Forget New Years Resolution. Let's do New Years Recognition.

F*ck self sabotage.

That's really what New Years resolutions are. We declare some lofty goal that's way out of our pattern, guilt and shame ourselves into keeping up with it, and when that finally becomes too much emotional burden to carry, we give up and guilt and shame ourselves some more. Sounds terrible.

For the past 10 or so years, I've skipped all of that and started taking the last 2 weeks of each year to put some pieces together. Especially with all of the craziness that is going on with this world, it settles my spirit ahead of the new year.

1 - Who and What Showed Up This Year?

Anyone or anything new appeared (or reappeared) in your life outside of all that's expected and recurring that added joy, a sense of calm, or to you feeling supported?

2 - Where Did They Come From?

The most critical part of this is to recognize how certain trials, certain events or occurrences that hurt, frustrated, confused, may have been the only path to lead you to these people, places, things. As the protagonist of your story, it was the only way, and it was worth it.

My list?

In no particular order:

• This site, all that it stands for, and all that it will be

• New friends who appeared out of nowhere and pulled me back down into orbit

• The growth in my friendship with my cousin, who's really more like a sister

• Family trying to be supportive of me even if they don't do it the way I need them to

• Tomato plants pulling through at the last hour after 2 failed attempts (first time plant zaddy flex)

• New streaming habit. If you like gaming and/or shenanigans: I'm on Twitch

• A friend turned professional coach to support self growth and mental clarity

• Myself, for drawing and more importantly holding boundaries, self forgiveness, always taking the time to look for the truth, and always making it through

This past year, I've lost close friendships, had random injury after injury, gotten mysterious and gnarly headaches and migraines, saw numerous false hopes, a dying Macbook Air when a new computer was really not in the budget, and some significant setbacks that are residual from 2020 and 2021.

With the art of nothing, I know I'm not owed anything, nor am I being targeted by the universe. Things happen. People change. Life is.

The only thing we can do is recognize the things that bring us joy, gravitate towards those that truly support without judgement, love us in our worst state, and know that it can take a rocky path to find them.

And we made it through.