The No More Resolutions, Revolution!

Every year, I start off January with my Franklin Planner, PDA, and any other strategic planning tools I can dig up, in effort to develop and organize goals and objectives based on my values, and then plan and prioritize the resulting action steps and time lines. It is always, a work a Project Manager would be proud of. By March, or certainly April, I feel like an utter failure.

So, in my determination to live in the positive, I have no resolutions this year! YAY! I am free of that traditional enigma. If, I allow myself to have an overall commitment to self development and the priorities in my life, then my days are filled with things that add value to my well being and those I care about, resulting in a feeling of positive accomplishments instead of failure!

Does that mean I still need my planner? Of course! Every month, week and day will include “A NEW CATEGORY,” in addition to - mundane chores, deadlines, kid’s activities, appointments, volunteer activities, commitments, social engagements, and general responsibilities of life that must be addressed. This approach of incorporating a new category vs. resolutions on a regular basis will likely start out as a discipline, which in time; hopefully will result in natural positive changes and behaviors, experiencing that distinct difference between “existing” and “living.”

That is the next step in my continual effort to play Humpty Dumpty with myself. In the past year, I have at least found most of the pieces, and begun to glue them back, but there is still work to do. Somewhere, in the past decade, key pieces were lost, shattered and damaged beyond repair. (Hence my love of Blues songs, like SoulShine or with “Broken” themes) For the first time, in years, I have permission, to make myself a priority, to recognize, acknowledge, and even work to fulfill my own needs, and to believe “I am worth it.” It is a paradigm change, (to borrow an old Change Management term from the 90’s) to understand it is not selfish, to recognize one must replenish the well, to be able to go on giving out water, to those that thirst deeply.

So, this year, I am going to do things, differently.

I will focus on 7 general positive practices: Be a consistent supportive, involved, attuned parent. Be on top of the IEP’s and 504’s (www.chadd.org)

Improve my writing, consistently writing 500 words a day 5-7 days a week, and eventually returning to competition and publication.

Return to my innate nature as an optimistic, continual learner.

Nurture spirit, mind, body and soul. Promote and model healthy lifestyle habits. Review My Quadrants of Living, in order to make effective changes and move on. (http://attitudeadjustment.tripod.com/Books/7-Habits.htm) (http://www.worklifebalance.com/worklifebalancedefined.html) (http://changestartstoday.com/PDFs/The%20Quadrants%20of%20Focus%20Guide.pdf)

Re-establish personal boundaries, including avoiding people and activities that do not add value to my life, or worse, are emotionally or mentally destructive. I will only invest in people, projects, activities, and groups who value my relationship with them, and I will only invest at a 50/50 level, not at 110% and 10% ratio.

I will continue to explore VR, the Metaverse (http://www.metaverseroadmap.org/overview/) primarliy in Second Life by; acquiring new skills, programs, and tools, as I discover my inner geek; participating actively in the Writer’s community, teaching building to those who wish to learn, and enjoying Live Music Performances and select DJ’s on a limited basis. I will devote my time and talents to people, activities, and groups that give a return on my investment.

I will no longer allow myself in a virtual world, to be taken for granted, to be amusing arm candy, or be someone else's emotional punching bag, for their issues. Inconsiderate virtual friends, won’t be in my world/s. (http://arianeb.com/more3Dworlds.htm)

Lastly, I will never again, make someone/something a priority in life, who/which is incapable of reciprocity. Life, in all its forms, is worth sharing with people, just not all people.

Those are my draft priorities for 2009. How does that translate to My Franklin Planner entries for actionable steps in January?

Get a new book/DVD from the library on - gasp - Photoshop, Tai Chi, Reiki, conversational German, writing a better short story, discovering the art of Bonsai or whatever strikes my fancy at the moment and falls under the category of self improvement. (Done)

Meet a friend at the Y, work out, and enjoy the sauna. Take the yoga class. Plant something.. (Partially done)

Travel and explore some place new. Do that weekend/daytrip away. (Planned/paid/ and scheduled!)

Dance, for the love of it, feeling my Celtic roots. (Feeling my unused muscles is more like it!)

Continue exploring a spiritual path, even if it is not, the path of my past. (To do, research)

Make a difference to someone, everyday, in my family, community, or online. (ongoing)

Allow myself to be at peace, to let go of grief, guilt, anger and pain exploring meditation, genealogy, and the relationship of genetics to health. (it is an ongoing process)

Have a glass of good wine & take a long, luxurious bubble bath. (Completed, to be repeated at least weekly!)

Make sleep a priority, and awake ready to write. (Still working on the first part)

Register for that 24 hour short story contest on January 24th. (Done!)

May the year 2009, be the year of change and hope, not only for our nation, but for all of us.

What about you? Do you do resolutions?