Thursday, December 31, 2009

A Lighter 2010

It's here. 2010. A new year. I don't know what it is about New Year's Eve that always makes me feel especially introspective. I feel like I should be doing something. Thinking! Pondering! Reflecting! Resolving!

It never fails: as the famous Times Square ball starts to drop, I get anxious. Antsy. Hyper. "It's almost here! It's almost here! Hey, everybody! A new year! Everyone, quick: Make a plan!"

I get a little crazy on New Year's Eve.

I'm not really sure why, exactly. It's not like I'm into the whole resolutions thing. Personally, I like to take more of a holistic approach to change for the new year.

Every year, I try to look back upon the past year and figure out how I can be better...what was missing...what I enjoyed...what I needed more of... And then I try and focus on that for the new year. Yeah, I guess you could call it a resolution. But new year's resolutions tend to be pretty concrete, as in: "My resolution is to lose 10 pounds." I don't know how resolution-y it sounds to announce: "My resolution is to live lighter."

Yes. Live lighter. That is what I want to focus on for 2010. What, exactly, does that mean? No, I don't mean lighter on the scale (although those couple of pounds gained from waaaaay too much red velvet cake...post probably forthcoming...would be good to get rid of). I mean lighter in the way I approach life.

I am happy to say that a call from my doctor with good news about my test results has already lightened the load on my shoulders. I thought I was going to have to wait until at least Monday for my results, but the gift of relief came early enough to warrant an extra flute of champagne this evening. I want to carry this good news into 2010.

Lighter. In spirit.

I want the load of my anxieties, my stresses, my pessimism, my perfectionism, my temper, my essence to be lighter.

In 2010, I want to smile more. Giggle more. Laugh. Really laugh...throw my head back and snort (yes, I snort) in gleeful laughter when my husband makes one of his ridiculous jokes or my kids do something silly.

I was told recently I don't laugh so often anymore. Apparently, I am too tired or too busy or too stressed about work or dishes or laundry or ear infections or bills or all of it. Who the hell wants to live with someone like that? Who wants to be someone like that?

Light. I want a lighter 2010. More sunshine, more smiles.
That is my non-resolution resolution.
Happy New Year's, everyone.

10 comments:

  1. Happy New Year's Liz! I'm glad to hear the news from the doctor came early and was apparently good!

    We all need to live lighter (yes, I knew exactly what you meant even before I read it!) I'm with you - I know I can be too serious; that I have a "get it done now!" attitude and I also know that those memories won't be the ones I remember when I'm old; so I'm with you. 2010 will the be year that we all become lighter!! Cheers!

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  2. Happy New Year. Laugh it up. I'm so glad you have good news to begin the new year with. Be light and enjoy.

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  3. So relieved about your test results! What a happy way to start the year!

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  4. I am so glad for good results for you Liz, great news!

    I LOVED this post.....live lighter....exactly.....I like the sound of that :)

    Happy 2010 to you....best wishes :)

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  5. Great News! Yeah! I hope you had a few extra glasses last night in celebration.

    You know from MANY of my past posts that I am told too often I need to laugh more. Smile more. Relax more. This will also be one of my resolutions... to at least try even if it doesn't happen every day. Live Lighter. I love the sound of that. I'll be right with you!

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  6. This is a beautiful post! I love the concept of living lighter. We all need to do this. Please remember to remind us!

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  7. So happy to know your test results were good.

    Happy New Year to you and yours, Liz!

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  8. I'm with the rest of the commenters here in celebrating your good test results and applauding your New Year's resolution. What a creative and powerful idea: to live lighter. Mind if I steal it? ;)

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  9. I love this resolution, and I share it.
    And I also share the antsiness of New Year's Eve and the turning of the years.
    Good news on the test!

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  10. I love this, Liz. To live lighter. To feel lighter about the ways in which you view your life and respond to your life (and all its happenings - good and bad). This is one of the better New Years Resolutions I have read. I didn't make any of my own because I'm a wimp, and horrible on follow through, and didn't want another reason to disappoint myself. So maybe that's my resolution: no resolution.

    I know I'm late on this and it's well past the Eve of Partying, but Happy New Year. Lighter and Brighter.

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