NEWS | OutBoise Magazine | 33
January 2015 | Issue 3.2 | OutBoise.com
Happy New Year my darling
DIVOON ones! People constantly
ask for my advice on a multitude
of issues. From how they should
wear their hair, what lipstick to
buy, and how to dance in heels
to how they should approach
a delicate subject with their
partner or how to keep finding a way to go on in this big,
crazy world when hope seems
to be lost. Now that 2014 has
drawn to a close, many of our
challenges from 2014 will continue to be challenges in 2015.
Our world and our nation are
going through growing pains.
Sometimes these pains are vital
in order to help us to become
a better world. While the world
has been weighing heavy on my
own mind, I have decided to revisit some of my own resolutions
for better living. I won’t share my
most intimate, personal resolutions for the New Year here,
though I know you wish I would
(HA!). What I will share I hope
will be helpful. First, feel free to
imagine me walking up to you,
taking off one of my earrings,
and throwing it on the table, like
Elizabeth Taylor in a “White Diamonds” commercial and saying,
“These have always brought me
luck:”
Listen with understanding: In
2014 some of our most volatile
and heart wrenching issues
have caused a great deal of
trauma to some of our friendships. Social media has been
aflutter with opinions and calls
to action. This has caused a
virtual war between people on
different sides of issues. Regular
postings have even suggested
that if someone disagrees they
should delete their friendship.
Friends who have different approaches to the world, whether
they emotional, scientific, or
spiritual, are now at verbal blows
at the suggestion that there is
any other stance than their own.
What I would suggest is that we
take a moment to breathe and
remember that so many of these
issues that are tearing people
apart, whether it be Ferguson,
gun control/gun rights, gay marriage, or the Bill Cosby scandal,
all contain elements that make
us react passionately about situations that we can’t always see
every side or nuance to. I am just
as guilty as acting in a passionate moment as the next person,
and perhaps even more so than
some. One thing I always resolve to do, however, is put that
relationship above an opinion. I
know that there are many paths
to the same destination and I
also know that heart is capable
of loving someone even if I disagree with them.
Live more authentically: Authenticity – being true to who
you are – is a very important
quality and more complex than
it seems. Living your life in a way
that fuels your passions and
feeds your dreams is a worthwhile endeavor. Yes, of course,
we all have responsibilities that
can hinder that sometimes. Even
common courtesy can hinder
some people’s authenticity. I do,
however, encourage people
to look at new ways to express
one’s uniqueness. Add your own
mark to the world in which you
live and you will find that, even if
it isn’t always easy to be yourself, it is a rewarding to end the
day knowing that you were the
best you that you were able to
be that day. Sure, people might
always understand what you are
doing, but that doesn’t mean
that they won’t understand one
day. We each have the power
to make Idaho a beautiful melting pot of people. And frankly,
what is more badass, Wild West
than being yourself, no matter
what? Be the star in your own life
story.
Forgive: Just do it. Forgiveness doesn’t change what
happened but it does give you
permission to move on with
your own life. Knock those road
blocks out of your way!
LAUGH: It sounds cliché and
like it belongs on a plaque you
buy in the housewares section
at ShopKo, but heavens isn’t is
wonderful? Many people believe that laughter really is the
best medicine and some people
even believe it can be like doing
a mild workout (unless you laugh
like I do. I’m a gym bunny when
it comes to laughing). While you
might not literally be able to
“laugh your butt off,” it certainly
won’t hurt. So please, be goofy.
Cut up. Laugh at things, even
if they are inappropriate. Go
ahead. Now don’t you feel better already?
Alka-Seltzer: When life is a party, there is always a morning after and if you choose to dance
to the music, you will eventually
have to pay the fiddler! Always
keep a carton in your medicine
cabinet. You’ll thank me for it!
Now get out there and live!
Love and Kisses,
Minerva Jayne