Happy First Day Back To School, everyone!
Look. I love my children. I missed them horribly while I was gone, and we had a wonderful break, full of movies and adventures and toys and books and treats and togetherness.
SO MUCH TOGETHERNESS.
Now they are back in school, and I am back to work, and lo, it is good. Peace descends upon Casa O'Rourke and I can actually cross things off my list. You guys know how much I like crossing things off lists.
Speaking of lists, are you resolution-minded folk? I used to be, but after too many years of making dramatic vows of change and betterment, only to give up by Martin Luther King Day, I've shifted to attainable goals that make a measurable difference. If they sound familiar, it's because these are the same resolutions I make every year. Why mess with success?
Drink more water.
Cheap and easy. I've even unearthed my favorite water bottle from the back of the cabinet, so I'm all set. (See Resolution #3)Do not engage the crazy.
There's no point. You're not going to win, and you're going to make everyone around you miserable. Instead, when faced with a situation where someone is bound and determined to push every. last. button. you have, remind yourself that discretion is the better part of valor, and rely on two key phrases:
- "That's so interesting."
- "Thanks for letting me know."
In both cases, you're letting the other person know you heard them -- which is all most people want, anyway -- without agreeing or disagreeing and without commiting yourself to any course of action. It's the quickest way to neutralize a conversation so you can excuse yourself to practice your primal scream therapy.
Have less stuff.
We are drowning in stuff. It's expensive, it's wasteful, and most importantly, it's a pain in the ass to keep clean. We're trying hard to make sure that we keep only the things that we love, need, or use frequently. Everything else is going to Goodwill.
Some people prefer to choose a word or a theme for the year, and if I had to choose one, it would be "hard work." I like hard work. It makes me feel proud, and strong, and accomplished. 2013 is shaping up to be a year that will force me to work harder than ever, but in ways that are exciting and challenging in the best possible sense.
How about you? Goals? Resolutions? Themes? What are you going to make of this year?
