Putting On My Oxygen Mask—Gifts to Myself for the New Year

We all know the safety drill on airplanes…if there is a sudden loss of pressure, an oxygen mask will appear in front of you. When it does, you must put it on and adjust it before doing anything else. You will have plenty of time to help those around you. If you do not follow this advice, you jeopardize everything, including the lives of those around you and your own. It is great advice for our everyday lives as well, but one we often ignore. So, before I make my resolutions for 2013, I am going to put on my oxygen mask.

I give myself the gift of routine

When I first started my 50-by-50, I wrote a lot about getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating regular meals, exercising regularly, and similar routine things. These routines are essential to a happy and healthy life. I love excitement and occasional disruptions to my routine, but without the routine itself, I lose my center and lose balance in my life. I am finally at a place where many of these routines are settling around me and providing me with the support I need to be a healthy, happy adult who has more than enough capacity to be available for the needs of my family, friends, work, and non-profit work. So, I give myself the gift of routine. May it make me a stronger, happier, more giving person.

I give myself the gift of fun and fitness

I have built up, very slowly, to my fitness routine. I went through the C25k program and then onto a regular running routine. I’ve added walking on my days off as I’ve focused on weight-loss. This has worked for me, and I am often compelled to work-out out of some newly in-borne need. But, I cannot say it is truly fun. So, especially during the dark days of winter, I will find fun that is also exercise. I will dance to Just Dance IV which I bought for my younger daughter, and I will fence. Yes, I signed my younger daughter and I up for beginning fencing lessons at a local community college. A friend and her daughter are joining us. We will have so much fun! I give myself the gift of fun and fitness. May it make me more joyful and infused with life.

I give myself the gift of forgiveness and do-overs

Like most people, I am harder on myself than on others. When I fail, I often feel like giving up. I’ve learned, however, that there is no point in beating myself up over my failures. As Thomas Edison famously said about his attempts to refine the light bulb, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  So, I will try to look at my failures as evidence that I am willing to try new things and not give up when they don’t work. Edison also said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not know how close they were to success when they gave up.” I do not want to be someone who could have succeeded if I’d only tried one more time. Several times in my life, I tried to be a runner, and I failed. I even tried early in my 50-by-50 and didn’t get it quite right. By trying a new way, this time I succeeded. So, I will try again, in different ways, to reach my goals this year. I give myself the gift of forgiveness and do-overs.

Find the Joy in the Journey…and don’t forget to put your own oxygen mask on first!