A couple of weeks ago Thom and I drove to our house in Southern California that we had called “home” for sixteen years. Even though we called that property home, we actually lived in Tucson, AZ for the last three winters while renting that “former home” temporarily. Then after that we only ended up staying there for a few days on and off the rest of the year. However, after straddling both homes for three years, we decided it was time to make the decision to pick one over the other. And in spite of the fact that the one in So Cal was over twice as big (plus a two-car garage) as the one in Tucson, we chose to permanently make our tiny home in Tucson our residence for the foreseeable future.
About fifteen years ago my husband Thom and I began using the word “rightsize” to describe the lifestyle that we started practicing. At the time, we felt a strong motivation to create a more simple and minimal existence. So that led us to taking the popular step that many people refer to as “downsizing.” We didn’t need such a big house and certainly didn’t need all the stuff that we had accumulated over the years. But rather than calling it downsizing (which implies sacrifice) we decided to call it “rightsizing”. Rather than a focus on giving up things, we took steps to eliminate everything that wasn’t adding joy and contentment to our lives. And naturally, it wasn’t just about getting rid of stuff we owned, it was mostly choosing to focus on the things that truly mattered to us. 
One of the advantages of being a writer for many years is that you have decades of writing to look back on as your age creeps upwards. I have been writing for over 40 years now and putting out articles on this blog for nearly 15. Through the years I have shared hundreds of ideas and curiosities with anyone who wanted to read along. Some of those thoughts I even put into books. At the same time I have been journalling for at least 30 years now so if anyone wanted to blackmail me, there is all the evidence they would need to judge me for my thoughts and actions. Fortunately, what’s most interesting at least to me, is that I can see how I have gradually grown and evolved through the years. So here are the top ten bits of wisdom I think I’ve gained the most. 
A few days ago as I was beginning my morning walk, my mind began churning through all the things I needed and wanted to get done that day. At the same time, I also remembered what I had neglected getting around to doing the day before—not to mention the week before. Then I knew it my thoughts began spiraling down that rabbit hole that many of us know too well. So, to distract myself, I grabbed my iPhone and started searching for a podcast to listen to as I walked One popped up on my screen titled something like, “Slow down and go with the flow in troubling times.” Just a few words into the podcast the author being interviewed said exactly what I needed to hear. He said, “We need to choose bliss over busy.”
A lot of people think they want to live forever. But do they really? I tend to believe that most of us only want to stick around as long as we are reasonably fit, healthy and happy. However, there is only so much we can do that will guarantee that outcome. Instead, what most of us don’t know (and I didn’t know until recently) the length of time you believe you have left has more of an influence on your well-being than you probably know. Just being aware of that and how it changes our goals and motivations going forward, might be the best strategy we can take for making the most of the time we have left. Why?
For as long as I can remember I have always encountered a new year with optimism and hope. Even when Y2K or the Mayan 2012 (remember them?) loomed on the horizon and then passed, I continued to believe that any obstacle we faced in a new year could be overcome by either going over, around, or through the problems in front of us. Now at the beginning of 2024, we are faced with new and interesting challenges. But again, it is not my nature to resort to believing that optimism and hope are suddenly impossible. As I, and others far wiser than me have said, “Pain may be inevitable, but suffering is always optional.” With that in mind, I’ve spent the last few days of this year coming up with what I believe are ten ways to embrace more happiness and hope in the coming 365. 
