Reflecting and Resolving

The revolving door of the holidays has come to a stop, and we’ve stepped into the lobby of a brand new year. During the past week, you’ve probably done one or more of the following:  1) packed up your holiday decorations, 2) sent your relatives home, 3) exchanged the sweater that would have fit if you hadn’t eaten an entire cherry pie by yourself, 4) said to your kids more than once, “Suck it up, moaners; school is back in session,” 5) reflected on 2011, 6) made resolutions for 2012.

I’ve done all the above, except I avoided number 3 (it was actually an apple pie). The last two items on the list, however—reflecting and resolving—especially intrigue me. This time of year, I like to take a look behind me before moving on. I take some time to reflect on the events that impacted our world and culture, remember my personal success and failures, count my blessings, take note of where I need to improve, and so on.

As part of the reflection stage, I might scour the Internet for those “Year in Review” pieces. You’ll find them everywhere, and from every perspective: world news, politics, technical achievements, entertainment, even humor. If you want to start 2012 with a hilarious recap of 2011, check out Dave Barry’s “2011 Year in Review” here.

Call me morbid, but I even like to visit those “celebrity death” sites to see who passed away during the previous year. This exercise brings to mind three important truths: 1) one person really can make a difference (for good or ill), 2) our days are numbered, so we should make them count, and 3) we should be able to trade James Arness or Harry Morgan for the Kardashians.

Anyway, moving from reflection to resolution, I don’t make an impossibly long list, or set the bar up to the stratosphere (I know, for example, that I will never completely ditch caffeine or sugar). Rather, I try to focus on the non-negotiables—such as maintaining good health (physical, mental, spiritual, financial); enriching my family life; setting personal and professional goals; etc. Beyond that, I try to set a creative goal or two—such as writing on a new topic, trying my hand at drawing, discovering a new author or some new music, etc.

Not in the habit of setting creative goals for yourself? Ah, well, if you’re still putting together your 2012 resolutions, throw one or two of these into the mix:

1. Read one book you wouldn’t normally read. For example, if your diet consists mainly of material that pertains to your profession, take a break and lose yourself in a mystery or science fiction novel. Or, if fiction is your mental main course, try wrapping your brain around an introductory philosophy or theology text. Sure, theology’s a tougher read, but just think of it: you’ll be the only one at cocktail parties throwing around works like infralapsarian.
2. Write a poem. There’s nothing better than sweating over a sonnet or haiku to teach you about the beauty and economy of speech. It will improve your everyday writing, no matter your profession or style.
3. Draw, even if you think you can’t. A sketch pad and introductory drawing text are all you need. Take your time, the whole year if you want. But draw something. Be patient with yourself. A great place to start is with Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain materials. Check out the website dedicated to her theory and method at www.drawright.com. If you need some encouragement, peruse the online gallery while you’re there. You’ll be amazed at what “non-artistic” types have been able to produce.
4. Discover some new music. If you’re not yet familiar with Pandora, the online music discovery app, give it a try. You can download it on your computer, smartphone or tablet. You simply think of a musician whose music you enjoy—say, Adele—then create an online “station” based on Adele, and Pandora finds and plays Adele and any other artists who sound like her. Thanks to Pandora, I now listen to dozens of artists I never knew existed. You can also create genre-specific stations, such as “smooth jazz” and “classical.” Go ahead, open up Pandora. It’s even more enticing and surprising that Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates.
5. Make a short movie. Use all those stills and videos you’ve taken with your smartphone to cobble together a three-minute movie. A Mac and iMovie make it easy and intuitive for any amateur to combine images, music, titles, etc., for a professional-looking finished product. If you use a PC, Microsoft Moviemaker will do the job, but a little less seamlessly than the Mac.
6. Make your PowerPoint presentations a work of art. Resolve once and for all to make your PowerPoint presentations less cluttered and more compelling. Just Google “better powerpoint,” and you’ll have plenty of help. Think, design, and practice when the pressure’s off and you have the time. Then, when the floor is yours, you’ll wow people like never before. A book that forever changed my approach to PowerPoint was The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.
7. Take a crack at making your own pottery. Check your town or city for a studio that will take you through every stage of the process—from glob to glaze. Think of the possibilities! No more small coffee cups that require re-filling. You can craft your own gallon drum with a handle on it! Or, as Starbucks would call it, a godzillatte!

Well, that’s a start, anyway. Good luck, and happy new year!