WastedWoman

PROBLEM
Dear PopShrink Julie,

Every year, I like to examine my life and also set my goals. This year I realized that instead of moving forward, I've really fallen behind in what I want to accomplish. Its so hard because I don't have the patience to really wait for the things that I want, but at the same time I am worried that if I don't do the "right things" I will wake up and realize I've wasted a lot of time doing nothing!
What should I do?

Signed,
Wasted Woman

ANSWER:

Dear Wasted,
I recently watched The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. It was a really amazing movie, brilliantly acted and directed, but IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME! No, not the bloody and violent, albeit it pre-fabricated wrestling scenes nor Mickey Rourke's bloated face on the big screen with his stringy blonde rocker hair and tight, fluorescent wrestler outfits, but what his life represented. An amazing life, just wasting away! And I mean that for both the character he played and for Mickey Rourke the man. He was once a gorgeous, sexy, and extremely sought after actor of his time. What happened? He didn't just wake up one day and suddenly his career and his looks were down the drain. That was a cumulative series of steps he took daily/weekly/monthly/yearly that led to his (and Randy the Ram's) demise. There were several lessons that I took home from the theater that day:
1) Take advantage of every moment to make yourself a better person in every aspect.
2) Do not live off of old accomplishments. Appreciate them and then make goals for more.
3) Know when to move on. If something isn't working, do something else until it does work.
4) Have a back up plan.
and most important:
5) Do not operate meat slicing equipment while emotionally traumatized over someone recognizing you as a has-been wrestler during your shift at the local grocery store's Deli Counter.

Take this new year to carefully decide where you want to be in the next 6 months/5 years/10 years and set goals that you can periodically check to make sure you are on track. And remember, even when you think its too late, IT'S NOT. Even Mickey is making his long awaited come back.