I realize that year-ends are artificial markers, like birthdays, but still — I am so ready for 2008!
For one thing, it will be the last year where we have to watch people wear those stupid little glasses on New Year’s Eve. I don’t know what the souvenir marketers will do when 2009 turns into 2010, but they’ll have to think of something, because suddenly the eye-holes won’t be in the right place.
For another, 2007 was fine. It was more than fine. Everybody was basically healthy; my husband got promoted; and I did some deals I liked. Also, I published my first book, which was something I had wanted to do for decades.
But there was a quality of striving about it that was just — well, it was just too much work. One colleague got an e-mail from me and said, “You’re relentless.”
Well, I’m not sure I am — and I think many of my real estate failures might come from not being relentless enough.
But on the other hand, it’s tiring.
So here’s my resolution for 2008 — I am going to relent.
Maybe we should call that a counter-resolution, since it goes against the grain of what New Year’s resolutions usually are. But I am going to rest. To kick this off, for the first time since we got married two-and-a-half years ago, hubby and I are going on vacation for a week.
I am going to relax. My reward for clearing out some more space in the apartment will be to add some new old mystery novels to the shelf.
I am going to spend more time doing nothing, even if I have to adopt a cat to justify it.
Don’t get me wrong, I hauled butt this year. Hubby and I were in a financial mess from my launch of a new business, and this was the year that we cleaned that up. A lot of things got right-sized, and this is the first year in five that I don’t have any lingering credit-card debt.
But I’m also a little worn out. And I think hubby is a little worn out.
We have probably hit the point where just throwing more hours of work into the hopper isn’t going to cut it.
So let’s see what happens with less.
Will I come across as more joyful, more thoughtful, less distracted? I don’t know.
But I have just spent all December having Christmas. Hanukkah was early this year, so that was personal Christmas, but then there were cards to write and gifts to send out for business Christmas.
And in the middle of these weeks — literally — of shopping and wrapping and tipping, all of which takes place somehow while a person is trying to get some work done — I just dropped everything for a day.
Friends of my husband, who remember us every year, had sent some delicious chocolate, and I thought, wow, that’s like the third year straight we haven’t gotten them anything.
So I took the day off and made them homemade cookies, and put ’em in a little tin, and sent them off across the country.
And you know what? When I look back on this year, with its successful closings and its wonderful book readings, that was one of my favorite days.
How all this resting is going to work out financially I don’t know, but if you dear readers will follow along for the next year or so I guess you’ll find out with me.
And here’s my question to you — for 2008, what’s your counter-resolution?
Alison Rogers is a licensed salesperson and author of “Diary of a Real Estate Rookie.”
