New Years...

"I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me."

- Anais Nin -

And that about sums up my New Years Resolutions. After thinking about it for what, 12 days now, I couldn't come up with something that really made me excited for a "life change." I like my life. Of course I am not perfect and there are plenty of flaws that I could change, but I am also not a perfectionist... Call me lazy, call me settled, call me what you will.

I could try and be more organized, but I don't even have time to consider how to do it, much less the brain space to try and become type A. I could promise to workout three times a week, but I know that my life will allow for some event to pop up at the last minute that may only allow me once or twice a week, and who wants to feel guilty for not making their resolutions? I could say that when I sit up at night blogging and watching my tivo'd shows for the week that I would stop and do my situps, lunges, stretches, etc... at the same time, but then I would also promise myself more time to relax... and how does one relax while working out and watching tv while making organized lists all at the same time? My brain hurts just thinking about it!

And then there is the resolutions of "being a better wife, mother and friend..." While all good intentions, I think that listing them as Resolutions means that I haven't tried to do that in the past. And, as all you moms, wives, friends know, this is something we do on a daily basis since the moment we say our vows or give birth, and listing it as a resolution just doesn't seem right somehow, it almost lessens the importance. I hope that being better at the things that are most important in my life is something that I do daily without having to set a "rule" for myself to do them.

So, I guess I'm resolving to make no resolutions other than just to live my life. And that is the best resolution that I can give. Because the crap will hit the fan like it always does at some point in the year, something will quit running at the most inconvenient of times, there may be tragedy and trials, and there is usually heartbreak and new love. And that is life. That is what I love about life. I love that I cannot organize it down to something that I can always control. I can't say that I love the trials that pop up, but I do love the element of surprise, and l love that there is always something new to learn, to see and to experience.

I love life just the way it is, with the good and the bad. I don't necessarily embrace the bad, but I accept it as part of life. I'm done stressing out about it. I will try like hell to prevent it from hurting me and my family, but the little blurbs of disturbance (my water heater, water softener and water tank all dying in the same year)... I will face and deal with. I will accept that sh!t happens and I, at some point along the way, will be in the depth of it, but I will not wallow. I will suck it up and get a move on life to get out of the sh!t that it throws at me one way or another.

So there it is ... my resolution... in a nutshell. To Live. I'm toasting with my glass of wine, to a year full of surprises, twists and turns, hopefully an upswing or two in the market, and the chance to enjoy the simple things in life. To use an old worn out cliche, when life hands me lemons this year, I will make a lemon margarita, and shake it like hell! Cheers!