It’s the last day of 2023. I wish that I could say that 2023 was a fabulous year filled with adventures and joy, but the truth is that 2023 was a year of hard-learned lessons and a fair amount of turmoil. Those things came with some personal growth, to be sure, but as far as “best year of my life,” 2023 doesn’t register in the top 10 (or the bottom 10, I supposed, for which I am grateful). 

I’ve given some thought to what I would like 2024 to look like. Rather than “resolutions,” which always feels like rules to be broken, I’m going to set some goals to be met. 

1. I’m going to get healthier. I gave up on the exercise when I developed a fibroma in my left arch, and rather than focus on things that I can do without pain (walk, run short distances, lift, bike, dance, yoga…), I focused on what I can’t (run long distances), and used just gave up. I also stopped logging my food, started eating candy again, and generally ignored all of the diligent prompting of my Apple Watch to “stand, move and breathe.” I’ve been stuck at the same place that I plateaued in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 before regaining wait each and every time. Thankfully, I’ve only gained a small handful of pounds, so my clothes still fit. This year I would like the inches to melt away enough to get into the next-size smaller wardrobe that has been waiting in my closet, unworn, for several years. What a great reward that will be!
2. I’m going to “get out there” more. At Christmas time this year, when my stocking project donations rolled in, I was reminded once again how HUGE my network of meaningful people is. Seeing your shenanigans on Facebook, I sometimes feel like I am ”in touch” with many of you, when the truth is, I haven’t spoken to many of you in many years. My goal is to share a phone call, a lunch, or maybe even *gasp* a 5k with one or more of you per month. Let me know if you want to be added to the “list!”
3. I’m going to create more. This blog pretty much went by the wayside after Mom died in 2017. I have a half dozen partially-completed writing projects on Novlr. I have scores of ideas for craft projects rolling around in my brain, and often rather than just START one, I pick up the phone and scroll though news, Facebook or a game and lose myself down a rabbit hole instead of setting those ideas free (even the bad ones) to make room for more.
4. I’m going to do more things outside of my comfort zone. I haven’t been on a horse or a motorcycle since I was a kid. I’ve never touched a snake or a lizard. I haven’t sang karaoke in 25 years. I’ve never read one of my poems to an audience – online or otherwise. I haven’t played piano in front of an audience for at least 30 years. Perhaps 2024 is the time to “stretch” just a bit.
5. Letting go – I’ve accumulated a house FULL of things that I don’t really want or need. Many of them are attached to memories of people, and so I hold onto the things believing that the people, many of whom are departed from this life, would want me to do so. I give myself permission to let go of things that bring me no joy and serve no purpose in my life. Likewise, I give myself permission to let go of other people’s resentments and to remember that for every person who doesn’t like me, there’s probably at least one who does like me. After all, even a perfect peach won’t taste good to someone who hates peaches!

There are things that are going GREAT, that I would like to keep moving in the right direction.

• LOVE – Mike and I have had ups and downs over the years, but in the feeling loved department, I won the jackpot. Add J&M and the dogs/cat to this equation, and my heart is full.
• CAREER – I will celebrate my 5th anniversary as an assistant Erie County Prosecutor and legal counsel for Erie County Children Services in a few days, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. 
• STOCKING PROJECT – Betty’s Stocking Project finally has a name and a Facebook page. This year it served 84 children and raised over $6200. I want to continue to grow this and spread the JOY that it brings me each year.

I hope to come back to this post on 12/31/2024 and see just how well I did on moving in the right direction.

Happy New Year to you, my friends. Thank you for holding me up when it feels that I will fall. 

Love,
Be