A new year is upon us. What does that really mean except for the change of the calendar?  I think we all need a reason to reinvent ourselves occasionally and a new year is as good a reason as any.  The change of the calendar gives us an opportunity to rekindle hope in ourselves and our dreams.  We intuitively know that now is the season to reflect and be ready to plant new seeds within ourselves.  I think we should take up this challenge in ways that really work for us and enhance our day to day life, but you’ve heard that from me before!

As always this year I have dreams of attaning and maintaining balance and harmony in my life.  Those things are worthwhile but I think what I’m most interested in, and what I think all of us really need, is to focus on reaching out.  That means moving beyond the bubble of our day to day lives to take the opportunity to deepen the connections that are around us. 

Isolation is a terrible life condition caused in part by a lack of attention to human interactions.  Being open to the people around us can seem daunting.  We are bombarded every day with stories about the worst of human nature.  Those who take advantage of the good natured among us.  Personally, and of course this is just my own opinion and life experience, I find that the power of being open is much greater than remaining aloof and closed.  Most people don’t do this on purpose.  Like me they are wrapped up in career and family obligations that seem never ending, though often rewarding in their own right.  Somehow in that frenzy of activity something can slip through the cracks.

Correcting this trend towards distance and isolation within our own frenzies lives can be a simple thing.  For me it normally involves slowing down!  Stop and chat with the clerk at your grocery store.  Listen to what your co-worker says about their life outside of your place of employment.  Call a family member you haven’t talked to in awhile and find out what’s happening underneath the mundane small talk. When you are feeling really adventurous you might try reaching out into your community.  Engage in a new activity.  Have an adventure in meeting new people and finding out what they are about.

I am a self proclaimed social networking junkie but I do not mistake that for the beauty of lunch with a dear friend or a real conversation with my friends and family who live far away.  Maybe it’s because my life is lived in two cities that I am acutely aware that some things only happen in person.  Intimacy can not be fully maintained or realized over the wire. 

A wise person who has had a long, happy marriage said to me recently that “closeness counts”.  I couldn’t agree more. So whatever you do for your New Year’s resolutions make reaching out to people around you a part of your journey.  I am sure you won’t regret it!

And by the way, welcome to the Living in Enthusiasm blog if you are new reader or one who clicked through from my news letter.   I hope you’ll sign up for alerts from this site so I can reach out to you and stay in touch!