I hereby promise not to . . .
Remember this list? I say in the spirit of personal reform, instead of making up yet another lengthy to-do list of resolutions, we make up a short, five-item list of things we promise not to do in 2007, all with an eye toward making our lives easier and simpler.
As for me, I hereby promise not to:
1. Say yes to invitations that I know I will immediately regret accepting, and then have to come up with a reason to cancel later, and possibly say yes to a rescheduling, when I know I’ll regret that, too. This is a year for lots of writing and way more travel and public appearances than I’ve ever been used to, so I know when I’m home I’m going to want to hunker down, do my work, pet the dog, walk the husband, etc. I love catching up with friends and family, but I also need the balance of lots of quiet time at home alone, just reading a book or staring at the wall. Very therapeutic. So even though I know I always have fun once I drag myself out to one of my friends’ houses for dinner or a party (like last night–thank you, A.), I also known that I need to keep the ole social calendar pretty light this coming year or my head might actually explode. Instead I think I’ll take one person at a time out for coffee or for a long walk in the park.
In short, let’s suck it up, stop being such a wimp, and handle those no’s at the front end. No one is going to hate me for it. They’d better not.
2. Obsess over what’s coming a month or two or six from now, when I still haven’t handled this month yet. I have such a bad habit of living ten steps ahead, and then missing the life right in front of me. Just quit it. Planning is great, setting goals is great, but so is being flexible enough to say to hell with it, I’m taking the afternoon off and going to see Spider-Man 3.
3. Be nervous about meeting new people. I like people. I like to hear their stories. The fact that I might be someplace where I’m supposed to talk about myself and/or my book shouldn’t deter me from rooting out everyone else’s secret hopes and plans while I’m there. So if you’re one of those people I’m going to meet this year, do us both a favor and act all casual. I’m a little skittish at times (depending on my caffeine levels), but I’m actually very friendly. Let’s all just try to relax.
4. Be so obsessive about reading all the newspapers and magazines that come to this house. If I skip a day or a week or a month, the world will still go on its merry way. It’s like staring nervously into the cabin when I’m flying on little planes–I can’t actually do anything if the pilot is in trouble, so what’s the point of keeping such a close watch to make sure nobody passes out at the controls? And furthermore, if I don’t read everything that comes to the house, it doesn’t make me a bad citizen or a lazy reader or a bad writer for not keeping up on absolutely everything that’s happening in the world. Lighten up there, cookie. We do what we can.
5. Be mean to myself in any way. This means I get to take a bubble bath when I’m cold and need a little comfort. It means taking a break to go sit under the afghan next to my dog and read for an hour just for the fun of it. Or spending a little extra for soft toilet paper and a nice new toothbrush. Or thinking kind thoughts when I’ve eaten more or exercised less than I meant to. Or refusing to compare myself to anyone else. And saying no when I want to say no. And paying attention to what things really make me happy, and then making sure I give those to myself whenever possible–whether it’s picking up my niece and nephew after school to hang out for a while, or going to a Sunday afternoon movie with my mother, or buying white daisies for my table just because I think they’re so pretty.
Everything doesn’t have to be practical or sensible or rational. We all get to play. And if I’m not nice to myself, then how can I expect anyone else to be? And how can I be happy and friendly to others when I’ve been nothing but strict and scornful to myself all day? So nope, we’re lightening up this year. Nothing but nice.
How about you?
Technorati Tags: New Year’s Resolutions
December 31st, 2006 at 10:33 am
I’m having a little trouble believing 3.
As I recall, I was sitting quietly by myself, not saying much, crushing everyone else, even though I knew half of the room when you started talking to me.
December 31st, 2006 at 11:35 am
That was me trying to overcome #3. Trust me, it’s an effort.
December 31st, 2006 at 7:02 pm
i hereby promise not to pass up any opportunity to spend time with family, friends and dog. i hearby promise not to look at the weekly newspaper “what’s happening” supplement, and think to myself–”that would be fun, interesting, educational”– and not be part of what’s happenng. i hereby promise to glory in nature at least once a week (yes bj you’ve had an impact, even if that means a few less episodes of “24″). i hereby promise to “do” yoga in a studio setting at least once before feb. 1, 2007. i hereby promise not to be nervous about meeting new people (oh wait, done). i hereby PROMISE that my taxes WILL BE DONE by april 15th. i hereby promise to delight in the successes of everyone i know (oh wait, done that too, but want to keep doing it all year long–feels so good).
happy new year robin and all my fellow bloggies!!! oh wait almost forgot (not), i hereby promise not to take my husband of 29 YEARS TODAY for granted (well maybe just a little, he doesn’t mind, it has been 29 years for god’s sake).
December 31st, 2006 at 7:47 pm
29 years??? You got married in preschool?
January 1st, 2007 at 12:19 am
seriously, it was a need for parental consent thing–creepy huh?
January 1st, 2007 at 7:40 am
that’s a wonderful list and seems do-able to me. i don’t think i have any resolutions. except maybe drink egg nog more often during the year and just not during the holidays. but will anyone even sell it? aw, crap, i’ll have to get domestic and make it myself. happy new year to you, too, and thanks to you as well for blogging!
January 1st, 2007 at 9:07 am
Thanks, Jules! Love your blog, too, as you know. (For all of you looking for recommendations for children’s books, please become a regular reader of Jules and Eisha’s Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Link is over at the right.)