I’m sure, as many of us are, you too are over the “Happy New Year” spirits and ready to get back to work, right? Well, let’s make a toast to a new you this year- a spiritually evolved you. Throw out the resolutions that never seem to stick any way and resolve to get to know yourself better.

The new year is like a second birthday and you should consider yourself another year older and wiser. You’ve lived a lot, learned a lot and made a lot of mistakes. It’s the beginning of January and time to get back into the swing of things but first, examine what are you doing all of this for?

Life is short and very valuable. It’s time to live to your hearts desire despite your fears, whatever they may be. All of us have our inhibitions but if we never try, we never fail – yes, but then we also never succeed. What is it you’re looking for at this time in your life? What’s truly important to you?

This New Year’s Eve, I spent my time pondering these very questions. For the first time during this holiday, I did not go to parties, I did not go out with friends, I was not drinking up a storm. I spent my last night of December 2008 meditating and focusing on how I visualized my life and what my purpose in this crazy world is. It was my best New Year’s yet.

After completing a three-hour meditation class, at around 9:30 p.m. I made my way to Agape, which is a self-proclaimed trans-denominational spiritual center in Culver City. I spent the remainder of 2008 there singing gospel music with their choir and repeating positive affirmations. I drove home feeling excited and alive instead of drunk and blurred.

It occurred to me that most people seem to be ‘asleep’ – that is to say, they don’t take the time to get up close and personal with themselves. They don’t take a look at the reasons “why” in life.

I made an agreement with myself this year that this was a progression of “no excuses” for me. This year, I know better. I know better than to get down on myself and wonder, “why me?” I know better than to throw myself a pity part and try to invite all of my friends there, too. I know better than to feel alone and think that someone else can fix me or make me feel better. I know better than to submit myself to a bad case of the boredom blues or lack of motivation. Fill in your blank. I know better than _________.

Feel empowered this year. You don’t have to be a meditating, yoga going, soy-eating angel. Sure, you may drink and you may have a smoke every once in a while but if you make any effort toward anything this year, make it an effort to evaluate what’s important to you and how you spend your time.

How you spend your time IS your life and there’s too much to let go to waste.