Did you make a New Years resolution (or 2) for 2013?
40% of us do every year.
How is your New Years resolution going?
It's OK, I won't tell anybody.
Lots of people don't make it through the first week of January. Many more abandon their resolutions by the second week. A handful of people stick their resolution out through the whole month of January. By February, less that half of the people who vowed that "this is the year that I....." will be true to their resolution.
You can probably guess that the top New Year Resolutions are losing weight, exercising, quitting smoking/drinking, saving money, giving to others and spending time with family. These are all such good things to strive for, why do we give up?
Life is busy. We are busy. Things keep getting in the way. It's hard to make time. The kids have to be at practice and they have a ton of homework . Dinner needs to be cooked. I've got a deadline at work. yadayadayada...
(breathe)
I've made and broken more resolutions than I can even remember. Being overweight for so many years, THIS was the year I would get the weight off. I was lucky to make it out of the first week of January! Why? Resolutions are too often tied to desires. My desire to lose weight. Desires can wane, change, mature.
I quit making resolutions and started making goals. Goals can be defined, you can map a course to them, you can alter your course as life changes and moves forward. Goals can be measured, they are more tactile, real, right in front of you instead of like a resolution that can easily get pushed out of the way and forgotten.
"Oh well, maybe next year"
When I finally made losing weight a goal, I did it. Every year I make it my goal. It's not something I can ever stop striving for. It is a life goal. To be fit and healthy. It's not easy, but it is possible.
All of the above resolutions can be goals. Think of them in that way. Healthy living, well being, loving, caring and sharing. Or make a creative goal, learn something new, create, start a website/blog for your art, join your local art guild.
And when you are feeling over-whelmed, like you can't get everything done, that you don't have enough time...
(breathe)
...and sit and watch a sunrise or sunset. Just watch it and marvel at it. Breathe it in, feel it. Something about watching that common everyday event just makes time slow down for a while. Know that you are sitting under the same sky that I and everyone else in the world are sitting under, that we are all connected. It just makes everything better. And...
(breathe)
Take a do-over if you want to. Try a different one. Start over, keep going, it doesn't matter. Just keep moving forward and...
(breathe)
The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places. ~Author Unknown
xo,
p.s. for the picture of the pears, I used an action and 2 textures, if you're interested in the recipe, I've got it over on my personal blog.
11 comments:
Beautifully written, Linda. And a very good concept. Life is (hopefully) long and slow and steady is productive. I LOVE the canvas photo, and will be on your blog later tonight to try it out. Lovely, forgiving and kind way to start my day - than you!
This is great Linda! It is so true what you say about "do-overs." I think that many of us look at January 1st as the only day that we can "begin anew." When in reality, it's just another day,and any day can be the start of our journey. I'm proud of you for setting your weight loss goal and achieving it. And what a better way to look at the changes we want to make. To set goals instead of resolutions. Very inspiring this morning!
First of all, your photo looks like a beautiful Impressionist painting! Will definitely be checking out your "recipe"! And I so agree with you about setting goals rather than making resolutions. So proud of you that you are working successfully on your goal. My sister has fought her weight for as long as I can remember and she always says that it's the hardest thing to do because, unlike smoking, drinking, etc., you can't just give it up. You have to eat! Judy is so right when she says that we can begin anew any day and not just January 1. Thanks for this wonderful and inspiring post!
Yes ... your photo is brilliant! It is art, to be sure. Heading over to get the recipe now. I love the reminder that there are do-overs in life. I think that's one of the hardest things for us to remember, we're so hard on ourselves, we're our own worst critics. The concept of setting goals vs. resolutions is a winner. Thanks for the pep talk!
Uh huh... Im right there with you sisTA :) I realized that I am an emotional eater... and when I get down or even when I am happy I celebrate with food. Ugghhh. Just by changing that attitude has helped me. Love your pears! That is a Print for sure hon!
Hugs!
Breathe, yes so many forget to do this. I am so amazed that when I am really conscious of breathing, the air smells soooo good! And yes strangely for me, even in a field of cows, haha! I so recognize that texture as one of Bonnie's, and you have used it beautifully!
i like the idea of a goal rather than a resolution because to me a goal is more like a journey towards something. and by being a journey then the goal can be 'tweaked' or path can be adjusted from time to time. it's a gradual process and for me, it's just easier to do things one step at a time. :)
I like the goal measuring thing....so much better than resolutions, you can actually see a result if you set the goal instead of breaking the resolution. I love that last quote too...so true, so true. Will check out your blog for the recipe, you know how I enjoy textures and actions.
love the way you think! and the reminder to breathe!
gorgeous photo and texture too!
What a great reminder such a simple word but breathe is so necessary in so many ways....
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