Hello, peeps.

My bff D told me to update my blog already. So here I am. Call me dutiful.

I've decided to not make any resolutions this new year. I'm not the kind of person who forgets or abandons her resolutions by February, but I'm not perfect at following through either. Here is what I mean by not being perfect:

• I am not perfect!
• That's okay.
• Publicly announcing that I'm aware I'm not perfect does not relieve me of the responsibility I have to improve my character.
• I can do better without expecting perfection.
• But only after taking responsibility for my own faults.

There is a person in my life who is driving me crazy. I mean, really bonkers. My bff D knows who she is and is very patient with my endless moaning and groaning about this person.

I've learned a lot from this crazy-driving person. Mostly how not to be later on down the road of life. (Don't you think a bad example can be as powerful as a good example?) When I've faced some of the devastating challenges that come with getting older, I am positive that I do not want to be like this person. I've been listening to her, and seeing her with the objectivity that only comes from an outside point-of-view.

If you identify yourself as a victim, if you think the world has handed you a rotten deal, if you think all your troubles lie in what has happened to you, you will never be able to get over it. You will have to wait around for someone to come along and save you, and by golly, I've noticed that everyone is pretty busy with their own crap.

Maybe you didn't trip and fall down - maybe you got knocked down. But you're down, aren't you? Whose job is it to get you back on your feet? Isn't it yours? If it's some other person's job to get you back up, then you are stuck down there wallowing around in the mud until they are ready or able or willing to do it.

No thanks. That is not for me. I believe that it is only when you take responsibility for the situation in which you either justly or unjustly find yourself that you can change your situation.

There is plenty of room for caring, understanding people to be loving and supportive and patient while you figure it out. I believe these people are vitally important in overcoming really hard struggles. I hope that I can be one of those people. Really hard things happen to people through no fault of their own, and there is no use denying or sugar-coating that. But you still have a responsibility to be in charge of your own destiny. No one else can do it for you, and honestly, do you want someone else to take charge of your destiny for you?

So here's what I'm working on for 2011 - financial and physical fitness, and strengthening my family relationships. I can do better than I've done in the past, although I probably won't be rich, thin, or popular by January 2012.

Because when I'm old, and that's not so far off, I don't want to have my options limited by the choices I made in the past. I don't want to be sitting around wondering and crying about how no one ever told me while there was still time to change that being fat, somewhat irresponsible with money, and mean would be detrimental to my future well-being.

Some things you ought to be able to figure out for yourself just by looking around.