2012 evolution.

 

I am bringing in the New Year alone—this is a good thing.  Although there have been bumps, break -ups and break- downs, I’ve had a pretty awesome year.  I have a lot to be grateful for and I take nothing for granted.  I am very excited about the possibilities of 2012.   I will share with you an abbreviated list of things I plan on doing and taking into consideration as I welcome the New Year.

Choosing your battles: Arguments are not my thing, especially the irrational kind. When I am feeling irrational about something, I am finding it is best to just walk away. I’ve done that a few times in the last month, and the impact was incredible.  You can walk away, and sometimes you should.

Listening: I’ve spent a good majority of time fighting to be heard.  In some cases, I have failed to hear other folks because I was too busy trying to win or get someone to see things my way.  It’s time to gain control of my ego, and really hear people for a change.  It’s OK that I am not always heard.  Hearing folks will open the door to new perspectives.

Blaming yourself: Don’t.  Some things are completely out of our control, and it is not always up to us to fix or assign blame.  Just let it be. Things always work out like they are supposed to.

Shutting the hell up:  This kind of goes a long with listening and choosing your battles.  You don’t have to say everything that pops into your head, unless you are 2 or 82.  I am going to use silence not as a weapon of rebellion, but as a tool of genuine reflection.  I’ve allowed way too many situations to escalate because I didn’t take a break from a disagreement.

Take more risks: With love, with your job, with whatever it is that makes you smile and gives you joy—take the risk and do it.  It is easy to keep planning for opportunities, but sometimes that is just plain ol’ procrastination.  Get in there, do what YOU want to do. But don’t wait; you may not get another opportunity.

Love without fear: If you choose to love someone this year, love them for real.  Love them like it’s the first time.  Love them just as strongly, if not more when things are bad just as much as you do when they are good. We’re all human and we are all transparent and complicated.  If you can’t love someone completely despite who they are, then don’t love them at all.