Most New Year’s resolutions people make are repetitive. You’re going to lose those extra pounds, exercise more, be better organized, be less lazy, spend more time with family and friends.
Ho-hum. So what else is new? Weren’t you going to do that last year and the year before? So how come you’ve already broken those resolutions? Oh, wait a minute. It’s only January. You have until December to give up all your bad habits, right?
Or perhaps the problem is that you’re just weak willed. You lack the fortitude and character to stick with your resolutions. May as well just give up on making any. Right?
Wrong. Time to give up not on yourself but on those tired old resolutions that don’t work. Time to make new ones that you will keep and that will keep you smiling.
What kinds of resolutions are those? Here are a dozen examples. Please feel free to swipe them for your own personal use.
- I will keep in mind that, despite my age, I am still a work in progress.
- I will take pride in making my share of mistakes for it will remind me that I’m not afraid to try new activities or take on new pursuits.
- I will keep reminding myself to switch my negative narrative (“I can’t”) to a positive one (“one thing I can do is …”).
- I will remember during my darkest days that better days will come even if I don’t know how or when.
- I will wake up each morning and tell myself that I have much to be grateful for.
- I will nurture my untapped talents by developing my interests and curiosity.
- When I feel down, I will seek understanding and compassion rather than numb myself with drugs and drink.
- I will believe that I am worthy of love and respect from others as well as from myself.
- I will pat myself on the back every now and then rather than constantly comparing myself to others to berate myself for how I fall short.
- I will remind myself that though there is no quick way through life’s worst moments, those moments won’t be forever and I won’t always feel so alone.
- I will do my best to respond to criticism with grace, generosity and goodwill as I learn yet another way that people perceive me.
- I will scale back on the many things I think I “have to” do so that I have time to nurture and enjoy my relationships.
These resolutions are a joy to keep. Why? Because you are celebrating your better self not just trying to eliminate what you dislike about yourself.
©2015
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Nelson Mandela
