Good riddance to 2008. Everyone I know is hoping for a better year ahead than the one we just retired to the history books. But adversity is often one’s best teacher. I’m trying to keep that in mind as I jump in to 2009.
I’ve gotten off to an encouraging start.
I spent yesterday at a holiday pot-luck brunch with six others, acquainted through our weekend patronizing of a local coffee shop, where in 2008 we conversed, railed, bantered, kibbitzed and otherwise dissected the affairs of the world, the country and the neighborhood at large. Among the group: a retired college administrator, a financial planner/advisor, an artist, a high school teacher, a sales executive, an executive director of a non-profit and a communications consultant (yours truly). We are male and female, gay and straight, married and single, liberal and conservative. All of us are baby boomers and animal lovers (our pets are extended members of the club).
We talked about our hopes for the year ahead, and the one thing we want to change to improve ourselves (losing weight and quitting smoking excluded).
It was an interesting exchange. My intent is to become less literal, to allow the full spectrum of possiblity and opportunity into my thoughts and actions – not limiting myself so much to the absolutes. But hearing everyone else’s thoughts was perhaps more insightful. The artist talked about cleaning out his brain so that it would be less cluttered. The financial planner wants to be less judgmental, the sales executive to communicate more effectively. The retired college administrator wants to put some boundaries around his continued efforts to help guide and counsel others and to break free of being too closely identified with (and defined by) his former profession. The teacher has been working on becoming more diplomatic and tactful, having been a rather abraisive boss and co-worker earlier in his career. The non-profit director wants to be less controlling and be comfortable handing over more authority to his staff.
It occurred to me that we all have something to let go of – something that is keeping us from being our most successful in our own skin. It’s very convenient, with all the endless bad news and tough economic circumstances, to lay blame elsewhere for why we’re not satisfied with our standing in life. Those of us who take action to reinvent, recast and rethink ourselves are the ones who will have the advantage and the opportunity in a challenged environment.
So for the new year, I pledge to clean out my inner closet. I’m dumping the stuff that’s ugly, that makes me look less appealing than I know I can be, that doesn’t fit me anymore. I’m making room for a few new things, things that must be classic, timely and versatile. In the worst of times, it pays to make the effort to be your best.
Happy New Year.
