January Musings

I have been racking my brain these past two weeks, trying to come up with a post that effectively summarizes last year, while also looking forward to what the new year will bring. I wanted it to be effortlessly wise, reflective without being contrite, and incredibly witty.

Then I watched this interview between Louis CK and Jay Leno, and realized I was being ridiculous.

I don't much care for New Year's resolutions, or the concept that life somehow resets simply because the date has changed. And Louis is right; a much more realistic expectation is that any given year will bring a mixed bag of good and bad, high and low. I can't think of any time when only good or bad things have happened to me, particularly for an entire calendar year.

What I do know is that with every passing year, I enter the first day of January with a little more life under my belt. A little more self assuredness, a little less second guessing who I am. Is everything perfectly in place and exactly where I would like it to be? Absolutely not. Do I have some laundry list of resolutions will most decidedly make me a smarter, faster, skinnier, and funnier human being? Nope.

What I do take into the New Year is my resolve. The past year has been nothing if not one of great challenges and chances to grow. I feel like I made my own path, even in cases where I couldn't control outside factors. While the next year naturally brings some uncertainty, I feel like I can handle it. That I'm made of tough stuff, and that regardless of where I end up professionally, romantically, geographically, or otherwise, I will be okay. That I am more than the sum of my achievements and failures.

I heard this song a couple weeks ago for the first time in many years. It's been soundtracking my days ever since, and I don't think it's entirely coincidental.