Oscar Wilde, "A New Year Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."

Hi there Babyboomers

Time to reflect and move forward with or without a New Years' Resolution.  Oscar Wilde wrote," A New Year Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."
and "Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account."


I like this one by Hal Borland - "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."
So do we or do we not make one????  I found some of Sonja Lyubomirsky's hints to be helpful from her recent book 'The How of Happiness'.   
 A summary of a goal's / project's ideal characteristics.


Identify what you expect to accomplish

* Imposed by self
* Approach rather than avoidance
* Flexible and be able to work with other aspects of your life
* Activity based - not relying on circumstance


Identify and Imagine the most positive outcome of your goal and the biggest obstacle that stands in the way. (The obstacle bit apparently is the tricky part which most of us don't think through.) They give the example re specific details of when and where and how the person wants to act in critical situations. For example; If the goal is to "eat more fruit and vegetables", the subject might think of how they will act in restaurants, when travelling , and at other situations where they may be tempted not to follow through with the goal. Then they have to specify the behaviour they would do with an ..."if I am at a restaurant and they ask about dessert, then I will choose options with fruit, not cake."

 We are under the influence of Oprah after her recent visit, who said, "Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right."
 

"Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right."

 We know she struggles too with getting it right.

Happy New Year.


Clara









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Reviving the Spirit of Christmas

Dear Babyboomers,
I have to agree in principle with Fifi Box, in her article in the Sunday magazine from the Daily Telegraph,

"What we seem to have lost among the garlands of tinsel and the reams of wrapping paper is the spirit of Christmas.  Yes, it may all seem a bit touchy-feely, but it's not the giving and receiving of material things that we should celebrate, it's the sharing of time and love with our family and friends. If, like me, you're exhausted by the exchange of meaningless, last minute presents and want to share your love in a different way  there are alternatives......  Kris Kringle schemes, home-made presents or World Vision purchases of a goat or a duck which is delivered to a family in a Third World country."
Fifi concludes by "wondering how many of our carefully chosen presents end up in the temporary purgatory of the bottom drawer.  Then after a respectable time lapse, of course, they find their ultimate resting place, either regifted or on offer at a garage sale." 


And Fifi would most likely only be in her thirties, if that - a surprising viewpoint from a young person, perhaps we would expect  this attitude from someone older.  I have to say reluctantly, that I share her sentiments, and whilst I enjoy Christmas when it arrives, the brainstorming for the perfect gift is stressful, attempting to gauge the interests and desires of each person and reconcile that with the budget.  We are up to our 13th grandchild, nearly 14th, (two marriages!), so have had to become more efficient at the process. 


To conclude, a few words about opening presents and showing appreciation.  As a single parent of two, one Christmas I was overwelmed by stretching the already stretched dollar and time factor, only to have toys etc strewn all over the house after Santa took all the credit for this enormous effort.   The next year, things were different - Santa's stuff in the stockings (pillow cases), could be opened on waking, a quick breakfast, off to church to celebrate the religious meaning, then to sit around the tree to open other presents, one at a time, thanking and appreciating.  It felt much better.
Clara  

UNICEF cards help raise money for UNICEF is committed
to creating a world where children can grow up happy,
healthy ... and hopeful... where they can learn with pride
and live with dignity... where every child is free.....
simply to be a child.
www.unicef.org.au

To view or add comment, click on comments at bottom of page or send an email - clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au or visit my website at www.babyboomerconnections.com.au