Hello World, There's A Song That I'm Singing

C'mon Get Happy! - The Partridge Family

It's New Year's Day and I'm not making resolutions. I'm also not making goals. I looked back on the last set of New Year's goals I wrote two years ago and I achieved only one. It was important. The rest weren't achieved because my priorities and perspectives shifted throughout the years. Life happens, things change.

Last year I started trying the practice of choosing a word to focus on and to provide a theme and touchstone throughout the year. Christine Kane has a fabulous explanation of this practice. Unsurprisingly (if you know me) I couldn't choose just one word. So last year I had three:

• Effortlessness defined as "in its own perfect time" and which requires trust
• Fearless which equals love
• Authentic which requires honesty

2007 was in some ways was a very difficult year for me, chief among which was because of the death of my dog  Zoe.  However, I begin 2008 with nothing but love for my life in 2007.  I learned much and transformed my life in some subtle ways and have realized that I am happy.

For those who had a notion, a notion deep inside/that it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive - Bruce Springsteen "Badlands"

However that's not to say that I have nothing left to learn or ways in which to grow or that my life cannot continue to improve.  So for 2008 I'm choosing a new theme and focus (without leaving behind my words for 2007, rather seeing them as more fully incorporated).  

About a month ago I started the Complaint Free World Challenge and I'll continue until I reach 21 days free of complaints, criticisms and gossip.

I also learned something about myself because I opened myself up to hearing an important message.  Although I'm pretty good at living life I have a tendency to stop and look back and get stuck analyzing and examining the past.  The analogy was presented to me as climbing a ladder and when I look up and climb (towards God, towards my highest and best self, towards the future) that ladder is golden.  So in 2008 my theme will be to "keep climbing" and living my life like it's golden...