Continuing Resolutions

My last day at home before going back to work. I haven't taken this much time off for the Holidays in years but had no choice - either "use it or lose it". Me give up a vacation day? Never! Those of you who have worked for government may recognize the Continuing Resolution (CR) term. In the Federal government it happens almost every October when Congress doesn't pass a budget to fund the government. So we continue to work on a CR until the budget is passed. A CR only funds us for the same amount as the year before. So this delays our ability to do some things - like purchase supplies or enter into contracts. So much for the civics lesson, my CR is all about those pesky New Year resolutions. No I don't make a list - never have. Tried it once and immediately broke at least two of them the same day. So I am adopting the CR for my life forever. My CR is composed of two parts: health and discovery. Health as in being healthy; continuing the diet I started January 2008 that actually works for me; exercising my body and my mind! Discovery is a path for me to rediscover myself, continue existing relationships with family and friends and find new ones. Discovery is also about looking at the world without any patina, going to new places and revisiting others. If I can accomplish any part of these, then I will find some happiness and even have some fun! So if you are making resolutions and then breaking them, try this tip. Keep them short and not too narrow. You may say lose weight. I think everyone has that one of a list! Well, maybe the better way to approach it is to say be healthy or address your health. This broadens the ways you can meet that resolution. Hopefully by getting healthy you will reach the more narrow goal you originally started with. I used to always say travel to such-and-such a place. Travel now falls under discovery! I don't box myself into one or two places that may or may not be achievable in a given timeframe. I broaden the horizon and can meet the goal and also keep the resolution in many ways. Try it! I lie challenges and this works well for me. I don't punish myself for not meeting a narrow goal but feel good about meeting something in the broader realm of health or discovery. So health and discovery are my continuing resolutions. Good luck with yours! Now I have to set the clock for 5:15 a.m. in order to go back to work tomorrow. Ugh...love the work, not the hours! Persevere!