I am not usually a “New Years Resolution” kinda gal. I am not much for bandwagons and mass guilt, they have always rubbed me the wrong way. But this year my life’s path just happens to line up with the calendar, with lots of projects finished and others just beginning. so I figured, why not go ahead and jump on the New Year, New Me train? Recently I read a great quote by Maya Angelou. She says “when you know better, you do better” and that is how I feel about resolutions. I don’t want to commit to these grand, self-flagilatiing, never-can-achieve goals that will only make me feel like a failure. Instead I am going to make myself a list of Do Betters. Things that I can work on in small increments and Do Better, cause I know better.
So without further rambling here are my 2012 Do Betters:
Yoga– I pretty much gave up Yoga when I started on the book. I just only had so much time and energy. But Yoga aligns more than just my spine, it aligns my spirit. To me it is as much a form of prayer as it is exercsise, and there is no reason I cannot practice alone daily, and in a group at least twice a week. I think everyone in my house will thank me for it as I am always so much more centered when I am practicing.
Faith @ Home – The church we go to is wonderful and exactly where we are called to be. It is family to us and a place where all of us can serve together in our community during our Service Sundays and through other relationships and connections we have made there. But the way our body works, and the way in which we meet and gather means that our kids are missing out on some of the more indepth bible study and lessons on the history of our faith that Sweet Man and I benefitted from in the more traditional church setting that we group up in. As we start this year I am convicted that as their parents we need to take the reigns and do better job of teaching our kids the roots and rythms of their faith. So to that end I am going to try a little Sunday school at home type of plan studying together, reading together and digging in to explore and discover God’s Story as a family. I am not 100% sure how this is going to look, but I have some ideas. I will keep you posted on our progress and any tips or book suggestions you have would be very appreciated.
Purge, purge, purge– I am ready to clean out and giveaway and sell. Ever since I started working full time I have just let things pile up- old magazines, craft supplies, fabrics, dishes, clothes. You name it I am ready to give it up. I am having my first garage sale Jan 14, so if you live local- come on and bring your pocket book cause momma’s gotta buy a farm!
Healthy Cooking/Menu Planning– Two Days a week. I am going to try and plan ahead two meals a week and see how it goes. Healthy, fresh, new. Surely I can do it two days? Surely!
Write to Write– a little every day. Book or no book. Blog or no blog. I want to keep a record of this year just for kicks and just for me. If this year is half as interesting as last year this will be project well worth taking on.
Hold On To Hope: This year I do not want to forget where my hope is and it is not in my circumstances or my address. Of course I pray that we sell our house and move to the farm, but I also pray that regardless I will be content and that I will be filled with hope and faith. I pray that whomever ends up at the farm and whomever ends up at our house, regardless if it is us or not, loves where they are, just as they are.
So those are my Do Betters for 2012. Do you make resolutions? Do you have a Do Better list? Do you have tips on how I can accomplish mine?
Thank you for sharing 2011 with me. This little blog has been amazing way to meet new and beautiful people whom I would otherwise never know. I am so grateful for each and ever visitor who chooses to read my words and look at my picture, because I know there are so many other things you could be doing. I know you each have very busy lives and struggles of your own, and I pray that this new year brings about peace and joy in your heart as well as home.
all my love,
This year my “resolution” is to recite my intentions each morning, to embrace each day as a new chance to:
1. Be mindful of what I eat and drink, be mindful of how I move & how it will affect my body.
2. Be mindful of what I spend my money on & how it will affect my finances and life goals.
3. Be mindful of how I invest my time & how it will affect my spirit.
4. Be mindful to be still, to dwell, to abide, to rest, to hope, to let go of anxious thoughts, to trust.
My hope is that it will help me take things one day at a time & not get overwhelmed by the big picture.
these are terrific goals. i am actually just sitting down with my journal to write mine out. i too am going to try to teach my kids better about our faith. like reallly what it's about, you know? happy new year to you and yours 🙂
J – this is so funny. I'm sitting here in my little room at Heart of God in Oklahoma. I LOVE a magazine out of Holland called FLOW. I always get it when I'm at the Amsterdam airport. Well I was on their site and found a link to Life Made Lovely. I've been combing thru the blog and low and behold there was your house! I screamed with glee! I LOVE looking thru all the homes and loved yours too of course! So I found your blog thru a website in holland. This is a small world. By the way we ae moving to Oklahoma and I'm totally redoing my house here on campus. Turquoise countertops? Maybe! Who knows what I'll do! I miss seeing you!
i don't really make resolutions, i make birthday goals on my birthday. but i often fail and feel discouraged. so i decided that this year will be my year of grace. i'm too much of a self critic and my husband tells me i'm way too hard on myself. if the maker of the universe feels i'm worthy of grace, then why can't i bestow it on myself? that's my “resolution” this year.
I want to work on being a better person, a better mother to my children and I want to really zone in on the faith aspect of my life so I can teach my children to trust in God for EVERYTHING!! I do believe things will work in your favor. I'm praying for you!! 2012 WILL be a better year!!
Hi Jerusalem!
That's funny, stretching is one of my resolutions this year too! Haha!
Good choices. Happy New Year to you and your family and your farm (hopefully)!
~Trish
good list 🙂
I prefer new year's “goals” as opposed to new year's “resolutions”, which always sound so….DO IT OR ELSE!…..and almost always result in guilt & shame.
“goals” sound much more forgiving in nature….more progressive, you know? And we are ALL a work in progres 🙂
I was thinking about you this morning…..what's your word for the year? I've got mine narrowed down to an idea, but not the word itself. I'm fairly certain I'm overthinking this year's word in order to give what I really need a more positive spin….. which sort of defeats the purpose of my chosen theme: to quit avoiding that which is painful or hard, to be truly honest with myself, & to live live authentically.
And I can't even choose my damn word without avoiding the harsh truth! I'm sure my shrink will have a few words to say about that 😉
xoxo