It seems like we spend so much time thinking about how much we want to change for the New Year we often forget what we should continue doing. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good resolution, because how else will I grow if I don’t push myself? But, I’m also down for loving myself exactly where I am and observing what I’m doing successfully. I mean you can’t even think about getting better if you don’t acknowledge what you do right, right?
So instead of bombarding you with another post about what I hope to change, I’m going to give you a list of what I hope to continue. You may see some things on this list that you do well, and if so, pat yourself on the back, give yourself a big bear hug and some praise because it ain’t always easy to do the right thing. But if you see some things on my list that you want to incorporate for yourself, by all means add it to your list of resolutions. Now let’s get this party started…
- My health was a major focal point for me in 2016. I started going to the gym 4-5 days a week and eating a better diet. I also stopped drinking alcohol for the first 4 months of the year. I want to continue to focus on my health and push myself to be the best me that I can be. I also stopped looking at the scale, and started to note what I call “non scale victories”. Things like, oh I can cross my legs now! Or I can run a mile without stopping! This year I want to continue to focus on my health and not just when it comes to what the scale says.
- I started making an effort to really doll myself up for work each day. I started a new job this year and my commute went from an hour and a half to fifteen minutes, so I made a conscious commitment to use that extra time to put on makeup, iron my clothes, and really put some thought into my wardrobe. The feeling I get when a co-worker tells me I always look pulled together or my outfit is cute has been a real boost to my confidence! It also helps to encourage me to stay in the gym and continue on my path to a healthy lifestyle.
- My relationships with friends and family has been the best I think they’ve ever been! I don’t find myself in petty drama, or feel unappreciated. I now have relationships that are reciprocal and loving, relationships I don’t second guess or obsess over. I think I got to this place because I accepted people for who they were a lot more without judgement and stopped trying to force the relationships that weren’t serving me (or them for that matter). I hope to continue to love as deeply and freely and as be as vulnerable as I can this year and to fully accept when that love is not reciprocated.
- My blog took a bit of a back burner to my social life and other passion projects this year, and while I don’t hope to continue to let it take a back seat, I do hope to continue said passion projects more in the coming year. My biggest lesson of the past few years has been that passion is where your happiness is, and that when you can define that for yourself God will do the rest. This blog started as my first passion project and from that so many other great things have started to come to fruition. I am going to continue working and defining my passions and never give up on them (even when I get a little lazy every few months 😉
- I started dating a lot this year. I’ve never really been a “dater” I’ve always been a “relationship girl”. I think because of this I’ve put a lot of expectation on would be suitors, and what I’ve learned is I never give myself the chance to just enjoy the moment and the person you’re sharing that moment with. However this year I did a lot less of that. I signed up for a couple dating sites and I just went out on dates without the expectation that they would turn into a marriage. Don’t get me wrong, I ultimately want that in my life, however I’m not so tied to that outcome. Now I’m open to other outcomes – a great friendship, a great meal, great conversation. Not everything is a means to an end after all.
- After 3 years of not traveling, I took some great trips this year! From small staycations to bigger outings, I got the travel bug back and I can’t wait to continue to explore the world in 2017!
- Now this one has been slow in progress but I’m starting to finally get it and set it – boundaries!! In the past I’ve set boundaries but never quite made the people in my life stick to them. However in the last few months leading up to 2017 I had a breakthrough and now know how important setting and sticking to my boundaries is. I also have been able to better identify when a boundary has been crossed and when I’m allowing that consciously. I’ve still got a lot of growth in this area but I give myself kudos for continuing to grow through it.
- THERAPY! I started going to therapy this year consistently, and when I started, it wasn’t because I was sad, or going through something traumatic, it was just because I wanted to work on myself from the inside out! It has been the BEST decision of my WHOLE year! There is such a negative stigma placed on therapy and I have no idea why because it’s helped me to really see my life through new lenses. I now begin many sentences with “well my therapist says” because of it. I look forward to seeing my doctor and gaining a new perspective on situations I may be too close to, to see clearly, and to encourage my family and friends and readers to do the same for themselves. I truly believe we have this one life to live and we can’t begin to live it to its full potential if we are locked in the prison of our own minds.
- I’ve begun to use social media not as griping ground to list everything I hate about society, but to lift others up. After the election I made an effort to only post what I love and what inspires me. It’s made me feel so much more hopeful and it’s really opened me up to other people who are on the same path as me. In posting only positive and inspirational messages I’ve begun to block out the negative ones and have started to unfollow people (even friends and family) who do the opposite. There is no judgement from me and no proclamation online that I’m blocking anyone out because I think everything has its place (even those sobering somber messages). But for now, for me, I’m building and growing and it has no place in my life at the moment.
- I pledge to continue to laugh and grow and make mistakes and have successes and failures ( I mean that’s easy). But I pledge to get back up after every failure and every victory and keep doing life the best way I can.
So party people! What are you going to continue to do in the coming year? I’d love to know in the comments below!
LOVE THIS !!!