Today NYC’s Times Square today hosts its fourth annual Good Riddance Day. This event allows individuals to bring paper (bills, love letters, photos, divorce decrees, notes of a least favorite memory) to ceremoniously shred. It is concrete, definitive and visual– a great way to dispose of emotional baggage. I love this!

2011 is around the corner and the media is pushing for grandiose New Year’s resolutions. Most are nearly impossible to reach (or to sustain) and may lead to disappointment that indeed you couldn’t achieve your goal (of a 50 pound weight loss or complete job satisfaction). . .

May I suggest that you celebrate YOU! You are unique. . . you are years into your individual journey. You are honing your personality, redefining your goals and making your pathway to reach them.

• May the New Year remind you to slow down: be deliberate, be passionate, be positive.
• Lift yourself up and lift up others. (Sometimes it only takes a thoughtful word or a smile to inspire those around you to achieve something you wouldn’t without that extra boost).
• Give of your time and your heart.
• Be in the moment (put that Blackberry down) and be PRESENT.
• Accept yourself and move on. Embrace what life has to offer.
• Enjoy yourself.

There is no need to beat yourself up emotionally. . .life is to be cherished. Make your amends with others and with yourself.

Call me a fan of the paper shredder.  Shred away. . . and feel the freedom of your upcoming year.