Now that we're all recovered from our holiday food and drink hangovers, the infamous new year's resolutions are taking the forefront of every topic of conversation. I'm a sucker for a positive outlook and striving to do better, but after the last year, and with what's coming in the next year, I'm also realizing it's so much more than becoming a health nut or promising this year's the year to be the perfect you. During an awesome church service Sunday discussing your bright future this year, and in which they sang one of the best songs, I got a little sidetracked thinking of what my own new year's resolution would be and what I wanted to change in my life. But, wholeheartedly, for me this year it's about doing what makes me a better person, inside and out, and most importantly, what leaves me feeling that what I do and who I become is well with my soul.
Feeling healthier instead of losing weight We've all seen it the last few days. The overcrowded gyms with newcomers wanting to get in shape in 2015, the Groupon emails with gym discounts. It's everywhere. And hey, if the new year and the blasts of gym commercials on TV are what make you get motivated, all the power to you. But for me, it's not that I necessarily feel like I need more motivation (although the hundreds of appetizers and glasses of wine I consumed over the holidays should be reason enough) it's really the desire to take a step back and find what's going to make me feel the healthiest. I'm getting married in T-141 days, so am I wanting to kick it into full gear and be at the gym as much as possible between now and then? Absolutely. But my resolution, and goal in general, is to feel healthy, because I really believe that feeling healthy leads to feeling happy. I'd be doomed if I unwillingly went to the gym every single day, rather than going when I can and want to 3-4 times a week, and pairing that with eating healthy at every possible occasion. Because let's be honest, I enjoy sleeping in every now and then, and I very much enjoy going out for dinner and drinks, so it's all in moderation. And that balance is how I intend to live this year, and feeling good about it all along the way.
Being nicer instead of being perfect I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't want to be perfect. I think it's an inherent instinct in (most of) us to want to do everything in our power to be perfect. But does that necessarily make you happy? Is that a realistic goal? For me at least, no way. I'll never be perfect, but I sure can improve. And one way in which I intend to improve this year is to be nicer. Nicer to the people close to me and nicer to those I come in contact with that I may not even know. If there's one thing I learned during the last year, it's how much inspiration a positive person can give to you. When I had tough moments last year, I had the most incredible people in my life to infect me with positivity, and even cooler, I had people that I had never met before or really ever connected with prior to, that sent me such nice, caring and sincere words and thoughts, and that, was really awesome. So instead of feeling unsuccessful when I reach 2016 that I wasn't able to perfect every little thing in my life, I'm hoping to use the next year to succeed in the goal of just being a genuinely nicer person. And hey, maybe it'll even spread some positivity to others around me.
Giving more instead of needing to get more Who doesn't think at the first of a new year that they'd like to "get" more? Whether it's getting more money, getting more possessions, getting big things like a house, a new car, a new job? I think it's incredibly natural to think of ways you can get more from the new year, but my goal, and this is going to be a hard one, is to emphasize more on giving, than what I want to get. It's not just wanting to give money to charity, or give my time for volunteering, but also giving myself and my time to others. In a most general sense, I want to give more time to my family and to Kevin. I admittedly and so easily get wrapped up with what everyone else is doing ,where everyone else is going, and it's a tough cycle of anxiety and sometimes feeling defeated. When in reality, I have what should be the greatest year of my life ahead of me, and so much to be grateful for and to celebrate. And in a more specific sense, I want to continue giving myself to church. I've become more of a regular attender, than a once-a-month attendee (which can be hard as a mid-twenties social butterfly, even when you grew up going every week!), and I can absolutely see a correlation in my happiness and attitude, to the time I give to go to church on Sunday mornings. Hopefully there are many more ways I'll find to give this year, but I'll start with these. I'm all about being realistic here!
So who am I to preach? I'm still learning, I'm not perfect and I definitely have room for improvement in all aspects of my life. But, I do think we all can use positive ideas sometimes, especially those that may strike a cord or light a vision in us that can positively impact our lives and the lives of those around us. So I hope you can shine your light in 2015, and better yet, shine that light unto others around you.
Make it well with your soul today, and every day of 2015. Xoxo! Molly