Happy New Year 2015

Happy New Year!  As much as I wish that this had been me last night. It wasn’t. I wasn’t. Quite honestly, I am writing this from my hotel room cave (as I’m calling it) because I am sick as a dog on our family vacation. Literally I cannot peel myself off of the couch and go to the beach with my family.  While I am feeling quite grumpy and a wee bit sorry for myself, I am also looking for Silver Linings because WTF else do I have to do right now other than cough up a lung?

My first Silver Lining is the acknowledgment – yet again – of how vulnerable health is and that when push comes to shove, our bodies will stop us when we need to be stopped.  I was pretty under the weather before Christmas and instead of allowing myself to fully heal, I went full steam ahead when I was only about 75% recovered.  Geesh. What a bafoon I can be! As Maya Angelou brilliantly said, “If you don’t learn something the first time, the lessons will get bigger and bigger.” Well, I am learning the lesson now, at the cost of a missed New Years Eve beach party and a day at the beach with my family. Did I already mention that? Sorry. Remember: I’m feeling a wee bit sorry for myself.

Another Silver Lining is having the alone time to reflect on 2014 and think about 2015.  Here are some of the questions that I am going to ask myself and write about in my journal:

1. What was something from 2014 that you’ll remember for the rest of your life?
2. What was the nicest thing that someone did for you?
3. What was the nicest thing that you did for someone else?
4. Who came into your life? Who left it? Who re-emberged?
5. What were your best accomplishments and achievements?
6. What was your biggest disappointments?
7. What was the best surprise?
8. What were your favorite moments of 2014?
9. What was the single most significant event of the year?
10. Name a minimum of 3 Silver Linings in 2014.

Another Suggestion: Consider listing all the things in your life of which you’d like to let go—literally anything you no longer want. Give thanks for what they’ve brought you in terms of learning and usefulness and then burn the list. It’s a symbolic gesture to help you release the old and be open to the new. I really love this idea!  And then after, the next step is to list what you do want—experiences, knowledge, material things, relationships, healings, whatever.…go for it!  This isn’t a quiz or a test. No one has to see it. Just you.  This is an incredible gift to give yourself (especially if you happen to be under covers, drinking tea and blowing your nose!).

The biggest Silver Lining of all is that I just have a cold, albeit a nasty one, but it is just a cold. I have a dear friend who – on Monday – had her 5th round of chemo and worse yet, I received a note just today from the wife of a kind, courageous and thoughtful man who died of cancer in November. I am constantly reminded of the fact that life is all about perspective and appreciating & celebrating what we DO have, not what we don’t have.

Wishing you a joyous, peaceful and HEALTHY 2015!