Something New for the New Year

Image by Derek Key via Flickr/Creative Commons

Each December I compose a long, long list of goals for the coming year. Sometimes the list has as many as 99 or 101 aspirations. My rational, reasonable self tells me there's no way I'm going to accomplish all those goals in 365 days, but the dreamer in me drafts the list nonetheless. 

And I get so excited about this list of mine. I pray over it on New Year's Eve. I party in celebration of it on New Year's Eve. (Such a well-balanced girl, I am). And I celebrate it some more on New Year's Day with a yummy brunch.

For the first time probably in two decades I am not making a list of goals for the New Year. Mark Twain, one of my favorite authors, once said "If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got." I think he was on to something and for 2013 I'm following his advice. I'm trying something new.

I'm just going to live my life one day at a time, letting three words guide me -- communion, gratitude, and joy.

This doesn't mean I'm going to be a loser sitting on the sofa all day. I'm still going after my dreams. Throughout the year I'll be composing a bucket list of sorts using the new app Everest;  and to keep things interesting, I'll be accepting some fun challenges through that program as well. But there will be no master plan labeled "2013." Instead I'm going to focus on living each day with intention. Each day I will reach for my heart's desires in some small way as the Spirit moves me. Or maybe on some days I will just sit on the sofa and do nothing, because sometimes I need to just breathe.

Also, I won't be partying on Dec. 31. I'm going to spend the daytime hours journaling and reflecting on 2012 and that night hubster and I are going to spend some quality time together at home. I will, however, definitely be having brunch on Jan. 1. (Let me know if you'd like to join me!)  But this year as I'm munching on my French toast or Belgian waffle, I won't be celebrating my laundry list of aspirations; I'll be simply celebrating the fact that I'm alive.