2012 has arrived and I think caught me by surprise. It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating 2011 and thinking of all the wonderful adventures it would bring. I never make New Year resolutions but instead I make what some would call a “bucket list” of things to accomplish and personal traits to change. Now last year was a very exciting year and many items on my list were fulfilled which makes this year’s list even harder to compose.
My biggest hope for this year is to develop at attitude of positivity. I want to see the cup half full – always – instead of half empty. I want to be happy and uplifting instead of always being negative and whining about my life. This is not going to be an easy feat. Although I mostly feel happy and know how blessed I am in my life I do have a huge tendency to complain and natter about life. Like this morning for instance. I returned to the gym and the weigh scale. Now a month ago I was celebrating the fact that I had lost 11.5 pounds and right before Christmas I had lost 14 and was only a pound away from my goal. This morning though I am back to where I was a month ago. I had to stop myself from the negative thoughts of ...."oh a whole month of morning exercise wasted, a whole month of dieting gone"....I had to keep bringing myself back to “wow I only gained four pounds over the whole holiday, is that ever great and I will soon lose it “. I know can do it.
This year will be full of new beginnings and new hopes. My son is getting married where I will focus on the happiness of the event and not the stress the busyness of it all will bring, the current folks I work with will retire and move on and I will try to let go with grace and look at the new folks with openness and hope, I will celebrate my 50th birthday and be thankful for reaching this number and probably it is time to look ahead at my working life. I have 15 more years before retirement and maybe it is time for change. If not in my work, then maybe in my volunteer work, to find a way to give back what I have received from others. In all ways it will be a year of great change and growth which I shall try to look on with great excitement instead of the fear that change usually brings to me.
So my bucket list this year is very short and yet bigger than any other list I have had. I am not sure I am going to have the energy required to be upbeat and positive 24/7 but I am sure going to try. I believe it will require a new outlook on life, time spent in quiet meditation and a constant state of mindfulness to bring myself back to “the cup half full”.
I wish you all a healthy and adventurous 2012 that will bring happiness to you and your families. Let’s not just celebrate the steps we have taken but look forward to the path ahead with great excitement and anticipation.
Happy New Year ( a day late...but on a positive note...better late than never. LOL)
