Well, the month of January is going to be filled with the regular 'New Year, New Me' slogans and phrases and resolutions. The truth is, I commend anyone who manages to accomplish their set goals for the new year.
What does it mean to become a 'new you'? Does it mean trying to make less mistakes? Will you try and have a different outlook? Will your work ethic change? Will you pay greater attention to your health and how you take care of yourself?
For myself, this is a new year and I have some pretty specific goals. But the only part of my life that I would want to 'change', per se, is not something that I can just decide to change. Yes, it would be a much welcomed improvement if my health were to be better this year, but the stone cold reality is that it isn't UP to me. It is up to my body and directions that my doctors steer me in and possible treatments or therapies that are introduced. My health is at the mercy of too many outside influences, so I can't exactly have "Improve my Health" as a New Year's Resolution.
What I CAN do is come up with projects that I can complete. I can make a list of goals that I would like to achieve this year. I can come up with certain endeavors that I can do, from home, that will help me feel accomplished and proud.
There are always little traits to work on - have more patience, be kinder, take more time to read or learn, spend less money, expect less and give more, etc...
A new year is a new moment to better oneself. And I don't mean anything like losing weight or changing how someone appears to others. I think it is much more beneficial and much more feasible to take small steps to be a better person - even in the slightest way. Maybe you can take an extra moment and hold the door open for people more often. Or take the time to appreciate that barista who always gets your morning coffee order correctly.
There are health problems that we have no control over. And as we age, it won't matter if we had an extra 10 pounds on us in our twenties. Our lasting impression, our legacy, will always be our personalities and how we treated other people.
Sure it's important to have goals and a work ethic and determination, always moving forward and continuing to better your life, but take the time to find out what, in life, truly makes you HAPPY, and then strive for that feeling.
My new year's 'resolution' is not to feel better. My resolution includes a few important projects (which I am super insanely excited about) and a goal to be a better person, even in the tiniest way.
Because how we treat others is one of the only things that we have any genuine control over.