Yes, that is a glass of sparkling Malbec on my bedside table. What of it?

The end of this year has been busier than expected for me. As such, I haven’t given much thought to the actual turning over of the calendar as I might have. I’ve been focused on getting through the day to day, week to week. However, I’ve been seeing a lot of meme’s popping up this week with similar themes; ‘nobody declare 2022 to be ‘your year,’ don’t jinx us!’ or ‘don’t make resolutions this year and call down the fates!’

I stopped making New Year's Resolutions long ago. I tend to give myself goals and deadlines based on other things. I also have never really enjoyed making a big deal out of a New Year’s Eve party. They’re either overly expensive or disappointing. However, I do love champagne, so I usually pop a bottle on my own, or with Dean in recent years. He’s managed to convince me to go out to gatherings a few times in our marriage, but my caveat is that I want to be able to walk to them, and I want to be home by midnight.

My NYE humbugness aside, I do think that the New Year is as good a time as any to take stock. And I think, just like anything else, taking stock can look different—should look different—every year. Pandemic or no.

Although I personally don’t tend to make specific New Year’s Resolutions and studiously avoid the official parties, I’d never throw shade at anyone else for doing those things. So go ahead, declare this ‘your year’ if you want to. Make some daring goals if it’s exciting and inspiring. Or just snuggle up next to the Christmas tree in a fun dress with a bottle of champagne to yourself and knit until you fall asleep at 10 pm.

One thing I do think I will do this year is take stock of how far I have come. Appreciate the goals that I have accomplished, the things I have survived, all the adventures weathered. And I think you should too. Even if you had an absolutely craptastic year, you have done something. Maybe more than you’ve given yourself credit for. And maybe you’ve learned some things. Things that can make you stronger for next year, or help you tackle some obstacles.

Yes, I have a lot of champagne glasses. They’re pretty.

I’ve always been a disaster planner. I like to check for pitfalls, prepare for them, and then try and have fun. Sometimes it works well. Regardless, I won’t judge anyone for being a little leery of the year to come, but let’s try not to count it out entirely just yet.

We could all surprise ourselves.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Happy New Year!