Actually there are many two word combinations I can think of as 2022 comes to an end.
Good riddance.
So long.
See ya.
F*** Off.
Thank you.
Maybe that last option is a bit of a surprise. But it goes along with my two words: gratitude and helpless. And there is a huge connection between those for me.
Gratitude is one that I usually feel as another year comes to an end. Mostly because I’m still here—breathing, moving, participating. As I know I’m on the downward slope of life, I take none of that for granted.
I am grateful that I do not have to struggle for the necessities of life: food, clothing, shelter, heat, clean water. That I do not live in a war zone. Or have to cover myself from head to toe before heading out in public. That I both can have an opinion and the freedom to voice it. I do not take any of these things for granted.
I am also very grateful for all the relationships in my life. My husband, my family, friends, my CrossFit community, my clients, and all who read, listen to, and/or watch my emails, posts, articles, podcast, and videos. I truly feel the trust, love, and support.
It is all this that has helped with the hardest part of this year. The part that’s been really sucky.
Bad Marriage Advice #12: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Back in 2002, Richard Carlson published Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and It’s All Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life. It’s a short collection of 100 pieces of advice to help you stop obsessing over little things that bother...
BAD MARRIAGE ADVICE #11: HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE
Almost to a man when I ask my clients what they want, I hear, “I want my wife to be happy.” And they truly do. It’s great to do things that will increase her positive feelings. But making her happiness the standard by which your marriage is judged is problematic. A...
Bad Marriage Advice #10: If You’re Not Happy in Your Marriage, You Should Leave
Many fairy tales end “and they lived happily ever after”. But marriage is not a fairy tale. In the early days of your relationship, you probably spent more happy times together than not. Otherwise, why get married? So it can come as a shock when you realize that you...
My precious daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in June and has spent the last six months undergoing chemo. She’s handled it like a trooper but never have I wished more to be the one who is sick. More likely than not, she will be fine but it hurts that she has to go through it.
And, while I’ve been able to be supportive, I haven’t been able to fix it. And that has left me feeling helpless. (As long as you don’t count my stepping up when she asked if I would shave her head. A truly memorable event I hope no one else experiences.)
I’ve always had difficulty asking for help. Which is strange because that’s what I need my clients to do. Unfortunately, I passed that trait on to my daughter.
But with age comes wisdom so I’m adding a new resolution for next year to go along with my usual two. In addition to “more compassion” and “less judgment”, I am adding “be open to help”.
Because it’s an act of love. Because no man is an island. Because we need each other.
So come on 2023! And Happy New Year!
- I would love to hear about the two words you’d give to 2022 and your resolutions for the New Year. Feel free to hit reply or leave them here.
Around the Web This Week
What to Know if You’re Resolving to Make Your Marriage Better
Despite your commitment to making your marriage better, another year has passed with limited improvement. You really want it to be different but, despite your best efforts, you find yourself falling into the same unproductive patterns. The truth is that it’s really hard to make significant changes. It’s not about willpower or intention. It’s about overriding ingrained patterns. Mindset Coach and Best-Selling author Deano Sutter reveals why these patterns are so hard to break and how to increase your success.
