I want to wear red lipstick. I think it's so pretty and glamorous but I think I look weird wearing it. But I want to. Maybe I will this year. It's not a resolution, don't worry. Maybe more like a goal. Maybe I'll wear it on Halloween so that people will say "Oh! Red lipstick!" And I'll say "Halloween!" And I will have worn it and it will be acceptable-ish or maybe even better.
I also want to eat chocolate cake. 75 calorie chocolate cake with frosting that tastes like 1250 calorie chocolate cake. No such thing exists but that doesn't help me from wanting it.
Winter needs to die. We've had 8 winters packed into 6 weeks.
Do any of these things have to do with having a stress-free new year?? Not that I know of, no. But I squirrel a lot and I disclaimered that in my first post.
A little more seriously though, is something about me. If you don't know me that well, the fact is: I have too many feelings. I'm far too damn sensitive, I dwell on and over think most things, I'm irrationally (and rationally) passionate about both things that matter and don't matter, I take things too seriously, and I do care what people think. Why do I tell you these things?? Am I squirrelling again??!! No. That was to help illustrate that my tips on a stress-free new year might be legit seeing as how most people probably won't have the same level of self-induced stress that I do.
Our bodies are an amazing creation. When something is in our system that doesn't belong, our body tries to get rid of it. I won't get into the gross details but you all know exactly what I'm talking about! My advice is the same: purge. Things....and people...that are toxic in your life do not belong there. This is absolutely not an easy thing to realize or address. For most people it comes with pain. The thought of "breaking up" with bad habits, unsatisfying careers, and incompatible people is REALLY difficult and actually doing it can be very painful.
Maybe you eat too much chocolate cake. You love chocolate cake but somehow (this is a poor example because God forbid it EVER be true) it's hurting you. Not the typical 'forever on the hips' kind of hurt you, but maybe it's giving you leprosy. I am literally laughing at myself right now. Awesome example, Nae.
Maybe you have a job and things aren't fair. Things aren't fair in any job, really. But if you stress about the unfairness it's going to affect your performance and the way others perceive you. And you'll be the one that ends up suffering from several angles. Don't worry about that person on your team that doesn't pull their weight. Somehow, some way - natural selection will take course and that wildebeast...that wounded, baby wildebeast...will get picked off. You just have to believe it will happen and purge yourself of all the negative energy that their existence brings. Do YOUR best. It will pay off. In yourself and with those that matter. And you'll just feel better.
Maybe you have a relationship with someone, friend or other, that always seems to upset you in some way. Maybe it's that kind of upset that you don't really even expose others to but that you feel in your heart. Sometimes, like in Seinfeld, it's best to end it quickly - like a bandaid "RIGHT OFF!" Maybe it's a family member. You can't really purge your family. But you can still come to terms with the toxicity in your life and realize...maybe you can't be as close to that person anymore.
All of these things are not easy to do. They do take place like a breakup. It hurts. A lot even. It might be the kind of thing that consumes you. And keeps you up at night. And makes you cry.
I have gone through these types of purges - both willingly and not by my choice. I've been the one that's been purged before. And I realize eventually that after the emotion, I do feel cleansed and more calm and less anxious and happier.
I already know that some of you think this is a cheap defense mechanism to protect myself. It might be, when it's my choice. When it's not then I have to deal with it regardless. But I can't say there's really anything bad about finding inner strength and what it comes down to is that's really all it is. When you purge you have to find the good solid things within to stand on. This doesn't guarantee you a stress free new year, but it will help. No mo' drama. That's all I have to say about that.
In other news, how about we try being better spellers for the new year? I will blog more about the importance of good communication another time. There's an argument that I don't have enough pictures in my blog. So to kill two ideas with one jpeg, here's what I look like when I read something you've misspelled:
Hideous.
Peace everyone. Maybe you can climb down from your comfortable tree just to try something new and be a proud monkey...
