I’m Type A, and I’m proud of it. In fact, I honestly think I can attribute any success I’ve ever achieved to the fact that I’ve always been overly organized, ambitious, and somewhat obsessive. I thrive on tight deadlines and stress.

That’s how I ran the New York City Marathon in 2001 despite the fact that I’m far from athletic—for me, the race was 99% mental. I taped my running schedule up on a wall in my studio apartment and never deviated from it. I charted what I ate, how much water I drank, how many gel packs I consumed. I pushed my body to the limit because, being Type-A, there was no way I was going to give up.

The same is true for my magazine articles and my book, Previvors. Juggling my work with raising two young children was all the more easier for me because I seem to excel at multi-tasking. I maximize every free minute I have; relaxation isn’t easy to come by.

But, as much as I appreciate my Type-A qualities, I need a break! I need to have more patience; I’d love to chill out occasionally; I’m ready to stop worrying about every little detail about every little aspect of my life.

And so, this year my New Year’s Resolution is to take it down a notch. I don’t want to stop being Type-A (not that I could if I tried), but I’m going to strive to become Type-A Minus. I want to take steps so that I wont feel like I’m losing my mind if the carpool line takes a few more extra minutes than usual. I want to spend an hour or two at night unwinding by reading a book or watching TV (like my new favorite show, Modern Family), without feeling like I have to check my email every 10 minutes. I want to avoid freaking out if my kids (and, ok, my husband) take a little too long getting out of the house on the way to school or, God forbid, the movie theater.

Ah, but all of this is easier said that done. How am I going to become a Type-A Minus. I will start by taking deep breaths, counting to ten, trying to be more mindful. And if all else fails, there’s always Xanax!