2013 new year sparkler

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, nuts! Like many others, I like to imagine that the new year truly begins on January 2, when the calm after the storm of champagne and fireworks has settled, and you can finally stand up straight again without feeling nauseous (just me?) Almost every year, and this one especially, I find myself doubting the age-old tradition of partying the night away, only to wake up feeling like the worst version of yourself for what is supposed to be the start of a fresh year full of possibility. Instead, it is a day filled with headache and confusion. To those who spent the evening sipping casually, playing games and keeping things classy – I salute you. Someone please remind me to do that next year.

A new year brings such prospect of starting over, and for some reason, many of us feel as though this new number can define our actions and our intentions. So many of us vow to eat right, exercise, judge less, reduce the clutter, experiment and the list goes on – but how many of us find ourselves keeping things alive until exactly one year later?

This is not to say that resolutions are without purpose. No matter how long you persist, you’ve taken the time to re-evalute and reflect on your choices, two things that are essential to growth and happiness.  There’s no denying that we can all use a little reminder now and then, that time is nothing but precious.

We all know that time flies, but my biggest goal for 2013, is to keep that in mind everyday. As I come close to celebrating another milestone – 1 year at the PR agency I’ve come to call home – I often think about routine. I think about my 9am to 7pm work day, my commute-eat dinner-watch tv-shower-go to sleep ritual, and I wonder what I could be doing to break the mold. If I really think about it, it seems to all come down to unplugging. If I’m not texting, I’m Instagramming, I’m refreshing my news feed, I’m sending work emails, I’m blogging on my laptop or playing a game on my iPad, and most of the time I’m doing all these things with the TV on in the background…as much as I love it all, I also hate it. When you reflect on the past year, do any of your memories include the digital world? I would bet that most of them include your friends and family, your travels, important milestones and events.

So, if you don’t believe in resolutions or you already have a giant list of goals for 2013, try just one easy thing every now and then – step away from the keyboard and the remote. Write a good old-fashioned letter, chat with your roomies, go for a walk or a run, read a book. And if you’re already doing all these things and I’m preaching to the converted, you’re one step ahead of many of us.

Happy New Year to all of our readers – we are so thankful for you and your continued support! May 2013 bring you all of life’s pleasures and more …in a nutshell.

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