Christmas has passed and the festivities are over for another year. Now your mind turns to how you’ll be spending the first few months of the New Year. Along with the party plans come thoughts of making the inevitable New Year’s resolutions list. Maybe you’ve been thinking about the changes you want to make in your life. What if you don’t make any? What if you just accept and love the way you are?
Change?
You make resolutions, keep them for a few days and then go back to your old self. So why change? We all want to make improvements in certain areas of our lives but maybe our differences are exactly what makes us unique.
Want to lose a few pounds? Learn how to be a gourmet chef? Be more adventurous?
Maybe you’re putting too much pressure on yourself to be thin. Perhaps the shapely physique that you get from your gym workouts suits you better and leaves you feeling strong and healthy.
Instead of striving to be the next Julia Child, your family might enjoy the basic, healthy meals you serve more than something on their plates that they can’t pronounce. And as far as being more adventurous – you don’t have to jump out of an airplane to make anyone think you’re a risk taker. Maybe you’re known for your conservative nature and it’s what people love most about you.
So if you’re contemplating a change, make sure it fits within your personality parameters and still makes you feel like you.
Think outside yourself
While New Year’s resolutions are all about improvements you want to make to the way you live your life, why not think about ways you can help make changes to society?
People are in need now more than ever. Whether it’s helping the homeless, the abused, the elderly or even someone in your own family who is struggling with finding work or trying to keep a marriage together, there are many things you can do to help – all you have to do is ask.
Volunteering in your community or doing favours for neighbours sets good examples for your children. Seeing mom or dad share their time or talents with those who need and appreciate it will instill a sense of giving in them, too.
Celebrate the start of a New Year
Instead of wracking your brain trying to think of ways you can change, focus on some highlights you’d like to add to your year. Plan a kayaking trip in the spring, plant some new varieties of tomatoes in the summer or think up some new ways to celebrate family birthdays. Buy a new calendar and ask your kids to help brainstorm ideas for new activities each month.
Take the resolution-making pressure off of yourself and channel that energy into new experiences instead. Growing and changing as a person will come naturally when you’re having fun!
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the best version of you. Sometimes that journey begins – with loving yourself today, just the way you are.
