Have Less and Be More
A Sort of New Year Resolution Post
Last week I was driving to my dad’s house; it’s a long drive and it gives me the opportunity to think. Often I spend that time listening to NPR, or some music station on the radio, allowing my mind to just sit and absorb. But this drive was different — my mind demanded silence. And in this silence I was unexpectedly brought to tears. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I was an incredibly lucky person — and simultaneously felt motivated to spend 2014 being more appreciative in my everyday life.
I’m freshly 26 years old – and thus far my 20s have been an incredible learning experience. They’ve been some of the most reflective years of my life. And after tallying up all the relationships, the experiences, the choices and even the devastations — all I can conclude is that I am an incredibly and unfairly lucky woman.
If you have just one person in your life who loves you, unconditionally, whether that be a friend, family member or lover – you are one of the lucky ones.
I am at a loss for words when I think about the people in my life. My family — and my friends who might as well be blood — love and support me every single day. They are there for me. They lift me up, even when that means first dragging me out of a pit of my own despair. And though my life is filled with more love than anyone deserves, I dote on the insignifigants. I spend an incredulous amount of my energy on things that, in the big picture, mean absolutely nothing.
And this isn’t to say that insignificance doesn’t play a role in life — we need it in order to define what’s truly important. But as the new year approaches, I want to refocus my energies on appreciating the people in my life who make it so wonderfully fun to live. I’m ready to clear out some of the junk in my mind and make room for more memories, more love and more appreciation.
I’m ready to grow up. I’m ready to value the relationships I’ve built (and those I will build) over material objects and petty desires. I’m ready to let go of self absorption. I’m ready to admit my flaws and understand that some of them may be permanent. I’m ready to work towards becoming a better me. I’m ready to appreciate the luck I’ve had in my life. And I’m so ready to stop making excuses.
This new year, I only have one resolution that covers everything I want to achieve: Have Less and Be More.
I will rid my life of clutter, and replace the space with a piece of significance. I will stop making excuses and accept that I am a work in progress; and I will make the effort to improve myself. I will put people first and above everything else. I am happy because of the people in my life. My happiness is a product of my environment — and I’m a damn lucky woman to live in the environment I do.
2014 will be a year of appreciation, listening, building and improving. I’m so excited for what comes next.
