So, 2011 left and 2012 came without any fanfare whatsoever. I spent Saturday day relaxing, drinking coffee and reading my favorite style book, and I spent Saturday evening going through old clothes and papers, cleaning my apartment from top to bottom and doing no less than 6 loads of laundry. I rang in the New Year folding clothes and watching old episodes of The West Wing, apparently, because I didn't even realize that it was 2012 until 12:30...
With that said, I don't think I could have planned a better start to the year. I started it with a perfectly clean apartment, absolutely no dirty laundry (figurative or literal), quite a few blessings (tangible and intangible), a lot of peace and quiet, warm wishes from family and friends, and the hope that 2012 will be full of less flash and more substance, as well as opportunities to appreciate life as it is.
My goal for the year, as you may remember, is to have no overarching goals. I have a loving family, a good job that I like going to and am good at, great friends, a wonderful boyfriend, a couple of interesting trips on the calendar, numerous ways to give back and make a difference (including teaching every week and building classrooms and teaching English at a school in Haiti) and very little to worry about -- personally, professionally or financially. That is more than enough for one person to enjoy for one year, and I want to give all that I have to those things, as well as to being healthy. I firmly believe that only by mastering those things will I have the humility and stamina necessary to tackle the next big thing(s). I also believe that success via organic opportunities that arise when you work hard and love wholeheartedly is preferable to forced or manipulated success, because the former is genuine.
That doesn't mean that it will be easy to let go of tomorrow and live for today. Already I'm wondering what my next career move should be (writing a book? starting my own non-profit?); when and how Mr. Wonderful and I will take the next step (will it be engagement a year from now?); whether I'm really making a difference in the world (should I be devoting my time and attention elsewhere?); etc. But life is not a neat little checklist of things that must happen in sequential order by a certain date. It's live, unpredictable and fluid, and I would do well to go with it and really relish it for all that it is. It also reeks of condesc
What are your goals for the new year? Are there specific benchmarks on which you are focused? Or, like me, are you focused on living in the cloud of unknowing that is this moment? I'd love to hear.
Best wishes,
Me
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#318: A wonderful evening out with a close friend.
#319: A quiet morning at home reading Before You Put That On by Lloyd Boston.
#320: Six loads of clean -- and no dirty -- laundry.
#321: A stunningly clean apartment.
#322: Spending a fun evening with Mr. Wonderful after not seeing him for a full 10 days.
#323: Spending a holiday with Mr. Wonderful being productive but enjoying each other's company.
#324: Brand new furniture from Mr. Wonderful, which arrived yesterday.
#325: This beautiful piece from Nathalie about wrapping up Project 365 (aka: an entire year of "December Dailies").
#326: Having made up my bed for 4 straight days, because it means I further enjoy my apartment. (Now, this is an accomplishment!)
#327: So many amazing entries in Hanging Out the Wash.
#328: Booking our end-of-January weekend away today!