Happy New Year 2012!

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This year, I’m going to do something a little different and welcome in the New Year with an experiment of sorts.

This has been a tough year for the horses and anyone involved with the wild horse issue, equine rescue (or any similar line of work/advocacy) knows that we’re repeatedly subjected to experiences that leave us wondering about our humanity and justice for the innocents. Add to that, the state of our world in general and well you know, everything piles up. Sure, there are some feel good moments and stories, but that’s not what gets reported, shared or highlighted for the most part. The constant bombardment of bad news and images (I’m visual – photos haunt me) wears on us, makes us more cynical and maybe even begins to harden our hearts a bit in an effort to protect ourselves.

This past year in particular, I could feel this sense of self preservation beginning to creep into my life. The horses are my passion and purpose. Burn-out is not an option. Of course I still believe that most people are basically good and caring and that what I read about or see on the news is just a representative “speck” of the overall population, but the emphasis seems to be on the dark and the bad. The stories that shock us, make us angry or sad. Daily. Just not good for one’s soul.

I’ve thought about my situation a lot and over the Christmas holiday and I finally came up with an idea that might help get me back on track. Very simply, I’m going to put more focus on the positive and try to minimize the negative, weigh me down, get me down, immobilize me type of news/experiences that unfortunately seems to be the norm these days.

I got my husband involved. We discussed the idea and he agreed that it would be worth trying. Perhaps it would even end up being fun. Playfully, we’re calling the idea, “A Nickoles Worth.”

Tom bought two notebooks. One for him and one for me. Each day, we’ll look for two or three specific experiences and jot them down in our books.

1) Someone says, gives or otherwise does something that brightens our day.
2) We write down something that we’re grateful for.
3) Tom says we can even write down nice things we do for each other. He calls that “extra credit.” HA!

And these aren’t supposed to be long dissertations. Just notes to self that help recall a moment. I may throw in a favorite quote or a picture that just makes me feel good. No rules here.

Each night, we’ll pull out our books and share our thoughts and experiences with each other. That way we’ve doubled our “good stuff.” And, when you know you have to write something down each day to share, I think we’ll really start seeing more of the good stuff.

I know there will still be tough days. The book(s) will also serve as a tool to help us cope and remind us that life has given us many good people and moments too.

Small steps. Simple joys. More balance. 🙂

I’d love to hear about your own ideas, reflections or goals for the coming year.

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year 2012!!

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
~ Leo F. Buscaglia

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Happy New Year – 2011!

Wishing you all the very best for a Happy New Year 2011!!

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