January is the time of year when we make lots of promises to do things that are good for us and make others happy. It's a little like getting married. We all have wonderful intentions because nobody mentions unemployment, disabled children, or skid marks on undies. Nebulous threats of death seem pretty doable when cake and champagne are just around the corner. Likewise, when we resolve to lose weight, we aren't thinking about Super Bowl Sunday nachos or boxes of Valentine's Day chocolates. Oh, no! We are only thinking of the good intentions and happy feelings of the new beginning on which we are about to embark. Or maybe we are a lemming willing to jump off the cliff lest we miss out on something that everybody else is doing. Whatever the reason, it is typically a sure fire way to start the year with a great big fail! So I avoid resolutions....usually. Not this year. Here's why.
I have been in a funk the better part of 2012. I could list a bunch of reasons to justify my mood, but they are all shallow and selfish. In truth, I have much to be happy about. I am gainfully employed at a time when many people are not. I own a home, in the sense that the bank allows me to call it mine as long as I send them money the first of each month until I'm 72. I have three beautiful children whose only joy in life is honoring their mother. That one is a lie. I have three teenagers who aren't completely horrified to be seen with me in public and are willing to eat dinner with me on a regular basis. That is as close to parent heaven as one can get. I also come from a pretty tight family, have awesome neighbors and enjoy good health. On top of that, I have a very good man in my life who thinks my crazy is cute. Really, could life be better?
Why...of course it could! Haven't you been posting on Facebook, perusing Pinterest or surfing the internet? There is more I tell you. MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE!!!! Always more, always better, always something else I want and don't have. With such an inflated view of the world, how could my life not be deflated by reality? Which brings me to my resolution.
I was on Facebook and saw a Pinterest pin (sadly this is not a joke) that caught my eye. You are supposed to write good things that happen to you on a piece of paper. You fold them up and put them in a jar over the entire year. At the end of the year, you pull them all out and read them to remind yourself about all the great things that happened in 2013. Hmm. Close, but not quite there. Lots of focus on just me (yeah!) without enough attention on how much others do for me (boo!) I may be shallow, but I can see the vicious cycle with this one.
After much thought, Okay, a little thought, I came up with this idea instead. I am going to write a "Thank You" note to someone every day. There is one rule. It must be handwritten. No texts or e-mails. That made my kids gasp because my cell phone is pretty much an appendage at this point. My youngest, a twelve year old girl who makes lists, journals, reads books like "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and does other girl things I have never partaken of myself, loved the idea. My son, who is as likely to write a thank you note as I am, tried to talk me out of it. Even when he pointed out that a year has 365 days (I'm not good at math, so that was a valid point) I didn't let him discourage me. Instead, I decided to document this attempt here because there is nothing like the threat of humiliation or retaliation to motivate you to stick to a goal. So here it goes.
I started yesterday with my friend Kelee, a long time BFF from back in the day. She is the kind of friend who knows everything and will tell if I need to be put in my place. Like I said, retaliation and humiliation are quite the equalizer for me. Over the years, she has been there through many of my heartaches, both real and imagined. She has been with me on many a stupid ill-fated adventure. Why should this be any different? Kelee, thanks for being my friend.
(And yes, you sticklers. Yesterday was the 2nd, so I started this a day late. I am a procrastinator by nature. I gave it up one year, but didn't start until mid May and got behind by memorial day.)
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