I have been mulling over this blog post for the past few days. I am not a fan of New Year’s resolutions and it would seem that for at least the next month we will be inundated with gym ads, teeth whitening, learn to crochet a bowling bowl and how to organize your home. While I completely understand the attraction of a clean slate I don’t like the idea of resolutions.
It seems that when people talk of New Year’s resolutions they talk about their imperfections: “I am going to quit smoking, start jogging, eat better, get organized, go to bed early, get up earlier, perform better in school/at work,finish that book and start doing crossword puzzles.”
I don’t know about you, but maybe that’s why we drink so much on New Year’s Eve.
Who wants to look forward to that? I feel as if we all enlist in some New Year Boot Camp where we make ourselves miserable while simultaneously trying to achieve a personal level of perfection that, apparently, isn’t all that important to us the rest of the year. Sounds like a great deal of pressure and I for one am not interested.
Instead, I am looking to this year as a celebration of the year that has ended and an opportunity to continue moving forward in a positive direction both spiritually, professionally and personally (and not necessarily in that order).
I have found myself talking a great deal lately about yoga (probably because I miss it-
*fights the urge to make a resolution*)but one of the things I love about yoga is that when we speak about yoga we say that we “practice” yoga. No one, “does” yoga or “knows” yoga, we practice. Some days you are balanced, poised and completely in sync with your body, your breath and your mind.
Other days you almost start a domino-type knock down of your fellow classmates when attempting tree pose.
What is important is that you pay attention to what is going on within you, acknowledge it and work to move forward in a direction that is for your highest potential. So perhaps, rather than making a list of 20 things you will start doing only to beat yourself up when you miss your daily jog or you have that cigarette, you should start paying attention to what all these the actions are telling you.
I hope you celebrate 2011, look with hope to 2012 and above all, hold yourself with kindness, respect and gentleness knowing that you are capable, at anytime to change course and move in a direction that is right for you.
Happy New Year!
Great post. A lot of truth and funny too. Well worth toasting to!
And happy new year to you too, Michele!
I can't actually remember the last time I made a New Year's resolution. I do set a lot of goals, but I kind of do that year round, so it's not limited to the new year.
I've really found working with the three planner kits this year (Ellie's Headology one, Michelle Nickolaisen's Let's Radiate one, and Goddess Leonie's one), has been AWESOME for helping me to decide what I wanted from 2012… not in terms of "ought-to, should-do" resolutions, but what would genuinely make me happy and give me pleasure.
I love your idea of celebrating and moving forward too… it has an amazing energy to it 🙂
Hi Michele! I agree that looking within is where all the magic and wisdom lives. Many search for outer circumstances to enhance their life, but it's within where we find all the treasures :).
Thanks for sharing!
Oh I'm with you Michelle! New Years resolutions stopped for me a long time ago. Instead I like to reflect on the year past and all accomplishments and go into the new year with open arms!
Very well put and a very happy New Year to you!