip down that road of resolve.
I've learned this year from my Thirty Days experience that small steps are powerful, that positives are easier than negatives, and that I can only add do much to my life at any one time.
And so with that in mind, I will greet 2012:
1. Be Mindful. Of what I put in my body, of what I do with time, of what I say to my children.
2. Be Patient. With my children, with the pace of life, with myself. Know that change starts small and change takes time.
3. Be Grateful. See and feel and know the blessings in my life every moment of every day. The blessing of life itself.
4. Be present. Focus on the now, this moment. Let the past rest, let the future unfold. Plan for it, prepare for it, wonder at it, and let it be. Be.
I think that's it.
Happy New Year, all. May it unfold beautifully and with joy.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
December 2
So.
Anything for 30 days is not quite as easy as one might think, apparently.
I kind of fell off the wagon in November. I blame 2 weeks of plague upon our house followed by the onset of the holiday season with its ensuing company, cooking, and cleaning.
Only one thing to do when you fall off the wagon: Get back on.
I had a birthday a couple of days ago. Thirty-five, which seems kind of impossible to me. The pace of life flying by is astonishing and numbing and humbling. And it brings into absolute clarity the need to savor, to drink up, to love it all.
And to thank people.
There's this lovely technology-age tradition that's sprung up-- the Facebook birthday greeting. Facebook reminds you that it's someone's birthday, you click their name and write a quick note on their wall, people feel loved. It's really pretty wonderful, and very efficient. Generally, the birthday-ee closes the day with an artfully worded post thanking their friends for the well-wishes, and that's that.
My birthday fell on a Wednesday this year and seeing as Wednesday is pretty much the longest day of the week for me, I wasn't anticipating a very festive day. But then I awoke at 5am to lovely homemade cards from my family and a surprising number of wall posts on Facebook, and the day was suddenly off to a lovely start.
As I drove to the gym I vowed that I would thank each and every person who had taken the time, unbidden, to wish me a happy birthday. Thank them personally, and meaningfully; bring a bit of light and warmth to their day too.
I began to regret that choice as the day went by and the birthday wishes rolled in.
By evening I had over 50 people to respond to. It took me almost an hour follow through on my vow.
It was one of the most worthwhile hours I've spent in a long, long time.
Looking at each person's picture, name; thinking about them and how they have affected my life. Reading over their page to catch up on their lives, really thinking about their posts and not just skimming. Writing a genuine compliment for them, telling them, directly, what I love about them, why I am glad they are my friend.
This new virtual world of ours, thrilling in its immediacy, its connectivity, tempts us to skim the surface, to rush through life, rush past people, skip ahead to what's next. Efficient, exciting, instant.
It takes time to go deeper, to slow down and dig past the virtual and find the real. These people, these real people, these friends. Technology has reconnected me to many and I am so very grateful to it. But I need to remember that a quick pause for real gratitude, a moment taken for real connection, is what allows me to use the technology to add to my life, rather than the other way around....
Plus, you should have seen all the comments I got back.
You get out what you put in.
And this December, I will be trying to put in more. I will be using technology to add real connection to my life, to help me savor and appreciate the people who make my life rich and beautiful.
Every day I will try to send an e-mail, write a message or post a comment that will make someone's day. I will use my words to deepen connections. I will use the virtual to strengthen the real.
Anything for 30 days is not quite as easy as one might think, apparently.
I kind of fell off the wagon in November. I blame 2 weeks of plague upon our house followed by the onset of the holiday season with its ensuing company, cooking, and cleaning.
Only one thing to do when you fall off the wagon: Get back on.
I had a birthday a couple of days ago. Thirty-five, which seems kind of impossible to me. The pace of life flying by is astonishing and numbing and humbling. And it brings into absolute clarity the need to savor, to drink up, to love it all.
And to thank people.
There's this lovely technology-age tradition that's sprung up-- the Facebook birthday greeting. Facebook reminds you that it's someone's birthday, you click their name and write a quick note on their wall, people feel loved. It's really pretty wonderful, and very efficient. Generally, the birthday-ee closes the day with an artfully worded post thanking their friends for the well-wishes, and that's that.
My birthday fell on a Wednesday this year and seeing as Wednesday is pretty much the longest day of the week for me, I wasn't anticipating a very festive day. But then I awoke at 5am to lovely homemade cards from my family and a surprising number of wall posts on Facebook, and the day was suddenly off to a lovely start.
As I drove to the gym I vowed that I would thank each and every person who had taken the time, unbidden, to wish me a happy birthday. Thank them personally, and meaningfully; bring a bit of light and warmth to their day too.
I began to regret that choice as the day went by and the birthday wishes rolled in.
By evening I had over 50 people to respond to. It took me almost an hour follow through on my vow.
It was one of the most worthwhile hours I've spent in a long, long time.
Looking at each person's picture, name; thinking about them and how they have affected my life. Reading over their page to catch up on their lives, really thinking about their posts and not just skimming. Writing a genuine compliment for them, telling them, directly, what I love about them, why I am glad they are my friend.
This new virtual world of ours, thrilling in its immediacy, its connectivity, tempts us to skim the surface, to rush through life, rush past people, skip ahead to what's next. Efficient, exciting, instant.
It takes time to go deeper, to slow down and dig past the virtual and find the real. These people, these real people, these friends. Technology has reconnected me to many and I am so very grateful to it. But I need to remember that a quick pause for real gratitude, a moment taken for real connection, is what allows me to use the technology to add to my life, rather than the other way around....
Plus, you should have seen all the comments I got back.
You get out what you put in.
And this December, I will be trying to put in more. I will be using technology to add real connection to my life, to help me savor and appreciate the people who make my life rich and beautiful.
Every day I will try to send an e-mail, write a message or post a comment that will make someone's day. I will use my words to deepen connections. I will use the virtual to strengthen the real.
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