Hello and Happy New Year!

It's the third day of 2023 and already I'm nervous about failing my resolutions. Not big failure but a sense that I may have resolved too much. Can I really "always take time for myself" or "stay open to love?" And, if I don't, who cares? I care. So, because I'm a Capricorn, which means I'm a solitary climber, very ambitious, and always do what I say I'm going to do, I need to feel like my resolutions are attainable. So, I'm changing it up. I'm throwing out the word resolution and changing it to "non-negotiable." "Non-negotiables" started during the Covid 19 shutdown in 2020. My small group of friends, that are all theatre professionals, started connected nightly during the first weeks and months of the shutdown. At the start we all were drinking and partying thinking it was just a couple weeks off before we'd all be back at it. As we all know, it dragged on and our original optimism turned to fear, sadness, anger, frustration, reflection, denial, skepticism and so much more. We all knew our theatre careers would not be the first things to start back up. Eventually, when we realized this wasn't a two week time off party, we'd ask each other what were our non-negotiable tasks or actions were for the next day or week. Mine was: keep trying to get unemployment benefits. Seven months of determination. Seven months of reaching out everyday via email, phone or website. Seven months of hang-ups, no answers, website shutdowns, representatives that had no idea or training to know how to help. Seven months of wanting to give up. Seven months of checking in with the screwed up completely inept unemployment office representatives. that had no training. Seven months of a habit that left me feeling toxic. Seven months of feeling hate: hate before I called or emailed, hate I felt after connecting or not connecting, hate for the state, hate for Covid, hate that I was a gig-worker, hate that other people were getting benefits, hate that I was a hater!

I know so many people gave up, so many thought that they'd never see the benefits, so many were exhausted, so many.

My one non-negotiable went on for seven months until the day I checked my bank account and saw a huge deposit from FPUC, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance. I was skeptical. I logged out and in three times to be sure I was not hallucinating. It was all worth it. It was legitimate. I forgot all the hate, I forgot all the frustration, sadness, anger and skepticism. I felt proud that my "non-negotiable" paid off, literally.

So, ever since then, I've made lists of my non-negotiables. They aren't nearly as tough as the unemployment saga. They are all possible. Every resolution or dream is possible. It doesn't matter if your a Capricorn or a Gemini. I've learned what matters for me is that I don't want to disappoint myself. That doesn't mean I make it easy for myself. It means I know what non-negotiables will make my life, my health, my mind and my soul feel engaged, challenged, alive and less anxious.

So, to be accountable I'm sharing with you my non-negotiables for 2023. I'm sharing a picture of what I wrote in a "Planning Next Year"

I'd love to hear about your resolutions/non-negotiables and why you think they will make your life easier, better or elevated.

Wishing you a 2023 that is better than 2022. XO MJ