Julia: The New Year's Resolutions Post, Revisited

I think it's important for us to periodically look back at Jackles' looney-tunes list of New Year's Resolutions, the very list that caused the beginnings of the rift between her and Rambo. Remember those sweet halcyon days, when Jackles called Mary a "cranky bitch" for refusing to participate in the lunacy? Feast away!

p.s. It's good to see that, as promised, she's been really bringing that A-game content lately. Slanket, anyone?

RESOLVED: "Let it unfold" in 2009

Okay, ummm, errrr … I’ve thought about these for weeks - some for months - and so, as a result, this is pretty much the longest list of resolutions, ever (the Bible notwithstanding). I guess I just like resolutions! Anyway, the whole process inspired me - and that’s never a bad thing. I hope it inspires you, too.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

The most important resolution I have for 2009 is existential, and I’m having touble summing it up in a few words: Let It Unfold. It has to do with what I wrote here: shucking the OBO principle - and also what I wrote here: Why I’m Happy. It has to do with being mindful, being considerate, with the golden rule and with karma. It’s about being a better person, but also about really being PRESENT, “in the moment,” fully aware. It’s about being honest, both with other people, and with myself. It’s about forgiving people, and forgiving myself - not the way we traditionally think of forgiveness, as something one must do when another has committed an egregious wrong - but as an everyday act of love. It’s about treating people well.

It’s also about something I’ve been musing over for the past few weeks. I feel that I’m at a turning point. 2008 was a frantic, frenetic year. It was a year of trying to prove myself, a year of hustling, a year of unbelievable highs and lows. It was a year of posturing, to a certain extent, and also a year of mad, raw ambition. It was a tiring year.

I don’t regret it - I needed 2008. I needed the experience and I needed the life lessons. Absolutely no one could have just explained to me in words what I learned last year - I had to go through it, step by sometimes-cringeworthy step. I’ll tell you, I’m not the same person I was January 2, 2007, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

This year, I need a little more quiet. More introspection. It will be a gradual shift, a natural shift, one that’s been coming for a while. I’ve achieved the goals I set out to achieve when I first came to New York four years ago. It’s time for new goals. I need time to figure out what sort of life I want to lead, and I think right now, I need to slow down. I’ve always been so frightened I’m going to MISS OUT on something somewhere that I have, in fact, missed out on many things - by simply not being fully engaged at that particular moment. In 2009, I resolve to take deep breaths and let it unfold.

You might not notice the difference at first, but by the end of 2009, I promise, what you see here will reflect, once again, a huge transformation.

So … in bullet form:

1. Let It Unfold.
2. Stop OBO’ing.
3. Practice Excessive Gratitude.
4. Be Present.
5. Slow down, breathe, stop trying so hard to prove myself.
6. Spend introspective time determining goals for next portion of my life.
7. Explore spirituality.

PERSONAL GROWTH

1. STOP PROCRASTINATING EVERYTHING.
2. BE ON TIME. (85%, at least. I’m at 15% now, so that leaves plenty of room for improvement.)
3. Sharply increase reliability dependability by not just saying yes to everything (Current JA Modus Operandi) and then hoping illogically that extra hours appear in the day, but instead carefully and accurately assessing my obligations BEFORE I commit, and then - after saying yes - FOLLOW THROUGH.
4. Try one new thing every week (yes, it’s the “let’s go to an Art Museum or a Serious Play” resolution! Nothing wrong with that. Although I’ll go beyond just those, hopefully.)*
5. Do one adventurous thing that scares the shit out of me every month (cliched examples: bungee jumping, skydiving, giving a keynote, wrestling with tigers**)
6. Travel somewhere outside the US on a significant cultural trip. Widen my perspective.
7. Spend some serious time outside of New York City this year.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

1. Create new, really adventurous relationships with people who challenge me to become a better, more intelligent, more interesting person and who are a positive influence on my soul and well-being.
2. Make a concerted effort to connect to old friends, and spend more quality time having long low key conversations with people who love me, instead of going to stupid events or dinners out.
3. Date responsibly - no drama. Don’t waste anyone’s time, and don’t let anyone waste mine. I don’t mean that any dating which doesn’t lead to a relationship is a waste (it’s not), I just mean: be considerate and only date those who are also considerate.
4. Have a caring, respectful relationship with a good man. Love would be nice, too.
5. Perhaps attempt to have a rousing sex life. Please note: I am in the process of figuring out exactly what I mean by this. Stand by.

HEALTH

1. Do something healthy every. single. day.*
2. CUT DOWN DRASTICALLY ON SUGAR. Limit sugar intake to TWO DESSERTS A WEEK.
   
3. SLEEP MORE! Shoot for being in bed by 1 am, lights out by 2 am. NO LATER THAN 3 am at least 6 nights a week! ABSOLUTELY NO MORE ALL NIGHTERS.
4. Start drinking antioxidant tea. Also, buy teapot. (I don’t drink much alcohol or coffee and I never touch soft drinks so I can’t cut down on that.)
5. Exercise - at that “gym” place down the street (or in the basement of my building) - at least three times a week, every single week.*
6. Take Lilly dog on walks in Central Park.
7. Buy a bicycle to ride.

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

1. NonSociety Related: Perfect NonSociety 1.5, and launch NonSociety 2.0. Integrate contributors by Quarter 2 or 3 at latest. Raise angel investment money. Get views up to 3 million by April. Really bring A game content. Start NonSociety Book of Whenever the Hell We Want Club.
2. Write a screenplay.
3. Raise TMI viewers to 250,000 per episode by March, 500,000 by June, 750,000 by Sept, and a million by December 2009.
4. Plan a NonSociety Media-Tech conference in Quarter 4.
5. Meet Tina Brown and become involved in The Daily Beast somehow.
6. Give some great speeches.

* - this shall be recorded right there in this here blahhg.
** - no tiger wrestling shall occur, unless it’s with Princeton boys wearing tiger tails, and that’s not so much scary as kinky.

And finally, one more resolution, which doesn’t fit under any category:

1. I want to experience a little bit of magic every day.

That’s not too much to ask, is it? :)