I mean let’s be honest … we all make them but do we ever keep them after the first week or month? This sounds super pessimistic but bear with me cause I actually do feel we need them. We probably just need them more often. New Years allows us to reflect on the year … see what we liked and what we didn’t like and it helps us to see what we want in the future. For instance, one of the most common New Years Eve goals is to lose weight, eat healthy and exercise regularly. There is always a new herd of members at a gym right at the beginning of the year. I’ve been one of those people. Then life happens and my regular workout turns into once a week if I’m lucky or one week in the month I do really well but there is no regular about it. However, because I made those goals in the first place great things have happened … allow me to explain. Last year around this time of year I lived by myself, I had just experienced a break up and I didn’t have any close friends nearby. I was very alone. However, I had a new urge to work out and be healthy. I decided to go to Zumba (the gym was a waste of money because I didn’t love going) so I invited Best Friend (who I didn’t know very well) to go with me. And now she is one of the closest friends I’ve ever had. Do we go to Zumba regularly anymore? No, we are lucky if we go once a month. But I built a friendship thanks to making a resolution to get out there.
I feel like resolutions give us opportunities. And if we are awesome enough to follow through with them we get deep satisfaction. And even if by the end of the year we didn’t keep to the goal maybe we met that one person, or read that one book, or painted that one drawing, or went on that one trip that has shaped us more than if we had decided to screw resolutions altogether and do nothing. The possibility and likely hood of failure should never stop you.
The last couple years my resolution has been “Be kind to yourself.” I got this idea from one of my favorite books, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I liked it because I felt that it encompassed everything I wanted to improve on physically, spiritually, socially, etc. But this year I think I would like to be more specific. I am keeping with my goal to be kind to myself but I’d like to make a list of ideas on how to do that. And maybe I won’t be completely successful but I feel like anything I actually do will be a success and it will force me to think about it and maybe try more.
How I will be kind to myself this year
1. Read one book per month (I got this idea from my sister who is amazing and has done a book a week goal the last couple years… I’m a slow reader but I also hate that I only read during the holiday break and summer. So instead of a book a week I am gonna try a book a month.)
2. I am going to work out twice a week (whether it is zumba, or taking a walk, or riding a bike, playing soccer or another sport etc.)
3. I am going to take a dance class and keep with it regularly.
4. I am going to try and write at least 1 letter per month (sounds weird but I suck at actually writing letters and I think it would be a good thing)
5. I am going to go on at least 6 dates this year. (This is my bold one. Ha.)
6. I am going to try and do the whole sugar only on weekends things.
7. I am going to keep a journal (and try to maybe write in it at least once a week).
8. Every week I am going to try a new recipe I have never done.
9. I am going to do my visiting teaching (ha ha … or try to really hard.)
10. I am going to take risks (whatever that means … I have been wanting to go to Vegas.)
Okay there is my list of ten things. I am sure there are other things but I figure I shouldn’t overdo it. And maybe instead of being an annual thing I should look over my list once a month and see how I am doing or see if there is something that needs more attention, etc. I don’t reflect as much as I think I should. I whine, complain, pity myself, etc. And I just think it is time I take my life more into my own hands than I have before. I need to stop waiting for it to all work out and make it all work out. With God’s help, of course.
January 2, 2012
Categories: Family, freckles, Friends, Random . . Author: Freckles . Comments: Leave a Comment