I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. After all, it’s not my new year. That happens on my birthday, but even then I don’t do it. My social media accounts are full of my friends’ New Year’s resolutions and I am more than happy to support them in their endeavors. There are so many people out there that are so good at this, but I’m certainly not one of them. As far as I’m concerned New Year’s resolutions just set me up to fail.

Yes, that seems a little on the cynical side, but think about it. I’m going to lose my weight this year. Yep, I’m going to go on that new diet, lose all my weight and be happy and healthy. I tend to be an emotional eater, so after one big stresser I’m out. Sure, I’m going to exercise, get in shape, be that woman who can do anything, then overdo it and that’s the end of that. Then I feel guilty, beat myself up and know that I’m a horrible person. I’m not doing that anymore. I’m changing things up because I am a woman who can do anything I put my mind to.

2018 was a hard year. There were family issues. My children are my most precious gift and they had some health issues that had to be taken care of. My daughter was being bullied and she was failing math. My mom had a stroke the Friday before Christmas of 2017. She has vascular dementia and is in hospice care. It’s been a year. I couldn’t control anything.

I wasn’t writing much. I was barely able to keep up my musical responsibilities with the praise team, much less put the effort into becoming a better bass player. The care of my family was the most important thing, and I was even bad at that. I put everything I had in keeping all the plates spinning and not losing one. But one did fall and break. Mine. I stopped taking care of myself and my diabetes spun out of control. So not good. Something has to change.

So today, the first day of the new year, it’s time to start over. Not with a resolution, but with a purpose. My kids health issues are better. My daughter passed math. She made 90 on her final. I was so proud of her. The bully issue has been addressed. I proud of her about that too.  My mom’s health is declining, but she is in a wonderful facility with care givers who love and care for her. I can go be her daughter and just enjoy the time. She doesn’t really know me anymore, but I go sing with her, color with her, and sometimes read to her. Some days are better that others. So that leaves my writing, my music and me.

Am I going to say, “Lisa, we’re going to lost 100 pounds this year,” or “I’m going to learn everything there is to know about the bass guitar so I can play anything and everything,” or “I’m going to write that million dollar best seller,” and the best one of all, “Am I going to get my diabetes under control tomorrow?” No.

What I am going to do is take it day by day. Every day will begin with a purpose. Every day I will write, even if it’s one sentence. Every day I will study my music, even if it’s just listening and marking my chart. Every day I will work to get my diabetes under control, even if I screw up a meal for the day, I will not fall back. I will move forward and begin again. I am not going to let life’s stressers throw me off the rails.

Is that a New Year’s resolution? No. This is not just something I want to accomplish in a year. This is my life. This is my every day. And I’m going to make every day count.

Happy New Year everyone.