Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

No, I have not been smoking anything. Yes, I realize it is not January. However, parents the world over are well aware that the new year does not start on January 1st. Rather, a whole new years begins every September when we send our darling little ones off to school. A new school year presents a whole new world. A new opportunity. A new routine. A new pace. A new season. Most definitely a new year.

In honor of the new year, I am making some New Year's resolutions. It is time to transform myself into the woman I want to be. So, in the interest of full disclosure (and so you can all laugh and point and say "we told you so" when I inevitably crash and burn), I am going to share my resolutions here.

Resolution #1: I am going to lose weight. I realize this is cliche. Could I possibly find a more utterly predictable resolution? But here's the thing...I've gained 50 pounds in the last 18 months. 50 pounds! That's a child. A large dog. A hell of a lot of Doritos. As I am making major life changes, it is time to let go of that weight. I put it on in a state of stress and loneliness and chaos. I plan on taking it off in a state of calm and relaxation and peace.

Resolution #2: I am going to start flossing my teeth. I must admit to having less than stellar dental hygiene. I have been genetically blessed with good dentition that I need to protect. I brush my teeth, of course, but very rarely floss and I seldom go to the dentist. I still have my wisdom teeth and am terrified of being told they need to go. As we all have heard from Dr. Oz and Oprah and The Doctors on numerous occasions, gum disease has been linked to all sorts of crazy catastrophic illnesses such as heart disease. So time to start flossing those pearly whites.

Resolution #3: I am going to have faith in my abilities. Yesterday, I met casually with a previous coworker about a job she is interested in hiring me for. A full-time job. A grown-up job again. I will have an interview with her director later this week. After five and a half years of working part-time in a fairly dead-end job, it was strange for me to hear her gushing about my abilities. She thinks I would be the perfect person to work in a lead position on her team. She praised my writing skills, my organizational skills, my work ethic. It was refreshing to receive praise for my work (though it's been six years since we worked together), but it also felt strange to me. She has more faith in my capabilities than I do. I know that I am a capable person. I know that I have skills and talents that are useful. I need to start honoring those talents. Like Stuart Smalley before me, I need to tell myself, “I am good enough, I am smart enough, and doggone-it, people like me!”

Resolution #4: I am going to start slathering on the lotion. As we enter fall and the eventual deep freeze lurking right around the corner, it is time for me to stop looking like an alligator and start looking like a human again. Lotion is my friend. I need to remember that when I am rushing around in the morning in a state of tardy harried-ness. There is always time for moisturizing.

Resolution #5: I am going to try a new recipe every week. Since Ruanita has been home, we have been eating family dinner together at the table every night. I cook and Ruanita cleans. I am not a great cook. However, I have a small handful of signature dishes that I can cook well. But I anticipate that my family will quickly tire of chicken lasagna and potato soup. It's definitely time to expand my culinary skills. So, I intend to try one new recipe per week. Feel free to email me any suggestions.

Resolution #6: I intend to let go a bit. Everything is not within the realm of my control. Everything does not have to be neatly completed and tied up with a bow immediately. Life if often messy and that is part of the fun. I can live a life devoid of analness. It is okay. It is also okay to end this on resolution #6. Life will not end because I did not make my list of resolutions divisible by five. I hope.

Time to have a glass of champagne and toast the new (school) year! Oops...it's 7:42 in the morning. Perhaps I should have a mimosa instead? You know...vitamin C to start the day off right?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great list Shannon. I think your plans sound fabulous. There are many meals that are healthy. I am sure you will do great. And you are terrific.

Barb said...

Good for you. Looks like a great list.

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