It seems to have evaporated into thin air. I remember my mom telling me more than once, “The older you get, the faster it goes.” With this in mind, I began to think creatively about just how these fast-moving years could be more meaningful in my life.

When I am personally faced with a large, overarching question like this, I sit quietly, close my eyes, and take several deep breaths in, then exhale slowly. This serves to center my thoughts instead of entertaining the usual tree monkeys in the head that sometimes cohabitate there.

The first question I pose is: “What do I want more of in my life in the New Year?” This answer has changed for me as I have matured into a wiser woman. I now value joy over momentary happiness, peacefulness over heightened stimulation, and gratitude over the desire for more.

My second question is: “What do I want less of in the New Year?” In a world that glorifies more of everything, more money, bigger house, faster cars, choosing to have less of something feels counterintuitive. I begin with the big items for me such as less stuff in my garage, less in my closets, fewer items on my to-do list, less weight in my heart, and definitely less overthinking.

My simple plan for accomplishing the list above is somewhat like the old adage: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”  To keep it simple, I choose one thing I can do tomorrow to move me closer to this lightened up version of myself. Then, the next day, I choose one more item from my list to accomplish. This process is repeated, again and again. Before I know it, I can actually park my car in my garage, find my favorite black pants, and have a leisurely lunch with my gal friends. This all leads to major joy in my world.

In closing out this year and embarking on a New Year, consider this: our thoughts become concepts. When we consistently choose in favor of our passions, amazing opportunities and people appear in our lives. I was reminded a few days ago that we have three real choices in life. To choose, to ignore, and to let others choose for us. As you can see, there is only one clear choice that most of us would be truly comfortable with. You deserve your best year yet, and you are the only one that can make it happen.

Happy New Year!