Resolutions We Should Stop Making in 2014
Ever since I could grasp the concept of what a resolution was, every New Year's Eve I would make a list with a minimum of ten resolutions for the new year (I know, what can I say? I had high expectations!). I would write them in my journal and vow to do better and to be better. I excitedly awaited the clock to ring in the "new" year, excited about the endless possibilities and changes that were about to occur. But even with the highest of hopes and hardcore determination, within a few days, slowly I would mess up or ruin my well-intentioned resolutions. I always felt despondent, discouraged, and like a failure. So this year, instead of making a list of "resolutions", I made a list of things that I'm going to STOP doing for the year 2014.
1. Lose Weight
This has been my number one resolution for YEARS... this has always been a sensitive issue in my life, I've been on both extremes. Skinny but not-eating and heavy and eating too much! But this year, instead of only focusing on losing weight (which i do need to do), I want to focus on making healthy choices 80% of the time and then give myself permission to eat what I want the other 20% of the time. I want to stop berating myself when I eat a piece of cake and when I fail my attempts at perfection. I am going to celebrate the good choices and get up and try again whenever I
2. Exercise More
I am an obsessive person by nature and have a terrible all-or-nothing personality. This year, my goal is to MOVE more. My goal/aim is to move for 20 minutes every day. No more rules or rigid routines. I'm giving myself the freedom of choice. I can take a walk with Izzy, dance to my Zumba station on Pandora, or I can crank out some burpees and squat jacks... whatever I'm feeling... I'm just going to move.
3. Read the Bible & Pray More
I've beat myself up over the years for my imperfect spiritual & prayer life. I vowed to read more and pray longer but ended up time and time again disappointing myself (and God I so thought!) But this year, I am going to do what I can do. A two minute prayer is better than no prayer at all and reading a few verses is better than reading nothing. Days where I read a chapter or two, journal, and pray... SUPER! But I'm allowing myself days where I may read a verse on the Bible App on my phone and whisper thirty-second prayers all day long. (I know--the horror! You may officially judge me!)
4. Be a Better Mom
This is a NEW resolution for me (as I'm a new mom), but I can see how this one could easily take over. Nothing prepared me for the competition of motherhood, and I am just going to hang up the towel! I am going to stop aiming for perfection and just be real. I am not always going to have spotless house, neatly folded laundry, and my (almost) two-year old quietly playing at her
5. Stop Making Resolutions
I want to stop setting myself up for New Year's Resolutions that I'll never be able to stick to or maintain. Instead of focusing on New Year's Resolutions, I want to focus on daily resolutions. I want to wake up and as my mom says, "Be sober today". I want to do the best I can, give it all I've got, and if it's a (rare) perfect day...Praise God! But if it's a real-life day, I blow everything and nothing goes the way I want it to, I can lay my head down and sleep in peace knowing that tomorrow is another day and I can start over fresh EVERY day. No more waiting for a brand new year. Matthew 6:34 says, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. I don't know about you, but I am going to stop setting my focus SO far out and worry about my daily resolution.
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