Although many of us love an excuse to enjoy a glittery, champagne-laced celebration there are those among us who tremble at the idea of relinquishing another year to the annuls of the past. Change, uncertainty, letting go...these inevitabilities can loom heavy for some.
I'm not one of those people.
I relish the 'new.' New job? Start tomorrow. New location? Pack my bags. New year? Clock's a-tickin'. I'm like a well traveled golden retriever who leaps at the first hint of a road trip (snout out the window, ears traversing the wind) when it comes to adventure, and that's all the unknown is really...a new adventure. So wipe the slate, shake the Etch-A-Sketch, and rip that last page off the calendar! Change is good.
I'm on the fence about resolutions, however. On one hand, I'm all about reevaluating the year that's passed and the areas in my life that need 'tweaking,' yet, on the other hand, compiling a list of goals that seem perfectly reasonable but in reality are as likely to be accomplished as a pig sniffing out truffles in Dubai just seems, well...sadistic.
This year, I'm more inclined to resolve not to do things as opposed to tossing more on the pile. The notion of limiting technology and 'unplugging' appeals to me greatly. I miss the feel of pen to paper and have decided to embark on a path of, dare I say...handwriting personal correspondence. On stationary, no less. With stamps. We used to call them 'letters.'
Not interrupting, not making assumptions, and not scrutinizing my children are right up there. But mostly, the sheer bliss of not feeling the need to prove anything, not stressing over other people's opinions or perceptions, and not obsessing over circumstances in life that are beyond my control are my 'Resolution Trifecta.' I'll save you having to purchase the Cliff Notes...most of life is beyond our control. Continue to cling to the illusion that "it's all within your power" if you enjoy funding big Pharma in the form of a lifetime prescription of Xanax.
There is a remarkable and satisfying emancipation from expectation that comes with enlightenment and maturity. The gnawing sense of urgency to keep chasing after some mythical, socially contrived ideal of success dissipates and in it's place is a serene well of perspective and acceptance.
Typically, we get too encumbered with all the fluff instead of what's relevant. And trust me, there's enough fluff to make the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man blush. A little shift is all that's really needed to sharpen our focus on what's crucial.
One of my favorite Stoics said it best:
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself,
but your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
I love those Romans, but none more than Emperor and philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. And every year at this time of reflection, I reach for my very weathered, tattered copy of his classic "Meditations," from which I continually glean new insight, like that little marvel above and this here other one for example:
"Think of your many years of procrastination; how the gods have repeatedly
granted you further periods of grace, of which you have taken no advantage.
It is time now to realize that your time has a limit set to it. Use it then, to
advance your enlightenment; or it will be gone, and never in your power again."
I know...profound. For me, the experience of revisiting the great Caesar's tome is like watching "The Godfather" for the eighty-second time and discovering a new revelation into the psyche of Michael Corleone. Here you thought you had Mikey all wrapped up and then - BAM! - quick as you can whack Moe Green, a neglected snippet of the human condition lays itself bare like the dead fish in Sonny's lap.
Remember, it's easy to get caught up in nonsense. Instead, why not enjoy the transition, look forward to what's around the corner, and ditch those pesky resolutions. Y'know..."leave the gun...take the cannoli."
Happy New Year.
I'm not one of those people.
I relish the 'new.' New job? Start tomorrow. New location? Pack my bags. New year? Clock's a-tickin'. I'm like a well traveled golden retriever who leaps at the first hint of a road trip (snout out the window, ears traversing the wind) when it comes to adventure, and that's all the unknown is really...a new adventure. So wipe the slate, shake the Etch-A-Sketch, and rip that last page off the calendar! Change is good.
I'm on the fence about resolutions, however. On one hand, I'm all about reevaluating the year that's passed and the areas in my life that need 'tweaking,' yet, on the other hand, compiling a list of goals that seem perfectly reasonable but in reality are as likely to be accomplished as a pig sniffing out truffles in Dubai just seems, well...sadistic.
This year, I'm more inclined to resolve not to do things as opposed to tossing more on the pile. The notion of limiting technology and 'unplugging' appeals to me greatly. I miss the feel of pen to paper and have decided to embark on a path of, dare I say...handwriting personal correspondence. On stationary, no less. With stamps. We used to call them 'letters.'
Not interrupting, not making assumptions, and not scrutinizing my children are right up there. But mostly, the sheer bliss of not feeling the need to prove anything, not stressing over other people's opinions or perceptions, and not obsessing over circumstances in life that are beyond my control are my 'Resolution Trifecta.' I'll save you having to purchase the Cliff Notes...most of life is beyond our control. Continue to cling to the illusion that "it's all within your power" if you enjoy funding big Pharma in the form of a lifetime prescription of Xanax.
There is a remarkable and satisfying emancipation from expectation that comes with enlightenment and maturity. The gnawing sense of urgency to keep chasing after some mythical, socially contrived ideal of success dissipates and in it's place is a serene well of perspective and acceptance.
Typically, we get too encumbered with all the fluff instead of what's relevant. And trust me, there's enough fluff to make the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man blush. A little shift is all that's really needed to sharpen our focus on what's crucial.
One of my favorite Stoics said it best:
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself,
but your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
I love those Romans, but none more than Emperor and philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. And every year at this time of reflection, I reach for my very weathered, tattered copy of his classic "Meditations," from which I continually glean new insight, like that little marvel above and this here other one for example:
"Think of your many years of procrastination; how the gods have repeatedly
granted you further periods of grace, of which you have taken no advantage.
It is time now to realize that your time has a limit set to it. Use it then, to
advance your enlightenment; or it will be gone, and never in your power again."
I know...profound. For me, the experience of revisiting the great Caesar's tome is like watching "The Godfather" for the eighty-second time and discovering a new revelation into the psyche of Michael Corleone. Here you thought you had Mikey all wrapped up and then - BAM! - quick as you can whack Moe Green, a neglected snippet of the human condition lays itself bare like the dead fish in Sonny's lap.
Remember, it's easy to get caught up in nonsense. Instead, why not enjoy the transition, look forward to what's around the corner, and ditch those pesky resolutions. Y'know..."leave the gun...take the cannoli."
Happy New Year.
