My dear friends Anthoula, Irene, Stalo,

Remember our New Year’s Resolutions events? Cheese and wine, the fireplace in Anthoula’s house one time, Christmas music and all the feelings we shared. Feelings of not being loved enough, disappointment, resentment, loss, pain, agony for tomorrow, dread of the past and the occasional feelings of hope to sustain us… I remember fondly our feelings of love and togetherness and the sense of friendship that we shared.

I was always writing my new year’s resolutions. You were laughing at me; joking about it but in the end you always indulged me and heard my resolutions. It was part of my cure. That’s how you viewed it I think. It made me feel better, more confident. It made me smile.

I remember my resolutions. Go to the gym everyday or at least 3 times a week. Lose 3 kilos. Go out at least once a week. Don’t see Mr. Big. Stand up to Mr. Big. Forget Mr. Big. Find someone new to love. Don’t let Mr. X upset you. Be happy.

I remember the change of strategy in the years of disappointment: No resolutions this year; or, my resolution this year is to let go and do whatever I want.

I also remember the years when the New Year’s Resolutions resembled more like a shopping list (this is an actual list copied from my ipad notes):

1. No smoking
2. Exercise daily at least half an hour (it was the time when I was walking every day in the morning before I went to work)
3. Take care of my foot (it was the time a sprained my ankle and would not follow doctor’s orders to rest it)
4. Eat properly according to Elena Aletrari (nutritionist expert)
5. Drink in moderation; not more than two glasses of wine at a time.
6. Practice French every other day
7. Keep a journal; write at least two phrases daily
8. In October apply for ICPAC membership
9. Fix the house by next Christmas (I don’t even remember which fixing it refers to)
10. In November look for a job
11. Devote time to something creative to feel good (obviously I was not feeling very good at the time)
12. Plan a trip
13. Speak proper English or Greek – don’t mix them
14. Stay crazy! (the occasional contribution by my well meaning friends)
15. Cherish the good sides of my character (comment as above)
16. Go for coffee with Lidy (I don’t remember who Lidy is)
    
    

    You know what? After years and years of having the same resolutions over and over again, my resolutions worked. I go to the gym. I go to boot camp. I train with a trainer twice a week. I run the corporate marathon twice. I lost the 3 kilos. My weight is balanced and steady. I practiced French that year. I even met Luc, a French journalist and practiced with him too. I got that new job. I went out. I forgot Mr. Big. I found someone new to love. Mr. X is not upsetting me anymore. I am not unhappy.

    The reason I am confiding this is because this year my New Year’s resolutions are going to be different. My New Year’s resolutions this year are going to be smart. Why? Because they are going to be conscious resolutions, based on where I am now and where I want to be at the end of 2018. They are going to be encompassing all areas of my life and will be well balanced.

    They are going to be clear resolutions because now I have clarity in my life and I know where I am and where I want to be next in my life. Even better than that, my New Year’s resolutions are going to reflect my deepest desires, because I know now what I desire deep down. And I am learning and building on how to get it.
    Most importantly my new year’s resolutions are going to be achieved this year and not the next or the year following next, because they are going to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound and equally because they will be coinciding with my purpose in life and how I want to be living my life day in and day out. Even most importantly, I will be enjoying living my resolutions and having fun going through the processes and achieving them.

    In fact this year I will not set New Year’s resolutions because I have already done so. I have already embarked on a beautiful – albeit challenging – journey of self -discovery and of realizing my dreams, of finding my purpose in life and being happy with who I am and what I am doing. I am on my way to Ithaca!

    I wanted to share these thoughts with you and let you know that all it took was a bit of coaching, meeting new and inspired friends, reading some books and opening up to a whole new world of positive thinking.

    You can do it too easily and effortlessly. You can come to Ithaca with me!

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018!
    Your friend always,
    Rodoula