Not having a clue what I wanted to do this year I did some research online and ran across an article titled 65 Rewarding New Year's Resolutions for a Healthy, Happy Life. Most of those suggestions, however, have made my resolution lists in past years. It’s a boring list of 65 that includes stuff like “Chili Out” “Practice Mindfulness,” “Quit smoking” and “Drink less Alcohol.” For a minute and a half I considered their “Get in a body positive mind-set.” Then I decided that would take more effort than I’m willing to do (and probably a few hours on a therapist’s couch). The only suggestion that almost made it to my resolution list is number 47 which was about quitting multitasking: “Multitasking doesn't make you more efficient, but it does stress you out, says mindfulness expert Pedram Shojai, author of Focus: Bringing Time, Energy and Money into Flow.' If your focus is fragmented, you'll likely find yourself getting anxious as new items come up when old ones are still incomplete,’ he says. Instead, he suggests, organize your activities into chunks of time, such as kid time and cooking time, and then commit to being focused in those allotted minutes and see what happens. It'll help stop you from overthinking everything." Right now as I write this post I’m listening to a book and doing laundry.
Another article I found on making New Year’s Resolutions was titled 12 Inspirational Mantra for the New Year and it has stuff like:
That last one really appeals to me even if it is just a rehash of the gratitude journey I kept the year after Don’s stroke as per Oprah’s popular fad in 2000. Looking for something positive every day help get me out of the depression the aftermath that his stroke caused in our lives.
But one article on New Year’s Resolution seemed to be written strictly as click bait and it was just a word search image. The first four words you find will be your mantra for 2023. I found care, break-through, money and power on my first try but I didn’t like them and I kept looking and found change, purpose, love and alignment. This is a lazy man's way to pick a resolution so why bother? I’d never pick my resolutions that way but I'm not above using the idea as blog fodder, so there you have it.
Every year when I write a post about resolutions I get a lot of comments from people who don’t make them and/,or think it's a silly idea, a waste of time. Writing them is outdated, I'd agree, but I still think there is value in taking stock of areas in your life that you want to change or work on improving over the next months and that’s all New Year’s Resolutions have been for me. For most of my life I've had an end of the year ritual of reviewing old resolutions written for the year that's ending and beyond. Then on New Year’s Day I’d record a new list in the front of a brand new journals.
I destroyed volumes and volumes of diaries and journals when I move here 14 months ago, just keeping the ones from my pre-teens and teen years---my naive and innocent years---which were filled with crushes and silliness. To this day I kind of wish I’d kept at least the first pages out of those 60+ years of diary and journal keeping. I miss that end of the year tradition of getting them out and reflecting over how how pretentious, silly, dramatic or lonely I was from year to year. ©
Happy New Year, Everyone!
I'll be the one spending next year trying
to
“Seek the sweet moments in every day.”
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteRight back at you Margaret.
DeleteHappy New Year!!! I no longer do resolutions although I really like the idea of a sort of gratitude journal ... just write down one good thing that happened each day. I think I can do that!
ReplyDeleteGratitude journaling really works for when I'm depressed. It forces me to starting looking for the good things going on and there is always something even on the darkest day. I really stressful times it takes me 2-3 months of writing before I can turn myself around and I discard it.
Deletethat's a great mantra "Seek the sweets moments in every day" - Enjoy the journey
ReplyDeleteThank you. Hope your new year is a happy one as well.
DeleteNever was one to do resolutions, figuring I'd forget what I'd decided for the year before I could make one attempt at keeping true to the concept. But, it feels good that others can try to make THEIR lives better and then we ALL benefit.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way to look at it. LoL
DeleteNo resolutions for me, I haven't made one for more than 35 years and when I did, I never managed to keep them.
ReplyDeleteOh damn and blast, google has turned me in anonymous again, Friko
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Friko! You mean we're supposed to keep those resolutions we make? LoL
DeleteI think absolutely anything that keeps us going forward is worth considering. Life can be difficult and most of us need encouragement along the way. I'm a big believer in setting goals and I really like your choice for this year. I try to be optimistic, but sometimes I need to work a little harder at seeing the sweetness of life. A worthy goal, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful weekend. Bet the ccc will throw a New Year's party. Happy, healthy, sweet New Year to you, Jean!!
The CCC put on a serf and turf buffet last night for the holiday but tonight the residents---we're doing our own NYE party with just finger foods and some kind of in-house entertainment. Other than that it will be kind of quiet weekend with no food service and very few employees working. But that's okay. I'm ready for a dull January after such a busy holiday season.
DeleteOh my, without multitasking I wouldn’t be me! We are all so different from each other in what way of living works for us. My hope for you in 2023 is that you continue to find friendship and engaging activities in your new home. Juhli
ReplyDeleteA wonderful wish, Juhli. I agree about multitasking part of our personalities but sometimes I think I shouldn't be doing it as much as I do.
DeleteI do the word thing too. Last year it was Endure and I feel that's about all I've done all year. So this year I will try something a little more upbeat but I haven't figured out what that will be yet. I used to do resolutions, then decided "what's the point." The word seems to work.
ReplyDeleteIt will be fun to find out what word you choose. I'd say last year's word served you well. May next year be easier and full of everything you enjoy doing.
DeleteWhen you seek those sweet moments, maybe write them down and put them in a Good Things Jar. Then open it and read them on New Year's Day 2023.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Jean.
I really liked the idea of the Good Things jar but the year I did it I didn't keep it up. Still a great idea though. I will start keeping the sweet moments log and my nephew gave me a new journal yesterday that I think I'll use to put them in. It's a very intimidating journal with handmade paper pages so we'll see...
DeleteI did it in a very easy, informal way. I didn't make myself do it every day, and I kept mine in a conspicuous place with the pen and paper right next to it. Some days, I wrote quite a few things that I remembered, each on separate slips. I didn't bother with dates. It was low-pressure, high-reward.
DeleteSounds like a great way to do a gratitude or good things jar.
DeleteThat's a wonderful phrase to guide you in 2023, Jean! I also take this time of year to reflect and to set an intention for the next. My word for the new year is Explore. I spent almost all of 2023 planning, moving, renovating...I still have more to do but I also want to do more travel and discovering, especially of this island I live on. Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteDeb
You certainly planned your retirement location well. Not only do you have your daughter and her family near-by you gained a great grand-dog to fur-sit and that island is a perfect place for a hiker like you. 'Explore' is a great idea for 2023.
DeleteAn absolutely lovely post, thank you. I have made a resolution and some Good Ideas to try, rather than demand too much of myself. Hope you find those sweet moments.
ReplyDeleteThank you ! I just checked out your blog and plan to go back for a deeper dive.
DeleteI have done the resolution thing most years. For awhile I set "intentions" which were more thoughtful and positive than a resolution to "lose weigh" for example. LOL Yesterday I sat down and reviewed the past year and looking ahead decided what I want to have more of in the coming year and what I can do to achieve that, in various areas of my life. I liked what I came up with but now I want to find that one word or phrase that encompasses it all. Thanks for the motivation! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSee that's what I like about the concept of making New Year's Resolutions. Whether we put them down on paper or not they get us thinking about where we're at and what we want in the future. I don't even feel guilty anymore if only keep them 4 to 6 months. It's the trying that counts. Good luck finding your one word.
DeleteHappy New Year! Wishing you peace, joy, good health, and fun adventures in 2023!
ReplyDeleteThank You!
DeleteI started doing the Word of the Year after my husband had his heart transplant. We were so focused on doctors, therapists, heart caths, all of the medical things that go along with that, including being dislocated for 15 months. Before the transplant relocated us, we were in the middle of a remodel of our house. When we came home, our contractor wanted to start right in on the project again. That's when I found the Word of the Year. My word that year was Freedom. Even though we still had the medical things to deal with, there weren't as many. When I thought about the remodel, it made me very anxious. So I put my foot down and said no. I carried the Freedom into everything. If I didn't want to clean house, I had the Freedom not to do that. If I wanted to read all day, or knit, I had the Freedom to do that. At the same time, if I wanted to clean out a closet, I had the Freedom to do that to. I don't remember other years and hadn't actually thought about it much until I saw a Facebook post asking if anyone had heard about it. This year the word that came to me was Focus, to focus on whatever I was doing completely. But as I contemplated it, I kept returning to Joy. So, this year I'm not doing just the word. I'm going to Focus on Joy, in whatever I'm doing, even if it's cleaning out the refrigerator (and I think I would rather scrub toilets in the men's room at a bus station! As far as the gratitude journal, write down one good thing that happened each day and put it in a box or jar. At the end of the year, pull each on out and read it.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading how you put your one word "freedom" into action that year. I like your goal for this year, too. Focus on Joy!
DeleteI'ma try that gratitude jar idea. I remind myself how lucky I am to have no major health problems, etc. almost daily, but thoughts vanish.
ReplyDeleteWith the gratitude jar or journal we can always have a go-to like being thankful for no major health problems when nothing else seems to rise to the surface. After my husband's stroke my go-to was I'm grateful the day is over.
DeleteI don't do new year resolutions because I can't see the point I am too damn lazy to follow through
ReplyDeleteYou always have a way of making me smile and that's a good gift to give
DeleteMy resolutions are always to keep doing what I have been doing, but I do have empowering questions I use all the time. One if my favorites is, “What is one thing I can do right now to make myself happier.” Cheerful Monk
ReplyDeleteI like that...the idea of asking yourself empowering questions.
DeleteHappy New Year, Jean! I read an article recently in the Washington Post that focused on recognizing and savoring the small sources of joy in our daily lives. The author called them "joy snacks." This approach to joy resonated for me.
ReplyDeleteI just googled "Joy Snacks"+Washington Post and found what you .mentioned. The idea dovetails completely with my mantra for 2023. I'm always behind in what is currently a fad.
DeleteHappy New Year! I like your New Year's intention. I stopped making resolutions for myself and decided instead to make one for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI hope that works out.
DeleteI need to lose some weight this year, but I know better than to try the "25 pounds by June 1" approach. Instead, I'm going with "fewer calories, more exercise." If that's considered at every meal and every daily activity, I suspect I'll do fine. Even parking farther from the grocery store entrance and walking to pick up the mail instead of stopping on my way home count.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I've learned is to focus on 'resolutions' or goals that present themselves in the context of my life. This year's goal is to finally sort out my photo archives and my computer files. It might take a while, but the goal is to have it done by next New Year's Day. We'll see how that goes!
Knowing you many photographs you take, sorting out your files sounds like an enormous task.
DeleteI didn't make resolutions about weight loss this year but I am planning to walk more and eat less, especially sweets. The concierge's desk always has chocolate candy and picking up a piece every time I walk by has done it's damage and that practice I stopped two weeks ago. Good luck with your plans. They say little changes can make a difference.
Happy New Year. I always like the Idea of a Blank Slate as a New Year rolls in, especially if the previous Year had too much to have to Deal with. I did the One Word Mantra thing for a Minute. *LOL* Now, I just try to start afresh and see what happens one day at a time, Dial Back my expectations and try to manage what is possible and probable... sometimes that even works.
ReplyDelete