I'm Done with Resolutions

Here it is, the 4th day of the year.  If this were like any other year, I would have already blown 8 of the 10 resolutions I had made for myself.  The two I would had kept thus far would have been the throwaways, like the goals you set for yourself in your annual reviews at work.  The no-brainers.  "I will breathe in and out on a consistent basis." "I will not steal a car at knife-point."   The others, I tend to break and I break them early.  I don't like to prolong the inevitable.  Let's just get on with the business of eating pizza, drinking beer and not exercising.

This year, I'm taking a different approach.  As I enter 2011, and my 47th year (or I guess technically my 48th year, as I will have my 47th birthday and I did live a year until I turned 1....oh, whatever), I'm feeling more introspective.  I'm less concerned with what I want to do (and not do), and more focused on the bigger picture.  Who I want to be.  How I want to feel.  What kind of a life I want to lead.  So, I've turned the whole "New Year's Resolution" thing into more of a thought process.  First, I thought about at least three things about the past year for which I am truly grateful.  Next, I tried to envision 3 things that I wish the coming year to hold.  As to the former, I'm grateful for the love of my family and friends, my health and my work.  As far as the coming year, I hope it holds in store the prospect of some inner peace as I deal with a toddler, a demanding career and the challenges of launching adult children into their independent lives (pray for me).  I'm hopeful we can work on some projects in our house which will preserve and enhance the space that is our refuge in this crazy world.  Finally, I envision carving out some time for myself.  Time to read, write, reflect or, on occasion, watch something really stupid on TV.  What I found interesting was how my "wish list" for 2011 relates to my 2010 "I'm grateful for" list.  That's really the rub--take what is most important to you, and try to make it better.  It's really hard to screw that up in 4 days.  Unless you do steal a car at knife-point.