Things began to look up as the Winter Solstice approached. It felt like our family slowly climbing out of the chasm we had been stuck in once summer transitioned into fall. I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed an exhausted woman peering back at me. Even though I’ve been going gray for several years, I felt as though the number of grays had increased in recent months. I can do something about this, I told myself. Moments later, I called the salon and requested an appointment for a semi-permanent gloss to be applied to my hair before the end of 2018.
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Typically, autumn is the busiest time of year in our family. This season includes back-to-school transitions, birthdays, the Jewish High Holidays, and speaking engagements at conferences. In order for the final season of the year not to feel too hectic, we rely on everyone being healthy, the assistance of grandparents, etc. Without going into too much detail, the wheels fell off the wagon!
Like I said up front, things have gotten better. We are nearly at a point of equilibrium, which feels good. However, as I reflected on the autumn that was, I came to realize there will still be setbacks and frustrations in our lives. The best way to cope is to do a hard reset anytime — not just at the end of a day a week, a month, or a year — life gives us lemons. After coming to that realization, I found one little word to guide me through 2019: RESET.
I brainstormed a list of things I can do anytime I feel like I need to start over. My list included:
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Stretching.
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Meditating.
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Taking a walk.
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Listening to jazz or classical music.
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Going out for a meal with a family member.
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Planning a date night with my husband.
(Feel free to suggest other items I can add to my list by leaving a comment.)
*****
Last weekend, I went to the salon and had the gloss applied to my hair. I left the salon with shiny brown hair completely devoid of grays. Even though the color will fade and the grays will come back in a few weeks, this was the reset I needed to put the autumn of 2018 behind me.
Raising Literate Humans 
Reset… I feel like I need that as a second step to my word, pause. Great choice. Happy New Year!
Pause first, then reset! 😊
Sounds like the right word choice for you. I love to see people’s words.
I love your OLW –there’s so much power and inherent optimism in the word “reset.” I also love your gloss, but I had to laugh because, while I’m fine with my gray, I also opted to have a gloss last week. I love the fade out piece (I am not a regular maintenance type person!). Here’s to us heading into 2019 looking fab! 😉
I guess we’ll be going back to gray at the same time!
I don’t do much to celebrate New Years — I am usually in bed by 9! But I do love this reflective time of year. There is a break from school and we can pause, reflect and reset ourselves and orient ourselves in a new direction. Good luck with your OLW and Happy New Year.
Thank you, Adrienne! Happy new year to you too.
Great word, Stacey, and I love the picture. You look like you are ready to tackle anything in 2019! I wish you and your family all the best in the coming year.
I have to say, the color makes me feel less bedraggled!
This is a third OLW post I read today. Everyone is aware of their needs and the words clearly fit their life right now. Your “Reset” is gentle and strong at the same time. I am still searching for my word.
Reset is perfect and you “reset” your roots, too! 🙂
I could get used to this… except for the sitting in the salon and waiting to process.
#1 Your hair looks gorgeous!
#2 Reset is perfect! For all of the highs of 2018, it was a rough fall. May you have a wonderful 2019 as you reset!
I’ve had to invoke the reset a few times in the past week. It has been freeing!
I love your word and feel like it could work for years to come! What great strategies to really reset when you feel like you need to. I would add, “call a friend,” to the list. I wish I were closer. 🙂
I should do that more often. Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to burden people.
Reset is a great one! I remember how empowering it was for me to realize in the classroom that I didn’t need to wait for the right moment (after a vacation, on a Monday) to start over – I could just do it. Yet I don’t know if I’ve applied that to my own life – love that you’re using 2019 to do just that.
Yes. Why wait for Monday when we can reset mid-week?!!?
Love how you’ll be using this word all year, not just at the beginning of a new year. I would have to add “curling up with a good book” to your list. Happy New Year, Stacey!
I thought of that, but that’s just something I regularly do.
Reset is something we all need to. Many times the path we choose is blocked and we need to reevaluate and pick a new one. I like how choose to reset as needed. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Nothing like a reset at the salon (going tomorrow!) I think reset is such a powerful word. It is a reminder that one is in control – we may not be able to control life, but we can control how we react and respond – we do that through RESET! Thanks for sharing!
Hope you had a greAt salon visit and that your new year is off to a good start.
It’s amazing how a trip to the salon can give us a new outlook. I hope your reset button works and you are able to see the wonder in your life.
So far, it is going great!
I like your hair, I like your connections, I love your word for 2019! Looking forward to hearing how it goes throughout the year!
Resetting is helpful!
I like your choice of a one word and the new hairdo color. What a great reset. I get my reset tomorrow but my one word 2019 is embrace. I am ready to embrace change and I wrote about it.