Happy Hopefully-Pandemic-Ending-New Year friends!
As we look somewhat apprehensively at aNOTHer year with masking and trepidation, I turn my focus to the things I CAN control, and hide under the bed when the news comes on. Hey - you cope your way; I’ll cope mine.
Last month I talked about the apparently never ending red and green boxes in my attic holding my Christmas decor. This month, like I presume many of you are doing, I am sorting through it again and trying to cull the herd of reindeer and Santas. And snowmen. And nutcrackers. Dear Lord, what was I THINKing.
I have also vowed, and this time I really mean it, to not return these boxes to the attic. As I get older and more creaky, it whas become increasingly difficult to do the yoga/limbo required to return the tubs to the hinterlands of the garage attic. Ridiculous head-smacking on rafters. Not this year. Which brings me to the conundrum of where do these damn Santas live until Thanksgiving 2022? Seriously, I am getting a shipping container delivered out here, but that’s a blog for another day.
The beginning of a year gives me renewed energy for sorting out my life’s goals, so I have compiled a few to share as motivation/comiseration for any readers out there.
1. Finances - always at the tops of our lists, right? As I have blogged about before, I use Mint to keep track of my spending. It links all your bank accounts, investment profiles, and credit cards in one place so you can monitor everything without loggin on to multiple places. I get no boost from recommending here - it just works for me. You can also set goals for vacations or debt payoff and see success in a graphic for motivation!
2. Health - also topping lists everywhere! After ignoring Covid-pounds and smugly thinking how I have avoided a positive PCR for 2 years, I decided to be a grown-up and get a doctor. That’s right - I have dodged the primary care provider for about 15 years (yes, I do my well woman exam annually but she doesn’t care if I have a cold). So I made an appointment with one I had met while volunteerting, shamefully admitted my personal neglect, got my lab work done, and promised to book my screening colonoscopy. Then I got a Starbucks to reward myself. Balance.
3. Relationships - part of our lives daily, but often neglected. I started this year by taking a hatchet to my social media feeds. I didn’t “quit” Facebook with an announcement about how I am taking a break from social media, so please text me with any updates (that is so funny when you see that declaration, yes?). I love keeping in touch with old and new friends that life doesn’t permit me to have other interactions with, like my dear high school drama friends Tamera and Melissa. Without FB, there would not have been “Lee High School Girls Take NYC 2020”. What I did was delete all the people from my feed who just showed up there by happenstance, we met at an event, or I knew their sister’s dogsitter’s best friend. These folks probably do NOT care about my current events, and I don’t care about theirs.
Same with Twitter, which I find amusing, but all the people I follow are healthcare people and they are tired and cranky. Covid posts are a buzzkill, so I laid off the Bird app. Instagram has nice pictures and some fun reels, so I browse that when I am bored. I have intermittently deleted these apps from my phone, which does help limit my “oh I am in line at the UPS store so I will see what Helga from North Dakota is doing on her snow day up there on Instagram”.
4. Clutter - equally as important as numbers 1-3, but had to have a number of some kind. Clutter has many forms. Too much stuff lying around, too many toxic people in your life, and too many obligations littering your calendar. If you’re like me, you are happy with things on your calendar. Covid shutdown showed me that sitting at home has its limits, and I can’t be admiring the homefires for months on end. I am careful to curate my obligations. I love to travel and will clog the calendar and my American Airlines app as much as finances permit. When things get too much, just say NO THANK YOU. No excuse/reason needed.
Too much stuff? See all my other blogs about your stuff. Or the myriad others out there to help you ditch that physical clutter. Too many people? Also say no thanks. You don’t have to offer reasons for your personal boundaries. They are yours; protect them. I’m working on that too. The same litmus test works for people as it does for stuff - do they add value to my life? If yes? Give them a call! Set up a lunch or a zoom call. If not? Consider a sabbatical from that relationship. It’s 2022 - you deserve a good year.
Happy New Year, friends. We’re gonna make it to the end of the pandemic this year - I just know it!!
