Disco into the New Year

newyearseveLast night I danced and drank my way into the New Year with good friends. Today, I’m sore and tired, but feeling pretty darned good, especially because I’ve decided to keep my resolutions simple.

This afternoon I came upon a Day-Timer organizer from a decade ago. This was back when I thought a Day-Timer could help, and I worked a salaried job that paid for it anyhow. Talk about a time capsule! And the interesting thing is that in essentials, I haven’t changed. At all.

At first, I didn’t know whether to be distressed or relieved. Distressed because I haven’t grown out my bad habits, because I’m still obsessing about the same old three issues, because I’m stuck? Or relieved because I’m a stable person with my stable set of self-improvement goals?

Many years ago, a good friend, B–,  didn’t know if she should marry her boyfriend because they always seemed to be arguing about one thing or the other. She was distressed. Then, she told me, she had a realization: What appeared to be all-encompassing turmoil and incompatibility were really only issues around three topics. Three.

When she quantified and listed these clashes, she saw that they weren’t deal-breakers. She could work with them. Most of all, she accepted them. And then she was relieved.

I remembered B– as I read through my Day-Timer, and I decided that I, too, can work with my threesome. In fact, no need to write them down because this is who I am, apparently: a person who’s concerned about her health, concerned about her writing, and concerned about using her time more efficiently.

I’m hopeful for 2009 because I begin it in a state of acceptance rather than conflict with myself.  Are you hopeful as you start your new year?