I love, love, loved this post called Unwind on the site Momastery yesterday, where the writer, Glennon writes about “Stepping Back, Slowing Down and Focusing Up.” I was compelled to share it with you.

Unwind to bring back the peace. (Image: Lauderdale Beach, FL, 2011)

The post is not only a beautiful description of how a marriage or relationship can get lost in the march of life, but also a perfect expression of how the smallest efforts can help turn it back around.

And it’s not just about relationships in marriage or dating. It’s for all of us. It’s a reminder that sometimes being the first person to make the move gets the Dominoes going. In applause, there is always one first clap. In a brainstorming meeting, there is always one first idea. After an argument, there must always be someone to reach out and take the other’s hand, to say “I’m sorry” and open the gates back to love again. If we just stand back and wait for someone else to fix it, we’ll be left alone on a piece of broken wondering what went wrong. Make the first step yourself. Reach out.

Please, read Unwind and take it to heart. Because, as Glennon writes,

“Love is not something for which to search or wait or hope or dream. It’s simply something to do.”

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Big love,

I like to think of this whole first week of January as a celebration the New Year—giving us plenty of days to get rolling on the right foot for how we want our year to go.

So, in honor of that, here’s the cutest New Year’s Eve song I’ve seen that apparently, oh, 7.2 million people have already viewed. But if you haven’t, watch Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt sing, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” and then read the four lessons it can teach us about the new year.

1. Share what you’ve got! I love that these two didn’t keep this private moment playing to themselves. They turned on their computer camera and shared it with us! It’s a great reminder that we all have things to offer the world and each other, and we shouldn’t let shyness or fear or doubt about ourselves hold us back. If you have a song to sing, sing it. If you have a book to write, write it. If you have a love, a talent or a passion of any kind, feed it and share it. That’s what life is all about.

2. Focus on the best duet. If you’re single and seeking a relationship, let this be a reminder that not just any partner will do. Keep your heart focused on the right one—the kind that works with you, dances beside you and sings in perfect harmony. You don’t date your tail off just to settle for any old something, right? Let this song remind you that your other half will fit you so well,  you can make life music together.

3. Let others’s shine, too. The healthiest, happiest twosome is one in which you are also independently happy on your own. So in friendships, family, work relationships and love, be sure you’re getting a chance to sing your own part in the song, and give others the chance to do the same by listening, appreciating and supporting the people in your life. By taking turns, it makes the moments you’re singing together even more special.

4. Laugh and have a good time! I couldn’t love their opening moments of this video more. And that’s because it’s clear they’re having a great time. It’s a reminder to me that we shouldn’t just go through the motions in life; we should be living them up and laughing our way through them. Do what makes you want to kick back and smile and then…do it!

This week is a perfect time to start fresh. Focus on the person you want to be. Think about the relationship you want to have. And imagine how you want to feel in work, in love, in friendships. Because that is how you’ll get it all. Keep your eye on the prize and you’ll make the rest of your year the happiest it can be.

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Big love,