My New Year's Resolution: Be more connected (but not in the way you might be thinking)

The turn of the calendar year always offers a nice opportunity for reflection. When I woke up this morning my first thought was of the hope of a new year. Knowing I was headed out on a business trip naturally I had a long to do list of items I had to complete….workout, finish packing, extend our Office 365 subscription, order my Lyft to the airport, throw in a load of laundry… but first I wanted to make the best of the 5 hours I had before leaving for the airport and kick off my new years resolution to be more connected.

Do you ever find yourself going through the motions but not really taking the time to enjoy life and the simple, beautiful things in front of your face each day? Do you find yourself mindlessly going through your days working hard, getting things checked off your to do list, checking social media, joining endless conference calls, responding to email, attending your kids’ sporting events, and generally passing time but not really connecting in a real way with anyone or anything? I do. I am at a point in my life when I want more. More doesn’t mean a bigger house, a nicer car or more stuff though. For me, it means more meaning in life and I think the best way to accomplish this is by being more connected. 

Being more connected means three things to me:

1. Connecting more with people and nature on a real level by being present in the moment.
2. Being a connector. I love to mentor and make connections that will help others both personally and professionally.
3. Drawing more connections and seeing the bigger picture and truer meaning in life.

To demonstrate my point, here are some observations from my last week:

1. This morning I noticed what sounded like hundreds of birds chirping behind my house and spent a few minutes just listening to them. This gave me a feeling of calm.
2.  I went on a walk with my daughter through the woods. We laughed at her little dog Hope as she stopped regularly to smell things. We paused to enjoy the sound of water flowing stream and took a picture of the sun peeking through the moss-covered trees. This gave me a feeling of peace.
3. I watched my 12-year-old son score a tournament winning 3-point buzzer beater. I smiled and cheered as his teammates and coaches hugged and high fived him after the big win. My son later told me that this was the happiest moment of his life. This gave me a feeling of joy.
4. I went through pictures on my phone of the last year and took time to reflect on the fun times we have had as a family...my daughter’s 21st birthday girls’ trip, a trip to Maui, a family vacation with our friends with a float down the Deschutes river, an anniversary trip with my husband to Scottsdale where we hiked Camelback mountain, and a movie date with son at the fancy movie theater. All these events represented times where I was most connected with family and friends. The most present. The most me. This gave me a feeling of gratitude for the good life that I live.

Here's to a happy, healthy and connected 2019!

#BigIdeas2019 #2019resolutions