How are we doing on keeping those New Year's resolutions? Still doing well? Struggling a little? Ditched them halfway through January? Personally, I believe New Year's intentions are kinder and leave room for being simply human; resolutions, to me, feel more like a ball and chain.
My New Year's intention is to be more positive and grateful, and to help me to this end, I started a daily gratitude journal. At the end of each day, I write down 3 things for which I'm grateful that day. It can be anything, like a beautiful sunset, a cup of tea, a stranger saying hello, or reading a good book (big surprise). The one parameter I've set up for myself is focusing on things I have and avoiding the words don't or can't (i.e., "I'm glad I don't have to clean the bathroom today" or "I'm glad I can't visit Snake Island in Brazil"). Let's face it--don't and can't are negative terms while have tends to be more positive.
To be honest, so far I've had to combine a few days (I was feeling crummy with a head cold in the middle of January), but other than that, I've kept up with my journaling. It's given me cause to stop and think about the good that's around me. I'd like to think that when I do have a bad day, I can flip through previous pages and remind myself that things aren't as awful as they may seem in that moment. Anyone who's into mindfulness can tell you that moments come and go, changing all the time.
If you've had trouble keeping your New Year's promises to yourself, don't beat yourself over the head. You're only human. And remember that tomorrow is the start of another new year (not all new years need to start on January 1). The important thing is to keep on going. As Dory in Finding Nemo puts it, "just keep swimming."
Wishing you good vibes from the perch.
No comments:
Post a Comment