For many, 2009 has been a challenging year.  For many, 2010 can’t get here fast enough.  Sure, on a conscious, intellectual level, we all know that nothing really changes on the stroke of midnight of December 31, 2009.  Yet, it is comforting that we can package 2009 into a neat little bundle, stick into a memory drawer, and slam it shut with a huge sigh of relief.  It’s over. We can leave our old, spent, imperfect selves behind, and embrace our new and improved, mysteriously transformed and resplendent selves just …

I love being in the zone.  Head down, totally immersed, no concept of time passing and any interruption a nuisance.  I’m focused, engaged.  It feels good.
I hate being outside the zone.  Looking around, bored, time at a stand-still, and praying for interruptions.  I’m going through the motions, distracted, uninterested.  It feels bad.
So what does it take to be in the zone?
It has very little to do with the actual task at hand and all to do with the meaning you associate with the task.  It has to do with your …

This week I celebrated my birthday (December babies rock!).  As always, the day was surrounded by much reflection, oscillating between depressing where-did-the-year-go and enthusiastic I-can’t-wait-to scenarios.  Sitting in traffic with a bit of mellow music for company, I mentally reviewed possible resolutions and aspects to include in my “new & improved” me.  Yes, I still believe that the day after my birthday I get to start anew.
This year for the first time, I made a decision to exclude, not include.  I decided to exclude anything from my life that doesn’t …