This year I'm trying something different...choosing a theme or Focus Word for the year. Maybe you've seen or heard this approach before, but it was a revelation to me when I heard about it! This quote from LifeHacker is what set me on the road to this years approach: If you want to be the change you seek, skip the quantifiable goals entirely and choose a theme or “focus word” for your year. For example, Miranda Marquit at MoneyNing is making her theme “growth.” She’s not looking for milestones, just asking herself “How can I grow in my life?” And actress Zoe Saldana is making her theme “open,” choosing to focus on being more open about her feelings to others. Themes are helpful because you can’t really quantify or track abstract goals like “being a better mother,” or “being a kinder person.” Maybe your theme is something as simple as “kindness,” or maybe “understanding,” if you feel like you get angry at things too quickly. If you were surprised by the presidential election results, you can make this year the year of “perspectives,” and you can find a way to climb out of your echo chamber and begin to understand why things are the way they are. Take the word and print it out or write it down, then put it somewhere you can always see it. Maybe on your computer monitor, above your door, or on your bathroom mirror. It will serve as a memory peg, always reminding you what this year is all about. In my case, I decided to choose two words. This year will be a year of pretty major change for me. If things go as planned, and Ron and I manage to actually accomplish the renovation of the master bedroom/sitting area of his house, I'll be moving in with him once there's actually room for me and all my girlie girl stuff!! That plan will overshadow my life as we prep for that, both at his house with all the work that needs to be done, and also at mine as I organize and sort my stuff to prep for the move. So one of my words is CHANGE. I'm generally OK with change, not resistant to it at all, but still, it does tend to stress me out just because implementing changes of any kind also come with resultant, transient chaos, mess, disorganization, as you put the changes in place. It doesn't matter whether you're organizing/rearranging/decluttering a closet or re-assessing your priorities and values in life...there's a degree of mess involved either mentally or physically while you sort through what you have to. And if there's not, yer doin' it wrong lol!! So, along with CHANGE, I am also choosing MINDFULNESS. Seems like a strange juxtaposition with change I know. But for me, I tend to get into a sort of frantic pace to sort things out, set things right, get rid of the clutter, get to the finished product whenever I implement change, because the disorder drives me crazy, whether it's stuff that's just swimming around in my head, or piles of crap on the floor. I was going to choose RELAX, but that's bull, I know me and there is just NO way I'm going to be able to relax amidst clutter. Instead I can choose to be mindful about it, and not go crazy trying to set it straight, just thoughtfully and mindfully work my way through it, staying in the moment and focusing on what I'm doing right now, instead of forward thinking to the finished job and getting anxious or frantic to get it finished. What about you? Resolutions? Something else? Don't do resolutions?
I don't do resolutions. I followed conventional thought as I was growing up and made lists of things, activities, just plain life that I should try to make better, not do, change. But then actual life started happening and I gave that up. I make plans but they are flexible to save myself a whole lot of pain and agony when I can not complete those plans afterall. So pretty much I go with the flow of what each day has in store for me. The only required activity on a specific day for me is I do laundry on Monday. It's just the two of us now, hubby works from home and if I am inside all day (unless it's gardening weather) there is not all that much laundry to do. I do not even make to-do lists each week like I used to do many years ago, every Sunday I spent a lot of time listing things for the next week that needed to get done.. Those uncompleted projects just drove me crazy and depressed when I failed to cross everything off those lists each week. Then I figured if I could get half done I would be happy. Then I thew away all supplies needed for the making of lists that in real life can never be completed in such a constrained time period and have been so much happier the last 25 years.
I have only one resolution so far, that’s to learn how to use the DLSR camera that I bought a few months ago. I really love photography so I bought a new camera and all the equipment but it’s been in a cupboard since I bought it. This year I will learn how to use it
I have two words...keep CARM and stop STRESSING...these two main factors make me feel worse with myself.
No resolutions,, period ! I just go with the flow of the day ! If I see something that needs to be done,,I do it ! Anything else I don`t worry about !
You do stuff Ronni? Here's me thinking you're nothing but a lady of leisure who wouldn't lift a finger if she didn't have to. That'll be the day - more like getting you to STOP doing stuff!! Am I right or am I right?
