Thursday, January 31, 2013

the 'non-resolution' post

the idea of making new year's resolutions is not only for people of the western world.  people here sometimes make them....and as with most of us in the western world, they also are pretty much done with them very quickly.
(i'm thinking that my 'record' would have to be about 2 weeks....i know...awesome, right?)

in one of my classes, we were talking about resolutions and how no one even tried anymore and then, one lady said...."i wrote something for this."  all of us were very interested in hearing what she had to say....i mean...really? resolutions? was she serious?

and she was.....in a way.

she then told of us her "resolution".....she decided that this year, she was going to focus on three things: english, tai chi, and volunteering at the hospital.

focus.  
            not
                    "i will study english everyday." or
                              "i will practice tai chi three times a week."  or
                                                                 "i will volunteer twice a week."

focus.  she's just going to focus on those things.

i think i like this.

one of the main things i don't like about making resolutions is not the fact that i gave up so quickly, but, the fact that i was so hard on myself for giving up.  it was almost as i was giving myself a guilt trip...or tying to anyway.  doesn't that sound ridiculous?

so, for the past few weeks, i've been thinking about focusing....i'm liking this idea so much better.  a 'non-resolution' kind of thing.  guilt and pressure free.

i can handle that.

i can also handle not being too terribly specific about what i'm focusing on.  sure, i've got a couple general things to focus on for the year (hula...staying calm with the boys and spending more time with them..finding the floor of my room, underneath all that crap stuff i have collected.....), but, i've also decided that monthly/weekly/daily focuses will be good, too.  
                      i will focus on all the dust that has collected on the top of the fridge. 
                            i will focus on getting to bed at a more decent hour...unless CSI: las vegas is on, then...meh.  i'll just focus on NOT sleeping the next day in class.
                                  i will focus on getting my disaster craft area under control and actually try to  
                                                     create something....or a few somethings.

i like this non-resoluting idea.....it's working for me.
 (even though it's after midnight and i'm still awake..that's okay...really..it is.)
















6 comments:

smalltownme said...

I like focus. If you backslide a little bit, it's OK. You just refocus.

Anonymous said...

I like it too--my focus this year is self-care. It's a fun one!

Janet said...

focus...much more kind that resolve!

ChiTown Girl said...

I LOVE this!!!

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Focus... yes, that's what I like! It kind of encapsulates my word for 2013, because when you have a word, that is your focus... the place to put your energy is in that word/idea, and the focus allows you to accomplish the other things in life.
(maybe) I will focus on getting my own craft area under control. It has spilled out onto the dining room table and the coffee table.

JO said...

Shhhhh.....you are letting out the secrets of the major self-help gurus! (wink). But seriously, that word? Focus? It is kinda responsible for me having lost 40+ lbs, for me being back in school to finish my degree, for the family taking more "us time", etc. Yup, it was focus...not a whole litany of "I'm gonna's".