New Year, New Outlook

I think New Year's Day is like a Monday on steroids.

When do people start their new diet?

Monday.

When do people begin new tasks, accomplish work, hit the ground running?

Monday, Monday, Monday.

The only difference between New Year's Day and a random Monday is all the added pressure of expecting oneself to accomplish ALL the things not done the year before. If it were just Monday, a handful of m&m's would probably follow the low-fat lunch of salad and water because let's face it, there's always next Monday. It's just what we do as humans when we put so many expectations on ourselves.

What do you say we make 2009 better by being more present? So if weight loss is your goal, focus on the meal at hand or the activity you could be doing now. If it's financial goals you seek, don't buy that sugar free, non-fat half-caf, no whip caramel macchiato and, instead, make a pot of coffee and sit in the kitchen with your spouse having a 5 minute conversation about something other than kids. (and hey, if you do that, you'll actually skip the calories -- helping out with resolution #1 as well as find some "couple time," which is possibly resolution #3.)

My personal goal for this year is to enjoy today. Creating balance between my family and my work, my husband and friends, and actually doing some things for... wait for it... ME. I am not trying to change my life, just enhance it. And I have a feeling some of you can relate to that. For the first time, I'm not looking ahead to what will happen in the future but looking to now for what is around me. I appreciate life for the beauty, blessings, and even the challenges and difficulties.

Because life is how you see it.