Resolved! 2015 Edition
Happy New Year!!
Even though we're already a couple weeks in, the first blog post of the year feels like the perfect place to tackle the well-worn but somehow still compelling subject of resolutions!
I make resolutions all the time, but that doesn't exempt me from making them at New Year's as well. This year I have three:
1. WATER. I've made a version of this resolution every year but never with much success. This year, instead of resolving to "drink more water" or even to "drink 8 glasses a day," I've resolved to drink 4 glasses a day. It's half as much as the recommended daily allowance but it would still represent an increase for me on most days. Also, when I tried to drink 8 glasses a day, I'd loose count, but 4 I can keep track of without really trying which makes the goal more concretely achievable. And if I can form this habit, I'd love to add more glasses as the year progresses.
2. ROUTINE. You know that Flaubert quote: "Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work." 2014 was a year characterized by disruptions. This year, I want to stick to a schedule as much as possible so that I know, where I am, where my kid is, where my husband is, when he's coming home, what time we're all sitting down for dinner and when I'm free to leave the house to get something done or do something fun (and when I can be violent in my work!) My husband's work schedule (oh, and my own project) are already working against me in 2015 as far as hitting our marks every day, but that's okay. Like my water-drinking resolution, waking up and knowing what to aim for is more than half the battle, and it takes time to form new routines and habits. Just knowing that this is a big priority for me right now clarifies so many decisions, it's already paying off even while I keep trying to really succeed in achieving it.
3. LEAVE THE HOUSE - PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. When you have a kid, most people expect you to disappear, and when you have a hard time showing up for parties and dinners and events, people tend to chalk it up to the fact of your being a parent. 2014 might have been the year that I started to re-connect more regularly with my arts colleagues: attending more shows, participating more in others' projects, just being out in the world . . . but events conspired against me. Instead, 2014 found me spending a lot of time more-or-less alone. I miss participating in the arts community, I miss my friends and it kinda bugs me when people blame my kid for something that's not his fault. This year, once I get a handle on the schedule (see above) I aim to start more-regularly scheduling outings of both the professional and social variety.
How about you? What are your resolutions and how are they going? Let us know in the comments!!