There is no greater falsehood that is perpetuated in the new year more than the cliche, “It’s back to the grind.”

Grind.  Is that the way, is that the best descriptor we can come up with to summarize how we live our lives?

Ah, yes, the catch — that’s assuming that we are, indeed, living our lives to the fullest.  I wouldn’t dare describe myself, my life, or my routine of life as the grind unless I was, well, grinding.

You grind coffee.  You grind things, but life, life is not meant to be grinded nor are we supposed to be grinded by life either.  I guess we’re somewhere in the middle.  The place where I live is part routine, part inspiration.  The half and half of life is the have to-s and get to-s.  I have to work, but I get to work on really beautiful and amazing projects that tap into freedom and creativity.  I have to exercise, but I get to attend these really amazing dance classes that make me feel free and beautiful.  I have to take care of my son but I get to spend time with this angel of a person called Isaiah.

The grind is the life where we find ourselves, not what we choose for ourselves.  What we choose for ourselves is much more powerful than a grind.

Many years ago, I stopped groaning on Sunday nights about Mondays.  I stopped yawning at work and rolling my eyes at 4:45pm.   I stopped doing this when I noticed that so many people at work complained about Mondays, caffeinated themselves on Tuesdays, bitched about how long the week was on Wednesdays, couldn’t wait for the weekend on Thursday, and left early on Fridays.  And they complained about the weather everyday.

There is no back to the grind for me.  If I must use a cliche, I use this: Life is what you make it.

Indeed.  If you create nothing for yourself, back to the grind you go.