It's All Resolved!

Despite the fact that I always enjoy a good “clean slate” opportunity, like Solstices and Equinoxes, first days of weeks and months, birthdays, and of course, the O.G. clean slate opportunity of New Year’s Eve, I have never been a fan of the “New Year’s Resolution.” Sure, I love the opportunity to “start anew” when December 31 becomes January 1 at the stroke midnight. But the idea of making a list of all these ways I am going to make myself a better person just seems to be the ultimate set up for failure.

And, if the meme that was going around on social media just a couple of days into the new year (“I’ve already screwed up 2024…but 2025 is gonna be my year!”) is any sort of indicator, I am most certainly not alone.

But I also don’t want to use what is likely an unhealthy resistance to planning in general as an excuse to not create a vision for my life and the experiences I would like to have in the coming weeks and months. After all, isn’t that what manifesting is based on? Having a desire, then doing what we can to fulfill that desire in our life?

To be totally honest, I become almost incapacitated when asked what my plans are for an upcoming weekend, let alone the year ahead. Its not that I am indecisive (though I totally see how I can come across as indecisive), it's that I have a longterm relationship with old pals "Expectation" and "Disappointment." Basically I have all these (often unarticulated) expectations, and, when experiences don’t match those expectations, I become profoundly disappointed.

I determined long ago that I’d prefer to not be disappointed by failing in my New Year’s Resolutions, so I just won’t make any. As a matter of fact, I will resist all active planning, or envisioning for my life. Instead, I’ll “wish” and “hope” for experiences (which can translate to some pretty passive aggressive maneuvering in my relationships), be thrilled if they DO happen according to expectation, and deal with the crushing disappointment when they don’t.

Though intellectually I understand there is a happy medium between making a list of all the accomplishments I think must have, or do, to be a better or happier person, and sitting around just waiting for positive changes in my life to just happen or not. I know I could make “manageable” goals, or take small steps each day to accomplish a significant achievement.

As I transitioned into this year, I knew that SOMETHING had to change in how I was living, or inertia was going to ground me completely from even dreaming of opportunities for growth and fun.

And then I had an epiphany. I suddenly remembered one of the wonderful daily “Notes from the Universe” emails that I had received long ago that resonated with me then, and even more now.

“When you don’t know what to ask for, ask for happiness.”

This, I can work with! I don’t have to make a master plan, or wish list, that comes with high-stakes expectations that could be met, or unmet.

“When you don’t know what to choose for your life, choose happiness!”

Yes! I don’t have to have a gazillion, difficult to attain or sustain, resolutions to do — or be — anything. I need only to have a commitment to ME to BE ME — and choose happiness REGARDLESS of what I do, where I am, or what is happening around me!

It’s not about checking of the bucket list of accomplishments in my remaining time here on Earth. It's about being aware of my own power and ability to consciously choose to appreciate, enjoy, or celebrate any and all moments and experiences.

I can do this!

So I guess I do have resolution — ultimately for the year, but in truth, for just one moment - this moment. I am enjoying this moment. And this one! And this one too...

New Year’s Resolution issue…resolved.