I Resolve Nothing

It's been a long time since I made any sort of formal new year's resolutions. You see, I know myself fairly well, & I've been down that resolution road before. "I AM SO EXCITED TO CHANGE ALL THE THINGS ABOUT MYSELF & BECOME A REALLY AWESOME VERSION OF ME!" By March, I'm exactly the same as I ever was.

At the start of 2013, I scribbled a few sentences on a legal pad. Each sentence was no more than five words long, nothing particularly in-depth - just a few written reminders of things to focus on in the new year. I didn't think too much before I started writing; I just went for it. I didn't put any pressure on myself to OMG achieve all these high-pressure goals or else; I just gently nudged myself in the direction of betterment & sort of hoped for the best.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the not-putting-any-pressure-on-myself-to-become-a-really-awesome-version-of-me thing worked pretty well for me. Without pressure to achieve, I also felt no advance guilt about my likely failure (this should tell you basically everything you need to know about my entire personality) - and in that space between, I actually accomplished almost all of the items on my hastily written list.

This year, I'm taking a similar approach. My friend Jane wrote two lists - things to do more of in 2014 & things to do less of - & I'm going to try the same. As it turns out, all of items on my mental To Do This Year list can be summed up thusly: Be kind to myself.

In 2014, I'll try for a little bit less:

1. Worrying
2. Alcohol
3. Gossip
4. Mindless surfing of social media
5. Diet Coke
6. Indecision
7. Comparing myself to others
8. Frivolous spending
9. Snacking
10. Guilt

And a whole lot more:

1. Writing
2. Intuitive eating
3. New music
4. Adventuring
5. Water
6. Walking & exercising
7. Red lipstick
8. Plans & video chats with friends
9. Good books
10. Therapy and/or Ativan

Be kind to yourselves this year, friends. We deserve it.