I am your constant companion. I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden. I will push you up to success or down to disappointment. I am at your command. Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me, for I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably. I am easily managed, just be firm with me. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person. You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin. Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me. Lead me. Reward me. And I will then...do it automatically. I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.
The author of the above is unknown
So many people go into New Year’s with an open mind, full of great intentions but with a closed heart which makes it impossible to reach any goal. Resolutions are not meant to be punishment or a forced commitment. If you have no intention of working towards it, and no plan to help map out your success don’t waste your time and set yourself up for failure. I speak from experience. I have always started out with the resolution to lose weight or work on me. I have never followed through with it, even those first hours or days of the New Year. I don’t think I ever truly wanted it enough. I just followed the trend of making the resolution to essentially lose weight!
Looking back at 2008, I moved to a new state with my new husband to start a new life together. Well, here we are a year later and things are good. I don’t have much to complain about and the things I can complain about are frivolous. In June of this year Karly went to my mom’s for the summer. Having few friends here I had the chance to really focus on myself and what I wanted for my world. I wanted to be healthy. This meant losing weight, eating well most of the time, and most importantly to get my body moving. I was so ready and jumped right in! I also spent a lot of time focusing on me, trying to find more confidence and self esteem. Learning to care less what others think of me and my world. I will say I only did ok with this one. I am slowly getting there.
I am going into 2009 with the same hopes, but a different outlook. I know how to tackle what I want and just how much motivation and drive it takes to get there. The only resolution I plan on making is to continue to grow as a person and to better my world and those around me. In order to reach this I have smaller goals that I will take a day at a time and do the best I can that day. I will not beat myself up for failures and mistakes, but commit to picking myself back up and getting back on track. I will practice and forge new habits! I will start exercising again, at least 3 times a week. I will get back on track with healthy eating with one cheat meal a week. I will continue to develop my voice and self confidence. I will be more patient as a wife and mother. I will perform one small act of kindness a day, whether it is helping someone in the store, calling a friend, or just passing along a smile or compliment. Not only will I do this daily, but make a point to notice the good feeling and positivity this spreads to my world. I will be kinder to those around me and more positive daily. I will work on letting negative things go instead of allowing them to poison my world. I will get back into creative things as allowed with time and finances. I will also start taking steps to a more financially stable future by looking into career options and paths and working towards getting there. This is a goal I realize cannot be completed this year, but I want to set the ground work and commit to it. As a family I would like to see us spend more quality time together. Hiking or kayaking on the weekends, game nights, or just sitting around talking. As a family I want us to get ourselves out of debt so that we are in a better position to buy a house by the end of 2009. I do realize this is a lot of little things...
I am not expecting perfection. I am expecting growth!
I encourage you to look at your world, decide what isn’t working and make a plan to change those things. Focus on the positive, rid yourself of the negative.
Cheers to an amazing New Year full of hope, love and positive change!
Wow Scotti, nicely put. You are extremely insightful!
ReplyDeleteHave I told you lately how proud I am of you and everything you have done. As your friend, I have witnessed your amazing growth and watched you become such a strong person. I have enjoyed watching you blossom, and yes there are times when I am selfish and miss you and want you to come home I am so glad that you are finding your own feet and are headed in the right direction. You are a totally different person today then you were 1 year ago, I love them both but for different reasons. I am proud of you, and if you ever need help picking yourself back up- you know right where I am (on the ground next to you).
ReplyDeleteYou are such an amazing person, and I wish you only the best!
You'll do great! I know you will.
ReplyDelete