New Year’s Resolution

New Year’s Resolutions: good or bad idea?

At some point in our lives, we have all made them.  Perhaps you have even succeeded in sticking with it…for a while. I don’t know many people who stick with their resolutions for longer than a few months. So why do we make them?

I think it makes us feel good; it is like setting a goal, a higher expectation. However, I worry that not achieving those goals does more damage than just not making any resolutions at all.

This New Year’s I spent with family and friends at our traditional spot, in the middle of the sand dunes in our RVs. As I looked around at those with us and thought about those who were not, I wondered how many had made resolutions and just what those resolutions were.

Personally, my New Year’s Resolution was not to make any resolutions. I, for one, am so horrible at keeping my resolutions that I think it is better for me not to set myself up to fail.  Instead, this year will just be a year of a better me.

I feel that every year I am a better me.  I have learned good things and bad things, things I like and things I don’t.  I have loved, and lost, and been loved. I have grown spiritually. I have had ups and downs. I have cried, laughed, celebrated, and mourned. Within all these things, I feel I become a better person and can be a better person as time goes on.

I become more compassionate, loving, sympathetic, empathetic and joy-filled so that I may help others do the same.

I do not want to be remembered for what I gave you, or what I provided for you, or what I did for you. I want you to think about me and not be able to keep from smiling.  I want you to know without a doubt what you meant to me.

So as the gyms fill up with those that have resolved to become fit or get healthy, and churches fill up with those that resolve to go to church more or become spiritual, take a moment to be still and listen. Take a long deep breath and slowly exhale.  Look around you at the beauty and miracles in every day.  What is it that you would like this New Year to be for you?

I guess in reality my not making a resolution has actually made me a resolution. Now to work at sticking with it for all of my days.