Chasing Down the Muse: Choosing optimism in the New Year

As the water laps against the rocks just below me, I spot not one, but two black oystercatchers poking around with their orange bills at water’s edge. These birds and their whistled yelps always tug at my heart for some reason. I am pleased to see them on this end-of-the-year, new beginnings day.

The cool breeze plays across my walk-warmed skin as I sit and reflect in this peaceful space.

My brisk morning walk near the water has brought me here to pause in time. The oystercatchers are a bonus, their cries mingling with the laughter of gulls and raucous shrieking of cormorants.

The sun reflects on the lapping water as I pause in time to look backward and forward.

It is at this juncture of each year that many of us pause to reflect on the passage of time. We look back to see the changes — losses and gains and even stuck places. We look ahead with the hope for better somehow, whether in terms of economic upturn, a new job, no war, family togetherness, accomplishments or accolades.

It has long been my own habit to take this time of passing into the new from the old to review what I set in place at the start of the year just previous before moving into embracing of the “new” attributes I will put into play. This introspection seems vital, as I agree with the anonymous author of the words, “seeing yourself as you want to be” is the key to personal growth.

Even as I begin the process of reflection my first thought is that it is not so much what the year past was nor what the new one will be, but rather who I will choose to be.

What attributes do I seek to embrace for my own? How will I respond to whatever may come?

While it is important to have a mental picture of hopes and dreams and aspirations, yet more essential is who and how we may BE in response when the challenges appear instead.

In 2008 it would appear that I had already the inklings that it might be a tough year. I chose to embrace courage and caring as my year’s alliterative options. What did these words mean to me as made this choice? What would they come to mean as I moved through the good and bad times? Suffice to say that the words courage and caring took on greater meaning as the year wore on. The juxtaposition of the two enlarged each other. Caring with courage meant at times modifying expedience in order to do “right.” Courage enhanced caring to often mean practicing a form of tough love.

Many of the year’s hopes and dreams are as yet unrealized.

Still, I consider the personal work a success. As I have continued with this practice through the years — each year adding another two attributes to further personal growth — words like enjoyment and exploration, joy and prosperity, courage and caring have blossomed into wondrous parts of the goals and accomplishments of life’s days.

There are so many things one can choose as part of a life, part of a decade, a year, a month, a week, a day, even a moment. Each choice made is an act of creation. At bottom, it is how and who we are in the world that anchors it all. I have learned and hope to continue to learn from the characteristics that I choose each year to embrace for the 365 days that will follow.

So what is it that I see for the year ahead? I see that I continue to act on my hopes and my dreams. I continue to embrace attributes that will contribute to my own personal growth. Overall, I see coming more into balance in all things. The dynamic process that is balance is made of overlapping phases of what is here, what has been, what is coming, and how to be in harmony with all of it.

In 2010, I choose to embrace the traits of curiosity and optimism, along with all those that have gone before. This will mean letting go of any tried and true cynicism, apathy, or even plain old indifference. These will of course be the first to show up. That’s just how this process works. That’s OK. I am committed. I have intention. Watch out, world!

What will YOU choose?

CHERRIL DOTY wishes you all that you can dream is possible in this coming year. She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or phone her at (714) 745-9973. Happy New Year!