Resolution Revolution Revulsion

Happy New Year's!

In reflecting over my New Year's Resolutions, past and present, I've developed a few thoughts on the subject.

1. Quitting Smoking without any reason other than it's the first day of the year is completely idiotic and almost never works.  Good luck with that.
2. Losing weight is also a good idea, but as far as NYRs go, lame.
3. Furthering professional or academic careers: I think that this is a do-able feat, but not my cup of tea kind of goal. Too much "me" involved!
4. "Be a better person." This is ridiculous for two reasons. First, you would only need to perform one act of goodness in the entire year to achieve this. Once again, L-A-M-E. Second, I am not really a fan of the "good/bad person" dichotomy.  It is a binary system that essentially equates actions with personal worth. People who really do great things in the world, i.e., the "Mother Teresas" of the world probably don't resolve each January 1 to "be a better person."  (Neither do the Charles Mansons of the world...)

I'm sure I'll have far more ideas after I've slept on it, but here on the east coast, it is about 230 a.m.

My 2010 was a pretty successful year. I've finished another year of school, lost and received my driver's license twice, become a Tweeter, made some awesome new friends, reconnected with a few old ones, and lost some, and even challenged some societal norms.  In other words, it was another year. In the same manner a birthday is another milestone marked by becoming "older and wiser," so too, is the philosophy of improvement behind the New Year's Resolution.

With a bit of hindsight from this past year, this year's resolution for me is more of a mantra for me to live by:

• Treat people like you might never see them again 
• let everyone you care about know what they really mean to you 
• question everything to find meaning, but not to be a jerk
• spend your time doing the most important things
• spend your money like it was the hardest money you ever earned
• be generous with compassion, tolerance, and patience 
• remember to have a sense of humor, or else, and finally, 
• your body does not have a warranty, so take care of it yourself

 I think that pretty much sums up all the lessons (new and continued) of 2010 leading into 2011. I am probably missing something important, but I am exhausted. Feel free to borrow any of that, or even suggest some more.

Peace, Love, and Rock,
Shayna