Kickoff

Here I am, like you all, just beginning 2013.  I have been ruminating for days over what to write for this post.      I have been asking myself, "What would be a great kickoff to the New Year?"  I haven't come up with anything earth shaking, so I will just start with my first day of 2013, and my five personal New Year's Goals for the year that start right here. It is the most positive day of the year for me, and I think the rest of the family as well, unless you are the poor guy or girl to show up late due to a hangover, at which point you get your 10 minutes of fame, ie. serious ribbing from "loving family" who've been there done that. . .  This year, my first goal became apparent before we even left the house.

For 2013, unlike others before it, I was reminded on day 1, via email, that I have a 5 class credit with my yoga instructor!  That is a great way to start the year, and I take it as a sign, because I am just a little bit fatalistic, but equally optimistic that sometimes there are signs of things to come.  So I start my day, my year with dancing and singing around my house like a happy fool, because I have one less obstacle to jumpstarting my yoga practice this year.  New Year's Goal  #1:  dance and sing like a fool it's good for you (don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise) . . .and find a way to do what you love (I really love yoga)

For 2013, like many before it, we packed our New Year's selves up with gifts and food to hang out with family at the kids Great Grammy's house.  We gather, kids, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grammy, ages 4 to 94.  We talk, laugh, eat tasty food, and rib each other mercilessly about foolish foibles past and present.  We go out in the freezing cold and snow to play our traditional football game so there will be more foibles to laugh about next year.  New Year's Goal #2:  Laugh.  simply laugh. open silly emails you usually recycle and laugh.  New Year's Goal #3:  Continue to grow familiy traditions is a must, especially with generations of "kids" 4-94 to reap the benefits.

After football we eat desert, more than one, because it tastes good , but then we forgo supper that night. New Year's Goal #4: go nuts, but know when to quit.   Find balance people.

Overall, our New Year's Day get togethers are thought of fondly and looked forward to by all.  Even when we were the one ribbed on the year before, even when the day starts with 2 or 3 kids fighting in the car for a half an hour, or when we know we will be the one ribbed on this year for any number of random and subjective conditions.   For me New Year's Day always boils down to fun, family, love, and food.  I always think of the day by recalling the good stuff.  New Year's Goal #5: Notice the Good stuff, let the rest go.  We can use this every day, with our kids, with our students, with our coworkers, with our friends, with ourselves.  Notice the good stuff and build  from there.