My Resolve to Resolute

I have a love/hate relationship with making New Year’s resolutions.  Some years I am inspired by the thought of them and other years I am just annoyed and I avoid them all together.  Last year, there were no resolutions. Why make something that was just meant to be broken? But this year, for whatever reason, I am being pulled towards making them and it feels good.

I sometimes forget how important goal setting is and I was reminded by a visit with an incredibly motivated, driven and successful friend of mine.  Making some New Year’s resolutions is just a given for her. I am pretty sure she not only has yearly goals but monthly, weekly and daily too.  Not me.  I don’t like to do anything I know I won’t succeed at so I generally just don’t set goals.  But not this year.  Nope. This year (well, right this second anyway) I am feeling the inspiration to aim a little higher.

My New Year’s resolutions for this year are to wear more colour, to take better care of my back and to be more affectionate towards my husband.  I don’t want to be too ambitious with these.   I am not setting myself up for failure here.  I think these are well rounded and perfectly attainable goals. Don’t misunderstand me; I didn’t say they would be easy.  My entire wardrobe is black or one of several shades of gray and sometimes just a sideways look from my husband can make me irritated with him for the rest of the day.  But, I am off to a great start already.  Right this very second I am wearing my new purple hoodie, I have booked myself a massage and chiropractic appointment for next week and Eric and I walked hand in hand almost all the way to a friend’s party this week.  I’d say I have pretty much conquered 2012’s resolutions.

Ah but wait, resolutions aren’t meant to be a one-time thing. They are meant to help pursue small but meaningful and long lasting life changes.  If we don’t take time to try and be better, we probably won’t be. It’s very easy to just let life keep rolling on and to just roll with it.  I am constantly trying to improve my husband and kids.  I think it’s only fair that I hold myself to the same personal improvement plan.  So I guess a purple hoodie in my closet and a relaxing massage next week don’t quite spell victory… yet.  Here’s hoping they stick and that I come out of 2012 brighter, stronger and even more in love.