I was reading an advice column the other day, and someone asked about the proper cutoff date for wishing someone a Happy New Year.

The answer? Oh, about the time that most people have given up on their resolutions. Mid-January or so. About now, in fact.

Which brings me to the topic of resolutions for 2013. Last year, I wrote a blog devoted to resolutions that never made it to the virtual page. It wasn’t quite perfect, I thought. It needed some tweaks. Now it looks just fine; it touched on spirituality, kindness, and flossing my teeth. Writing, of course, and exercise.

Looking back, I haven’t done too badly at some of those resolutions. They were good ones – so good in fact that most of them carry right into 2013. I guess that’s allowed, right? After all, it’s not as if I have perfected them.

At work a few days ago, we talked a bit about “words for the year” as opposed to resolutions. A few people chimed in, offering up words such as “light,” “awareness,” and “domination.” I stayed quiet, but knew that my words for 2013 were simple: A Clear Mind.

Make decisions from a clear mind.

Set priorities with a clear mind.

Keep – and hold tight to – a clear mind.

Steer clear of frustration, of desperation, of overwhelmed-ness. If I can’t avoid them, recognize them. Stay calm when they roll around. Live in confidence that they will pass, as they have before, and don’t give them much credence. Learn from them when I can.

I do my best work in the space that I call my Clear Mind. And my best work is the best I can do, where any of those resolutions are concerned.

My dear friend The Reverend Lady Donna was raised on a small island in the Caribbean. She often speaks of the “island women” in her village, and related the prayer that she heard so often growing up:  Thank you, Lord, that I woke this day in my right mind.

Many people, she quietly points out, do not.

And so, as we look down the road at this year called 2013, I realize that a clear mind is an end unto itself. A clear mind is a gift. It doesn’t come without effort, without risk. But in the end, it’s a place with a fantastic view.

Let me catch my breath and look around.

Photo: The Whimsical Workshop Studio, Chandler, AZ. http://www.heidipridemore.blogspot.com