Each year when that day arrives that we call New Year’s Eve I always get a little melancholy.  I try to not make it a big deal, not fretting about resolutions or obsessing about things that I have not yet accomplished but the melancholy always sneaks itself into my consciousness.  What I decided this year is to accept it into my life and see how I can use it to self-propel myself into action. 

I think it was my favorite self-help book, The Artists Way by Julia Cameron http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Spiritual-Creativity-Anniversary/dp/1585421464 that first introduced this idea of taking something negative and using it as motivation.  I definitely know that she talks about jealousy and how that is a signal that you want to do something and once you make a small move in that direction the jealousy goes away.  It’s true, I’ve tried it.  Every year as I watched the Tony Awards and got jealous over the newest play that has all of the attention, I would pout for a day or two.  Now I make sure I am sending out a play to a contest or writing a new one when the Tony’s come around. 

Jealousy is a topic for another blog entry, but it is similar to the feeling of melancholy that happens on New Year’s Eve.  It feels like a dark empty well.  So this year I decided to focus on getting things done.  I’m refocused, reenergized and suddenly the empty well is overflowing.  In just a few days I have a completely new play that I’m almost done with.  I have a few producing plays or music events that I want to start working on for next year.  It’s amazing but even though I’m completely busy, writing after work, on my lunch break—even before I leave for work in the morning.  Instead of being exhausted, I’m super energized.  I remember my graduate school professor writing during a faculty meeting and when I asked her if she was taking the minutes of the meeting she smirked and told me she was finishing a play.  That’s the get-it-done feeling that I feel like I’m taking new vitamins.  I’m even writing lists before I go to bed of all the things I want to accomplish the next day, phone calls, emails, etc.—so that when I have a break at work I can cross something off the list.  Very satisfying.

So instead of what I’m resolving to do better this coming year, instead of focusing on the negative (I need to lose ten pounds, eat healthier, meditate more, I’m going to focus on what I’m bringing into my life.  It was a television commercial that made me think of this as well.  Have you seen the one that has all these people standing on scales and instead of where it usually flashes a digital number, the scale flashes the word Joy or Serenity, etc.  It’s such a great idea. 

Would you like to join me in my quest to get things done?  This year theme– PROGRESS!

Join me this Saturday at Cando in Princeton to bring an awareness of progress into our Yoga practice.  I’m subbing for the 10 am class.

And if you are interested, here’s a website I found that discusses progress in terms of Yoga and leadership. 

http://www.theleadershipyoga.com/phases-of-progress-in-yoga

Might be a good site to follow.

Happy and healthy 2012!

Yoga Girl