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I was very much looking forward to a quiet New Year’s with our dear friends Pat and Kim, up the road from us. A beautiful simple dinner, one of my favorite recipes, Rosemary Chicken with New Potatoes and Fennel, followed by watching a movie in their fantabulous home theatre, complete with surround sound and theatre seats.

What I got instead was a horrific flu bug that I gave to Charlie, my Mom being moved to in-home hospice, and my sister falling, being rushed to ER, and having a dislocated elbow. To top it off, having to pick up my Mom from the hospital while fainting along the way (seriously).

But what I learned from this “challenging” experience to say the least, is that opportunities for growth, learning and expansion are around us at all times. That it is not our circumstances, but rather, our relationship to circumstances that really dictate, who we are, and how we operate in life. And while it certainly wasn’t my ideal picture of how to bring in the New Year, it did inform me of the many gifts, blessings and learning in my life, and for me it’s a wonderful opportunity to count them.

#1- The Gift of my Family– My brother Steve, dealing with his own challenges (a mother-in-law that’s in worst shape than ours) flew out from L.A. to help support my Mom, keep her company along with her amazing aides, and to give Lori, my sister and I a break, and hopefully once I’m healed a little quality time together for us. Once again, I thank my stars to have such a wonderful brother and sister.

#2- Partnership– Charlie and I both sequested in our home for 7 days straight, managed to play tagteam in playing each other’s nursemaids, sharing boxes of Kleenex, and as we are getting healthier, have used the time to declutter, rest, and not even jump down each other’s throat. Amazing. It was beyond reassuring when I was literally climbing to the bathroom, that I could text him, and say, “Please come home!” and there he was. Getting sick teaches humility, vulnerability and the willingness to ask for help.

#3-  Trust myself and my Energy– I was so excited to have some downtime after a non-stop year, only to see I had no strength or energy to move forward on so many of my coveted projects (I am a Virgo after all, and love my things to do list). The gift was that I was too sick to be frustrated by my inertia, and slept around the clock for several days on end, only to emerge with energy, and focus to gleefully start attacking specific projects, this being one of them. I learned that when I trust myself, my rhythms, my energy, my natural enthusiasm for life, and my work, will emerge without being prodded or manipulated.

#4- My Mother is in a stable environment– After having been in and out of hospitals about 75% of the time over the last 90 days, I am beyond grateful (although sad as well) that we are able to find a way to God willing, keep my Mom out of hospitals. Her previously lush bedroom with family heirloom brass headboard frame, and beautiful bedding, is replaced by the hospital bed, oxygen, and other palleative equipment, but when it comes down to her being able to stay home, have people who really take care of her, and have the support of angels on earth aka known as hospice, I am beyond grateful.

All things considering, she is doing fairly well, she is aware, content and most of all, stable.

So the lessons I learned so far are gratitude, surrender, humility, vulnerability, importance of health, family, partnership and community, and wow, we’re just barely a week into the New Year. What about you? What have you learned so far that you want to take into your 2013 to make it the Best Year Yet?

I’d love to hear from you. And if you know someone where this post can be of service to, or inspire, please pass along.

Want to make sure 2013 is the best, and committed to creating that for yourself. Send me an e-mail at lois@loisbarth.com, and set up a 30 minute complimentary session to learn more about your goals, and see if we’re a fit.

Looking for more tips on how to make your New Year’s Resolution Stick.

Want to turn your New Year’s Resolution into Reality, read what I had to say in this great piece from ivillage:

http://www.ivillage.com/turn-your-resolutions-reality/4-b-511242

This year I had the honor to be a guest host on Luscious Life Lessons with Lois Barth, (internet radio show) with Alicia Horn-Waters, and these two programs are about how to close out 2012 Powerfully and create the best year in 2013! Enjoy

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aliciawaterlady/2012/12/20/luscious-life-lessons-with-lois-barth

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aliciawaterlady/2012/12/27/luscious-life-lessons-with-lois-barth

 

Have a great 2013!

 

All the best,

 

Lois

 

 

 

 

 

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