I recently asked my 6-year old son if he had any New Year’s Resolutions.
He considered the question carefully. Then, after a long, thoughtful pause, he replied confidently, “Play more video games, and watch more TV.”
I was about to tell him that that’s not how resolutions work. That you usually make a resolution to improve something about yourself, or give up a bad habit or something like that. But then I thought a little bit more about his point of view. All he was really saying was that he wanted to spend more time doing the things that he enjoys doing. And maybe there’s some wisdom in that.
In the movie Multiplicity, Michael Keaton’s character says, “It’s like work comes first, my family is a close second, and I’m a distant third bringing up the rear.”
Can anyone else relate to that feeling?
What’s that one thing you’d do, if you had time to do it? You probably haven’t even thought about it for a while, because it gets pushed so far down your list of priorities. It’s a lot easier to sacrifice the things that we want to do than to sacrifice the things that others except us to do.
And while my son’s resolutions of watching TV and playing video games are what sparked me to write this, that’s not really what I’m talking about.
What’s your passion? What’s that little voice inside you saying?
is it something creative, like writing? Drawing? Painting?
Something musical? Dancing? Singing? Playing an instrument?
Maybe for you it’s something athletic. Is it joining a team and playing a sport? Running a marathon?
Is it traveling? What places are on your bucket list? What trip have you always wanted to take but never planned?
Maybe it’s photography, or filmmaking. Maybe it’s cooking, or gardening. Maybe it’s a class you want to teach. Maybe it’s something you want to make or to build. I don’t know what it is. But you do. Because it’s that thing that when you do it, it recharges your batteries. It gives you energy, rather than tiring you out.
There are two quotes that sum this all up much better than I ever could.
Dr. Wayne Dyer said: “That music that you hear inside of you, urging you to take risks and follow your dreams, is your intuitive connection to the purpose in your heart since birth. So listen to your heart, and don’t die with that music still in you.”
And Ferris Buller said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”
I’ll leave you guys with that. Happy New Year!
Despite Reality 