Resolution Haters

I am a resoluter (Isn't that a cool word? I think it would mean "one in the act of making a resolution" or something like that), and I have a difficult time keeping my eyes from rolling back in my head when I hear someone say something along the lines of, "I don't believe in making new years resolutions!" Maybe my own insecure voices are breaking through, but I can't help but hear other things between those words that sound derogatory and snobbish, contemptibly being fired at all the "other" people. If you happen to be an anti-resoluter, I apologize for stomping all over your toes just now and I love you despite your resolution......less.....ness lol. But let me ask you this, aren't you making a resolution every time you deiced to brush your teeth, and then much to the delight of your dental hygienist, follow through? How bout when you flush your.....business, before you leave the john? Ever wanted to make something specific for supper and then feasted on that very thing later that evening? How bout planning a road trip, or a play date or a wedding? All of those things require us to make a resolution, a decision on a desired outcome, and then take action accordingly ensuring it's successful completion. Yes? So you DO make resolutions! You're just averse to the new years variety.

Why is that I wonder? What is it about a new year starting that gets everyone all bat guano crazy about the whole thing? Is it the weight of social expectations? Is it the life-overhauling, often totally unrealistic, magnitude of ones made this time of year? Is it the reminder of past failed attempts and fear of further defeat? Maybe it's a little of all those things, but no matter what your stand on this global craze of fresh start possibility you ARE a resoluter because at it's rawest form a resolution is nothing but a decision with the elbow grease of follow through generously applied to it. Like just now, you probably resolved to either finish reading this blog post or not.

Oh good, you're still here! I'm so glad, because I really wanted to share the things I resolve, decide, aim, intend, purpose, have the courage, moxie, guts, or any other word you might prefer over another, to do in 2014. If I achieve them...GREAT! If not, that's OK as well. All of us could probably use nothing more than a great big heaping helping of grace when we fall short of our perfectly impossible ideals. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time. 

A goal without a plan is just a wish. 

Ok, I'll stop with the cheesy motivational poster quotes now. You get my point.

As I was thinking about what I might like to resolve for this year the usual suspects came up, food and fitness being the top two. I thought "I could probably stand to be stronger, more muscular, eat more organically, or locally, or meatless-ly." But to be completely honest I'm very happy where I'm at right now. I already eat very low carb and zero processed sugar, there's not a whole lot of improving I could do on that area. I work out anywhere from 3-6 times a week depending on the season, and I like my body. I'm pleased with how look and feel in my clothes, as well as out of them. I've already worked really hard to get where I'm at right now and I see no sense in pushing myself that much more when I don't need or want to. So, I began to look at other areas of my life that I WOULD like to improve, and here's what I settled upon, or did they settle on me? At any rate they felt appropriate, fitting, and not unattainable. These would be in no particular order of importance.

1. I enjoy running and would like to have it in my life much more consistently than it was in 2013. So, I will run once a week, on Wed to be precise. I have a treadmill so there really is no good reason for it not to happen.

2. Get back into the habit of a 1 minute plank every day.

3. Complete the Warrior Dash,which I'm already registered for, this summer without dying.

4. If I get to this one it means #3 didn't leave my children motherless, and I can now consider attempting to survive the Hammer Race.

3. Make my devotional time a priority again. This one probably doesn't need any explanation.

4. Schedule time on my calendar to work on my writing projects once a week.

5. Attend a local writing group.

6. Schedule a regular monthly deposit into Matt's retirement account.

7. Put any extra money into our emergency fund. Baby steps, right FPUers?.

8. Get our will taken care of.

9. Based off this article, express myself truthfully even when I'm afraid to do so.

10. Practice the piano and ukulele every day.

Hi! My name is Stephanie, and I'm a resolution maker. 

And you know what? I think it could be a really great year.