Remember when you were a kid and you got to get a new backpack for school? Remember how you would labor over the choice...it had to send the right message. Couldn't be too big or too girly or too many zippers...had to last the entire year too so it had to be functional....that's what a new year is like, a new backpack. Now the mission is you have to fill it....and you have to choose the right things to fill it with.
Found these two quotes as I was checking email and the world wide web to see what I missed yesterday as I was lazy all day and did nothing to greet the new year:
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." Edith Lovejoy Pierce
and this one:
"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." Carl Bard
Why does it seem like others can say things so much better than I can? Starting a New Year is always exciting, isn't it? I mean it's a clean slate, pure and fresh. You get an opportunity to reflect on your life and think about the goals you want to pursue. Those goals are your "destination" for the New Year. If you're going on a trip, you need to thoughtfully pack your bags. Of course knowing your destination would surly help you pack your bags correctly but since I don't, I have to figure out what to take with me....what to carry with me daily.
As I sit here on day two of the year, here are some things I want to put in my bag:
A spirit of adventure for those moments when life doesn't play out exactly as I planned
Gratitude for those moments that take my breath away - I want more of these moments
Gentleness and forgiveness for dealing with people I interact with every day and myself
A sense of humor because levity is useful in almost any situation
Hope because the world could certainly use more hope
Generosity because giving away bits of your talents, time and self always lightens your load and brightens your spirit
Determination so that even when the destination seems far away, I will still able to put one foot in front of the other and keep heading in the right direction
Like most people I think we tend to over pack our bags and in reality we don't really use all that we bring with us but I think in this case I want to have more than I'll need so I can make choices. I've said it before but 2009 is going to be a year of choices, new adventures, new things.....living outside my comfort bubble. In order to to this I need to be sure I don't pack my fears, my negative voice or anything else that will get in my way, it's going to be a year of doing not wishing.
The time is now the place is here. Have a fabulous 2009.
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