I subscribe to so many newsletters and I scroll social media more than a person should. Thus I am already totally over New Year’s.
Seriously, I don’t want one more piece of advice on how to make a SMART goal or change things around and make my resolutions stick. Equally tedious are the naysayers on the other side, who say things like “every dead body on Mount Everest was once highly motivated too” (although I do appreciate that level of dark humor and cynicism).
So this is where I found myself as I sat down to write a newsletter about joy and creativity and light. Over it. Annoyed. Ready to move on. But don’t we have to honor the passing of time and the ritual of the New Year? No, we don’t.
There are three questions I have been pondering and journaling about – maybe you will find space for them in your world as well – in between going to the gym, blending smoothies, and your meditation practice (do you really have to be so snarky about it Anne?! Jeeesh).
1. What does success look like for you?
The definition of success (like in the actual dictionary) is: The accomplishment of an aim or purpose. If I aim to brush my teeth today and I do it, I am a success!! Lately, reframing success with this definition has brought me so much joy. Every day I am succeeding at a million things, and when I recognize and honor those successes, they compound into more – and all of a sudden I’m a freaking rock star.
2. What is truly meant for you?
What does that even mean? I don’t know what it means for other people but for me it seems to give me peace. Because I can look at other people and all the amazing things they are doing and having and say – “sweet! that was meant for them – what amazing thing was meant for me?!” and just open my arms and accept the great things that come.
3. What are your creative dreams?
Whoa Anne – slow your roll!! That’s a lot to ask. I will tell you what. I can’t find my creative dreams. I keep journaling about it and asking myself the question but it continues to elude me. While I keep asking I am dipping my foot into the waters of many different creative waters, glass blowing, piano, memorizing all the dance moves to Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. This level of intentional creativity is helping me explore what my dreams could be.
I see you. Blowing this off because it’s too woo woo. You know who you are.
Just try it – five minutes of free writing with these questions in mind.
Just for funsies. See what happens.
Then tell me about it
Oh, my God. What if you wake up some day, and you’re 65 or 75, and you never got your novel or memoir written; or you didn’t go swimming in warm pools or oceans because your thighs were jiggly or you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life, of imagination and radical silliness and staring off into space like when you were a kid? It’s going to break your heart. Don’t let this happen.
~ Anne Lamott
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