Best Of…

Well, this is it.

The Champagne has been toasted, the shiny party hats have been tossed aside, we have butchered the lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne,” and we may or may not have smooched a stranger at midnight.

It’s a new year.

“Oh-Ten” as my friends and I have been calling it.

So now what?

As I lay in bed reading the countless “This year I’m going to…” tweets and perusing the endless blog “resolution” posts, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the daunting task of a life/personality/health/beauty/relationship overhaul.

I thought out category by category the people in my life whose habits, talents, or behaviors were worth emulating.

I thought of JR’s work ethic.

I thought of Megan’s craftiness.

I thought of Lauren’s thoughtfulness.

I thought of Jackie’s discipline.

I thought of Emma’s domestic-ness. Of Clare’s boldness. Of Bridget’s sweetness. Of Briana’s healthiness.

What started to happen, though, was that my list began to grow into a manifesto of unattainable proportion. I pictured myself conquering ‘Oh-Ten’ 11 pounds thinner; wearing heels, an apron, and a scarf I knit myself; returning a call from my publisher while drinking a gallon of water on my way to mail my thank you cards. All the while being the perfect sister, daughter, employee, friend. Add in being gifted at both giving a firm “no” and also saying the occasional, selfless “yes” to things I don’t want to do but do anyway because I’m that good of a person. I think ‘Lyndsay Oh Ten’ also may or may not have a sparkl-y engagement ring on her hand and a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Isn’t she lovely?

But here’s the thing. This Oh-Ten version of me seems about as accessible as 90/94 at rush hour.

Sure, some of these qualities are excellent goals. There is certainly always room for improvement (especially when it comes to Lyndsay Oh Nine. Boy, was she a project).

But as I lay there imagining all the changes I’d love to make if I had magic fairy dust (which, it turns out, is still not available in 2010), I realized that there are some imperfections I’m okay with. There are some flaws of mine that are simply a part of my story.

The best part is: imperfect people do great things every year, every day.

There’s no reason I have to be an exception.