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The Anti New Year Resolution

Tuesday 31 December 2013
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I remember that magical year (1998) when I packed all my worldly possessions, shoved them into every available space in my tiny car and drove from Christchurch to settle into my new life in Auckland. I arrived on New Year's eve and subsequently ended up bunking in with my best friend for a few nights while I searched for a flat. That night, I ticked off nearly everything I'd set out to do earlier in the year. It was the best feeling ever. For the next fifteen years, my New Year resolutions had a way of dissipating into thin air before I even got through a third down the list.

As Confucius said, "the definition of insanity is to do the same thing again and again and expect a different result". So this year, I've decided to take a different approach, known to many as reverse psychology. So here it is. I WILL ................

NOT become stale like yesterday's baguette on my kitchen countertop. Someone wise said that the minute you stop learning, you're buried 6 feet underground.

NOT envy someone else. Who knows what goes behind closed doors? One comment from an old friend of mine stayed firmly in my mind. Growing up, I was a geeky, scrawny and awkward kid while she was the popular and beautiful one admired by many. Twenty years on, I found out that high school wasn't a dream boat experience for her either.

NOT become wrapped up with looking good. Aging is inevitable. As morbid as it sounds, no one can hold on to their beauty in death but what people do remember is how you made them feel.

NEVER stop keeping it real. Being pretentious is hard work.

NOT become more OCD than I already am. It's ok to have a fingerprint mark on my laptop screen.

NEVER say I can't when I can say, why not?

NOT forget to keep my priorities straight - God, family, work. In that order.

NEVER attempt to be a beauty/domestic goddess. You won't be seeing a tutorial video showing you how to gift wrap properly anytime soon. The last gift wrapping exercise resulted in my flat looking like tsunami had swept through and pulverized everything in its path. Or a beauty post that shows you step by step instruction on how to draw a straight line across your eyelid. Chances are I would've accidentally punctured my retina with the pencil before I managed to even write the article.


Goodbye, 2013. You've added a few more fine lines under my eyes, gave me opportunities to do things and meet people that I normally wouldn't have. May 2014 be an equally, if not more fantabulous year for all of us.




17 comments:

  1. Excellent post. I trained myself not to become OCD about cleaning. Now I have gone the other way... And, when you have a stale baguette, make breadcrumbs and put them in the freezer!
    Happy New Year Marlene to your and yours and everyone else reading your blog! Thanks for all your informative posts.

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    1. Many thanks, Catherine and for all your emails too. I love that advice about baguette :P Have a wonderful New Year!

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    2. Fantastic post! very true...happy 2014!

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    1. Thank you, Tabitha. I hope to catch up with you when you're next in London.

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  3. Thankyou for all the pleasure your blog gave me in 2013
    I'm with you all the way on your anti resolutions .Anyhow I've never made a NY resolution in my life as I'm a realist when it comes to knowing how good I am at wriggling out of things I don't want to do .
    I so like your attitude to life , especially since you strike a healthy balance between the desire to be a good person who looks outside her own box with a fashionable woman who loves buying special things .
    For which I'm grateful as your tips and sorcing have resulted in some great buys , thank you!

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    1. Estrella, thank you. Words failed to describe how touched I am by your comment and support. It's always difficult to gauge whether my thoughts translate well into words. Your positive feedback is music to my ears. Thank you.

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  4. Wonderful post - love the Confucius quote...an important one for us all to remember! Blogging highlight of 2013 was meeting up with you in Winchester...how amazing that a blog can bring people together - love it! Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy 2014 - roll on March 1st! Avril xx

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    1. awww, Avril, I remember the days when I was tempted to hit the delete button on this blog but I'm pleased I didn't. I was thrilled that you were able to swing around my way and spend the day with me and LL. I can't wait till we catch up properly again.

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  5. Lovely post Marlene - can't wait to see you soon! May 2014 be great to all of us xxx

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    1. When we talked about the catch up, it seemed like miles away. See you soon.

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  6. Great post and your photo spoke to me so much of light and shadow, structure and being open to the possibilities just out of sight that I made it my screensaver. Happy New Year! Susan

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    1. Susan, you've interpreted the photo and put it into words far better than I can. All I could come up with was life is all about the good and the bad but there are always endless opportunities.

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  7. Love this post, best of the year Marlene! I think I may print it off and stick it on my fridge door to read daily! Happy New Year x

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    1. Nat, so sweet of you to say so. Glad you like the post.

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  8. I enjoyed reading your 2014 resolutions because you have put what I have in mind so succinctly in words. Love what you are doing on this blog, Marlene and thank you for your friendship!

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  9. What a great post, Marlene! A great reminder about those few important things in life. Thanks and happy new year to you & your family!
    Jen

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