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I thought maybe 2010 would be the year for changes for me … You know, getting organized, learning from my past mistakes, exercising more, etc. Seems as much as you plan to change certain things, it doesn’t always work out the way you want…and the universe may have other ideas. Case in point: During our New Years get away, I was hanging out in the common room at the Inn where a group of us stay every year. We were relaxing after our big to-do and had changed into comfortable clothes, celebrating the New Year with a nightcap. Somebody mentioned that I looked strange drinking whiskey instead of my normal red wine. I stated that I decided I was going to change my image, and Crown Royal on the rocks made me seem more mature and grown up. They all started laughing. I didn’t get it. Finally one of my friends said, “Right. More grown up. You are sitting there wearing Tinker Bell pajamas, bunny slippers and a tiara. You will never be “grown up”. I suppose that is true. And I guess I can’t fight it. Because that same day, another friend gave me a wonderful plaque that reads: “Growing old is mandatory. Group UP is optional”. I must have some sort of reputation. But that’s ok; I decided I don’t want to re-image myself too much! Part of my new and improved New Years plan is to continue my quest of being comfortable in my own skin. If you wonder what that means, let me explain: It means not using a magnifying mirror because it highlights my wrinkles - I mean “laugh lines” - even more. It means throwing out the jeans I wore in college - finally, and being ok with my more “mature” form. It means eating healthy but not beating myself up for loving the new peanut butter M&Ms. (Have you tried those yet?) It means keeping my own taste in clothing and funky ways of dressing, even if the style is not “in” at the time. It means embracing my inner child, my inner writer, my inner spiritual advisor and my inner chef. It means being the best wife, mother, daughter, grandma and friend I can be. It means being authentic and not worrying if everyone likes me. (Yeah, that’s a toughie for sure!). It means forgiving, forgetting, praying more, judging less and laughing when the mood strikes me. It means to live joyfully and without regret…basically living for the “right now.” I can’t take myself too seriously. It just isn’t in the cards. How can I when things happen to me daily that make me laugh? Like yesterday at work when I wore an older pair of pantyhose that had stretched out so much while I was sitting in a meeting they fell to my ankles when I stood up. So, here is my new plan. Because I want to be authentic, I am revamping my new 2010 resolutions. I plan to laugh more, love more and live life as joyously as I can - with a glass of red wine in one hand, peanut butter M&Ms in the other and a tiara on my head. Remember, growing up is optional. (Karen Kelly Brown is a guest columnist and a published author that lives in the Miami Valley. For information or to voice an opinion write Karen at
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