It's 2013. I'm already loving this year and I couldn't be happier for a fresh start. Funny how we are with new years. As if we somehow get a reset on life when really it is just another day after the days before. I think that's why there are many people out there that are so anti-resolutions. But I say, hey, whatever works to give us a fresh perspective on our life. Yes, we make goals throughout the year and we can always make changes in our world but there is something about the new year, the fresh calendar, the month of January that just says CLEAN SLATE! And what's the harm in setting resolutions anyway? Even if we don't end up keeping all of them. At least we are working towards something...trying to make positive changes and be proactive, right? Goals...resolutions...same thing to me.
So, how can we make resolutions that stick? Lasting ones? Ones that we can have success with so that we don't find ourselves fizzling out 2 weeks down the road of 2013?
- Keep it simple. Don't set resolutions and goals that are so big you burn out the first week.
- Start small. Baby steps. Don't expect things to just happen overnight.
- Make your goals meaningful to you. Your goals don't have to be popular or trendy or even accepted by anyone other than YOU.
- Celebrate success no matter how small it is.
- Love ourselves along the way and expect to hit some walls...anything worth working towards is worth pushing past the sticky spots. It won't all be smooth sailing ahead. As with anything in life, there will be the moving ahead, the staying still, and the taking a few steps back.
- Enjoy the process. By all means, have fun! Let's not take ourselves so seriously...let's remember to enjoy the ride.
Some brief thoughts for myself for 2013:
- Love More
- Judge less
- Laugh often
- Let things go so that I can fully enjoy the present moments
- Be open to change
- Live my life the way I would want my "life story" to be read
- Get rid of guilt...it is worthless
- Face Fear head on
- Enjoy the process
- Keep running fun and remember why I do it...to stay healthy, connect with my best self, and stay goal driven in all areas of my life
- Model love, forgiveness, acceptance for my kids
- Be the kind of friend I want my friends to be to me
And some of my morning reflections over coffee:
In remembering to have the same love, grace and patience for ourselves as we do for the people that mean the most to us, we might need to take a step back and see things from another angle. Chances are, if we are too hard on ourselves, it is likely that we are equally as hard on those we love most. Let's take some pressure off in 2013...embrace a little more grace, love, and the imperfections that lead to learning.
What are some simple goals, resolutions or things you want to focus on for the new year?
What will you do this year to love yourself more fully?
How will you go easier on YOU and still push yourself to be the best YOU you can be? For me, this is easy...stop with the guilt over everything I'm not doing and CELEBRATE the things I am doing!
Happy 2013!
Amanda
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You've inspired me to write about it just by your status this morning. And, I addressed guilt. Funny! thanks for the inspiration and happy 2013!
ReplyDeleteI really need to be easier on myself in the new year. That is one of my "unwritten" goals. Everyone tells me that I am way too hard on myself. My main goal for the new year is to make up for what I couldn't achieve in 2012. A marathon PR is the big one as well as paying off my credit card debt.
ReplyDeleteI think that keeping goals simple and taking baby steps is the best approach. It helps keep yourself realistic so that you don't get discouraged when you don't meet the goals that you set.
Beautifully said, Amanda! I love your outlook on life and share your goals of being our best selves and modeling love, forgiveness and acceptance to our kids.
ReplyDeletehApPy NeW yEaR!!!!!
This is Tracy Martin, by the way:) I see that my comment gives the name of my blog, which is, oh, three years overdue for an update. Ah well - I'm not going to be hard on myself;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Amanda! I always learn so much from my peak into your life. I could not agree more about enjoying the journey and not being so rigid and hard on ourselves all the time. Afterall without failure there truly is no success. We may not always reach our goals but it does not hurt to set them and strive for them. I think at the end of the day it is all about balance and you definitely seem to be in a great balance right now. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. It sounds like we are on the same page for 2013. I wrote about my intentions as well. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2013 to you to0. May it bring you much peace love and happiness in your home and many happy injury free miles on your feet running.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts.
My goal for this year is to get well. It's simple and, I think, achievable now that I know why I wasn't healthy. Good health is something to treasure.
ReplyDeleteGreat list - all things I definitely need to work on!
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts Amanda. Wishing you a wonderful 2013!
ReplyDeleteAh... I especially like your first three and your last two goals.
ReplyDeleteMy goal this year is to simply choose my words more carefully. It's easier to do in writing than in speaking. But I really want to honor God with my speech and am committed to speaking more carefully or keeping my mouth shut in 2013.
I spent half of yesterday not speaking and a good 2 hours tonight silent. ha. My kids are getting good at figuring out my gestures :) My husband is getting annoyed. lol. I know this sounds really weird ...but it is helping me a lot.
Love to you, and loving your pics!
Very nicely put. I still think of goals and resolutions as different, mainly because I stick to my goals vs I just don't stick to resolutions. But oh well. I had 20 goals for myself this year. I know it's a lot, but quite a few fall hand in hand like start my marathon training and lose 10 lbs. Those will go together.
ReplyDeleteAnd some of them have to do with the fact that I'm leaving for England at the end of the year. Those goals go with things I want to do before I leave ( a whole separate list of stuff).
But for myself, I'm going to work on staying positive. I had a lot of injuries and sickness last year and couldn't run my marathon. I was negative and down a great deal of 2012. I'm working on it this year.
Great post...well said! I often have to go back and reflect on how I am treating myself...if I was giving myself as much grace and respect as I would give others. I am SO much harder on myself than I am on others...different standards by far. It is high time I relax a bit and give myself freedom to breathe!
ReplyDeleteHappy 2013;-) This will definitely be a BIG year for moi...;-)
ReplyDeleteI plan on keeping up my daily runs! That's very important to me, because I know they do me lots of good.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.momshomerun.com
Happy new year! Your resolutions are in check--being a model to your kiddos is the biggest responsibility one can have! They are lucky to have you!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, sweet girl! I wish you oogles of happiness and success as you embark on this new year. So excited for all the exciting things coming up for you :)
ReplyDeletexo
I love this! I'm working on just staying healthy...and abundant grace - for myself, others and those around me...
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I also love that 'clean calendar' feeling :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you a super spectacular year...not necessarily in a flashy way :) Love you!
I like fresh starts and goals so I love resolution time :) I like your list here! More doing, less judging, more accepting and less analyzing. Love!
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