Happy Sunny New Year

Well, it's a new year and like most people I consider it a time of new beginnings. This is the time when you're asked,"What's your New Year's Resolution?"

For years I've avoided having one at all. Seriously, why set yourself up for failure? Even with achievable goals, something always came up that made finishing what I started difficult. So for a long time now I've just stopped making public resolutions.

This year is really no different. Oh true, by starting this blog I'm going "public" in a way, but it's still ANONYMOUS. I'm not telling my friends or family about the blog. Not yet, anyway.

However, as 2010 was coming to an end, I thought about what I "resolved" to do this year and rather than choose to be disappointed again, I decided to be pleased by what I already had.

Like so many people out there, I complain about my life: I'm not where I hoped to be career-wise, or I could lose 10 pounds, or I'm too busy, or I eat unhealthy, or my love-life is non-existent. You get the picture. But as the year drew to a close, I thought about just how fortunate I really was compared to so many other people. I mean, what did I really have to complain about?

So that's when I "resolved" to keep this blog. Each day (that's the goal, anyway), I will mention and/or discuss ONE thing for which I am grateful.

That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Of course, I keep trying to decide exactly when I'll post each day. Certainly the end of the day makes the most sense . . . I'll have had an entire day to decide what ONE thing stands out.

Then again, getting up and getting it down before my day begins would, one should think, put me a positive frame of mind for the rest of the day.

Finally, I'm a busy woman so just finding a time to get it done will be a miracle.

So I'm not putting any rules on this thing. I'll just write when I can about what I like. And along the way I'm sure you'll read SOME complaining. But at least there will be balance.

And since I'm here right now, I'm going to state the ONE thing for which I'm grateful today: the sunshine.

Sounds dorky, I know. But it was 20 degrees (with a "feels like" temperature of 7) this morning when I was walking my dogs and I was so happy to feel the sun on my face.

My father calls me a hot-house flower. He's right. I LOVE the summer and the heat. I live for days outside in the sunshine. So winter gets me down. I'm not sure if I truly suffer Season Affective Disorder, but I'm definitely not as happy when it's cold out and the days are short.

So being able to enjoy a little sunshine on my walk this morning was pretty special. It reminded me the days are now getting longer and it won't be too long before I will be able to strip off the winter layers for cotton tees.

Happy Sunny New Year.