2013: Lessons Learned . . . 2014: Lessons Applied

I think I covered the ground fairly well in my last post, but in the spirit of starting the New Year with explicit intention, I thought I would share mine for 2014. In a word . . .

balance

One reason I spend a lot of time helping others is that I'm good at it (I'm sure there's a whole lot of pscyhologically-interesting backstory to this--adult child of alchoholics, front-row seat to a lot of mental illness since I was a child, etc.). Another reason is that I find that things that are interesting and easy (research, fighting insurance) for me are often difficult for others, so I jump in to offer my services.

I get tremendous satisfaction from the work and support I do in a variety of venues, so it's not like I'm selfless.

That said, I have recently seen that I do have a point where I begin to lose myself in the service of others and it's not good for me-which makes it in the end, not good for the others. 

I often joke that it's good for one to be a Zen person, but better to have a friend like me who is the antethisis of Zen. I think I need to work on carving out some personal Zen in 2014.

While in 2014 I may change things about the way I operate in terms of helping others; I will always be thankful for all the good accomplished in 2013--and for lessons learned. How about you? Any lessons learned or changes to be made?

Happy New Year to all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Smalltown Me]

Last year was good, no lessons, but changes next year? Connect more with people and be more adventurous with vegetables!

[Jen on the Edge]

Balance. That's an excellent goal. One that we all could use.

Happy new year.

[Slow Panic]

Balance is my favorite thing to talk about during a yoga class. There's no part of our lives that doesn't require balance. Something I'm constantly constantly constantly striving for.

Happy New Year!

[gary rith]

Best wishes to you in the new year :) You would be doing a great service for people like me by posting more pics of wonderful warm San Diego weather so we in the great white north could be less depressed and mentally ill about the zero degree temps and 16 inches of snow expected ;)

[SuburbanCorrespondent]

Knitting and yoga and sleeping enough. That is the sum total of my plans for the year. Anything good that happens on top of that will just be icing on the cake. Lord, I sound old, don't I?

[busy bee suz]

Good luck to you in this....knowing you, you''ll blance like a pro! :)
Me? I'm going to focus on my health more. I need to be around to see all the good stuff my kids are doing/going to do!
XO

[lanes]

I'm working on balance too.

And happy new year!

[Brightside-Susan]

I am pretty good on the balance thing right now. My commitment for the new year is to be much more focused on finances. Reigning in spending, revving up debt pay off and saving for a long planned trip.

[Jen]

Funny you said this, because my word for 2014 is also balance. But, a friend of mine listed one of her resolutions as "Play harder" and I'm leaning towards just adopting that one! :)

[Green Girl in Wisconsin]

A good word. I'm inherently good at finding balance, but I can see the way things can get out of whack fast if you don't have a solid center.

[Karen (formerly kcinnova)]

I understand the good feelings that come from helping others. My dh claims that is why people turn to me and expect me to have answers (and why I tried to be late for church so they couldn't ask, but that didn't work, either *sigh*).
Balance is good.

I'm working at making Positive Changes in my eating habits and life in general -- letting go of that which I cannot change, and putting healthy habits into place.