Reset.

I said I wasn’t really into making New Year’s resolutions, and I meant that. However, I do love a good reason to reset, and a new year is just as good a time as any to do just that.

The past three years have been some of the most trying for so many people I am close to. They’ve been incredibly difficult for me too. Whether it’s cosmic, coincidence, or just part of the Wheel of Life turning…it’s been brutal. The old adage, “When it rains, it pours…”, could not have rung more true. So many of us struggled with career changes, finances, relationship troubles, break-ups, and the loss of loved ones….three years of some of the most emotionally draining events. Yet, here we are, all pulling our ways through it all in one way or another. Silly as it may be, I want to believe that the triage of crap is over now that we’ve entered a new year. Pretty sure we all want to believe that.

Maybe it was the whole house purge I did the last week of December (although I still have to do the garage….aaahhh!!), but I’m finally feeling that I have the strength to purge on a life-level as well. Due to the nature of the past three years, I allowed myself to let down my guard and accept situations that have left me spread thin and exhausted. I can’t do that anymore.

Marie Kondo, Japanese organizational guru, says that we should not hold onto things that no longer bring us joy. That we should show thanks to those items, and then release them. I love this. It’s what I’ve done to so many items I’ve been holding on to…and I plan on purging even further with this new view on living a life free of clutter…even when it comes to personal and professional clutter.

If a situation no longer brings me joy, then I will no longer stay in it. If there are people who take more than they add to my life, they will be graciously released. I will practice the self-care and mindfulness that I’ve worked so hard on cultivating for myself…on a consistent basis. I’ve forgotten how to do that these past few years. I’ll re-learn how to breathe and make better use of my time by reclaiming it. I’ll make that pot roast, read that book, drink the extra glass of wine. I’ll rebuild. I have to.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not unrealistic. I have a penchant for being perhaps too much of a realist. My childhood fairytale dreams went the way of St. Nick and the Easter Bunny. I know what hard work is. I know all about the monkey wrenches life likes to throw at us. I know it takes blood, sweat, and tears to succeed…in anything. I don’t expect a state of nirvana….all rainbows and butterflies, just add water. Nope. What I do expect from myself is to stop accepting less than I deserve. I will always care about other people’s wellbeing and feelings….just no longer at the cost of mine. Compromise is good….unless it breaks you.

I got sidetracked for a while, but today, this month, this year….I am resetting. For all of you needing to do the same…I see you, I feel you. Let’s do this. Only joy…..life is too precious and short to accept anything less.

header photo by Lisa Fotios @pexels

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