PINK Magazine
January Issue-2018
Skating Uphill
By
Judith Lawrenson
“Okay, now for something really different this New Year. We are not going to make positive resolutions, we are going to make “not” Resolutions!” Hmmmmmm
The Uphill Skater
Well, I have finally had a thought for making those pesky and guilt producing New Year’s Resolutions work. No more sappy attempts or broken promises on January 2. I am done. In fact, am overdone. I refuse to be stuck in place any longer. In fact, I am as overdone and stuck in one place as Donald Trump’s hairdo-so what about that?
You have questions about how to make 2018 a great year, and I have answers. I really mean it about the anti-resolutions. First, I am going to resolve NOT to call my mother more often, write more thank-you notes, or even lose 20 lbs. I have resolved that for untold years and here I still am. So, what is the lesson with that fact? The lesson is obvious. All this silly resolving stuff has not and does not work. I recently read that most resolutions (94%) are broken before Valentine’s Day. This is really bad of course if you have resolved to buy your Valentine a special gift, you understand! And so it goes on-I can never remember who it was who said that the road to Hell was paved with good intentions, but I think he/she was correct. Personally, I stand with YODA when he famously said to Luke Skywalker, “Just do. There is no try.”
Yes, I know that we all must try. Without that “try” hope there is not much left to hang on to, is there? All I am saying is that we should give ourselves a chance to move forward without being locked in to these same old things we have been doing what we perceive as wrong and get on with what we think we might really want to do on a new basis, a new timetable, and yes, a new chance. There is a buzz around now that seems to me to be pointing us all in that direction. I have my own politics as do we all, but honestly, I feel in life and times and hope for a better future that we can look up not down.
Okay, you say. Washington DC is a swamp. Or, you might be saying that you can’t button your jeans without lying on your back on the bed. Or, you might be saying that you desperately need to send a text to your sick friend, save more money, eat less ice cream, or any number of things that seem important. Even more important that any or all of those things is what you are actually going to do about it. Not try to do, but actually do.
My husband and I heard something on TV the other night that we found so disturbing we actually got our butts up off of the couch and found the email address of our senator and sent a message. I have only done that one other time in my whole life, but I did it when it really mattered to me. In all honesty, it turned out to be easy and what is even more surprising, I got a response-do you believe that? I am now on his list and I get emails from him. I am responding too. This is new to me and I did it because I got mad-not a bad reason as it turned out!
Getting on with it, as it turns out or as I frequently say, as luck would have it, is actually good for your health too. It is good for your blood pressure and it is good for your stress levels. I am sure you can see why. You have done the right thing, eaten the right thing, said the right thing, and so on and so on. You are no longer sitting there stewing about, you have done something real.
This sounds a bit like I am saying that it is good, or maybe I should say better, for your health and general well being to do short term, anger related unplanned and random good things. But no, long term planning works too and in fact it can be your friend. It is that cool off period for that idea that seemed so good late last night or after a couple of drinks. It can also grow like a plant or hibernate like a bulb. I planted over 200 bulbs in my yard last fall and I can’t wait until this Spring to see what happens. I have also ordered a greenhouse. Yes, a real greenhouse. I saw it in a magazine and went off on a whim. I am so excited for it to arrive even though I am looking out at snow today. Finally, my other long term do was to get the kit from the ancestry place. When it comes, I am going to spit in the tube and see who my genes say that I am. Very exciting, yes?
This next year is going to be full of wonderful surprises. This nest year is going to be full to terrible disasters. Which is your year? Happy New Year!
I know I said not to make big commitments, but do try this: Go to www.skatinguphill.com for old/new PINK articles, daily thoughts, recipes, and much more. Love, Judith