New Year’s Wishes

This year, I’m not going to declare a resolution, so much as express wishes. I don’t mean to be non-committal or wishy-washy. I know the tried and true goal-setting methods require finite, measurable, sensible, deliverable, scheduled, milestone-delimited, documented strategies. My agenda for 2014 has a softer approach — a wish. I wish for myself and for everyone so many blessings in the new year, but they’re not really things you’d count or mark on a scorecard.

I wish for all of us in 2014…

…health, from enjoying healthy behavior

Get out. Move. Do the things your body was made to do until you get tired. Rest. And do it again. Eat nourishing foods and revel in the way they make you feel. Avoid an excess of things that drain you and undermine your success with no gain. Revel in how strong and healthy this makes you feel.

…abundance, in understanding the difference in wants and needs

May you have everything you ever needed and want for nothing else. May you have the wisdom and courage to take only what is necessary and reserve the rest or share it with others. Become resourceful in reducing waste and giving the old and used new life. Don’t lament the things you don’t have and wish you did, but celebrate the things you’ve got.

…success, in having accomplished what you set out to do.

I hope you find something worthwhile to do and do it — industriously, whole-heartedly, and with satisfaction. Find the courage to try things that might scare you — whether you fear you’re unworthy, failure, or simply the unknown. Whatever you do in 2014, be present. Really experience it and be proud of what you have accomplished because it is yours.

…wonder, at the commonplace and novel alike.

This one short little year in our brief lives is a gift. It’s an opportunity to have experiences made one-of-a-kind by our own unique vantage point. May you be grateful for the amazing capacity of people, infinite diversity in things, and your own ability to always learn something new.

An inspiring piece of…motivation.

Every now and again when I encounter myself in a rut, I petition the source of all the knowledge in the world for help. This morning, in particular, I was barely trudging though the quickly congealing humdrum of my existence, numbed by all I had no desire to do. Hope, all but lost, I submitted a plea of “help me get my shit done.” The first result returned was just what I needed.

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"12 Steps to Get Shit Done" 8.5x11" sign (pdf)

This no-frills, glib, and concise list titled “Twelve Steps to Get Shit Done,” was posted by Craig Harper in Australian English style. I found it so rudely refreshing and no-nonsense that I was inspired to design a pretty sign using the text. In case this is heartening for others, I’m posting it to my blog so that you may download and be inspired as well.

Mine is hung in front of the toilet at a comfortable viewing level for the seated patron. I feel this is appropriate for a couple of reasons…but I’ll not go into that, here.

Enjoy.

Pity poem

Now, I don’t consider myself a poet, but sometimes I get poetic. This is one of those times. I received some difficult news this weekend. I might as well take advantage of my melancholy state to inspire creative expression, right? Words are so interesting.

Unlovable.
Barely even likable.
Unlikely even bearable.
Eventually detestable.
Undeniably contemptible.
Worthless.

Uninspired.
Inferior, apathetic,
Lethargic and pathetic.
Exception to exceptional.
Detached from the acceptable.
Loser.

Clueless.
Unsuspecting and naive.
Undemanding to deceive.
Indisposed to intuition.
Predisposed to supposition.
Gullible.