“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.” ~ Irish Blessing
By the time you’re reading this we’ll be in that weird liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s where you can’t remember what day it is or the last time you ate a regular meal that wasn’t Christmas-festive. And when do the kids go back to school?
It’s unfortunate that this is the same week we try to make goals and plans and resolutions for the coming year. It seems like a terrible time to make quality decisions about the future when we’re all hyped up on sugar and socializing and lack of sleep.
I’m changing up my New Year’s resolutions this year because it feels too much like adding things to a to-do list that’s already too long. Instead, I’m looking at my life and seeing what I can leave behind, set aside, and remove. What needs to go away that I’m holding on to out of obligation, expectation, tradition, or plain old stubbornness?
I’m starting with the things that make me feel bad. It’s a bizarre component of human psychology that we do things to ourselves, by choice, that make us feel terrible. Those things can be physical (overindulging in food or drink, lack of sleep or rest, unmanaged stress), mental/emotional (continuing a relationship with someone who perpetually makes you hurt or angry or being negative all the time because that’s what everyone else is doing), or spiritual (clinging to resentment or guilt or unforgiveness).
It’s like that old joke about the guy who goes to the doctor and says, “Hey, doc, it hurts when I move my arm like this.” And the doctor says, “So don’t move your arm like that. Now you’re fixed.”
Sometimes it really is that simple.
Ditch that Facebook group that makes you mad. Give those uncomfortable shoes away. Stop eating the food that makes your belly hurt. If the discomfort that comes after the activity or item lasts longer than the pleasure, is it really worth it?
It’s just a different way to approach making positive changes for the New Year. Instead of adding on, start with what can be subtracted.
That said, wishing you all the very best in the week ahead and the New Year to come. We appreciate your continued support as readers, subscribers and advertisers. Thank you, and blessings upon you and yours.